AKU Scholarship for MBBS: Financial Aid and Fees Explained

Yes, Aga Khan University (AKU) helps MBBS students pay, but mostly through need-based financial assistance rather than a merit scholarship you apply for. AKU admits students on merit without looking at whether they can pay, then offers admitted students who apply a mix of grant and interest-free loan, and it awards at least five full AKU Entrance Scholarships to new MBBS students on merit and need, with no separate form.

Here is what AKU's own pages said when we read them on 31 October 2026, and what it means for a family in rupees.

Does AKU look at whether you can pay?

No. AKU's fees and funding page says admission to all its programmes is "based on merit and are needs blind". The MBBS admissions page adds that there are no quotas, reserved seats or admissions against donations, and describes a "needs-sensitive financial assistance programme". So a student should apply on merit first and think about money after the offer, not the other way round.

What financial assistance AKU gives

AKU's financial assistance page for Pakistan says:

• Aid is for admitted students who cannot pay their tuition and other fees, and is based on demonstrated need, assessed from what the student and family provide and other sources the university considers appropriate.
• It is given as a combination of grant-in-aid and student loan, "to the extent possible". The page doesn't say how much of a family's need is met or how the split between grant and loan is decided.
• The loan is interest-free but carries a 5% annual administrative charge, which applies from the time the loan is awarded. Repayment and the charge are due after graduation.
• Students are expected to pay part of their own costs and to look for other funding as well.
• Almost 50% of the student body has received financial assistance.

AKU's loans page has the repayment and remission rules. Because a loan has to be repaid after graduation, families should read those rules before accepting an award.

The AKU Entrance Scholarship

The 2026-27 MBBS admission booklet describes a renewable AKU Entrance Scholarship: at least five full scholarships a year for students joining the MBBS programme, awarded on merit cum need. The booklet says there is no separate application form for it. The booklet doesn't say what "full" covers, so ask the admissions office if you are offered one.

How to apply for financial assistance

AKU's procedure page sets out the steps:

1. New students fill in the financial assistance application form with supporting documents. The deadline is given in the admission offer package, so read it as soon as the offer arrives.
2. AKU uses a point-based assessment of the family's socio-economic profile, from the form and from interviews with the applicant or parents, and may check the information and documents.
3. A Financial Assistance Committee decides the award. Names are withheld from committee members.
4. Every year a student must apply again. For continuing students the deadline is the last working day of February of the coming academic year. Aid in one year does not guarantee aid the next.
5. If you disagree with the decision, you can ask for one review through the Student Financial Counselling and Assistance Office, but only with new information or documents.

The page says incomplete or late applications are not considered, with no exceptions. Gather salary slips, bank statements, utility bills and property papers early. Our statement of financial need sample shows how to explain a family's situation clearly and honestly.

How much does MBBS at AKU cost?

AKU's MBBS fee structure lists these fees for 2027 for Pakistani students:

The tuition and university fees alone come to about Rs 35.8 lakh a year, and the first year with the one-time fees is about Rs 39 lakh before hostel (our own sums). The document says all fees other than tuition and the university fee are tentative, and it shows higher figures for later years. Living in the hostel adds Rs 45 thousand a month and an air-conditioning charge. Check the current PDF before you plan, because AKU updates it.

Other questions families ask

What marks do you need? The booklet asks for at least 70% aggregate in HSSC (or the stated equivalents for O and A levels and other systems), the AKU Test for shortlisting, and MDCAT for final selection under PMDC rules. The application fee is Rs 9,000 for Pakistani applicants.

When do applications open? The MBBS page says the 2026-27 cycle closed on 13 May 2026; that cycle ran from 8 March, with the AKU Test on 5 July 2026. AKU had not posted 2027-28 dates when we checked. Watch the MBBS page for the next cycle.

Is AKU's financial aid free money? Partly. Part of an award can be a loan, repaid after graduation with the 5% yearly administrative charge.

Can a family also apply elsewhere? Yes. Many families combine university aid with other support. Our guides to interest-free student loans in Pakistan and scholarships after FSc Pre-Medical list other schemes, and our deadlines calendar has fixed dates.

Your next step

Apply to AKU on merit when the next MBBS cycle opens, and keep your family's financial documents ready so you can file the aid form as soon as an offer arrives. Applying for AKU's financial assistance is free and is done only through AKU's Student Financial Counselling and Assistance Office (student.fa@aku.edu). Never pay an agent or a "processing fee" to anyone who claims they can get you a seat or a scholarship; AKU says it has no admissions against donations. Confirm every date and fee on AKU's own pages before you rely on it.