Brunei Government Scholarship for Pakistanis: Free Tuition and BND 500 a Month

The Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarship (BDGS) is open to Pakistani students, but the round for 2026/2027 closed on 15 February 2026. The 2027/2028 round has not been announced yet. Last round opened on 15 December 2025, so watch Brunei's Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarship page from December 2026.

The scholarship pays full tuition, a return air ticket, housing and monthly allowances for a diploma, bachelor's or master's degree at five institutions in Brunei. It is run by Brunei's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and applications go through an online form on a Brunei government portal.

We read the ministry's 2026/2027 and 2025/2026 announcements, its scholarship page, the application portal and its older FAQ and application form on 27 September 2026. The portal's login page now says "This application is now closed."

The 2027/2028 Brunei scholarship round is not open yet

No 2027/2028 round has been announced. The last two rounds both closed on 15 February, and the 2026/2027 round opened on 15 December 2025. If Brunei keeps that timing, the next round would open around mid-December 2026, but the ministry has not confirmed any date.

That leaves about two months to apply once a round opens. Use the time now to get your English test, references and certified copies ready. Late or incomplete applications are not considered.

Pakistani students are eligible if they meet the age and English rules

Pakistanis can apply. The ministry's older FAQ says applicants of all nationalities are eligible, including ASEAN, Commonwealth and OIC countries. You must meet the age limit and the English requirement, and you must not have studied in Brunei before.

The 2026/2027 announcement sets these rules:

• Age: not over 25 for a diploma or bachelor's degree, and not over 35 for a master's degree, on 1 July of the year the course starts.
• English: a Credit 6 in GCE O Level English, a grade C in IGCSE English as a second language, IELTS 6.0, or a TOEFL score of at least 550.
• Not eligible: Bruneians, Brunei permanent residents, and foreign students who are studying or have studied at a Brunei tertiary institution.

For the 2027/2028 intake, the age cut-off would fall on 1 July 2027 if the rule stays the same. An applicant born on or before 1 July 2001 would be 26 by then and too old for a bachelor's place. There is no PhD option; the older FAQ says so plainly, and the current announcement lists only diploma, bachelor's and master's study.

What the Brunei scholarship pays for

The scholarship waives tuition and related fees for the whole course. It also pays a return economy air ticket, BND 500 a month as personal allowance, BND 150 a month for meals, BND 600 a year for books, a room in the university's residential college, and insurance. BND is the Brunei dollar.

Family members are not covered. The terms say there is no marriage or child allowance and no housing for a spouse or children. You cannot take paid work in Brunei during the scholarship, and you must leave Brunei when the course ends.

You also cannot hold another scholarship, grant or loan at the same time without the ministry's written approval. If you are also applying for the Commonwealth Scholarship or Fulbright, that is fine, but you would have to pick one if both come through.

Universities you can choose under the scholarship

You can study at five institutions: Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB), Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) and Politeknik Brunei (PB). The ministry publishes each one's list of eligible programmes with each round.

• UBD and UTB: apply on the university's own admission portal as well as the BDGS form.
• UNISSA, KUPU SB and PB: the 2026/2027 notice listed no separate university application.
• Programme codes: older rounds asked for a code from each university's brochure, so note it when you choose.

Some courses are taught in Malay or Arabic. The announcement says the institutions may test your English, Malay or Arabic, and may call you for an interview. Read the programme list carefully before you pick your first and second choice.

How to apply for the Brunei Government Scholarship

Applications are made online on the ministry's BDGS portal, linked from its scholarship page. You upload your documents there. UBD and UTB applicants must also apply on the university's own admission portal. There is no separate step at Brunei's mission in Islamabad in the current announcement.

1. Watch the MFA scholarship page from December 2026 for the 2027/2028 announcement.
2. Check the age, English and "never studied in Brunei" rules against the new notice.
3. Pick your programmes from the published lists for UBD, UNISSA, UTB, KUPU SB or PB.
4. Fill in the online BDGS application form and upload your documents.
5. If you chose UBD or UTB, also complete that university's online application.
6. Ask your two referees to complete the C1 and C2 reference forms.
7. Submit before the closing date and keep checking your email.

Successful applicants are contacted for the next stage of selection, and unsuccessful ones are told by email. In the 2020/2021 round, awards were notified by the first week of June. The ministry's decision is final, and it does not take appeals.

Documents to prepare before the next round opens

The 2026/2027 form asked for identity documents, certified copies of your academic records, certified English translations of anything not in English, certified copies of your birth certificate and passport, and two references on the C1 and C2 forms. Start collecting them now.

• CNIC or B-Form, and a valid passport.
• Certified copies of certificates, transcripts and testimonials.
• Certified English translations of any Urdu documents.
• Your birth certificate, certified.
• An IELTS or TOEFL result, or your O Level or IGCSE English grade.
• Two referees, such as a teacher or principal, who will fill in the reference forms.

Older rounds also asked for a security clearance statement from your country, which in Pakistan means a police character certificate. The 2026/2027 notice did not list it, but it is worth having ready in case the next notice asks. Master's applicants with a Pakistani degree may want HEC degree attestation done too, though the notice asks only for certified copies.

The 2020/2021 round also said that only awarded students must send medical check-up results. The current terms say scholars may need health screening in Brunei.

Common questions

Is the Brunei Government Scholarship open now?

No. The 2026/2027 round closed on 15 February 2026, and the 2027/2028 round has not been announced. Last round opened on 15 December 2025.

Can Pakistani students apply for the Brunei scholarship?

Yes. The ministry says applicants of all nationalities are eligible, including Commonwealth and OIC countries. Pakistan is both.

Does the Brunei scholarship cover a PhD?

No. It covers diploma, bachelor's and master's study only. The ministry's FAQ says no PhD programmes are offered under it.

How much is the monthly allowance in Brunei?

BND 500 a month for personal expenses and BND 150 a month for meals, plus BND 600 a year for books.

What is the age limit for the Brunei scholarship?

25 for diploma and bachelor's programmes, and 35 for master's, counted on 1 July of the year the course starts.

Is IELTS required for the Brunei Government Scholarship?

You need IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 550, a Credit 6 in O Level English or a C in IGCSE English as a second language. Any one of these is enough.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 27 September 2026. The 2026/2027 dates (opening 15 December 2025, closing 15 February 2026), the five institutions, the age and English rules, the ineligible groups, the documents, the separate UBD and UTB applications, the benefits and the conditions are read in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam's 2026/2027 BDGS announcement on mfa.gov.bn. The 15 February 2025 closing date is read in its 2025/2026 announcement. The closed status is read on the ministry's BDGS application portal. The all-nationalities rule, the absence of PhD programmes, the security clearance and medical check rules and the June notification date are read in the ministry's FAQ for the 2020/2021 session. No 2027/2028 announcement was published when we checked, so the next round's dates are not confirmed.