Buddy4Study, India’s leading technology-driven education funding platform, is poised to reach a major milestone in FY 2025-26 by enabling over INR 900 crore in cumulative education funding since launch.
In this financial year alone, the platform will support more than 60,000 new scholars, while an additional 30,000 existing scholars will continue receiving multi-year assistance. Consequently, this expansion will increase Buddy4Study’s total reach to over 2 lakh unique scholars, up from 1.40 lakh.
This year’s scale-up marks a significant jump from FY 2024-25, when the platform facilitated INR 230 crore in scholarships for over 60,000 students. Buddy4Study’s wide-ranging funding solutions—including scholarships, education loans, government schemes, and institutional aid—have already enabled INR 640+ crore for 1.40 lakh scholars so far, and these efforts have solidified its position as India’s most comprehensive education support ecosystem.
“These numbers represent more than metrics—they represent dreams realized and futures transformed,” says Ashutosh Burnwal, Founder and CEO of Buddy4Study. “Reaching this milestone will reinforce our mission to ensure that no deserving student is left behind. Of the 1.40 lakh scholars we’ve felicitated across 11,000+ institutions—including IITs, IIMs, and NLUs—57% are young women, over 20,000 come from orphaned or single-parent households, and nine out of ten are first-generation learners. This is the true measure of our impact.”
The INR 900 crore milestone reflects Buddy4Study’s multi-layered education funding strategy, which addresses diverse learner needs at scale. Scholarships remain the foundation, with the platform having partnered with over 200 organizations since inception, including HDFC Bank, L’Oréal India, Colgate-Palmolive (India), GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Kotak Education Foundation, Bharti Airtel Foundation, and Infosys Foundation. With 80+ active partners, the platform now facilitates customized scholarships designed for varied student communities. In the current fiscal year, Buddy4Study is broadening its reach by directing more support toward underserved groups through targeted programs.
Education loans provide additional support, with the platform having enabled over INR 2.90 crore in loans through collaborations with major banks like Punjab National Bank, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank, as well as NBFCs such as Kuhoo Finance. These partnerships offer collateral-free loans of up to INR 20 lakh. Loan access has improved further through the Buddy4Loan platform, which now helps scale loan facilitation across the country.
Buddy4Study’s Student Financial Aid Offices (SFAOs) network—responsible for delivering verified funding opportunities directly on campuses—has expanded to 36 institutions and NGOs. Key partners include NIT Delhi, AISECT Group of Institutions, Lovely Professional University, IMT Ghaziabad, Sri Siddhartha School of Engineering, The Indian Agriculture College, Madras School of Social Work, and several colleges under the University of Delhi. Leading NGOs such as Teach For India, Avanti Fellows, the Gopalakrishnan Foundation for the Deaf, and the Dalmia Bharat Foundation are also using this model to support students. Buddy4Study now aims to scale the network to 1,000 SFAOs by March 2026, which will drive a major phase of its growth strategy.
Government partnerships further strengthen reach. Buddy4Study’s strong execution in the Free Coaching for DNT Students scheme under SEED—where it successfully onboarded 500 students from De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes in FY 2024-25—resulted in a large-scale expansion, with the program now targeting 4,000 students this year. This progress demonstrates the government’s confidence in Buddy4Study’s ability to deliver impact at scale.
Alongside institutional initiatives, Buddy4Study’s Kind Circle platform has expanded philanthropic access by allowing individuals to create scholarships directly. With over INR 2.16 crore raised from 136 contributors so far, the initiative aims to build a INR 10 crore fund by March 2026, thus broadening grassroots contributions.
Beyond financial aid, Buddy4Study addresses students’ holistic development needs, which positions it as more than just a funding platform. Its evolving mentorship programs connect scholars with industry professionals to offer career insights and practical exposure. Through structured learning modules focused on professional skills, career readiness, and life skills, the platform ensures students grow academically and professionally.
“We’re building more than a funding platform—we’re creating a comprehensive support system that nurtures talent from financial assistance through professional development,” adds Burnwal. “Our vision for 2030 is to empower 10 lakh students, ensuring that education becomes a right, not a privilege, and that first-generation learners become tomorrow’s mentors.”
The newly launched Buddy4Vidya platform supports intellectual development and soft skills, offering training in communication, leadership, and professional grooming—skills often missing in traditional education. Its strong alumni community creates a self-sustaining support ecosystem where former scholars mentor newer students, fostering continuous guidance and empowerment.
