HEC US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor PhD Scholarship: Apply by 30 October 2026
HEC US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor PhD scholarship for 2027: apply by 30 October 2026 or 30 March 2027. Eligibility, GRE or HAT score, stipend and how to apply.
HEC's US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor PhD scholarship is open for 2027 admissions. Apply on scholarship.hec.gov.pk by 30 October 2026 for the Spring or Summer 2027 intake, or by 30 March 2027 for Fall 2027. You must already hold admission to a PhD at a top 100 QS-ranked US university.
We read HEC's programme page and its 2027 advertisement on hec.gov.pk on 1 October 2026. The page still shows "Scholarships are Open". The HEC scholarship portal was also working when we tried it.
One point catches many applicants. This is not a way to get into a US university. HEC pays for a place you have already won. So the admission letter comes first, and the scholarship form second.
HEC Knowledge Corridor deadlines for 2027 admissions
There are two deadlines in the 2027 advert. Students starting a US PhD in Spring or Summer 2027 must apply by 30 October 2026. Students starting in Fall 2027 have until 30 March 2027. Both applications go through HEC's online scholarship portal.
Most US PhD programmes start in the fall. So most Pakistani applicants this year will fall into the March round, not the October one. The October date is for people who already hold a spring or summer admission, or will get one very soon.
The age limit is checked on the closing date of your round. That makes the choice of round matter if you are close to the limit.
What the scholarship pays in each category
HEC splits the award by the university's overall QS rank. Category I covers the top 50 US universities and pays full tuition. Category II covers ranks 51 to 100 and pays tuition up to USD 12,000 a year. Both pay the same stipend and insurance.
| Item | Category I: top 50 QS, US | Category II: 51 to 100 QS, US |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | As per the university invoice | Up to USD 12,000 a year |
| Stipend | USD 19,200 a year | USD 19,200 a year |
| Health insurance | USD 2,000 a year | USD 2,000 a year |
| Test score | GRE General 300 or HAT 60% | GRE General 300 or HAT 60% |
USD 19,200 a year works out at USD 1,600 a month. In a cheap college town that can be enough. In Boston, New York or the Bay Area it will be tight. Category II has a bigger gap: many US PhD programmes charge far more than USD 12,000 a year. HEC "strongly" advises applicants to get funding from the university to cover any difference. In practice, a Category II offer without a university tuition waiver or assistantship is risky.
HEC also says it will use the latest QS ranking, the 2027 edition, to place your university. Check your university's overall rank, not its subject rank.
Who is eligible for the Knowledge Corridor PhD
You must be a Pakistani or AJK national with at least 16 years of education. You cannot have a second or third division anywhere in your record. Most applicants must be 35 or under, with 40 allowed for government employees and faculty.
The full list from HEC's advert:
- Pakistani or AJK national.
- At least a 4-year bachelor's degree (BS, BSc, BE) or 16 years of formal education.
- No second or third division in your entire academic career.
- Maximum age on the closing date: 40 for regular government employees, regular faculty of public universities and government colleges, and regular researchers of approved R&D organisations. 35 for everyone else.
- Not holding any other scholarship.
- Admission to a PhD at a top 100 QS-ranked US university.
- GRE General score of at least 300 in total, or an HEC HAT score of at least 60%.
The scholarship is for the PhD only. HEC says it does not fund a master's or an MS that leads to a PhD. If your US offer is for a master's first, it does not qualify. And HEC is not bound to fund every eligible applicant. It says it will pick "the best of the best" on merit.
The HAT is HEC's own test and is held inside Pakistan. HEC's separate move to make GRE or HAT compulsory for local MS and PhD admissions has been deferred, but this scholarship sets its own score rule. The next HEC HAT test is on 25 October 2026. Check whether its result will be out before you need to apply.
Preferred subjects get priority
HEC gives preference to applicants admitted in its list of preferred subject areas. The list covers life sciences, engineering and technology, social sciences and management, and creative art and design. Other subjects are not banned, but they start behind.
HEC's preferred subjects page names specific areas. Some of them:
- Life sciences and medicine: crop production, soil and environmental sciences, computational biology and bioinformatics, medical biotechnology, cancer biology, pharmacology.
- Engineering and technology: water management, sustainable energy, climate change and environmental engineering, chemical engineering, software engineering, computer science and IT, AI and robotics.
- Social sciences and management: rural development, urban planning, education, public policy.
- Arts and humanities: creative art and design.
The page says the list applies from Fall 2025 to Fall 2026. HEC has not posted a separate list for 2027 yet. So treat it as the best guide for now, and check again before you apply.
How to apply on the HEC scholarship portal
Get your US PhD admission and a valid GRE or HAT score first. Then create an account on scholarship.hec.gov.pk, fill in the Knowledge Corridor form and upload your documents before your round closes. HEC says applications must be made on its online portal.
- Win admission to a US PhD at a university ranked in the top 100 of the QS 2027 overall ranking.
- Get your test score. GRE General with 300 or more, or HAT with 60% or more.
- Register on scholarship.hec.gov.pk with your CNIC and set a password.
- Fill in the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor application and upload the documents it asks for. Keep your admission letter and test result ready, since both are conditions of the award.
- Submit before your deadline: 30 October 2026 for Spring or Summer 2027, or 30 March 2027 for Fall 2027.
For help, the programme is run by the Project Management Unit, US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor, HRD Division, HEC, Sector H-8, Islamabad. The numbers on the advert are 051-111-119-432 and 0334-1119432.
If you are looking at master's study in the US instead, the Fulbright scholarship through USEFP is the route, since this HEC programme only pays for PhDs.
Common questions
What is the last date for the HEC US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor scholarship?
30 October 2026 for the Spring or Summer 2027 intake, and 30 March 2027 for the Fall 2027 intake.
Can I apply before I have a US admission?
No. Both categories require admission to a PhD at a top 100 QS-ranked US university when you apply.
Is HAT accepted instead of the GRE?
Yes. HEC accepts a GRE General score of 300 or more, or a HAT score of 60% or more.
Does it fund an MS leading to a PhD?
No. HEC says the scholarship is only for the PhD programme and does not include a master's or MS leading to a PhD.
What is the age limit?
35 on the closing date for most applicants. It is 40 for regular government employees, regular public university and government college faculty, and regular researchers of approved R&D organisations.
How much is the stipend?
USD 19,200 a year in both categories, plus USD 2,000 a year for health insurance.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 1 October 2026. We read HEC's US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor page, the 2027 admissions advertisement linked from it, and the preferred subjects page, all on hec.gov.pk. The scholarship portal at scholarship.hec.gov.pk loaded normally. HEC's advert does not set out service bond or return terms, so read your award letter carefully if you are selected.
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.
