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quick answer
Are there fully funded USA scholarships for Pakistani students?
Yes. Pakistani citizens can win three fully funded US Government scholarships, all through USEFP: the Fulbright Foreign Student Program for a Master’s or PhD, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship for mid-career professionals, and Global UGRAD for one undergraduate semester. Each covers tuition, airfare, a living stipend, and health insurance. Clinical medicine is the one field Fulbright does not fund.
USA scholarships for Pakistani students: the quick facts
USA scholarships for Pakistani students run through one body, USEFP, and span three study levels, from an undergraduate semester to a full PhD. The facts below are verified at usefp.org as of 12 June 2026.
Who can apply
Pakistani citizens residing in Pakistan, from 2nd-year Bachelor’s students to mid-career professionals
Routes
Fulbright (Master’s and PhD), Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship (mid-career, non-degree), Global UGRAD (one undergraduate semester)
Managing body in Pakistan
USEFP, the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan, the binational Fulbright Commission
Funder
United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Funding level
Fully funded
What it covers
Tuition, airfare, living stipend, health insurance; route-dependent extras such as textbooks
Tests
Fulbright requires the GRE General at application (minimum 145 in each section), TOEFL later for selected candidates. Humphrey requires the Duolingo English Test at application, or a valid TOEFL or IELTS. Global UGRAD requires no test at application; TOEFL or Duolingo applies to selected candidates only
Age rule
Global UGRAD is 18 to 24 by the deadline (USEFP). Fulbright and Humphrey publish no age limit; verify the current rule at the official source
Field rule
All disciplines except clinical medicine on Fulbright; Global UGRAD allows medical students in their 2nd year
Application window
Annual pattern: Fulbright around early April, Humphrey around mid to late May, Global UGRAD announced September to October. Check usefp.org for the live date
Apply through
USEFP online portal, applications.usefp.org; paper applications are not accepted
Bond
PhD applicants sign an HEC bond to return to Pakistan and serve for a period equal to the scholarship length
The three US Government scholarships open to you
USA scholarships for Pakistani students come in three real routes, set by your study level: Fulbright for a Master’s or PhD, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship for mid-career professionals, and Global UGRAD for one undergraduate semester. Every route is funded by the United States Department of State and managed in Pakistan by USEFP.
Fulbright Foreign Student Program (Master’s and PhD)
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is the flagship fully funded USA scholarship for Pakistani students who want a full Master’s or PhD in the United States. It is managed by USEFP under Fulbright rules, with the Institute of International Education as the US partner. Funding covers full tuition, required textbooks, airfare, a monthly living stipend, and health insurance. A Master’s applicant needs a four-year Bachelor’s, or a Bachelor’s plus Master’s totalling 16 years of education. A PhD applicant needs a Master’s, M.Phil, or comparable degree of 18 years. The Fulbright scholarship Pakistan route is open to all disciplines except clinical medicine.
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship
The Hubert Humphrey fellowship Pakistan route brings accomplished mid-career professionals to the United States for 10 to 12 months of non-degree graduate study and a professional placement. It does not award a degree. It suits applicants with 8 to 18 years of progressively responsible work experience who hold 16 years of education and a guarantee of re-employment in Pakistan. Funding covers tuition, airfare, textbooks, a living stipend, and health insurance.
Global UGRAD Pakistan
Global UGRAD Pakistan funds one academic semester, 4 to 5 months, at a United States university for a student already enrolled in a Bachelor’s programme back home. It is a non-degree exchange, administered in the United States by IREX, and you return to finish your Pakistani degree. Funding covers tuition, airfare, a living stipend, and health insurance, with no application fee. You apply in your 14th year of education, meaning the 2nd year of a Bachelor’s.
Fulbright does not fund clinical medicine, so a Pakistani MBBS graduate cannot use the Fulbright scholarship to study a clinical medical degree in the United States. Non-clinical health fields, such as public health or biomedical sciences, are not blocked by that rule. Global UGRAD takes a different line: a medical student may apply for the single semester abroad if they are in their 2nd year. If your goal is clinical training, speak to MTZ first so you do not spend months on a route that cannot fund it.
Who can apply, route by route
Eligibility for USA scholarships for Pakistani students depends on the route, but every route requires Pakistani citizenship, residence in Pakistan through the process, and a commitment to return home. The accordion below sets out each rule from the official USEFP source.
You must be a Pakistani citizen residing in Pakistan throughout the selection process and committed to returning to Pakistan after the programme. Dual US and Pakistan nationals, US permanent residents, and applicants with a spouse, parent, or child over 18 who is a US citizen or permanent resident are not eligible on the Fulbright and Humphrey routes.
Fulbright Master’s applicants need a four-year Bachelor’s, or a Bachelor’s plus Master’s totalling 16 years of education; PhD applicants need a Master’s, M.Phil, or comparable 18-year qualification. Humphrey applicants need 16 years of education plus 8 to 18 years of professional experience. Global UGRAD applicants must be in their 14th year of education, the 2nd year of a Bachelor’s, and currently enrolled at a Pakistani university.
You do not need IELTS to apply for any of the three routes. Fulbright asks selected candidates to take the TOEFL later in the process. Humphrey requires a Duolingo English Test score with the application, unless you already hold a valid TOEFL iBT or IELTS score. Global UGRAD asks only selected candidates to sit the TOEFL or Duolingo test. This makes a fully funded USA scholarship Pakistan route reachable without an IELTS booking at the application stage.
You apply through one body, USEFP, the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan, online at applications.usefp.org; paper applications are not accepted. There is no separate HEC submission portal for the application itself. Two Pakistan-specific conditions still apply. First, successful PhD candidates sign a bond with the Higher Education Commission that binds them to return and serve Pakistan for a period equal to the scholarship length, redeemable year for year, minimum two years. Second, students and faculty at HEC-approved public universities can claim a GRE fee reimbursement from USEFP if they reach a combined GRE score of 300 in engineering and science, or 290 in humanities and social sciences. USEFP funds up to 30 such reimbursements per cycle, with priority to early complete applications.
