HEC Awards Over 5000 Scholarships to Get Education Overseas

Higher Education Commission HEC was established with the aim to provide higher level of education to the students in the Pakistan universities and also make arrangements for the students to provide education in the international universities of different countries. There are about 5780 scholars, who are going to get education in academically advanced countries of the world under the overseas scholarship program of HEC. There are about 3807 scholars, who have completed their higher level of education and they returned back to the country.
HEC has started the process of awarding the foreign scholarships to the Pakistani students since 2003. The scholars have completed their education at the Master degree, MS and PhD levels. The main purpose for the provision of the scholarships to the students to produce highly qualified human resource and they can contribute in the socio-economic development of the country. The scholars have completed their higher level of study or they are still getting education in top ranked universities of the world including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Austria, Belarus, Italy, Hong Kong, United States, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Sweden, Netherlands, Cuba, China, Hungary, South Korea, New Zealand, Turkey, Spain and Thailand.

How System Works

HEC has started the overseas scholarship program to the interested candidates, and they can apply through the advertised scheme, which is provided to meet the eligibility criteria. The candidates have to score at least 50 marks in the aptitude test and Higher Education Commission conducts the aptitude test.
The merit lists of the selected candidates are prepared on the basis of result of the aptitude test and the academic score. The shortlisted candidates can get admission or they can receive the acceptance letter and the final selection will be done through the interview, which is conducted by the foreign professors. The finally selected students will be asked to obtain visa of the host country.
Before leaving the country, HEC provides one way airfare along with two months advance stipend by cheque, which can be deposited in the account of the scholar only. The rest of the scholarship amount is remitted on the annual basis in bank accounts of partner institute of HEC or high commissions of Pakistan. The partner institute or the high commission remits the funds in the account of the scholar on the monthly basis.

Increase in PhD Students

Due to HEC Vision 2025, the higher education commission made the plan to take the number of the PhD scholars in the Pakistan higher education institutes to about 40,000 so that they can cater to the growing needs of the higher education in the country. There are number of overseas and indigenous PhD schemes, which will help to produce qualified faculty in different disciplines and they will serve in the different institutes in the country.