INTRODUCTION:
Higher Education Commission (HEC) aims to elevate the socio-economic position of the needy & deserving students by providing access to quality education through needs-based scholarships. Government of Pakistan (GOP) has also duly acknowledged the financial constraints barring students from acquiring higher education and has thus earmarked substantial funds for the improvement of education sector.
According to the national income statistics(by GOP), 80 percent of the families in Pakistan cannot afford the expenses of sending even one boarder to a local public university. Pakistan finished last among a group of 40 countries ranked by the Percentage Share of Enrollment in Private Higher Education (A study by World Bank, 1994) , (Higher Education: The Lessons of Experience, 1994). On September 11, 2002, the GOP formed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) through a Cabinet Ordinance with a "mandate to transform institutions of higher education into world class seats of learning."
The Higher Education Commission has started 6000 Scholarships of financially disadvantaged students to study Agriculture and Business Administration Programs since 2004.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To provide an opportunity for talented students who are financially disadvantaged and are incapable of meeting higher education costs at partner institutions /universities in all disciplines.
2. To provide opportunities for academically qualified, yet financially needy, Pakistani students to continue university studies in selected partner universities of Pakistan, especially from remote and rural areas of Pakistan (FATA, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Southern Punjab, Balochistan, and Northern Sindh).
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
1. Financial assistance & scholarships are available for study at undergraduate & graduate level in all disciplines at the selected public sector Pakistani universities and degree awarding institutions.
2. Students need to compete for securing admission at the participating institution as per admission policy of the institution and be enrolled in Undergraduate (4 Years) / Graduate (2 Years) programs.
3. All those needy students who are already enrolled in the participating institutions are also eligible to apply.
4. The eligibility of a candidate is linked to neediness of the candidate as determined & assessed by the Institutional Scholarship Award Committee keeping in view the financial background of the family of the applicant.
5. The number of G&UG slots will be decided by the universities but weightage will be given to UG slots.
6. Funding for G & UG slots will continue for full program and eventually the slots will be replaced by new students. In case of any drop out waiting list students will be replaced.
7. Disciplines will be kept open. University will decide to include or exclude any discipline keeping in view its grant, program cost, and number of allocated slots etc.
8. In case of Medicine, Pharm-D and other five year programs funding will be made for complete five years.
9. Considering the allocated grant, the university may adjust the total number of scholarships to some extent in order to cover the tuition fee as per actual.
10. Every student will be paid Rs 6000 stipend per month for the complete program as well as the actual tuition fee.
Note
The filled application should be returned to relevant Financial Aid Offices where the applicant intends to secure admission
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD PROCESS:
1. Data and supporting documents of the potential candidate are reviewed by Institutional Scholarship Award Committee (ISAC).
2. Institutional Scholarship Award Committee (ISAC) which includes members from the institution as well as external community, is headed by the Vice Chancellor of the participating institution who would ensure the impartiality and transparency of the process.
3. The ISAC recommends potential candidates to HEC Scholarship Management Committee (SMC).
4. The cases are presented to Scholarship Management Committee (SMC) that approves the cases after thorough review.
5. The committee includes top Executives of HEC, representatives from the participating institutions, eminent scholars.
6. After finalization of awardees’ list, the participating institutions will forward the funds to students.
HOW TO APPLY:
HEC looks forward to support needy students in sharing educational expenses. However please note that under this scholarships scheme, the funds are not transferred directly to students by HEC. The payment is made to needy students through participating Universities/Institutions.
The deserving students can obtain complete Scholarship Application Form from the Financial Aid Office (FAO) at the participating University/Institution or can be downloaded.
The Scholarship Form will be submitted along with supporting documents to the same FAO office after completion.
Students need to get admission in any one of the approved disciplines at the participating Universities/Institutions as per their admission criteria.
Please note that partial scholarship for already enrolled students is not covered under this project.
The deserving students can obtain complete Scholarship Application Form from the Financial Aid Office (FAO) at the participating University/Institution or can be downloaded.
The Scholarship Form will be submitted along with supporting documents to the same FAO office after completion.
Students need to get admission in any one of the approved disciplines at the participating Universities/Institutions as per their admission criteria.
Please note that partial scholarship for already enrolled students is not covered under this project.
The scope of the project includes 6000 number of scholarships for the students who meet the eligibility criteria.
SCHOLARSHIP COMPOSITIONS:
Comprehensive scholarship offered under this program provides funds for the following expenses:
Tuition Fee
Lodging
Transportation
Books
Other Academics Costs
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Will HEC Merit & Needs-Based Scholarship assist the students to study in other countries?
The Scholarship will be offered to the students who are going to be enrolled in selected participating Pakistani Universities. This scholarship will not assist the students to study in other than Public sector Pakistani universities.
Does this scholarship provide any partial assistance to the students who are studying in other Pakistani Universities?
This scholarship will not provide any partial assistance to the students who are studying in other than 61 Pakistani Universities/Institutions.
How and when do I apply for financial assistance? Do I need to re-apply every year?
You will apply directly to the relevant university for the admission and after seeking admission you will apply for the financial aid. The financial aid form will be made available with the administration office of the relevant university and after filling up this form will be returned to the same office. Once you are selected under this program, you don’t need to apply again every year.
What is the eligibility criteria for these scholarships?
Those Students, who are expected to get admission in any discipline of participating university, or already enrolled; and can’t pursue their education because of financial constraints, are eligible to apply.
What kind of expenses will cover under this scholarship program?
