How to apply for Commonwealth Scholarships 2025, open for Pakistan

Commonwealth Scholarships 2025 in partnership with HEC Pakistan are open for Masters and PhD study in the United Kingdom.

The awards are funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission to support higher education and skills.

The HEC portal lists the deadline as October 14 2025 at 4 PM PST.

Seats deadlines and eligibility

1. Current HEC nominations are 26 for Masters and 30 for PhD.
2. Applicants must be permanent residents of Pakistan or Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
3. A first division in the terminal degree is required.
4. Candidates with dual nationality are not eligible.
5. For Masters the education requirement is 16 years in a relevant field.
6. For PhD the requirement is 17 or 18 years such as MS or MPhil.
7. Applicants should apply only if they truly need funding and cannot study in the UK without scholarship support.

Test and CSC conditions

1. A valid HAT score of 60 out of 100 or higher is mandatory.
2. Only HAT General categories I to IV are accepted.
3. Merit ranking will be based on HAT scores only.
4. Applicants must also meet CSC rules.

They should be able to begin studies in the UK by September 2026. Complete academic transcripts and at least two references are needed. Furthermore, PhD applicants must upload a supporting statement from a UK supervisor. The scholarships do not normally fund a second Masters unless a strong case is made and approved.

How to apply and next steps

1. First prepare documents.
2. These include attested transcripts CNIC or domicile two references the HAT result card a research proposal for PhD and a supporting letter from a potential UK supervisor for PhD.
3. Next submit two online applications. One on the HEC e Portal and one on the CSC online system.

Both must be completed before the deadlines. Incomplete or late files will not be considered. Similarly, selected candidates must follow all HEC and CSC terms including a bond to return and serve Pakistan. Moreover, full guidance and application links are available on the HEC website and the Commonwealth Scholarship website.

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