HEC Commonwealth Scholarship 2027 in the UK for Pakistani Students – Fully Funded Masters & PhD

Pakistani students hoping to study in the UK without the financial burden now have a fully funded route through the HEC Commonwealth Scholarship 2027. Funded by the UK's Department for International Development, the award covers tuition, airfare, and a monthly living stipend for both Masters and PhD study at UK universities, across almost all academic fields.

Applications are coordinated through Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC) — there's no way to apply to Commonwealth Scholarships directly without going through this route if you're a Pakistani national.

About the Scholarship

The Commonwealth Scholarship is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and awarded to students from low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries. For Pakistani applicants specifically, all nominations are processed through HEC rather than submitted directly to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. Masters awards run for 1 year, and PhD awards run for 3 years.

Scholarships are offered under six broad themes:

• Science and technology for development
• Strengthening health systems and capacity
• Promoting global prosperity
• Strengthening global peace, security, and governance
• Strengthening resilience and response to crises
• Access, inclusion, and opportunity

Who Can Apply

• Pakistani or AJ&K national and permanent resident of Pakistan/AJ&K
• Age limit: 30 years or under for Masters, 35 years or under for PhD, at time of application
• Available to begin studies in the UK by September/October 2027
• For Masters: hold a first-class 16-year degree (e.g., MSc, MA, MBA, BS, BBA) in a relevant field, completed by the application deadline
• For PhD: hold a first-class 17/18-year postgraduate degree (MS/MPhil) in a relevant field, completed by the application deadline
• Must not already be registered for a PhD, MPhil-leading-to-PhD, or Masters at a UK university before September/October 2026, and must not have studied at the same level in the UK previously
• Must be financially unable to fund UK study without this scholarship

HEC may shortlist candidates through a test, an interview, or both. Female applicants are specifically encouraged to apply as part of HEC's equal opportunity commitment.

Financial Benefits

• Approved return airfare between your home country and the UK
• Full tuition fees
• Monthly stipend: £1,712/month, or £2,000/month for universities in the London metropolitan area (2027–2028 rates)
• Warm clothing allowance, where applicable
• Thesis/dissertation preparation grant, where applicable
• Study travel grant for UK or overseas study-related travel
• One paid mid-term visit home (airfare), with some conditions around dependent allowances or fieldwork travel

Application Deadline

20 October 2026. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered under any circumstances.

How to Apply

This scholarship requires two separate applications submitted in parallel — missing either one, or submitting after the deadline, disqualifies the application entirely:

1. Commonwealth Online Application — apply through the Commonwealth Electronic Application System (EAS) for either the Masters or PhD scholarship track.
2. HEC Online Application — register at the HEC scholarships portal, select "Learning Opportunities Abroad" under the Scholarship and Grant menu, complete your profile, submit, and print a signed copy of your application.

Before starting, make sure your HEC ePortal profile has your current email and phone number on file.

Apply for the HEC Commonwealth Scholarship 2027