The HEC scholarships for USA have opened for Pakistani students applying for PhD programmes at leading American universities under the Pakistan Knowledge Corridor Program for the 2027 academic intake.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) announced that online applications are now being accepted for PhD scholarships at US universities ranked among the top 100 in the QS World University Rankings.
The scholarship is available only for PhD programmes. Applications for master’s degrees and MS-to-PhD programmes are not eligible. HEC said preference will be given to candidates admitted to universities in its priority academic fields.
According to the announcement, the application deadline for Spring and Summer 2027 admissions is October 30, 2026, while candidates applying for Fall 2027 admissions must submit their applications by March 30, 2027.
Applications can be submitted through HEC’s online scholarship portal. The commission has divided the scholarship into two categories based on university rankings.
Students admitted to US universities ranked among the top 50 will receive full tuition fees according to the university’s invoice, an annual living stipend of $19,200, and $2,000 per year for health insurance.
Students admitted to universities ranked between 51 and 100 will receive up to $12,000 annually for tuition, along with a $19,200 annual stipend and $2,000 for health insurance.
To qualify, applicants must be citizens of Pakistan or Azad Jammu and Kashmir and have completed at least 16 years of education, including a four-year bachelor’s degree. Candidates must not have any second or third division in their academic record and must not be receiving another scholarship.
The age limit is 35 years for general applicants and 40 years for government employees, permanent faculty members of public universities, and researchers working at approved research institutions.
Applicants must also score at least 300 marks in the GRE General Test or 60% in the Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT).
HEC has advised interested candidates to visit its official website and online scholarship portal for complete eligibility criteria and application details before the relevant deadlines.