Use this guide as a practical framework, then adapt every step to the official instructions and the story only you can tell.
Read this first: some 2027 cycles have already closed
This guide to scholarships for pakistani students is written in late October 2026, and honesty matters more than optimism here. Several of the biggest pakistan scholarships for the 2027 intake have already closed their applications by the time you read this. That does not make the guide useless. It makes it a preparation guide: what each programme is, who it fits, what documents it needs, and what to watch so you are ready the day the next cycle opens. Every deadline below is either a verified official date, a verified closed date, or written as Not announced where no official date exists. Nothing is guessed.
HEC scholarships and the Commonwealth route
The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, known as HEC, is the national nominating agency for the Commonwealth Scholarship Programme in Pakistan. HEC scholarships under this route are for Pakistani and Azad Jammu and Kashmir nationals who want a full time taught Master's or a PhD at a UK university, starting in September or October 2027, under the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission's six development themes.
HEC's own announcement for the 2027-28 cycle states that HEC undertakes nomination in Pakistan under its prescribed criteria, while the final selection is made by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. Nomination by HEC does not guarantee final selection. The announcement lists 26 nominations for Master's and 30 nominations for general PhD. Applicants applied through two portals: the HEC scholarship portal and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission portal. An application on only one portal was not enough.
The 2027-28 cycle is closed. The HEC application deadline was 20 October 2026 at 4:00 PM Pakistan time, and the Commission's closing time was the same day at 16:00 British Summer Time. The HEC announcement also states that the test conducted on 25 October 2026 was the last test for the Commonwealth Scholarship Programme 2027 cycle. Expected nomination by nominating agencies is December 2026, expected announcement of results is July 2027, and studies are expected to start in September or October 2027. The next cycle after 2027-28 is Not announced. Watch the HEC announcements page rather than trusting any third party date for it.
Eligibility notes for this route, as reported by education coverage and consistent with HEC's announcement: applicants must be Pakistani or Azad Jammu and Kashmir nationals, dual nationals holding foreign passports are not eligible through the national nominating agency, Master's applicants generally need 16 years of education with a first division or equivalent, and PhD applicants need a relevant 17 or 18 year qualification. A Higher Education Aptitude Test, known as HAT, is required. Confirm the HAT requirement and cutoff on the HEC announcement itself before relying on it, because test rules change between cycles.
Funding for this route is reported as full tuition, a monthly living stipend and return airfare. Confirm the current rates on the official Commonwealth Scholarship Commission guidance before you plan a budget around them.
Chevening: fully funded scholarships for pakistani students in the UK
Chevening is the UK government's global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations. It funds a one year Master's degree at a UK university for emerging leaders. Pakistan appears on the eligible country lists published by Chevening partner universities, so Pakistani citizens can apply for Chevening. Chevening asks scholars to return to their home country for at least two years after completing the Master's degree.
The Chevening cycle for September 2027 entry is closed. Partner university pages state that applications opened on 4 August 2026 and closed on 6 October 2026. The next Chevening cycle is Not announced. If Chevening is your target, use the waiting months to build the two things Chevening weighs most: a clear leadership record with real examples, and three well chosen UK Master's courses that fit one story. Do not wait for the next announcement to start that work.
DAAD Germany: scholarships for pakistan students abroad in Germany
Germany is the second major destination in this guide, and the German Academic Exchange Service, known as DAAD, runs the programmes Pakistani graduates use most. DAAD Pakistan's own programme list for Pakistan includes development related postgraduate courses known as EPOS, the Helmut-Schmidt Programme for public policy and good governance, study scholarships for graduates in architecture, fine art, design, visual communication, film, music and the performing arts, and doctoral programmes and research grants.
EPOS funds Master's degrees and in some cases PhDs at selected German universities in fields such as renewable energy, public health, water and environmental management, agriculture, urban planning, economics and engineering. Under EPOS you do not apply to DAAD directly. You choose up to three courses from the official EPOS list and apply to each university course directly, following that course's own deadline. DAAD Pakistan's list gives EPOS deadlines as per the programme announcement, so there is no single EPOS date to print here. The Helmut-Schmidt Programme is generally listed with deadlines at the end of July, the arts study scholarships generally at the end of September, October or November depending on the field, and doctoral programmes and research grants generally at the end of August. Treat those months as the usual pattern from DAAD Pakistan's list, and confirm the exact date on the programme announcement for your course.
Eligibility notes for EPOS as reported by education coverage: Pakistan is among the eligible developing countries, and applicants generally need a recognised bachelor's degree and relevant professional experience after the bachelor's degree. Check the stipend and eligibility details in the call for your course. Confirm every detail on the official DAAD page and your chosen course page before applying, because stipend amounts, eligible courses and deadlines change frequently.
