Postgraduate Scholarships in Pakistan – Eligibility and Benefits

Scholarships for Postgraduate Students in Pakistan 2026-27

Pakistani postgraduate students can apply for the HEC-managed Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary), Fulbright (USA), Chevening and GREAT (UK), and university awards such as Bristol's Think Big. Most 2026-27 rounds have closed, so use the status table below to plan for the next cycle. There is no Ehsaas postgraduate scholarship: Ehsaas is undergraduate only. Think Big belongs to the University of Bristol in the UK.

Funding is usually the deciding factor in whether a master's or MPhil happens at all. The scholarships here cover tuition, living costs, or both, and each has its own eligibility, deadline and portal. Before you commit to a course, check postgraduate fee structure so you know what you are trying to cover.

Postgraduate scholarships at a glance (status on 8 October 2026)

Dates change every cycle, so confirm on the official page before you plan around any of them.

Ehsaas postgraduate scholarship: does it exist?

No. The Ehsaas scholarship is an undergraduate programme for low-income students at public universities. It covers tuition and a stipend for four- and five-year degrees, and HEC excludes master's programmes from it. If you searched for "Ehsaas postgraduate scholarship", the real options are in this guide.

Need-based students should also check the HEC scholarship portal, where HEC-managed programmes are listed. For undergraduate readers, see Ehsaas undergraduate scholarship.

Think Big postgraduate scholarship: what it is

Think Big is the University of Bristol's international scholarship. It is not a Pakistani government scheme, and you need to be applying to Bristol.

What Think Big offers

Postgraduate awards are £6,500, £13,000 or £26,000 off first-year tuition. They apply to eligible one-year taught master's programmes, plus MSc Social Work and MA Law, which run two years. Postgraduate students can also apply for the Think Big Career Accelerator, which carries a £3,000 award and employability support.

How to apply for Think Big

You must hold overseas fee status. One online form covers every Think Big award you qualify for. In the last round it opened on 21 October 2025 and closed on 10 April 2026. Check Bristol's scholarships page for the next round, as dates for later entry were not confirmed when this page was written.

Scholarships for postgraduate students abroad

Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary)

HEC runs this programme with the Hungarian government. For Master's you need a 16-year bachelor's degree or equivalent, and result-awaiting candidates can apply. You must sit the HEC aptitude test (HAT) and score at least 50 percent. You apply on both the HEC portal and the Hungarian portal before the deadline. Awardees must return to Pakistan after the degree and serve for a set period or face a penalty.

Fulbright (USA)

USEFP offers fully funded Master's and PhD study in the United States. It covers tuition, textbooks, airfare, a living stipend and health insurance. Every discipline is open except clinical medicine. For Master's you need a four-year bachelor's or a combined 16 years of education, and a GRE score is part of the process.

Chevening (UK)

Chevening funds one-year taught master's degrees at UK universities. You need to apply to three eligible courses, show about 2,800 hours of work experience, and commit to returning to Pakistan for at least two years. It rewards leadership and a clear plan for Pakistan, so grades alone will not carry an application. Details are on Chevening's Pakistan page.

GREAT Scholarships, Bestway and Newcastle

GREAT Scholarships give £10,000 towards tuition at participating UK universities, with each university setting its own deadline. The Bestway Foundation supports Pakistani master's students facing financial hardship. Newcastle's Pakistan Future Leaders award needs no separate application, because eligible Pakistan-domiciled applicants are considered automatically.

Scholarships for postgraduate study inside Pakistan

The OIC tuition-exemption offer at COMSATS University Islamabad is the clearest postgraduate scholarship to surface for 2026-27. It exempts tuition fees only, so living and other costs stay with you. The last round closed on 31 May 2026, and applications go through COMSATS international admissions.

For domestic study, also ask your university's financial aid office about merit and need-based waivers. Before you apply, read up on postgraduate admission and postgraduate courses so your choice of programme fits the funding.

How to prepare your application

Documents most scholarships ask for

• Degree and transcripts (attested where required)
• CNIC and passport
• English-language or aptitude test results (IELTS, GRE or HAT, depending on the programme)
• Statement of purpose or essays
• Two referee letters

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting until the portal opens is the biggest one. The strongest candidates start in the months before: they book tests, line up referees and shortlist courses. Funders such as Chevening and Fulbright ask for your own experiences and ambitions, so write the essays yourself. Check every deadline against Pakistan time, because Chevening closes in UTC.