HEC Overseas Scholarships

What the scholarship covers

• Full tuition fees
• Monthly living stipend
• Return airfare
• Health insurance
• Book and thesis allowance

Eligibility requirements

• Pakistani national with a valid CNIC
• 16 or 18 years of education from an HEC-recognised institution
• Minimum CGPA 3.0 out of 4.0 or first division
• Age limit typically 40 years
• Bond to serve in Pakistan after completion

Documents you will need

• HEC online application
• Degree certificates and transcripts attested by HEC
• CNIC copy
• GRE/GAT or NTS test score
• Research proposal for PhD applicants

How to apply, step by step

1. 1

   Watch for the batch advertisement

   HEC advertises overseas scholarships in batches. There is no permanent rolling application.

2. 2

   Confirm your degree is HEC-attested

   Attestation takes time and is required before applying, not after.

3. 3

   Sit the required test

   GRE, GAT or NTS depending on the batch. Valid scores are mandatory at application.

4. 4

   Prepare the research proposal

   PhD applicants need a proposal aligned with national priority sectors.

5. 5

   Apply on the HEC portal

   Create an account, complete each section, and upload attested documents.

6. 6

   Understand the service bond

   Recipients sign a bond to return and serve in Pakistan. Read the terms before accepting.

When to do what

Counting backwards from the deadline. Applications rushed in the final fortnight are the ones that fail.

1. 20 weeks before

   Begin HEC attestation of degrees and transcripts.

2. 16 weeks before

   Book GRE/GAT/NTS if you do not hold a valid score.

3. 12 weeks before

   Draft the research proposal for PhD applications.

4. 10 weeks before

   Prepare CNIC, domicile and supporting documents.

5. 6 weeks before

   Complete the portal application section by section.

6. 3 weeks before

   Verify all uploads are legible and correctly attested.

7. 1 week before

   Submit, the portal closes on the advertised date.

What the panel is actually looking for

• Academic record meeting the minimum CGPA or division
• Test score against the batch's threshold
• Relevance of the field to national priority sectors
• Research proposal quality for PhD applicants

Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting HEC attestation after the advertisement rather than before.
• Missing the batch window because it was not being monitored.
• Applying without a valid GRE/GAT/NTS score.
• A research proposal unconnected to priority sectors.
• Not reading the service bond terms before accepting the award.

Fields of study