Higher Education Commission

Pak-USAID Merit and Needs Based Scholarship Program

Program’s Brief

Brief History:

The Pak-USAID Merit and Needs based Scholarship Program Phase-II is focused on providing
opportunities for access to higher education especially to under privileged candidates who, despite
possessing academic merit, are unable to finance their education. The scholarship is not restricted to
tuition only, but extends to accommodation and living expenses.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved the program at a total
cost of Rs. 2,954.808 million in its meeting held on 6th September 2013. The Project is funded by
Government of United States of America as Grant in Aid.

The Phase-I of the program was initiated in 2004 at eleven (11) universities with scope of 1807
scholarships. It is the pride of the program that all the scholarships are awarded, 94 percent of the
scholarship recipients had graduated in the semester they expected to graduate.

Program Objectives:
 To enable the academically qualified, yet financially needy, Pakistani students to continue university
studies in selected private and public universities of Pakistan in the fields of Agriculture, Medical,
Business, Social Science and Engineering
 To enhance the institutional capacity of the Higher Education Commission of the Government of
Pakistan and local public and private sector universities in designing and implementing MNBSP Phase II

Eligibility Criteria for Scholarships:

1. The applicant must be a Pakistani/AJK National

2. Financial assistance & scholarships are available for study at undergraduate & graduate level in
the following disciplines at the selected 29 Pakistani universities and degree awarding institutions.

a. Agricultural & Veterinary Sciences

b. Business Administration
c. Social Sciences
d. Engineering & Tech.
e. Medical
Note:
I. Agricultural (incl. Veterinary Sciences and Bio Technology)
II. Social Sciences includes (Peace &Conflict Studies, Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics,
Linguistics, Law, Communication and Media studies, International Relations, and Psychology)
III. 50% Female Seats: Women’s participation in the education sector is very low. This activity will
ensure that at least 50% of the awarded scholarships go to women, especially those coming from
remote and vulnerable areas of Pakistan, who are financially needy, and meet admission criteria
of the selected 29 partner universities

University / Institute Province Status Discipline

Agricultural &
1 University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Punjab Public Veterinary Sciences

Agricultural &
2 KP Agricultural University, Peshawar KP Public Veterinary Sciences

Sindh Agriculture University, Agricultural &

3 Sindh Public Veterinary Sciences
Tandojam

Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture Agricultural &

4 Punjab Public Veterinary Sciences
University, Rawalpindi

Lasbela University of Agriculture, Agricultural &

5 Baluchistan Public Veterinary Sciences
Water & Marine Sciences, Uthal
Business
6 Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Federal Public Administration and
Social Sciences
Sukkur Institute of Business Business
7 Sindh Public
Administration, Sukkur Administration
Institute of Business Administration, Business
8 Sindh Public
Karachi Administration
Business
9 IM Sciences, Peshawar KP Public
Administration
Business
Balochistan Univ. of IT, Engineering,
10 Baluchistan Public Administration &
and Management Sciences, Quetta
Engineering
Business
Lahore University of Management
11 Punjab Private Administration and ,
Sciences, Lahore
Engineering & Tech
Sindh& Business
12 SZABIST Private
Federal Administration
Pakistan Institute of Engineering and
13 Federal Public Engg. & Tech
Applied Sciences, Islamabad
 University / Institute Province Status Discipline
Mehran University of Engineering &
14 Sindh Public Engg. & Tech
Technology, Jamshoro
KP University of Engineering and
15 KP Public Engg. & Tech
Technology, Peshawar
COMSATS Institute of Information
16 Federal Public Engg. & Tech
Technology (CIIT)
National University of Sciences and
17 Federal Public Engg. & Tech
Technology, Islamabad
University of Engineering and
18 Punjab Public Engg. & Tech
Technology, Lahore
19 University of Health Sciences, Lahore Punjab Public Medical
Dow University of Health Sciences,
20 Sindh Public Medical
Karachi
21 Khyber Medical University, Peshawar KP Public Medical
Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's
22 Baluchistan Public Social Sciences
University, Quetta
Shaheed Benazir Women University
23 (ex Frontier Women University) , KP Public Social Sciences
Peshawar
Fatima Jinnah Women University,
24 Punjab Public Social Sciences
Rawalpindi
University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir,
25 AJK Public Social Sciences
Muzaffarabad - Azad Kashmir
26 University of the Punjab, Lahore Punjab Public Social Sciences
27 University of Karachi, Karachi Sindh Public Social Sciences
Lahore College for Women University
28 Punjab Public Social Sciences
, Lahore
Karakurum International University,
29 G.B Public Social Sciences
Gilgit

For more details of selected Universities/Institutions, please click the below link.
http://www.hec.gov.pk/InsideHEC/Divisions/HRD/Scholarships/LocalScholarships/USAIDFund
edMeritandNeedsBasedScholarshipProject/Pages/Partner_Universities-
Instituitions_Financial_Assistance_Offices_Contact_Details.aspx

3. Students need to compete for securing admission in the approved discipline at the participating
institution as per admission policy of the institution and be enrolled in Undergraduate (4 and 5 ) and
Graduate (2 Years and 3.5 years) programs

4. Only those students who are enrolled in first semester/professional year in the respective
courses offered by the participating institutions are eligible to apply

5. The eligibility of a candidate is linked to neediness of the candidate as determined & assessed by
the financial background of his/her family
 SCHOLARSHIP COMPOSITION:
Comprehensive scholarship offered under this program provides funds for the following expenses:
 Tuition Fee
 Lodging
 Transportation
 Books
 Other Academics Costs

HOW TO APPLY:

Students applying for admission and financial assistance will fill out both the applications and submit the
form to the University Admissions Office and Financial Aid Office respectively.
For More Details about Pak-USAID Merit and Needs Based Scholarship Program, please click below link
http://www.hec.gov.pk/InsideHEC/Divisions/HRD/Scholarships/LocalScholarships/USAIDFundedMeritan
dNeedsBasedScholarshipProject/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Application form may be downloaded by clicking the below address.

http://www.hec.gov.pk/InsideHEC/Divisions/HRD/Scholarships/LocalScholarships/USAIDFund
edMeritandNeedsBasedScholarshipProject/Documents/Need%20Based%20Application.pdf