Apply for the NBP Interest-Free Student Loan in Pakistan: Rules and 2026 Status
NBP's Student Loan Scheme gives interest-free loans for public university study. See who qualifies, how repayment works, and why no round has opened since 2022.
The Student Loan Scheme run by National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) gives interest-free loans to students at approved public universities who scored at least 70 percent. But NBP's own page still shows the 2022 round as its latest. Forms were for sessions 2020-21 and 2021-22, with a closing date of 29 July 2022. We found no newer round on NBP's site on 2 October 2026.
So you cannot apply today. What you can do is check whether you would qualify, get your papers ready, and watch the NBP page for a fresh advertisement. Meanwhile, other help is open, and we list it below.
The Student Loan Scheme is a government scheme run through NBP
The scheme started after the federal budget speech of 2001-02. The government set it up with five banks: NBP, HBL, UBL, MCB and ABL. NBP is the administrator. Loans are interest free and meant for able students who cannot afford scientific, technical or professional study in Pakistan.
A committee runs it. NBP says the members are a Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, the presidents of the commercial banks, and a representative of the Ministry of Finance.
The money pays for three things for the whole length of the course:
- Tuition fee, paid straight to the university or college.
- Boarding costs, not including meals, paid to the student.
- Textbooks, paid to the student.
NBP does not publish a fixed loan amount. The loan follows the fee schedule and costs of your course, and NBP says every loan is "subject to availability of funds".
Who qualifies for the NBP student loan
You must be admitted on merit to an approved public sector university or college. You need at least 70 percent marks in your last public exam. You must be under the age limit at admission, be studying an approved subject, and be unable to pay for your studies.
| Rule | What NBP's scheme details say |
|---|---|
| Admission | On merit, through the normal process, at an approved public sector institution |
| Marks | At least 70 percent in the last public examination |
| Age, graduation | Not over 21 at admission |
| Age, post-graduation | Not over 31 at admission |
| Age, PhD | Not over 36 at admission |
| Need | Unable to study because of money problems |
The approved subjects are engineering, electronics, oil, gas and petrochemical technology, agriculture, medicine, physics, chemistry, biology, molecular biology and genetics, mathematics, other natural sciences, and LLB or LLM Sharia. Computer science and IT, economics and statistics, business management and commerce are also included.
Private universities are not on the list. NBP's approved list names public institutions only, such as Quaid-e-Azam University, NUST, the University of the Punjab, UET Lahore, Bahauddin Zakariya University and the University of Sargodha, each tied to one NBP branch.
How the NBP student loan is repaid
You have up to 10 years to repay, counted from the date of the first payment. Monthly instalments start six months after your first job, or one year after you finish studying, whichever comes first. There is no interest on the loan.
Think about that start date before you borrow. If you finish a four-year degree and do not find work, your repayments still start one year later. Plan your first year after university with that in mind.
How to apply when NBP opens a new round
When NBP advertises a round, you download the form, fill in two copies, and hand them to the NBP branch named for your university by the closing date. Incomplete forms are not accepted. Students already on the scheme do not apply again.
- Watch the NBP page. Open nbp.com.pk and find Student Loan Scheme. A new round will appear there as a fresh advertisement and form.
- Find your designated branch. NBP's approved list ties each university to one branch. For example, Islamabad universities go to the Foreign Office Branch, and Punjab University goes to the New Garden Town Branch in Lahore.
- Fill in two copies of the form. The 2022 form asked for your details, your parents' or guardian's job and yearly income, their CNIC, your university and your study programme.
- Attach proof. Keep your admission letter, mark sheets showing 70 percent or more, CNICs and income proof ready.
- Get a receipt. The 2022 form had an acknowledgement slip for the branch manager to sign and stamp. Do not leave without it.
For questions, NBP lists its Students Loan Scheme Wing at Head Office, Karachi, on 021-99220026, or 021-99220100 to 50, extensions 2637 and 2170. Ask them directly whether a new round is planned.
Other student help you can apply for now
Because no NBP round is open, look at scholarships that do not need repaying. These are grants, so nothing is paid back. Three are worth checking first, depending on your university, your province and your parents' work.
- The HEC need-based scholarship pays full tuition plus a monthly stipend at public universities. You apply through your own university's financial aid office.
- Students from Punjab can look at the PEEF scholarship, which reaches most of its scholars through board result data.
- Children of registered factory workers in Punjab may get fees paid through the workers welfare scholarship.
Be careful with lending apps that offer quick "student loans". They are not part of this scheme, and some charge very high fees. Only apply through an NBP branch for this scheme.
Common questions
Is the NBP student loan really interest free?
Yes. NBP describes the scheme as interest-free loans for students with financial needs.
Is the NBP student loan open in 2026?
We found no 2026 round. The latest round on NBP's page closed on 29 July 2022 and covered sessions 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Can private university students apply?
No. The scheme covers approved public sector universities and colleges only.
How many marks do I need?
At least 70 percent in your last public examination, such as intermediate for a bachelor's degree.
When do I start repaying?
Six months after your first job or one year after finishing studies, whichever is earlier, over up to 10 years.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 2 October 2026. We read NBP's Student Loan Scheme page and the files linked from it: the scheme details, the approved universities list, the application form for sessions 2020-21 and 2021-22, and the successful candidates list for the same sessions. The server dates on these files are 31 May 2022. NBP has not said on its page whether the scheme will reopen. We could not read the newspaper advertisement file, which has no text layer.
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.
