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WikiConference India 2026
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Scholarship
Programme
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Under review
WikiConference India 2026 Scholarships
Application closed on 15th April 2026 11.59 PM IST.
The
WikiConference India 2026
Scholarship Program aims to support Wikimedians and contributors who wish to participate in WCI 2026, taking place
4th - 6th September 2026
in
Kochi
, India.
Travel scholarships help ensure broad participation from across the Wikimedia movement by supporting contributors who may not otherwise be able to attend.
Selected scholarship recipients will receive support to attend the conference and participate in sessions, discussions, and collaborative activities with Wikimedia communities.
Timeline
(Will be updated soon)
Scholarship categories
Applicants must apply under the category that corresponds to their place of residence.
1. Local + National (Domestic) Category
For Wikimedians residing in
India
Approximate number of scholarship:
~20
scholarship: Road or Rail travel and
~70
scholarships: Air travel
2. Regional Category
For Wikimedians residing in
South Asian
countries other than India
Approximate number of scholarship:
~24
3. International Category
For Wikimedians residing
outside the South Asian region
but who work closely with South Asian communities and Wikimedia projects.
Approximate number of scholarship:
~5
What the scholarship covers
Scholarships may cover some or all of the following expenses:
Travel to and from Kochi, India
Accommodation during the conference
Conference registration
Meals during the conference
Other essential travel-related costs for participation. The exact coverage may vary depending on the scholarship category and travel distance.
Who should apply
We encourage applications from contributors who:
Have an active contribution history on Wikimedia projects with a focus on the contributions made within the
past 30 months / 2.5 years till 1st March 2026
(Either on content or technical projects or both), with no ongoing project ban on Wikimedia Projects.
Are engaged in community organizing, outreach, partnerships, training, or capacity building.
Led global or local campaigns, new initiatives, community programs, training workshops, etc.
Demonstrate how attending WCI 2026 will benefit their local or language community and its relevance to their work.
We strongly encourage women, gender-diverse contributors, and participants from underrepresented regions and language communities to apply. Applicants should demonstrate meaningful engagement with the Wikimedia movement and a clear interest in contributing to the conference.
Selection criteria
The WikiConference India 2026 Scholarships Committee will review applications based on several factors, including:
Contribution history to Wikimedia projects
Community involvement and leadership
Alignment with Wikimedia values and movement priorities
Potential to contribute to the conference
Motivation and plans to share the learning and outcomes after the event
The committee aims to ensure diversity of communities, languages, regions, and experiences among scholarship recipients.
How to apply
All scholarship applications must be submitted through the scholarship application form below.
Application Closed
on 15th April 2026
To help you prepare your responses neatly, we have copied the scholarship form questions to this public Google doc
Questions of Scholarship Application Form: WCI 2026
. (
Feel free to make a copy of this document and start drafting your responses.
Questions and recommended approach for answering them
Question
Approach
Basic information
Share demographic and background information
Contact details
Be attentive as it is essential for communication
Travel and scholarship category
In this section, please be precise with your answer. Choose the Scholarship category based on the location from which you will be travelling.
Contribution to the Wikimedia movement
The following 5 questions are the primary questions from which your application will be assessed. We are eager to read good insights with supportive links.
Which areas of the movement do you primarily contribute to?
For this question, we are mostly assessing the last 2.5 years (30 months / 2.5 years till 1st March 2026 ) of involvement and activities, so please be intentional in underlining these.
Share more information on your "On-Wiki" contributions to Wikimedia projects
You can share your contributions in terms of content to different Wikimedia projects, and/or in technical spaces (such as the number of edits in this period, developed tools, scripts, etc.).
Share more information on your involvement in activities related to community engagement: "Off-Wiki" contributions to Wikimedia projects
You can share your involvement in any capacity (with a focus on the last 2-3 years) of outreach and community engagement. For example, involvement in organizing a workshop or a campaign, leading an affiliate (with regional or global scope), mentoring new community members or initiatives, etc.
Share more information about your work with external partners (Optional)
If you have/had worked with external partners to support the work in the Wikimedia movement, you can share about it.
Links to any technical profiles (Optional)
Please share links to any profiles that showcase your contributions to the technical areas. These can be Phabricator, Gerrit, GitLab, GitHub, or a blog, etc.
