In This Post
– The Fulbright Degree Program
– The Chevening Scholarship
– DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service
– Commonwealth Scholarship
Update (March 8, 2021): The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) has announced June 9, 2021, as the application deadline for the Fulbright Student Programme 2022.
Update (July 17, 2020): The application deadline for Fulbright Degree Program 2021 has been extended to July 22, 2020.
Update (Feb 10, 2020): The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) has announced the 2021 application deadline for the Fulbright Student Programme and Fulbright-Higher Education Commission PhD Programme for Pakistani students.
The last date to apply for a fully-funded scholarship at top universities in the United States is May 13, 2020.
Do you want to pursue higher education at a foreign university but don’t have enough funds to meet the tuition requirements? Usually, international students have to pay almost double of what the locals are required to pay, which can be quite heavy on the pocket. However, what most young people don’t know is that there are a number of international scholarships for Pakistani students that only fully or partially pay your tuition fee but also bear the cost of living and other amenities.
Depending on which country you want to go to and which discipline you want to obtain a degree in, there are several scholarship programs that you might be eligible to apply for.
List of International Scholarships for Pakistani Students
If you want to apply for scholarships, here’s a list of scholarship programs all Pakistani students must know about.
- The Fulbright Degree Program
- The Chevening Scholarship
- DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service
- Commonwealth Scholarship
Here’s an overview of these scholarships programs along with their application cycles, their eligibility criteria and the types of grants and awards they offer.
The Fulbright Degree Program
The Fulbright Program is easily one of the most renowned international scholarships in Pakistan. Comprising several fully-funded scholarship and fellowship programs, this prestigious grant is funded by the United States Department of State.
These awards are offered in nearly 150 countries across the world. However, Pakistan appears to be the biggest recipient of these awards. Moreover, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan is also working together with Fulbright to fund PhD scholarships for Pakistani students in the US
While there are several different awards offered under the flagship program, the Fulbright Degree Program is the most popular option for students in Pakistan as it funds postgraduate study in accredited American universities.
Country: United States of America
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply for the Master’s Program, candidates need to have a total of 16 years of formal education from a recognised university. This can be in the form of a four-year Bachelor’s degree or a combination of Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. Fresh graduates from all disciplines (except for clinical medicine) are encouraged to apply. However, those with an MBA or a degree in Public Policy and Public Administration need to have a work experience of at least two years.
Similarly, for the PhD Program, applicants need to have a minimum of 18 years of formal education from a recognised university. If you have worked as a teacher or in either research or public sector, that might also work in your favour.
It is mandatory for the award recipients to return to Pakistan at the end of their program.
What Does This Scholarship Cover
The Fulbright scholarships for Pakistani students enable them to enjoy the same facilities and amenities as their American counterparts. The grant includes airfare, visa fees, university tuition, the cost of textbooks, a living stipend, health insurance and a computer along with some settling-in allowance.
Application Cycle
| Application intake | February to May |
| Application review and interview process | until September |
| Results announced | Mid-October |
| University Placement Process | Until February |
| Visa Interviews | Until June |
| Departure | July onwards |
How to Apply
You need to submit an electronic application form along with three reference letters, your GRE report and scanned copies of your degree and transcripts among other documents.
Educational documents attested by the issuing authority are also acceptable at the time of submitting an application. Nonetheless, it’s better to get your degree attested by the HEC as you’ll need it later.
Website
For more information about this scholarship program, you may check out the official website for the Fulbright Scholarship.
The Chevening Scholarship
If you want to pursue higher education at a university in the United Kingdom, you need to look into the Chevening Scholarship Program as it offers financial assistance for education in the form of full scholarships for Pakistani students.
Funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office along with partner organisations, this international scheme is aimed at developing global leaders and offers both scholarship and fellowship awards. Chevening is administered in over 150 countries while the applicants are shortlisted by the officials in British embassies and high commissions across the world.
Students applying for this international scholarship program need to select three different Master’s courses at either the same university or three different universities. However, you need to make sure the courses you select are all full-time taught courses leading to a Master’s Degree. You need to have an unconditional offer from at least one institution/course to obtain this grant.
Needless to say, Chevening is incredibly competitive.
Country: United Kingdom
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply for the Chevening Scholarship Program, an applicant must have an undergraduate degree that is equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree in the United Kingdom. This means 16 years of formal education with a GPA ranging between 3.00 and 3.59.
Furthermore, it is mandatory for the candidates to have at least two years’ work experience, two reference letters, an IELTS report that meets the language requirements and an unconditional offer of admission.
After the award ends, the students must return to Pakistan for a minimum of two years.
What Does This Scholarship Cover
The recipients of the Chevening Scholarship award are granted full tuition fees, monthly stipend, airfare, settling allowance and additional grants. Although the cost varies with university and course of choice, students studying in the UK under this program receive approximately £26,000 for the entire academic year.
