How to Apply for the KPEF Scholarship in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The KPEF Merit-cum-Inaffordability Scholarship is for first year BS and MS students with a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa domicile. You need at least 70% marks or a 3.00 CGPA, and family income of Rs 160,000 a month or less. You apply online only, at ef.kp.gov.pk. The 2026-27 round has not opened yet. Last year it opened in November and closed in December.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Foundation (KPEF) runs this scheme. It is a provincial body set up under a 1992 Act of the provincial assembly. Its own homepage says it has given scholarships worth Rs 306 million so far.

We read the KPEF scholarship page, its FAQ page, its downloads page and the 2025-26 advertisement on 3 October 2026. The page still shows last year's round, with the note "Last apply date is over 15/12/2025". If you started a BS or MS this autumn, you are the student this round is for. So get your papers ready now.

Who can apply for the KPEF scholarship

You can apply if you have a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa domicile, including the merged districts that were once FATA. You must be a fresh first year BS or MS student at an approved institution, with 70% marks or a 3.00 CGPA and family income of Rs 160,000 or less.

The subject list is wide. The 2025-26 advertisement names emerging sciences, engineering, management sciences, health sciences, general sciences, and arts and humanities. For arts universities, KPEF says selection uses a merit aptitude test based on skill, not marks alone.

The "first year" rule is the one that catches people. A second year student cannot apply, however good the CGPA. So if you are in your first year now, this round is your only chance.

KPEF's approved list also gives special preference to orphans, children of shuhada, physically disabled students and families entitled to Zakat. Keep proof of any of these ready.

The approved institutions list matters more than your marks

KPEF only pays for students at institutions on its approved list. In 2025-26 the list had 49 entries, including universities outside the province such as NUST, QAU and GIKI. If your university is not listed, you cannot apply, whatever your marks.

We counted the 2025-26 list on KPEF's downloads page. It has four groups:

• Institutes of repute (10): GIKI Topi, International Islamic University, NCA Lahore, NUST, PIEAS, Quaid-e-Azam University, Pak Austria Fachhochschule Haripur, NDU, University of Agriculture Faisalabad and IMS Peshawar.
• Public universities in KP (21): from the University of Peshawar and UET Peshawar to the universities of Buner, Chitral, Lakki Marwat and FATA University Kohat.
• Private universities in KP (6): including BRAINS Institute, City University, FAST and Iqra National University.
• Allied health institutes (12): Khyber Medical University and its institutes of allied health sciences, Rehman Medical Institute and Peshawar Medical College.

KPEF publishes a fresh list with each round. Check your university against the new list when it appears, before you fill anything in. It is also worth making sure your university is recognised by HEC, though KPEF's own list is what decides this scholarship.

How to apply on the KPEF portal

You apply online only, on ef.kp.gov.pk. KPEF says it will not accept paper forms or applications handed to the foundation or your university. You create an account with your email, fill in the form, upload documents, and wait to be called for an interview.

1. Wait for KPEF to announce the 2026-27 round on ef.kp.gov.pk.
2. Open the login page and click "Sign Up" to create an account with your email address and a password.
3. Open "Merit Cum Inaffordability" under KPEF Scholarships and fill in the form.
4. Upload your documents before the closing date shown on the page.
5. Watch the downloads page for merit lists, then attend the interview at your campus if called.

KPEF does not publish a document checklist on the scholarship page. Its FAQ does say what income proof it wants. Salaried parents give a recent monthly payroll slip attested by their department. Retired parents give a copy of the pension slip and pension book attested by the AG Office. Keep your domicile, CNIC or B-Form, your last result card and your university admission letter scanned and ready as well.

What happens after you apply

KPEF ranks applicants automatically by merit. For each scholarship slot, only the top 10 students are called for interview. Committees then interview students at their own campus and recommend who gets the scholarship. Final lists appear on KPEF's downloads page.

The advertisement also says scholarships are shared equally between male and female students. If one side has too few applicants, the places go to the next students on merit.

Last round, the lists came out in stages. We read three "final list of recommended students" notices on the downloads page:

Appeal windows were short, two to six days. Appeals went by email to kpeducationfoundation@gmail.com, the address KPEF itself lists. KPEF asked appellants to give their full name, university, programme and discipline, and a clear reason. Late appeals were not accepted. So check the downloads page every few days once lists start.

Keeping the scholarship in later years

KPEF renews the scholarship on performance only. You must keep a 3.00 CGPA or 70% marks in every year. If you drop below that, KPEF says it will stop the scholarship. There is no second chance to apply as a fresh student.

That rule matters for planning. A first semester dip below 3.00 can end the award. If money is tight, keep a backup ready, such as an interest-free student loan. The HEC need-based scholarship is another route, but check its rules first, because KPEF bars students who already hold a fully funded award.

When the 2026-27 round should open

KPEF has not announced the 2026-27 round. Last time, the advertisement was posted on 7 November 2025. It gave a deadline of 25 November 2025, while the website later showed 15 December 2025. Expect a similar November window, but wait for KPEF's own notice.

The two dates from last year do not match, and KPEF did not explain why. The advertisement says 25 November. The scholarship page and the homepage pop-up both say 15 December. The likely reason is an extension, since the advertisement reserves KPEF's right to "change/extend the date". We would not plan around an extension this year, though. Treat the first date in the new advertisement as the real one.

Students who sat the KP HSSC exams in 2026 and joined a BS programme this autumn are the main group for this round. So are those starting an MS this autumn.

One honest gap: KPEF does not publish how much each scholarship pays, on the scholarship page or in the advertisement. We will not guess. Ask your university's financial aid office, or KPEF on 091-9216290.

Common questions

What is the last date for the KPEF scholarship 2026-27?

KPEF has not announced it yet. The 2025-26 round opened on 7 November 2025. The advertisement gave 25 November 2025 as the deadline, and the website later showed 15 December 2025.

Can a second year student apply for the KPEF scholarship?

No. The scheme is only for freshly enrolled first year BS and MS students. Once awarded, you keep it in later years by holding 70% marks or a 3.00 CGPA.

What is the income limit for the KPEF scholarship?

Your parents' or guardian's income must be Rs 160,000 a month or less. Salaried parents show an attested payroll slip, and retired parents show an attested pension slip and pension book.

Can students from the merged districts apply?

Yes. KPEF says Khyber Pakhtunkhwa domicile includes the newly merged districts, which were formerly FATA.

Can I apply on paper or through my university?

No. KPEF accepts applications only through its online portal on ef.kp.gov.pk. Your university hosts the interview, but it does not take applications.

Is the KPEF Youth Scholarship still running?

No. KPEF's own page says that scheme, for students at government colleges, is discontinued until further orders.

How we verified this

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

Last checked on 3 October 2026. The eligibility rules, the Rs 160,000 income limit, the 70% or 3.00 CGPA requirement, the online-only rule, campus interviews, equal male and female shares, renewal on performance and the "Last apply date is over 15/12/2025" notice are read on KPEF's Merit cum Inaffordability page. The approved list of 49 institutions, the 25 November 2025 deadline, the top 10 per slot interview rule and the special preference categories are read in the 2025-26 advertisement on KPEF's downloads page, posted on 7 November 2025. The three final lists and their appeal dates, the income proof rules and the discontinued Youth Scholarship are read on KPEF's downloads, FAQ and Youth Scholarship pages. KPEF does not publish the scholarship amount, and the 2026-27 round had not been announced on the day we checked.