Static Banner

Is Stipend Income Taxable?

By CA Mohammed S Chokhawala

|

Updated on: May 8th, 2025

|

3 min read

The taxation of Stipend Income has been a matter of much debate. From a purely factual standpoint, ‘stipend’ has not been mentioned in the Income Tax Act exclusively. 

‘Salary’ received by an employee is taxable in the hands of the employee. 

Under Section 17(1), Wages, pensions, gratuities, fees, commission or profits in lieu of salary, advance salary, and leave salary standing to the credit of the employee have all been included under the definition of salary. It is evident when a salary is paid that an employer-employee relationship exists.

In this blog, you will find out if a stipend is taxable for you and how to determine if your income falls under the 'stipend' category.

The Income Tax Act has further laid down that ‘scholarship granted to meet the cost of education is exempt from Income Tax under section 10(16).’ 

What is Stipend Income?

A stipend is a form of compensation that is paid to you for providing services, employment, or during some form of training. A stipend is generally earned by students, interns, doctors, fresh graduates, or professors who conduct research.

Now the question arises should we consider Stipend as ‘Salary’ or as ‘Scholarship’?

For this, we must review the terms under which such a Stipend is paid. When a Stipend is paid to further a person’s education, we need to test whether it qualifies as a Scholarship. 

The person may exhaust this money fully or end up saving some of it – as long as this has been paid purely in pursuit of a person’s education and is in the nature of a scholarship, it shall be exempt. 

This will have no relation to the position of the person. Usually, Articles pursuing CA may earn a Stipend, or a professor may receive a stipend for carrying on research work. 

The purpose of such payment is important here, not the value or the way this has been spent. 

Research fellowships, and grants received from universities may all be exempt when their nature is to support further education. 

Doctors Receive Stipend at Hospitals 

Usually, doctors earn stipend as they pursue a higher degree at a hospital. Their work by the doctor is similar in nature to that of a full-time employee. The doctor is gaining experience from such work and performs duties like regular doctors – in such cases your Stipend may be taxed.

MBA or Engineering Graduates receive Internship Stipend 

If you are a fresh graduate and/or an intern at any company, you may be provided a stipend. Since you will perform similar duties as regular employees of the company and also gain valuable work experience, your stipend will be subject to tax.

Some companies may even offer accommodation. The Stipend letter may or may not include a breakup as a salary letter does. It may or may not be similar to the employment letter offered to a full-time employee. However, if this payment is made for you to gather experience and perform services similar to an employee, such Stipend income shall be taxable. 

TDS on Stipend 

Some companies may not deduct tax on Stipend; it may still be taxable in your hands, depending upon the nature of the terms or such payment. If the company has already withheld tax and the individual has received a Form 16 from the payer, the tax will be placed under 'Salaries'. Else, it will fall under 'Income From Other Sources 

Difference between Salary and Stipend

Stipend

Salary

A stipend is a fixed sum of money paid periodically for specific purposes, such as internships, fellowships, or apprenticeships.

A salary is a regular payment made to an employee, typically on a monthly or bi-weekly basis, for their work or services.

Stipends are typically associated with situations where the recipient is not a full-time employee, such as students, interns, or trainees.

It is usually associated with a formal employment relationship where the individual is considered an employee.

Stipends are common in educational or training contexts, providing financial support without the full benefits of employment.

Salaried employees often receive additional benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

The tax treatment of stipends can vary. In some cases, they may not be subject to employment taxes, but they might still be considered taxable income.

Salaries are subject to employment taxes, including income tax,

Taxation Of Stipend

If your payer has already deducted tax and issued you a Form 16, this shall be taxed under the head Salaries; otherwise, it is usually taxed under the head Income from Other Sources. The amount received if taxable will be taxed at applicable slab rates. 

Expenses are Allowed to be Deducted from Stipend? 

