12 Lesser-Known Scholarships Pakistani Students Often Miss (2027)

Many Pakistani students know about Fulbright, Chevening, Commonwealth and DAAD. Less often mentioned are the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, Hong Kong's research council and a Saudi science university also fund Pakistanis, often in full. This list covers 12 strong, lesser-known options, from a school exchange to PhD fellowships, with what each pays and the next deadline, as checked on the official pages on 17 October 2026.

Why some good scholarships get overlooked

Some schemes are simply advertised less in Pakistan. Others ask for something unusual: a few years of work in development, admission to a partner university before you apply, a nomination from your employer or a specific subject such as aerospace. If you meet conditions like these, the schemes are worth a close look.

None of this makes any award easy to win. Each one below is selective, and the official page is always the final word on the rules.

Master's and mid-career programmes

1. Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship (JJ/WBGSP)

Who it's for: mid-career professionals from developing countries, and Pakistan is on the 2027 eligible list. You need a bachelor's earned at least three years before the deadline, at least three years of paid development-related work in the last six years, a current full-time development job, and unconditional admission to a participating master's outside Pakistan.

What it pays: tuition, a monthly living allowance, economy flights at the start and end, a US$600 travel allowance per trip and basic medical insurance, according to the World Bank programme page.

Next deadline: Window 1 runs 18 January to 26 February 2027 and Window 2 from 29 March to 21 May 2027. Your window depends on your programme.

Tip: apply to the university first. Without that admission letter you can't apply for the scholarship. See our JJ/WBGSP page.

2. ADB–Japan Scholarship Program

Who it's for: citizens of ADB borrowing member countries, including Pakistan, aged 35 or under, with a strong bachelor's record and at least two years of full-time work after the degree. You must agree to return home and work for at least two years.

What it pays: full tuition, a monthly allowance that includes housing, books, medical insurance and travel, as set out on the ADB page.

Next deadline: ADB doesn't publish a single date. You apply through a partner institution, so check that institution's deadline.

Tip: you apply through the university, not ADB, so pick your partner institution early and ask its admissions office for the ADB information sheet. Our ADB-JSP page has the details.

3. Rotary Peace Fellowship (master's)

Who it's for: people with at least three years of full-time work in peace or development, a bachelor's degree and good English. There must also be at least three years between your most recent degree and the start of the fellowship, and current students can't apply.

What it pays: tuition and fees, room and board, return travel, and internship and field-study costs. Up to 50 master's fellowships are offered each year at partner universities in the US, Japan, England, Australia and Sweden, as listed on the Rotary site.

Next deadline: not yet published. Rotary says the 2028-29 application opens online in February 2027.

Tip: active Rotary members can't apply, but you will need a Rotary district to endorse you, so contact a local club well before the deadline. See our Rotary Peace Fellowship page.

4. Schwarzman Scholars

Who it's for: graduates aged at least 18 and under 29 on 1 August 2028 (for the Class of 2028-29), with strong English. Up to 200 scholars are chosen for a one-year master's at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

What it pays: tuition and fees, room and board, travel to and from Beijing, study tours, textbooks, a laptop, health insurance and a personal stipend, according to the Schwarzman FAQ.

Next deadline: the application period for global applicants runs from April to September 2027. The exact closing day is not yet published.

Tip: recommendation letters must be in by the deadline, so give your referees plenty of time. Our Schwarzman page has more.

5. Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship

Who it's for: Pakistani professionals with 16 years of education and 8 to 18 years of increasingly senior work, who are moving into leadership. University teachers or researchers without management duties are not eligible.

What it pays: tuition, airfare, textbooks, a living stipend and health insurance for a non-degree programme of 10 to 12 months at a US university, according to USEFP.

Next deadline: not yet published. The last round closed on 20 May 2026, and USEFP gives April as the usual announcement month.

Tip: you need a job to return to in Pakistan, so speak to your employer early. See our Humphrey page.

6. Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA)

Who it's for: young, early-career Pakistani educators with 16 years of education who teach English or a related subject at college or university level and live in Pakistan. English teachers at technical and vocational (TVET) institutions are encouraged to apply.

What it pays: tuition, airfare, textbooks, a living stipend and health insurance while you work as a language teaching assistant and take courses in the US, according to USEFP.