Data retention and privacy
The information provided while filling out the scholarship application form will be treated as confidential and will not be shared publicly. It will only be accessed by members of the organising team of WikiConference India 2026, the Scholarships Committee for the purpose of reviewing applications and relevant teams from WMF (T&S or legal).
The raw application data will be retained through the conference period and will be deleted within 90 days after the event concludes.
No individual application data will be published publicly. Only aggregated statistics (for example, total applicants or regional distribution) may be shared in reports.
Shared with relevant Govt authorities as requested or needed for Visa support purposes.
Have Questions or Concerns?
If you have questions regarding the scholarship program, please ask on the
Scholarships talk page
or contact the WikiConference India 2026 organizing team.
Tips for writing a good scholarship application
The Scholarships Committee is expecting many applications. The following tips can help you prepare a strong and clear application.
Highlight your Wikimedia contributions:
Describe your contributions to Wikimedia projects and communities. This may include:
Editing articles or improving content
Uploading media to Wikimedia Commons
Contributing to Wikidata or Wikisource
Organizing edit-a-thons, workshops, or campaigns
Mentoring new contributors/ WikiClubs
Technical contributions or tool development. Provide links whenever possible so the committee can review your work.
Focus on recent activities:
While long-term contributions are valuable, try to highlight activities from the last 30 months / 2.5 years till 1st March 2026. This helps reviewers understand your current involvement in the Wikimedia movement.
Be specific and give examples:
Instead of writing general statements, include concrete examples of your work. For example:
Events you organized
Campaigns you participated in
Partnerships you helped develop
Community initiatives you supported
Do not forget the links 🙂
Links to project pages, reports, or documentation are very helpful.
Explain your motivation clearly:
Tell the committee why you want to attend WikiConference India 2026. You may want to explain:
What do you hope to learn from the conference
Which sessions or topics interest you
How the conference connects with your Wikimedia work
Share how you will contribute:
Think about how you can actively participate in the conference. This could include:
Presenting a session or lightning talk
Participating in discussions
Volunteering during the event
Supporting documentation or community conversations
Describe the impact after the conference:
Strong applications explain how the learning from the conference will benefit the broader community. For example:
Sharing learnings through community meetings
Organizing follow-up workshops
Applying new ideas to local Wikimedia initiatives
Strengthening collaboration between communities
Review your answers before submitting:
Before submitting your application:
Check that all questions are answered, as applicants will be able to submit their response once, and an incomplete application will not be considered for review.
Ensure links are correct
Make your responses clear and concise instead of a text-heavy paragraph. Well-structured responses help the committee understand your work and motivation more easily.
FAQ
When will the results be announced?
Selected applicants will be notified via email after the scholarship reviews and T&S review process is completed. Tentative timelines may be shared on this page.
Can I submit applications for a scholarship after the deadline?
No. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. We strongly recommend submitting your application a few days in advance.
Can I edit my application after submission?
No, once submitted, responses cannot be edited. Draft your application carefully and ensure that you write everything you need to write before submission.
Who is eligible to apply for the scholarship?
Anyone who is actively contributing to Wikimedia projects or involved in open knowledge communities in India is eligible to apply. The eligibility criteria is mentioned in the scholarship guidelines section above.
What is the last date to apply?
The application opened on 20 March 2026. The deadline to apply for the scholarship is
15 April 2026, 11:59 p.m. IST
. Please refer to the application form or official announcements for any updates. Late submissions will not be considered.
How will applicants be selected?
Applications will be reviewed by the Scholarship Review Team based on factors such as community involvement, contributions to Wikimedia projects, diversity, and potential impact. Applicants will be notified after the review process is completed.
I'm a relatively new contributor to Wikimedia projects. Am I eligible to apply for the scholarship?
Yes. New and emerging contributors are encouraged to apply. While the criteria mention contributions within the past 30 months (2.5 years), this is intended as a guideline to understand recent activity and is not a mandatory requirement.
Can I submit my application in a language other than English?
Yes. You may submit your application assessment responses in English or any regional Indic language. However, a basic understanding of English is helpful for participating in conference sessions.
Where can I find support/help for the questions that are not answered on this page?
In case if you have any question(s), please post them on the talk page or share your query at
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