HEC Overseas Scholarships for MS/MPhil & PhD Studies

August 14, 2026 admin

Applications are invited from outstanding Pakistani/AJK Nationals for the award of HEC Overseas Scholarships for MS/MPhil and PhD studies (Phase-III, Batch-IV). Scholarships will be awarded in Top 200 QS/THE ranked universities of the world.

Table of Contents

Discipline

The HEC Overseas Scholarships will be awarded in the following thematic areas only; Details are available at HEC official website: https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/scholarshipsgrants/OSSPhase-III

1. Digital Transformation & Emerging Technologies

2. Energy, Climate Change & Environment

3.Agriculture, Food Security & Agri-Tech

4. Health, Biotechnology & Life Sciences

5. Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing

6. Natural & Physical Sciences

7. Social Sciences, Business & Governance

8. Interdisciplinary & Strategic Areas

Universities to apply

Students can check the top 200 universities from the following link to get admission on the basis of HEC Overseas Scholarships.

(https://www.topuniversities.com/qs-world-university-rankings)

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/latest/world-ranking

Eligibility Criteria for PhD Scholarships

The eligibility criteria for HEC Overseas Scholarships are given below. Candidates must follow the given instructions.

i. Applicant must be a Pakistani / AJK National.

ii. Applicants who have previously availed an HEC-funded MS/MPhil scholarship shall be eligible to apply only after completing a minimum residency period of two (02) years in Pakistan following the completion of their MS/MPhil degree and must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the relevant authority.

iii. Candidates must have a minimum of Eighteen years of education (MS/MPhil, or equivalent). However, candidates having 17 years MSc/MS degree from foreign are also eligible to apply subject to provision of equivalence from A&A division at time of application submission.

iv. A maximum of one second division (or equivalent grade) throughout the academic career prior to the terminal/final degree is permissible.

v. Candidates must have minimum CGPA 3.0 (out of 4.0 in the semester system) or first division (in the annual system) in MS/MPhil/Equivalent degree.

vi. Employees of any Public Sector University/Colleges/R&D / Government/Semi Government Organizations must submit NOC to apply for the scholarship from their organization.

Selection Criteria

The process of selection is purely on a merit basis. The HEC Overseas Scholarships selection criteria is

a) Selection of candidates will be made on merit based on HEC Aptitude Test scores and interview results, subject to the approved provincial quotas of the Government of Pakistan. b) Candidates are required to opt for foreign universities (Top 200 QS / THE World University Rankings)/countries of their choice in the online application form. HEC reserves the right to re-allocate any university/country to the candidate. Only shortlisted candidates who have passed the HEC aptitude test will be called for interviews.

c) Candidates are required to make sure that their field of subject is being offered in their choice of country/university, otherwise, candidate will not be considered for interview/scholarship. d) HEC will share the list of potential candidates with the Partner agencies/ Universities for the placement of scholars.

e) Candidates are required to fulfill the requirements of the host university to secure admission which may include international GRE, TOEFL, IELTS etc. Candidates are advised to appear in these tests before interview/admission.

HEC Aptitude Test (HAT)

The Education Testing Council (ETC), Pakistan, under the Higher Education Commission (HEC), will conduct the HEC Aptitude Test (HAT). For test updates, keep visiting HEC website. The HAT test score remains valid for two years and applicants who have already appeared for HAT test organized by Education Testing Council in past should have a valid test score on the closing date of application. The best score will be considered.

How to apply for HEC Scholarship

Online registration will commence through the HEC e-Services Portal (eservices.hec.gov.pk). The application processing fee i.e. Rs. 3,000/- shall be deposited through 1LINK payment services. https://onlinehelp.hec.gov.pk

Important Note

Candidates holding confirmed unconditional admission in thematic areas for the upcoming semester i.e. Fall 2026 in a Top 200 QS/THE-ranked university will be exempted from the scholarship test/interview, subject to meeting the prescribed eligibility requirements. Payments to scholars shall be made in accordance with the project’s approved financial provisions, which cover stipends, tuition fees, and health insurance. The financial provision details are available under link https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/scholarshipsgrants/OSSPhase-III. If responsible for securing a fee waiver to cover the additional costs. the applicable tuition fees exceed the amount allocated under the project, the candidate shall be

Applicants are advised to complete their registration and fee submission within the prescribed timeline. Detailed instructions regarding eligibility criteria, thematic areas, test categories, fee payment and application procedure are available on the HEC website.

Age Limit

The age limit for apply of HEC Overseas Scholarships is given below

a. Maximum 40 years for Public Sector University/Colleges / R&D / Government / Semi this stage. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted to submit a duly signed printout along with Government Organizations Employees.

b. 35 for all others.

Eligibility Criteria for MS Scholarships

Eligibility criteria for the MS programme for HEC Overseas Scholarships is given below

i. Applicant must be a Pakistani / AJK National.

ii. A maximum of one second division (or equivalent grade) throughout the academic career prior to the terminal/final degree is permissible.

iii. Employees of any Public Sector University Colleges / R&D / Government / Semi Government Organizations must submit NOC to apply for the scholarship from their organization.

iv. Candidates must have BS/BE/Masters or equivalent to 16 years of education in relevant field of studies with a minimum CGPA 3.0 out of 4.0 in semester system or first division (in the annual system) in BS/BE/Masters/equivalent.

The maximum age to apply for scholarship is:

a. Maximum 35 years for Public Sector University/Colleges / R&D / Government/Semi Government Organizations Employees.

b. 30 for all others

For further details, please visit: https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/scholarshipsgrants/OSSPhase-III

Application Deadline:

Applicant must apply before the 28 August 28, 2026 1600 hours for HEC Overseas Scholarships. The last date to apply is 28 August 28, 2026 1600 hours. HEC reserves the right to postpone or cancel the test and amend the schedule, if required Applicants are requested not to submit/send hard/printed copy of the online application form at the required supporting documents.

Saima Naurin, Project Director Higher Education Commission, Sector H-9, Islamabad Helpline: 051-111-119-432 or 0334-111-9432