Individuals can claim deductions for expenses incurred while earning the stipend, such as travel or research-related costs if these are directly related to the stipend's purpose and are supported by valid documentation. Additionally, you can save tax in the form of Section 80 Deductions

Should you file an Income Tax Return

Filing an Income Tax Return (ITR) in India is a significant aspect of financial responsibility and legal compliance for individuals and businesses. You can use ClearTax for a hassel free tax filing process.

Can't get yourself started on taxes?
Get a Cleartax expert to handle all your tax filing start-to-finish

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a stipend taxable in India?

Yes, stipends are generally taxable in India. According to the Income Tax Act, any income earned, including stipends, is considered taxable unless specifically exempted. Stipends received for services rendered, such as those paid to interns or trainees, are typically subject to income tax.

However, scholarship granted to meet the cost of education is exempt from Income Tax under section 10(16).

Are there any exemptions or deductions available for stipends under Indian tax law?

While stipends are generally taxable, there are certain exemptions available depending on the nature of the stipend. For instance:

Scholarships: Stipends provided as scholarships or financial aid to students for educational purposes may be exempt under Section 10(16) of the Income Tax Act.

Allowable Deductions: Individuals can claim deductions for expenses incurred while earning the stipend, such as travel or research-related costs, if these are directly related to the stipend's purpose and are supported by valid documentation.

How should one report stipend income while filing taxes in India?

When filing taxes in India, stipend income should be reported as follows:

  • Income from Other Sources: If the stipend is taxable and does not fall under the head of salary or business income, it should be reported under the head "Income from Other Sources."
  • Income from Salary: If the organization providing the stipend deducts tax at source (TDS), they will issue a Form 16, which should be used to report the income and the TDS while filing the income tax return.

Maintain proper documentation of the stipend received and any expenses incurred, as these will be required for accurate reporting and for claiming any deductions.

Is Stipend subject to TDS?

A number of companies do not deduct TDS on stipends paid to their interns, but it does not mean that the income is tax-free. It could still be taxable in the individual's hands based on the nature of the payment.

Does stipend come under section 17(1).

No. Under Section 17(1), Wages, pensions, gratuities, fees, commission or profits in lieu of salary, advance salary, and leave salary comes under purview of section 17(1).  

Whether Standard deduction under Section 16(ia) is available to stipend.

No, the standard deduction U/S 16(ia) is not applicable for stipend.

About the Author

I'm a chartered accountant, well-versed in the ins and outs of income tax, GST, and keeping the books balanced. Numbers are my thing, I can sift through financial statements and tax codes with the best of them. But there's another side to me – a side that thrives on words, not figures. Read more

Clear offers taxation & financial solutions to individuals, businesses, organizations & chartered accountants in India. Clear serves 1.5+ Million happy customers, 20000+ CAs & tax experts & 10000+ businesses across India.

Efiling Income Tax Returns(ITR) is made easy with Clear platform. Just upload your form 16, claim your deductions and get your acknowledgment number online. You can efile income tax return on your income from salary, house property, capital gains, business & profession and income from other sources. Further you can also file TDS returns, generate Form-16, use our Tax Calculator software, claim HRA, check refund status and generate rent receipts for Income Tax Filing.

CAs, experts and businesses can get GST ready with Clear GST software & certification course. Our GST Software helps CAs, tax experts & business to manage returns & invoices in an easy manner. Our Goods & Services Tax course includes tutorial videos, guides and expert assistance to help you in mastering Goods and Services Tax. Clear can also help you in getting your business registered for Goods & Services Tax Law.

Save taxes with Clear by investing in tax saving mutual funds (ELSS) online. Our experts suggest the best funds and you can get high returns by investing directly or through SIP. Download Black by ClearTax App to file returns from your mobile phone.

Cleartax is a product by Defmacro Software Pvt. Ltd.

Company PolicyTerms of use

ISO

ISO 27001

Data Center

SSL

SSL Certified Site

128-bit encryption