Honhaar Scholarship Terms and Conditions in Punjab: 3.00 CGPA, No University Change and All 20 Rules
Honhaar needs a 2.50 GPA each semester and a 3.00 CGPA overall, bars a change of university and asks for a refund if you quit. Read all 20 PHEC terms first.
Under the Honhaar Scholarship terms and conditions, you must keep at least a 2.50 GPA every semester and a 3.00 CGPA overall, or 60 per cent in an annual system, and you cannot change your university. If you withdraw or break the terms, you must repay everything the scholarship paid. Those three rules decide whether a Honhaar award lasts four years or ends after one.
Most applicants read the marks and income limits and stop there. The Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) also posts a two-page list of 20 terms on the Honhaar portal. We read it on 2 November 2026, a week before the 9 November last date. Here is what each rule means for you, which ones carry money risk, and what to check before you sign the agreement.
Honhaar pays tuition and admission charges straight to your university
PHEC says the scholarship covers 100 per cent of your educational expenses, meaning tuition fee and admission charges. It does not cover boarding, lodging or refundable security. PHEC pays the university directly, never the student, and it bears no cost after 4 or 5 years.
That last point matters for five-year degrees such as MBBS, architecture or pharmacy. The award runs for the length of your undergraduate program, up to 4 or 5 years. If you fall behind and need an extra semester, term 9 says the cost of any break or freeze, and any penalty, is yours.
Funds move only after your documents are verified and you sign the agreement. PHEC then pays your institution's bank account, and the university adjusts your fee.
You need a 2.50 GPA each semester and a 3.00 CGPA overall
Term 4 asks for a minimum 2.50 GPA in every semester and an overall CGPA of 3.00. In an annual system, you need at least 60 per cent. Miss it once and PHEC issues a warning. Miss it again in a later semester or year and the scholarship is discontinued.
Read that carefully. A 2.50 semester is allowed, but only if your other semesters pull the average up to 3.00. A student who scores 2.60 in every semester passes the semester test and fails the CGPA test. Plan your first year with that in mind, because the warning comes fast.
| Rule | What PHEC requires | What happens if you miss it |
|---|---|---|
| Semester GPA | At least 2.50 | First miss: warning |
| Overall CGPA | At least 3.00 | Second miss: scholarship ends |
| Annual system | At least 60% | Same warning, then discontinuation |
| Program length | Finish within the academic calendar | Extra time is at your cost |
You cannot change your university, but you can change your course
Term 8 is blunt: changing your university cancels the scholarship. Term 7 allows a change of course or program inside the same university, as long as you inform PHEC. So choose the university with care. The course is the easier thing to fix later.
This is the rule that catches transfer students. A student who joins a private university in fall 2026 and plans to move to a public one in 2027 will lose the award. If moving is likely, think twice before you accept it.
Term 10 adds a second limit. Honhaar cannot be combined with any other government or private scholarship that also covers tuition. If you already hold a tuition award, such as an HEC need-based scholarship, decide which one to keep before you accept.
Quitting or breaking the terms means paying the money back
Term 14 says that if you withdraw from your program or fail to meet the terms, you must refund all financial support PHEC has paid. Term 13 makes you sign a Deed of Agreement and a Surety Bond with your institution before any money moves.
The terms do not say who must sign the surety bond with you, so ask your university before the day of signing. PHEC also says, in term 20, that it can stop a scholarship at any stage without prior notice, and in term 18 that it can change the rules under government policy.
Here is the risk in numbers. If your university fee is Rs 120,000 a year and you leave after two years, the refund could be Rs 240,000. That figure is our example, not a PHEC number, but the rule behind it is in the terms.
Reports, receipts and a one week deadline after the award
Winning is not the end of the paperwork. Term 19 gives you one week after you receive the award letter to send your acceptance of the terms to your university. Miss that and you risk the award.
Terms 11, 12 and 17 require receipts, invoices and your quarterly or six-monthly progress reports, sent to PHEC through your university, plus a full report at the end of every semester. Your university also sends PHEC a fund utilisation report. Keep copies of everything you submit.
- Before applying, confirm your institute and degree are on the Honhaar list.
- Check you can keep a 3.00 CGPA and will not change university.
- Drop or decline any other tuition scholarship you hold.
- After the award letter, send your acceptance to your university within a week.
- Sign the Deed of Agreement and Surety Bond at your university.
- Send progress reports and receipts every semester through the university.
The eligible universities, colleges and subjects are in the Honhaar Scholarship university list for 2026. The application rules are in our report on Honhaar registration for Punjab students.
Common questions
What CGPA do I need to keep the Honhaar Scholarship?
An overall CGPA of 3.00, with no semester below a 2.50 GPA. Annual system students need at least 60 per cent.
Can I change my university after getting Honhaar?
No. PHEC's terms say changing university cancels the scholarship. You can change your course within the same university after informing PHEC.
Do I have to return the money if I leave my degree?
Yes. Term 14 says you must refund all support provided if you withdraw or fail to meet the terms.
Can I hold Honhaar with another scholarship?
Not with any other government or private scholarship that pays tuition. A non-tuition award is not mentioned in the terms.
Does Honhaar pay hostel and mess charges?
No. It covers tuition and admission charges only, and excludes boarding, lodging and refundable security.
What is the last date to apply for Honhaar 2026?
9 November 2026, online only, on the PHEC Honhaar portal.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 2 November 2026. We read PHEC's two-page Terms and Conditions of the Honhaar Undergraduate Scholarship Program and the eligibility section on the PHEC Honhaar Scholarship portal. The fee and refund example is our own arithmetic. We did not read PHEC's separate SOPs file, the Deed of Agreement or the Surety Bond, which are signed at your institution. Ask your university for those before you sign.
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.