Scholarship covers full tuition fee for entire course (i.e. 2 years graduate & 4 years undergraduate courses). Scholarship also provides living expenses, cost of transportation, books and any other ancillary requirements of the student.
Scholarship covers full tuition fee for entire course (i.e. 2 years graduate & 4 years undergraduate courses). Scholarship also provides living expenses, cost of transportation, books and any other ancillary requirements of the student.
Can I apply for admission in any of the participating university for admission?;
Yes you can apply in any of the participating university when they offer the admission.
Yes you can apply in any of the participating university when they offer the admission.
How can I apply for the university admission?
Please see the participating university schedule for the admission in the relevant programs.
Please see the participating university schedule for the admission in the relevant programs.
How can I receive an application form?
The application form is available on HEC website and participating University web site/Financial Aid Office.
The application form is available on HEC website and participating University web site/Financial Aid Office.
I did my matriculation, can I apply for this scholarship?
No, these scholarships are only for Undergraduate and Graduate level.
No, these scholarships are only for Undergraduate and Graduate level.
I am studying in Third semester of the relevant course, am I eligible for this scholarship?
Yes, Fresh students and previously enrolled students can apply for ths scholarship.
Yes, Fresh students and previously enrolled students can apply for ths scholarship.
I am already availing financial assistance/scholarship from university / institute. Am I eligible for this scholarship?
No, the students already availing financial assistance/scholarship from universities/institutes are not eligible to apply.
No, the students already availing financial assistance/scholarship from universities/institutes are not eligible to apply.
Which are the Selected Participating Universities?
You can see the details of selected participating universities on the official Website of Higher Education Commission Islamabad.
You can see the details of selected participating universities on the official Website of Higher Education Commission Islamabad.
Is it possible to transfer the win scholarship from selected University / Institute to other University/Institute?
As per provision it’s not possible to transfer the scholarship from selected University/Institute to any other University/Institute.
As per provision it’s not possible to transfer the scholarship from selected University/Institute to any other University/Institute.
List of Participating Universities:
| S.No | University |
| 1 | University of Karachi, Karachi |
| 2 | University of Sindh, Jamshoro |
| 3 | Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur Mir's, Sindh |
| 4 | University of the Punjab, Lahore |
| 5 | Bahauddin Zakriya University, Multan |
| 6 | The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur |
| 7 | Fatima Jinnah Women University, The Mall, Old Presidency, Rawalpindi |
| 8 | Government College University (GCU), Katchery Road, Lahore |
| 9 | Lahore College for Women University, Jail Road, Lahore |
| 10 | Government College University, Allam Iqbal Road, Faisalabad |
| 11 | University of Sargodha, Sargodha |
| 12 | Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology, University Road, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi. |
| 13 | Gomal University, D. I. Khan |
| 14 | Kohat University of Science & Technology, KUST, Kohat |
| 15 | University of Balochistan, Sariab Road, Quetta |
| 16 | Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering & Management Sciences, Quetta |
| 17 | Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad |
| 18 | International Islamic University, IIUI, Islamabad |
| 19 | University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJKU), Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir |
| 20 | Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Brewery Road, Quetta |
| 21 | Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam |
| 22 | University of Agriculture, Faisalabad |
| 23 | PMAS, University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi |
| 24 | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa University of Agriculture, Peshawar |
| 25 | University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Lahore |
| 26 | NED University of Engg & Technology, Main University Road, Karachi |
| 27 | Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro |
| 28 | Quaid-i-Awam University of Engineering Science & Technology, Nawabshah |
| 29 | University of Enginnering & Technology, UET Lahore |
| 30 | University of Enginnering & Technology, UET Taxila |
| 31 | NWFP University of Engineering & Technology, Peshawar |
| 32 | Institute of Business Administration, Karachi |
| 33 | COMSATS Institute of IT, Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad |
| 34 | Institute of Management Sciences, IMS, Main Campus 1-A, Sector E/5, Phase VII, Hayatabad, Peshawar |
| 35 | Sukkur Institute Business Administration, Airport Road, Sukkur |
| 36 | Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad |
| 37 | Islamia College University, Peshawar |
| 38 | Hazara University, Mansehra |
| 39 | Abdul Wali Khan Univesity, Mardan |
| 40 | King Edward Medical University, Lahore |
| 41 | Kinniard College for Women, 93 Jail Road, Lahore |
| 42 | Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Quaid-i-Azam University Campus, P.O.Box 1091, Islamabad |
| 43 | Khyber Medical University, PDA Building, Block IV, Phase 5, Hayatabad, Peshawar |
| 44 | University of Health Sciences, Khayaban-e-Jamia Punjab, Lahore |
| 45 | Dow University of Health Sciences, Baba-e-Urdu Road, Karachi |
| 46 | Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro |
| 47 | National Textile University, Faisalabad |
| 48 | Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water & Marine Sciences, Uthal, Balochistan |
| 49 | Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, Dir Upper, KPK |
| 50 | Mirpur University of Science & Technology, Allama Iqbal Road, 10250, Mirpur, Azad Kashmir |
| 51 | University of Gujrat (UOG) Hafiz Hayat Campus Jalalpur Jattan Road Gujrat |
| 52 | Air University, Islamabad |
| 53 | Frontier Women University, Peshawar |
| 54 | University of Science & Technology, Township, Bannu |
| 55 | Karakurum International University, University Road, Gilgit |
| 56 | National University of Modern Languages, NUML, Islamabad |
| 57 | University of Malakand, Chakdara |
| 58 | University of Education, College Road, Township, Lahore |
CONTACT:HRD Building, Higher Education Commission, H-8, Islamabad hnbs@hec.gov.pk |
