HEC announces foreign scholarship for students across Pakistan, AJK

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme (2022-23) for students across Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

It is pertinent to note that the programme is launched by the Hungarian Government, and is for Bachelor’s, One-Tier Master’s, Master’s, and PhD, studies.

“HEC is the only nominating agency in subject scholarship programme,” the body said.

The HEC advised applicants to read all instructions carefully and submit complete online applications on HEC and Hungary portals separately without waiting for the deadline.

Hard copies of applications are not required by HEC at this stage of the application process, the body stated.

The last date for submitting the online applications is at 2pm (PST) January 17, 2022.

Eligibility criteria:

• Applicant must be a citizen of Pakistan/AJ&K.
• Must be between the age of 18-22 years for Undergraduate programs. The age limit should not exceed from 35 years for students applying for Masters degree programs. In case of PhD programs, age limit should not exceed from 40 years (on last day of deadline).
• The applicant must have completed HSSC/Intermediate or equivalent for application in Bachelor’s (Undergraduate Program) and One-Tier Master’s degree i.e. DVM, DPharm etc.
• The applicant must have completed 16 years Bachelors/or equivalent Degree for application in Master’s (Postgraduate Program).
• The applicant must have completed 18 years Degree/or equivalent for application in PhD Program.
• The applicant must fill all the fields of the Hungary application form and HEC application form and no column or field should be left unfilled.
• Certificates/Transcript/Degrees to be attached must be attested by the attesting authorities such as IBCC and HEC. Equivalence of O & A level from IBCC is mandatory.
• It is the sole responsibility of student(s) applying for any professional degree (Medical, Engineering, Nursing, Architecture, Law, Veterinary Medicine etc.) to first get confirmed its accreditation from the respective Councils i.e. Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC), Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC), Pakistan Council for Architects and Town Planners (PCATP), Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council (PVMC), Pakistan Technology Council etc.
• IELTS/TOEFL scores as required, where applicable by Hungarian side.
• All applicants must submit medical certificate of satisfactory health condition (issued not earlier than 15 November 2021, a written certificate from a physician to prove that the applicant does not have the following illnesses: AIDS, Hepatitis A, B, C or any other epidemic conditions)
• In case of final selection, applicants will have to submit a bond on legal paper to HEC that he/she will not change discipline after final award of scholarship, and immediately after completion of his/her degree, he/she will return back to Pakistan to serve the country for a period as prescribed by the HEC. In case of failure to do so, HEC reserves the right to recover from candidate or his/her guarantor, a penalty amount as prescribed/decided by the HEC.
• Applicants must fulfill all other requirements set by host Hungarian university/Tempus Public Foundation/Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
• In case of final selection, candidate has to submit a bond agreement.

HEC issues list of unrecognised institutions:

Separately, the commission also published a list of over 140 fake, illegal, unlawful and unrecognised institutions across​ Pakistan on its website – www.hec.gov.pk.