HEC Overseas Scholarship Phase-III Result Is Out: Check Your 19 September Test Score Before Interviews
HEC has announced the Overseas Scholarship Phase-III test result for 19 September 2026. Check your score on the ETC portal and see what the USD 1,600 award pays
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced the result of the Overseas Scholarship Phase-III test held on Saturday 19 September 2026, and you check it by logging in at etc.hec.gov.pk. The scholarship pays up to USD 1,600 a month plus up to USD 4,000 a year in tuition at a Top 200 QS or THE ranked university. Only candidates who passed the test will be called for interviews, and HEC has not yet published interview dates.
We read the HEC page for the scheme, its funding page and the Education Testing Council (ETC) announcements on 9 October 2026. HEC's official project name is "Overseas Scholarship for MS/M.Phil Leading to PhD in Selected Fields (Phase-III)", Batch-IV. Below is how to see your score, what the test measured, how selection works from here and what the money covers.
The Phase-III test result is on the ETC portal now
The ETC lists "Overseas Scholarship Test Phase-III: Result Announced for the Test Held on Saturday, 19.09.2026" with a link to its login page. Answer keys for both papers, HAT-MS and HAT-PhD, are posted on the HEC announcements page, one file for each paper colour: blue, green, pink, white and yellow.
- Open etc.hec.gov.pk and log in with the same email and password you used for the roll number slip.
- Open your Overseas Scholarship Phase-III test entry and view the result.
- Note your score, and the colour of the paper version you sat if you remember it.
- Download the matching answer key from the HEC announcements page if you want to check your answers.
- Keep checking the HEC scholarship portal and your email for an interview call.
The test date moved once. HEC first listed it for 27 September 2026, then rescheduled it to 19 September for administrative reasons and the law and order situation. If you are comparing dates from August notices, that is why they do not match.
Key dates for Overseas Scholarship Phase-III, Batch-IV
Applications opened on 9 August 2026 and closed on 28 August 2026 at 4:00 pm. The test was held on 19 September and the result is now out. Interviews come next for shortlisted candidates.
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Online registration opened | 9 August 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 28 August 2026, 4:00 pm |
| Test, first listed | 27 September 2026 |
| Test, rescheduled and held | Saturday 19 September 2026 |
| Result | Announced on the ETC portal |
| Interviews | Not yet announced |
What the HAT test measured
The test was a HEC Aptitude Test (HAT) for MS/MPhil and PhD applicants. HEC's content weightage notice gives Verbal Reasoning 40 per cent, Analytical Reasoning 35 per cent and Quantitative Reasoning 25 per cent.
HAT scores stay valid for two years, and HEC says the best score counts. So a candidate who also sits the general HEC HAT on 25 October 2026 may have a stronger score on file for the next overseas round. HEC has not said what score earns an interview this time.
How selection works after the result
HEC selects on merit from the HAT score and the interview, subject to the federal government's provincial quotas and the slots available in each thematic area. Only candidates who passed the test are called for interview.
Scholarships are open only in eight areas: Digital Transformation and Emerging Technologies; Energy, Climate Change and Environment; Agriculture, Food Security and Agri-Tech; Health, Biotechnology and Life Sciences; Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing; Natural and Physical Sciences; Social Sciences, Business and Governance; and Interdisciplinary and Strategic Areas.
HEC can re-allocate your university or country. It shares candidate lists with partner universities for placement, but you still have to meet the host university's own admission rules, which may include GRE, TOEFL or IELTS. HEC advises sitting those tests before the interview, and the IELTS fee in Pakistan is worth budgeting now rather than after an offer.
What the scholarship pays: USD 1,600 a month and USD 4,000 tuition
HEC's funding page sets the same caps for MS and PhD scholars. Only the length differs: 24 months for MS or MPhil, and 48 months for a PhD.
| Item | MS or MPhil | PhD |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance allowance | Up to USD 1,600 a month, or the country rate, for 24 months | Up to USD 1,600 a month, or the country rate, for 48 months |
| Tuition fee | Up to USD 4,000 a year for 2 years | Up to USD 4,000 a year for 4 years |
| Health insurance | Actual cost, up to USD 600 a year | Actual cost, up to USD 600 a year |
| Airfare | One economy return ticket, up to Rs 250,000 each way | One economy return ticket, up to Rs 250,000 each way |
The tuition cap is the catch. International fees at Top 200 universities can run well above USD 4,000 a year, and HEC plans for that: it says any fee above the cap must be covered by a tuition waiver or paid by the scholar. Ask target universities about waivers before you accept a placement.
HEC has also posted templates for an acceptance and declaration, a deed of agreement and surety bond, and an undertaking on service and assets on the scheme page. Read them early. A surety bond is a legal commitment, so understand what it asks of you and your guarantor.
Common questions
How do I check the HEC Overseas Scholarship Phase-III result?
Log in at etc.hec.gov.pk with your test account. The ETC lists the result as announced for the 19 September 2026 test.
When are the Phase-III interviews?
HEC has not announced interview dates. Only candidates who passed the test will be called.
What is the passing score for the overseas scholarship HAT?
HEC has not published a pass mark or interview cut-off for this round on its scheme page.
How much is the HEC overseas scholarship stipend?
Up to USD 1,600 a month, or the approved rate for the country of study, for 24 months (MS) or 48 months (PhD).
Can I still apply for Phase-III Batch-IV?
No. Applications closed on 28 August 2026 at 4:00 pm.
Who was exempt from the test?
Candidates with confirmed unconditional Fall 2026 admission in a thematic area at a Top 200 QS or THE university, subject to meeting the eligibility rules.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 9 October 2026. We read the scheme page, the "How to Apply" page and the financial provisions page for Overseas Scholarship Phase-III on the Higher Education Commission website, HEC's notices on the rescheduled test and content weightages, and the ETC announcements page with the result link and answer keys. We did not log in to see a result, so the exact portal menu names may differ. The country-wise stipend notification referred to on the funding page was not opened.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
