Check HEC's Learning Opportunities Abroad Offers: HAT or USAT Score, Medical Certificate and Old Deadlines
HEC's Learning Opportunities Abroad needs a HAT or USAT score and a medical certificate. See which offers closed: Azerbaijan in March 2026, IUT Dhaka in 2025.
Short answer: HEC's Learning Opportunities Abroad (LOA) programme passes on foreign-funded scholarships to Pakistani and AJK nationals. You need a valid HAT score for master's and PhD, or a valid USAT score for a bachelor's, plus a medical fitness certificate. Only the Commonwealth round (Academic Year 2027-28) is named as active on the page.
Many students first meet LOA through a forwarded message about a country offering "free seats". The offer is often real but old. HEC's LOA pages carry two clear examples: Azerbaijan, which closed on 20 March 2026, and a Bangladesh university offer that closed on 11 April 2025.
We read the HEC Learning Opportunities Abroad pages on 14 October 2026, along with the Azerbaijan and Islamic University of Technology pages. This guide shows how the system works so you can tell a live offer from a dead one. It does not claim any open call beyond what HEC says.
HEC passes on offers that come through diplomatic channels
HEC says LOA is a programme that offers foreign-funded scholarships to Pakistani and AJK nationals, received through diplomatic channels. The page names the Hungarian, Commonwealth and Chinese Government programmes and adds "etc.", so other offers may exist. Each has its own page and its own dates.
The page gives no general deadline, because each country sets its own. The only date it states is the Academic Year 2027-28 for the Commonwealth programme. For that round, read how to apply for the Commonwealth Scholarship through HEC, and for Hungary see Stipendium Hungaricum for Pakistanis.
A test score and a medical certificate come first
For master's and PhD offers you need a valid HAT score. For bachelor's offers you need a valid USAT score. HEC also asks for a medical fitness certificate on a proforma posted on the page, and it applies to all LOA programmes. Get all of these before the portal opens.
| Level | Test needed | Also needed |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | Valid USAT score | Medical fitness certificate |
| Master's | Valid HAT score | Medical fitness certificate |
| PhD | Valid HAT score | Medical fitness certificate |
A test takes time to book. If you plan to apply next year, look at the next date for the HEC HAT test and the rules for the HEC USAT on 25 October. Another sitting may be deferred, as in the GRE-HAT deferral to 2027, so check early.
The Azerbaijan offer closed in March 2026
The Heydar Aliyev International Educational Grant 2026/27 was offered by the Government of Azerbaijan through HEC for bachelor, master and doctoral study. The deadline was 20 March 2026, 4 pm Pakistan time, on the HEC scholarship portal. Only three nominations were needed, one for each level.
The page lists Pakistani and AJK nationals as eligible and gives no age limit, language rule or benefit. If you saw this offer shared recently, it is last season's. If you are travelling there for another reason, see the Azerbaijan e-visa for Pakistanis.
The IUT Dhaka offer closed in April 2025
The Islamic University of Technology in Dhaka, a subsidiary of the OIC, offered full scholarships in two programmes: a four-year BSc in Mechanical Engineering and an MSc in Technical Education. HEC set the deadline at 4 pm on Friday, 11 April 2025. The page does not say what the scholarship covers.
It asked for a HAT score obtained on or after 11 April 2023, or a USAT-E score obtained on or after 11 April 2024. The bachelor's programme needs 12 years of education and the master's needs 16. Applications went through the HEC portal under Learning Opportunities Abroad.
HEC also lists the Heydar Aliyev grant and the IUT offer as separate pages under LOA, so a search can bring them up long after the dates pass. Always read the year on the page before you trust a shared link.
This page is still online, which is why people share it. A page that remains online is not the same as an open call.
How to tell a live offer from an old one
Look for the deadline on the HEC page, then check the year. If the date is behind you, the offer is closed. If the page shows no date, call HEC. HEC also keeps inactive and archived scholarships on a separate page. HEC advises applying early to avoid technical problems.
- Open the programme page on hec.gov.pk.
- Read the deadline and the academic year.
- Check that your HAT or USAT score is still valid.
- Get the medical certificate on the HEC proforma.
- Apply on the LOA portal well before the closing time.
Students who want a list of what is live this month should read the scholarship deadlines for October 2026. For HEC-funded study abroad, see also the Overseas Scholarship Phase-III result.
Common questions
What is HEC Learning Opportunities Abroad?
It is the HEC route for foreign-funded scholarships offered to Pakistani and AJK nationals through diplomatic channels.
Which test do I need for a master's?
A valid HAT score. Bachelor's applicants need a valid USAT score.
Is the Azerbaijan grant still open?
No. Its deadline was 20 March 2026, 4 pm Pakistan time.
Is the IUT Dhaka scholarship still open?
No. HEC's page gave 11 April 2025 as the deadline.
Do I need a medical certificate?
Yes. HEC says a medical fitness certificate on its proforma applies to all LOA programmes.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the HEC Learning Opportunities Abroad page and the two offer pages. None shows a posting date, and the benefits for Azerbaijan and IUT are not stated. We did not open the LOA portal itself.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
