Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC) operates a massive dual-purpose system. While it is famous for funding Pakistani citizens to study abroad (like the Fulbright-HEC or HEC-UKRI programs), it also offers fully funded internal scholarships designed to bring international students—particularly from the OIC, African, and Central Asian nations—into Pakistani public universities.
Quick Overview
Full Requirements & Details
Academic Requirements
- Min. CGPA
- 3.0
- Offer Degrees
- Masters, PhD
- Subjects
- Agriculture, Arts, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, History, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, Psychology
- Seats Available
- Hundreds annually
- Study Gap Allowed
- No Restrictions (Gap Allowed)
- Research Publication
- Optional
- Work Experience
- No
- Age Range
- No Age Limit
Language Requirements
- IELTS
- Optional
- TOEFL
- Optional
- GRE
- Not Required
- Local Language
- Urdu
- Local Lang Test
- No
- Study Languages
- English
Financial Details
- Type
- Full
- Fund Details
- See Description
- Monthly Stipend
- PKR 0/mo
- Tuition
- Full
- Living Costs
- Full
- Travel & Health
- No / No
- Application Fee
- Free (No Application Fee)
- Spouse Allowed
- No
What Matters Most
Required Documents
Why You Should Apply
For international students from developing nations, it provides a completely free master's or PhD in a highly affordable country. The HEC covers your full tuition fees directly to the university and provides a monthly living allowance. Because the cost of living in cities like Islamabad or Lahore is extremely low compared to the West, the stipend allows for a very comfortable, albeit local, standard of living.
Application Process
You apply through the HEC central online portal. The portal is notoriously buggy and often crashes close to the deadline, so applying early is absolutely critical. You upload your transcripts and a study plan, and then select up to three participating Pakistani universities.
The HEC handles the placement logistics.
How to Win This Scholarship
The selection is heavily influenced by bilateral diplomatic relations. Students from countries where Pakistan is actively trying to increase its soft power (such as Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and various African nations) have a massive advantage. Your academic record matters, but your nationality often dictates which specific HEC sub-program you are routed into.
Benefits After Completing Study
Graduating from top Pakistani institutions like NUST or QAU provides strong engineering and scientific networks across the Middle East.
Do not expect luxury infrastructure. While the education at top-tier Pakistani universities is rigorous, the administrative bureaucracy and campus facilities can be challenging to navigate for students used to highly digitized western systems.
Official Source
For complete details and to verify all requirements, please refer to the scholarship provider's official website.
Visit Official Source