HEC announced programmes beyond the UK: Thailand and the United States
HEC also advertises programmes run by other countries' institutions. One official HEC announcement covers the Chulabhorn Graduate Institute postgraduate scholarship programme in Thailand for 2027. That programme offers Master's degrees in science related fields including applied biological sciences, environmental health, environmental toxicology and chemical sciences. Applicants must be under 30 years of age with no age relaxation, and hold a bachelor's degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.75 out of 4.00 or equivalent. Applications go directly through the institute's portal. HEC's announcement states clearly that HEC only advertises the opportunity and that selection, admission and awards are decided solely by the institute. The 2027 application deadline was 31 August 2026, so that cycle is closed, and the next cycle is Not announced.
Education coverage also reports an HEC US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor PhD programme for doctoral study at top ranked United States universities, with categories based on university ranking and support including tuition, a living stipend, health insurance assistance and return airfare. Those details were not verified against an HEC official page during research for this guide, so no deadline is printed for it here. Its deadline is Not announced in this guide. Check hec.gov.pk directly before acting on any Knowledge Corridor claim you read elsewhere.
UShireZone's own HEC listing
UShireZone already lists HEC scholarships as an umbrella opportunity covering local PhD research funding, overseas MS and PhD study through partner universities, and faculty development scholarships for university staff. That listing notes the documents HEC schemes commonly ask for: CNIC and attested transcripts and degrees, GAT General or Subject or GRE, IELTS or TOEFL scores as the specific scheme requires, a research proposal or statement of purpose, academic and professional reference letters, and service bond or undertaking documents where the scheme requires returning to serve in Pakistan after the funded degree. Exact funding amounts and covered costs differ by scheme and host country, and HEC scholarships use scheme specific opening and closing dates, so the listing itself tells readers to confirm the current scheme page and portal notice before applying.
Link to UShireZone HEC listing: https://www.ushirezone.com/opportunity/hec-scholarship-pakistan-2026
How Pakistani students should plan from here
Start with one target programme, not ten. Read its official announcement end to end, list its documents, and note whether it runs through HEC, directly through the provider, or through both portals, as the Commonwealth route does. Prepare the slow documents first: attested transcripts, test scores, references and a statement of purpose or research proposal that fits the programme's own prompt. If the cycle you wanted has closed, do not pay any agent who promises to reopen it or secure a place. Closed means closed, and the honest move is to prepare for the next cycle with a stronger file.
A final warning that applies to every programme in this guide: UShireZone never charges applicants to apply, HEC never charges for its scholarship portal, and no genuine scholarship asks you to pay for an application, a nomination or a guaranteed place. Anyone who asks for payment for those things is not part of the programme.
Frequently asked questions
Which scholarships for pakistani students should I start with?
Start with the programme that matches your level and field, not the most famous one. A Pakistani Master's graduate with work experience fits EPOS or the Commonwealth Master's route better than a generic search. A doctoral researcher fits the Commonwealth PhD route or a DAAD research grant. Read the official announcement for one programme fully before opening a second tab.
Do I apply through HEC or directly to the provider?
It depends on the programme. The Commonwealth route requires both the HEC portal and the Commission portal. EPOS requires applying to the university course directly. The Thailand institute programme requires applying through the institute's own portal. The programme's own announcement always states the route, and following the wrong route is the easiest way to lose a cycle.
What is the HAT test and do I need it?
The Higher Education Aptitude Test is a standardised aptitude test run by HEC Pakistan. It is required for Commonwealth Scholarship applicants from Pakistan. HEC's 2027 announcement states that the test conducted on 25 October 2026 was the last test for the 2027 cycle. Confirm the test requirement, cutoff and next test date on HEC's own announcements before you book.
What if the scholarships for pakistani students 2027 cycle I wanted has already closed?
Prepare for the next cycle instead of chasing shortcuts. Build the documents, the test score and the course choices now, and watch the official announcements page for the provider: hec.gov.pk for HEC routes, chevening.org for Chevening, and daad.pk for DAAD Pakistan programmes. No agent can reopen a closed cycle, and paying one only loses money.
Are there fully funded scholarships for pakistani students beyond the UK and Germany?
Yes, but each one must be checked individually. This guide covers the UK and Germany routes and one HEC advertised Thailand programme because those were verifiable. Other destinations, including China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Commonwealth countries, run their own schemes with their own portals and dates. Add a destination to your plan only after reading its official announcement, not a third party summary.
Open the official requirements for one opportunity and turn them into a personal checklist today.