West Bengal Student Credit Card: Eligibility, Loan Terms, and How to Apply
A collateral-free education loan of up to ₹10 lakh at subsidised interest for West Bengal students, sanctioned through participating banks.
01What Is the Student Credit Card Scheme?
The West Bengal Student Credit Card (WBSCC) scheme lets eligible students borrow up to ₹10 lakh for higher studies in India or abroad, without collateral. The Higher Education Department runs the scheme and participating banks sanction and disburse the loan, with a state-subsidised interest rate.
02Who Is Eligible
- Resident of West Bengal for at least 10 years
- Age 40 or below
- Passed at least Class X (some sources say Class IX)
- Admitted to a recognised school, undergraduate, postgraduate or professional course in India or abroad
- A co-borrower, usually a parent or guardian
- Neither student nor co-borrower in default on any bank loan
- One card per student
03Loan Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | Up to ₹10 lakh, no collateral |
| Margin money | None up to ₹4 lakh |
| Interest | 4% simple per year, with a 1% concession for timely interest payment |
| Repayment | Up to 15 years after the moratorium |
| Moratorium | Course length plus one year (one source says one year after the course) |
| Covered costs | Fees, hostel, books, laptop |
04Documents Required
- Photographs and signatures of the student and co-borrower
- Aadhaar, or Class X registration certificate if Aadhaar is unavailable
- Address proof of the guardian
- PAN of student and co-borrower, or an undertaking if none
- Fee document and admission receipt
- Co-borrower’s income proof: two years of income tax returns or an income certificate from the BDO/SDO
05How to Apply
- Register on the WBSCC portal; a user ID and password arrive by SMS.
- Fill in personal, co-borrower, course, income and bank details.
- Upload the documents and submit the application.
- The institution and the Higher Education Department verify it.
- The bank does the final verification and sanctions the loan.
06Checking Status
- Log in to the portal and open “Track application”.
- Statuses follow the verification stages: institution, department, then bank.
- Questions about sanction or disbursement go to the bank branch handling the file.
07Official Links
Helpline numbers and emails in circulation could not be verified on the official site, so none is listed here.
08Frequently Asked Questions
Is collateral needed?
No — the loan is collateral-free, though a co-borrower is required.
What interest rate applies?
Published terms say 4% simple interest per year, with a 1% concession for timely payment; banks confirm the exact treatment.
Can the loan be used for study abroad?
Yes — the scheme covers courses in India or abroad.
Who sanctions the loan?
Participating banks sanction it after the institution and the department verify the application.
This page is updated periodically. Scholarship amounts, dates and portals change from year to year; for the most current and binding information, always refer to the official portal or the institution’s notice board.