Next deadline: not yet published. The last round closed on 13 May 2026, and USEFP's tentative announcement for the next cycle is June or July.

Tip: keep a record of your teaching, because USEFP says prior teaching experience is preferred. Our FLTA page has the rest.

PhD and research funding

7. Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS)

Who it's for: new full-time PhD applicants to eight Hong Kong universities, from any country.

What it pays: in 2026-27 the fellowship gave a yearly stipend of HK$344,400 and a conference and travel allowance of HK$14,400, according to the Research Grants Council.

Next deadline: get your HKPFS reference number through the initial application by 12:00 noon Hong Kong time on 1 December 2026, then apply to up to two programmes at one or two universities by their own deadlines.

Tip: some university deadlines fall soon after the initial application, so don't leave it to the last day. See our HKPFS page.

8. KAUST Fellowship

Who it's for: MS and PhD applicants in science and engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.

What it pays: KAUST says over 90% of admitted students receive full tuition support. It also lists a monthly stipend, housing, medical cover and relocation help among its benefits (KAUST admissions).

Next deadline: the Round 2 deadline for Fall 2027 is 3 January 2027. KAUST calls its dates tentative.

Tip: read faculty research pages and mention two or three professors whose work fits yours. Our KAUST page has more.

9. IsDB Merit Scholarship Programme for High Technology

Who it's for: citizens of IsDB member countries, including Pakistan. For a PhD you must be 35 or under, hold an MSc in science or technology, have at least two years of related experience and a publication record, and be nominated by your institution.

What it pays: tuition, a monthly stipend, medical insurance, thesis costs, a conference allowance, and a return ticket and settling-in allowance, according to the IsDB programme booklet.

Next deadline: not yet published. The IsDB scholarships page has no 2027-28 dates yet.

Tip: you must be nominated by the institution you work at, because IsDB doesn't accept individual applications, so ask about nomination early. See our IsDB page.

10. Zonta Amelia Earhart Fellowship

Who it's for: women doing a doctorate in aerospace engineering or space sciences. Past fellows can't apply again.

What it pays: US$12,000 for the 2027 fellowship year, according to Zonta's 2027 programme overview. This is partial funding, not a full scholarship.

Next deadline: 15 November 2026, online only. Paper and email applications are not accepted.

Tip: if your department is physics or computing, explain clearly how your research applies to aerospace or space. Our Zonta page has more.

Options for school students and study in Pakistan

11. Scotland Pakistan Scholarships for Young Women and Girls

Who it's for: Pakistani women living in Pakistan with a confirmed offer for a four-year bachelor's, or a master's or MPhil of up to two years, at an HEC-recognised university. Subjects are education, sustainable energy, food security and agriculture, health sciences, STEM and climate.

What it pays: tuition, hostel costs where they apply, two trips home a year for hostel students, and research funds for master's students, according to the British Council.

Next deadline: not yet published. The 2026 round's deadline was extended to 15 September 2026.

Tip: the British Council page doesn't explain how applicants are selected, so read the FAQ documents linked there before you apply. See our Scotland Pakistan page.

12. Asia Kakehashi Project+

Who it's for: Pakistani high-school students aged 15 to 18 who are already learning Japanese, for example at JLPT N5 level or able to read hiragana and katakana.

What it pays: return flights, a dormitory or host family, normal school costs, health insurance in Japan and programme costs while you attend a Japanese high school. Visa travel, vaccinations and pocket money are not covered (AFS Japan).

Next deadline: not yet published. AFS Japan expects 2027 applications around early February 2027.

Tip: start learning Japanese now if you haven't, because it is a requirement. Our Asia Kakehashi page has more.

Summary table

Your next steps

1. Pick two or three that fit your level, subject and experience. The eligibility checker can help you rule things in or out quickly.
2. Put the dates in your calendar. Our deadlines page lists them alongside other scholarships, and our matching tool shows which other scholarships fit your profile.
3. Start the slow parts first: university admission for JJ/WBGSP, ADB and Rotary, a nomination for IsDB, and an employer letter for Humphrey. Our paperwork tool covers the HEC and IBCC attestation you will probably need.
4. Apply only through the official websites linked above, and never pay an agent who promises a place.

Rules and dates change every year, so check each official page before you apply.