QS Top-100 US Universities to Give Fully-Funded Scholarships to Pakistani Students

For context, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has confirmed PhD scholarships for Pakistani students at the world's top 100 QS-ranked universities in the United States, offering an annual stipend of $19, 000, tuition fee backing, and health insurance.

Key points

• While candidates seeking admission for Fall 2027 can apply until March 30, 2027, the application deadline for the Spring/Summer 2027 intake is October 30, 2026.
• Engineering and Technology fields include Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Software Engineering, Sustainable Energy, Water Management and Environmental Engineering.
• HEC's published priority areas include Life Sciences and Medicine, Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Social Sciences and Management, and Arts and Humanities.
• The priority list additionally includes Education, Public Policy, Rural Development, Urban Planning and Creative Arts and Design.
• Candidates admitted to universities ranked between 51 and 100 can receive tuition fee backing of up to $12, 000 annually, along with a stipend and health insurance.

In practice, the scholarships are available under the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor Project for Pakistani and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) nationals seeking admission to eligible US universities for the 2027 academic session.

According to HEC's official announcement, students who secure admission to universities ranked among the top 50 can receive full tuition fee coverage, an annual stipend of $19, 000, and health insurance backing of up to $2, 000.

Meanwhile, candidates admitted to universities ranked between 51 and 100 can receive tuition fee backing of up to $12, 000 annually, along with a stipend and health insurance.

While candidates seeking admission for Fall 2027 can apply until March 30, 2027, the application deadline for the Spring/Summer 2027 intake is October 30, 2026. NAVTTC Shares List of All Recognized Technical Training Institutions. HEC PhD Scholarships 2027: Financial Benefits.

Meanwhile, the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor Project offers two scholarship categories based on the overall QS World University Rankings of eligible US institutions.

While the second applies to universities ranked from 51 to 100, the first category covers universities ranked among the top 50. Scholarship Benefits Top 50 Universities Universities Ranked 51-100. Tuition Fee Full coverage Up to $12, 000 annually. Annual Stipend $19, 000 Stipend provided. Health Insurance Up to $2, 000 Health insurance provided. Degree Level PhD PhD. Scholarship Duration Up to 5 years Up to 5 years. Eligibility Criteria for HEC PhD Scholarships.

Pakistani and AJK nationals can apply for the scholarships if they meet the academic and eligibility requirements set by HEC.

Applicants must have completed at least 16 years of formal education, including a four-year bachelor's degree such as BS, BSc, BE or an equivalent qualification from a recognised institution.

According to HEC's published eligibility guidelines, candidates must not have a second or third division anywhere in their academic careers. Applicants should additionally check the conditions in the relevant 2027 scholarship call before submission.

In practice, the maximum age limit is 35 years for general applicants. Nevertheless, regular administration employees, faculty members of public sector universities and administration colleges, and researchers working in approved research and development organisations can apply up to the age of 40.

Candidates must not be receiving another scholarship at the time of application. Applicants who already hold a PhD degree are additionally ineligible for the scheme.

In practice, the scholarship covers doctoral studies only. It does not cover standalone master's degrees, MS programs, or MS-leading-to-PhD programs.

Applicants must additionally secure admission to a qualifying US university under the relevant scholarship category. GRE and HAT Requirements for HEC Scholarships.

HEC requires applicants to provide a valid Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test score or Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT) result.

Candidates must achieve at least 300 marks in the GRE General Test or obtain a minimum score of 60% in HAT to meet the published test requirement.

Students applying under the top-50 category must secure admission to a university ranked among the first 50 institutions in the overall QS World University Rankings.

Similarly, applicants for the second category must obtain admission to an eligible US university ranked between 51 and 100.

HEC does not require IELTS or TOEFL as a separate condition for applying to the scholarship. Nevertheless, individual US universities can require these tests or other evidence of English-language proficiency during their admission process. Australia Announces Fully-Funded Master's Scholarships With AUD $40, 900 Stipend. Priority Fields for HEC PhD Scholarships.

In practice, the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor Project supports doctoral research in academic disciplines relevant to Pakistan's higher education and research needs.

In practice, the commission identifies biotechnology, bioinformatics, computational biology, cancer biology, pharmaceutical sciences and agricultural sciences among its preferred research areas.

In practice, the priority list additionally includes Education, Public Policy, Rural Development, Urban Planning and Creative Arts and Design.

HEC's publicly available detailed subject list refers to earlier scholarship intakes. Candidates should confirm which research fields qualify for the 2027 scholarship cycle before applying. How to Apply for HEC PhD Scholarships 2027.

Interested candidates must submit their scholarship applications through HEC's official online scholarship portal.

Applicants who do not already have an account must register using their CNIC number without dashes. They must additionally provide a valid mobile number and email address to complete the verification process.

After creating an account, candidates should sign in and complete their personal and academic profiles.

Applicants must then open the Scholarships and Grants section, select the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor application, and provide the required information.

In practice, the application form asks candidates to enter their academic qualifications, research interests, professional experience, and details of their proposed doctoral studies.

Applicants should review their information carefully before submitting the form. HEC can reject applications containing incorrect or misleading information.

In practice, the commission's application instructions additionally require candidates to submit scanned copies of their application forms and relevant supporting documents through the designated scholarship email process.

Although shortlisted candidates may need to provide extra verified documents afterwards, HEC does not require hard copies at the initial application stage. Documents Required for HEC PhD Scholarships.

Applicants should prepare their academic and identification documents before completing the scholarship application.

HEC's guidance identifies educational degrees and transcripts, CNIC, domicile, and passport information among the documents required during the scholarship process.

Candidates must additionally provide their valid GRE or HAT results and details of their admission to an eligible US university.

Applicants should prepare information regarding their proposed research, intended field of specialisation, and the university where they plan to pursue their PhD.

Meanwhile, the commission can request contact details of the proposed academic supervisor and the relevant university graduate school.

Administration employees and other candidates claiming professional experience may additionally need to submit employment or experience certificates. Scholarship Duration and Service Requirements.

HEC offers financial backing under the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor Project for a maximum period of five years, subject to the approved scholarship conditions.

Taken together, the developments around QS Top-100 US Universities to Give Fully-Funded Scholarships to Pakistani Students point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.