Application Cycle
| Application intake | August to November |
| Application review | November to December |
| Submission of reference letters | January |
| Interviews at British High Commission | February |
| Global Interview Period | March to May |
| Announcement of Interview Results | June |
| Commencement of studies in the UK | September/October |
How to Apply
You only need to submit an online application on the official Chevening website. This will require scanned copies of your passport, degree, transcripts and other documents. Please note that you’ll have to apply to your preferred university on your own. Depending on the course, each institution is bound to have a different set of requirements and varying application procedures.
Website
You can also head over to the official Chevening Program website to find out more about this scholarship program.
DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service
Yet another prestigious international scholarship for Pakistani students, DAAD German Academic Exchange Service is the largest German organisation fostering international academic cooperation. This self-government national agency offers several scholarship programs in Pakistan that enable students from all across the world to pursue higher degrees at recognised universities in Germany.
The best thing about DAAD is that it offers foreign scholarships for Pakistani students at each academic level. This includes undergraduate scholarships, graduate scholarships and postgraduate scholarships.
However, just like Chevening, DAAD does not offer any courses itself but offers merit-based grants that cover studies at higher education institutions in Germany.
Some of the most notable DAAD scholarship programs for Pakistani students include DAAD Research Grants for PhD and Postdoctoral students, DAAD Scholarships for Medical Doctors, DAAD Graduate Programme: Public Policy/Good Governance and DAAD Development-Related Postgraduate Courses- Educating Professionals for Sustainable Development.
It also offers internships and language programs.
Country: Germany
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria differ with each scholarship program and the selected course.
However, those applying for the Postgraduate Scholarship must have at least a four-year Bachelor’s degree along with two years of professional experience in a related field.
What Does This Scholarship Cover
DAAD does not cover the tuition fee. However, since a number of public universities have already abolished tuition fee, international students are not required to pay hefty fees either way. Meanwhile, the DAAD award recipients receive a monthly stipend and travel allowance. They may also receive subsidies for textbooks, health insurance or childcare.
Application Cycle
The application cycle and process for each program differs significantly from the other.
How to Apply
Students can apply for scholarship either through an online application or by post. They’ll need to submit a duly filled DAAD application form, CV, letter of motivation, letters of recommendation from their universities, reference letters from employers, confirmation of employment, IELTS or TOEFL results along with copies of degrees and transcripts among other things.
Website
For further information about appropriate programs and courses, you’ll have to visit the website for DAAD Scholarships.
Commonwealth Scholarships
Do you want to study in the UK and learn more about the local culture? Well, Commonwealth Scholarships can be an excellent opportunity for you to obtain higher education from an accredited university. Funded by the UK Department for International Development and jointly supported by UK universities, this international scholarship program is meant for those willing to pursue a full-time taught Master’s course in a UK university.
While the Commonwealth program offers a number of different fellowships along with Master’s and PhD scholarships for Pakistani students, the Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are perhaps the most renowned program. Some of the other notable Commonwealth scholarship programs include Commonwealth PhD Scholarships, Commonwealth Split-site Scholarship, Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships and Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships.
Country: United Kingdom
Eligibility Criteria
While the eligibility criteria for applicants varies with each program, there are a few common requirements across the board. For instance, applicants must be unable to financially support their studies in the UK without this award and they must not have studied or worked in a high-income country for a full academic year.
Moreover, those applying for one-year Master’s scholarship programs must hold a degree equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree in the UK.
What Does This Scholarship Cover
Commonwealth scholarships are fully funded and include tuition fee, return airfare, monthly living allowance, warm clothing allowance (where applicable), theses grant, study travel grant and excess baggage allowance. Award recipients may also be reimbursed for the mandatory tuberculosis test for visa application along with child and dependent allowances.
Application Cycle
The application cycle for each Commonwealth scholarship program differs from the other.
How to Apply
Since all applications from Pakistan are routed via HEC, you’ll need to apply online through the Higher Education Commission’s e-portal. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission does not accept direct applications. The list of required documents also varies with each program. However, you’ll definitely need your language test results and scanned educational documents to submit the online application.
Moreover, you are also required to secure admission in your desired courses at a UK university in addition to applying for a scholarship.
Website
To find out more about the application procedure and along with other requirements, please check out the official Commonwealth Scholarships website.
Meanwhile, if you are a working professional who can’t leave their job or are unable to travel due to any reason, you can also take a look at some of the top distance learning universities in Pakistan. These courses allow you to pursue higher education at an affordable cost from the comfort of your own home.
To learn about educational programs for Pakistani students, head over to Zameen Blog, the best lifestyle blog in the country. You can also get in touch with us by sending an email to blog@zameen.com.
