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Preposition after adjective

Eligible for, to, in or under?

Eligible for is the standard pattern. Other prepositions usually belong to separate legal, organisational, or sentence structures.

Quick answer

What preposition follows eligible?

Eligible for is the standard expression when someone qualifies for something. Eligible to is also common before an infinitive. In and under are usually part of wider phrases, not direct complements of eligible.

She is eligible for a scholarship.
You are eligible to apply online.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
eligible for + benefit/opportunity

Showing qualification

Use for when someone qualifies for a benefit, programme, or position.

Applicants are eligible for financial aid.
2
eligible to + verb

Showing permission or qualification to act

Use to before an infinitive verb.

Members are eligible to vote.
3
eligible under + rule/law

Referring to legal frameworks

Under can appear with regulations or categories in legal and official contexts.

The project is eligible under the new guidelines.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
eligible for
He is eligible for the grant.
qualified to receive something
eligible to
She is eligible to compete.
qualified or permitted to do something
eligible in
eligible in certain regions
in refers to location or context, not a standard complement
eligible under
eligible under the scheme
qualified according to rules or laws

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using in instead of for

Use for with benefits or programmes.

✕ She is eligible in the scholarship. ✓ She is eligible for the scholarship.

Using for before verbs

Use to before an infinitive.

✕ He is eligible for apply. ✓ He is eligible to apply.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Students are eligible ___ free meals.
2. You must be 18 to be eligible ___ vote.
3. The expense is eligible ___ the policy.

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Frequently asked questions

Is eligible for the most common pattern?

Yes. It is the standard choice for benefits, jobs, and programmes.

Can eligible to and eligible for both appear in one sentence?

Yes. For example: She is eligible to apply for the grant.

Is eligible in correct?

Only when in refers to place or context, not as a fixed complement of eligible.

eager-for-to-in-about, on "early in", "early on" or "early for"? earnest in, with, on, for or at? easy for, on, in, to or with? "economical with" or "economical in"? "ecstatic about" or "ecstatic with"? "effective in", "effective at" or "effective for"? "efficient in" or "efficient at"? elderly in, with, at, of or as? elegant in, with, of, as or to? "embarrassed by" or "embarrassed about"? "embarrassing for" or "embarrassing to"?

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