The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan has announced overseas scholarships for Pakistani and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) nationals seeking MS/MPhil and PhD degrees at top-ranked universities worldwide.
The scholarships have been launched under the Overseas Scholarships for MS/MPhil & PhD Studies, Phase-III, Batch-IV. Successful applicants will be placed at universities ranked among the Top 200 in the QS or Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
The deadline to submit an online application is August 28, 2026, at 4:00 PM.
The scholarships cover selected thematic areas, including Digital Transformation and Emerging Technologies; Energy, Climate Change and Environment; Agriculture, Food Security and Agri-Tech; Health, Biotechnology and Life Sciences; Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing; Natural and Physical Sciences; Social Sciences, Business and Governance; and Interdisciplinary and Strategic Areas.
PhD Scholarship Eligibility
Applicants for PhD scholarships must be Pakistani or AJK nationals and generally hold at least 18 years of education, including an MS, MPhil or equivalent qualification.
Candidates with a 17-year foreign MS/MSc degree may also be considered after obtaining the required HEC equivalence.
Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 CGPA out of 4.0 under the semester system or a first division under the annual system. A maximum of one second division is allowed during academic studies before the terminal degree.
The maximum age is 40 years for employees of public-sector universities, colleges, R&D organizations, and government and semi-government institutions. For other applicants, the age limit is 35 years.
MS/MPhil Scholarship Eligibility
For MS scholarships, applicants must be Pakistani or AJK nationals with at least 16 years of education, such as a BS, BE, Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant field.
Candidates must have at least a 3.0 CGPA out of 4.0 or a first division under the annual system. A maximum of one second division is permitted before the final degree.
The maximum age is 35 years for eligible public-sector, government, semi-government and R&D employees and 30 years for other applicants.
HAT Test and Selection
Selection will be conducted on merit based on HEC Aptitude Test (HAT) scores and interviews, while applicable provincial quotas of the Government of Pakistan will also be observed.
Applicants must indicate their preferred foreign universities or countries during the application process. The selected institution must fall within the eligible Top 200 QS/THE rankings, although HEC reserves the right to reallocate a university or country.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit their applications online through the HEC e-Services Portal.
A Rs. 3,000 application processing fee is required through 1LINK payment services, and candidates must complete the online application before the deadline.
Applicants are not required to submit a hard copy at this stage. HEC will later contact shortlisted candidates to submit signed printed applications along with the required supporting documents.
