China has introduced a scholarship program for Pakistani students, including those from Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), for the academic year 2025-26. The scholarships provide opportunities for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral studies, as well as research at Chinese universities.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced that the deadline for online applications is Monday, December 9, 2024. To be eligible, applicants must possess a valid HAT or USAT score. The HAT score (for master’s and PhD programs) should be dated on or after December 9, 2022, while the USAT score (for undergraduate programs) must be dated from December 9, 2023, or later. These scores must be submitted through the HEC portal.
Applications must be submitted via the China Scholarship Council’s portal under category A (agency No. 5861) at campuschina.org or https://www.csc.edu.cn/laihua.
The scholarship program, which aims to strengthen educational cooperation between China and Pakistan, is available to Pakistani and AJK nationals. Dual nationals are not eligible. The program covers tuition, administrative costs, health insurance, student activities, free dormitory accommodation, and a stipend according to China’s scholarship policy.
Eligibility criteria include:
- For undergraduate programs: Completion of intermediate/A-level/FA-FSC (12 years of education) and under 25 years of age.
- For master’s programs: A bachelor’s degree (16 years of education) and under 35 years of age.
- For PhD programs: A master’s degree (MS/MPhil) and under 40 years of age.
Applicants must also meet the admission requirements of their chosen Chinese universities, including academic eligibility and language proficiency.
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply through HEC’s online portal at http://scholarship.hec.gov.pk/ by the December 9 deadline (4:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time).