Fulbright accepts all academic disciplines except clinical medicine, and particularly encourages Sciences, Technology and AI, Trade and Economics, and Natural Resource Management. Global UGRAD accepts all disciplines and allows medical students who are in their 2nd year. The Humphrey fellowship is for mid-career professionals in leadership and public-service fields.
Global UGRAD applicants must be 18 to 24 years old by the deadline, a rule published by USEFP. The Fulbright and Humphrey routes publish no age limit; Humphrey instead gates on 8 to 18 years of work experience. If age is a concern for you, verify the current rule at the official USEFP source before applying. The MTZ enquiry form does not ask for an age cutoff.
The documents you will submit
Every USA scholarship for Pakistani students is submitted online through USEFP, and each route asks for a defined set of documents. The checklist below is what you upload as the applicant, taken from the official USEFP source on 12 June 2026.
Every applicant uploads the same core set, with two items that depend on your chosen programme and one extra item for PhD applicants. Prepare clear scans before the window opens so a slow upload near the deadline does not cost you.
Fulbright Master’s and PhD
⚫ Online application form through the USEFP portal
⚫ Three reference letters
⚫ GRE General score report
⚫ Scanned academic transcripts with an explanation of your university’s grading scale (HEC-attested preferred, issuing-authority attestation accepted at application)
⚫ A Statement of Purpose
⚫ A research proposal, for PhD applicants only
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship
⚫ Online application form through the USEFP portal
⚫ Duolingo English Test score, or a valid TOEFL iBT or IELTS score
⚫ Academic and professional records as set out in the form
⚫ For finalists only: a medical history and examination form, a scanned valid passport, and a No Objection Certificate from your employer or the Government of Pakistan
Global UGRAD Pakistan
⚫ Online application form through the USEFP portal
⚫ Current and older academic transcripts, with a grading-scale explanation where your CGPA or percentage is not shown
⚫ A personal statement
⚫ Certificates for extracurricular activities from the last 5 years
⚫ For selected students only: reference letters and a No Objection Certificate from your current institution
High school and post-secondary diplomas do not need official attestation at the Fulbright application stage. There is no application fee on any of the three routes.
What each USA scholarship covers
All three USA scholarships for Pakistani students are fully funded by the United States Government, so you do not pay tuition. Coverage is provided as a funded package rather than a fixed cash figure, and USEFP states that awards are always contingent on its budget allocation for the relevant programme year.
Covered (paid to you as salary):
⚫ Full tuition at the United States university or programme
⚫ Return international airfare
⚫ A monthly living stipend
⚫ Health insurance for the duration of the programme
⚫ Required textbooks (Fulbright and Humphrey)
⚫ Cultural and leadership programming (Global UGRAD)
⚫ Visa support from USEFP
Not covered:
⚫ Costs for accompanying dependents are not automatically funded. On Humphrey, family members may join only after a funds review, dependent health insurance is required, and dependents cannot accompany the fellow at the start
⚫ Any clinical medical degree, which Fulbright does not fund at all
⚫ The GRE test fee upfront, though HEC public-university applicants may claim a reimbursement after scoring 300 in science and engineering, or 290 in humanities and social sciences
USEFP does not publish a single dollar figure for these awards; each is a full-cost package set by the United States Government for the relevant year. Because the value is a funded package and not a cash grant, there is no fixed amount to convert. Where you do face a self-funded cost, such as the GRE fee of about USD 220, treat any rupee figure as indicative only and use a conservative exchange rate, since the rupee-to-dollar rate moves. MTZ confirms the current cost with you before you commit to a test booking.
How to apply through USEFP
You apply for every USA scholarship for Pakistani students through one place, USEFP, online, and the route you pick decides the deadline. The five steps below follow the annual pattern; MTZ confirms the live dates with you, since each cycle’s exact deadline is announced on the USEFP website.
step-1 →
Pick your route.
Match your study level to the right scholarship: Fulbright for a Master’s or PhD, Humphrey if you are a mid-career professional, Global UGRAD if you are in your 2nd year of a Bachelor’s. This single choice sets your deadline and your test requirement.
step-2 →
Create your USEFP account.
Register on the USEFP online portal at applications.usefp.org and start the route-specific application form. Paper applications are not accepted for any route.
step-3 →
Sit the right test in time.
Book the GRE General early if you are a Fulbright applicant, since the score is needed at application. Humphrey applicants take the Duolingo English Test, unless they hold a valid TOEFL or IELTS. Global UGRAD applicants take no test at this stage.
step-4 →
Submit before the deadline.
Complete the form and upload your documents through the portal. Watch the annual window: Fulbright closes around early April, Humphrey around mid to late May, and Global UGRAD is announced from September to October. MTZ confirms the exact live date for your cycle.
step-5
Move through selection.
USEFP screens applications, shortlists, and interviews in Pakistan. Fulbright results come around mid-September, with US university placement and visa interviews through to the following summer. Humphrey interviews run July to September in Islamabad, with finalists named in October. Global UGRAD takes 7 to 8 months end to end.
Annual pattern: applications open in mid-January and close in late February each year, in one period for all countries. The next cycle is expected to open in January 2027. Dates shift slightly year to year, so MTZ confirms the live dates with you before the window opens. The Research, Success and Merit tracks run on their own separately announced timetables.
How MTZ helps you apply
MTZ does not award or decide any USA scholarship for Pakistani students; USEFP and the United States Government do. What MTZ does is help you apply well, by checking your fit before you spend months on the wrong route and by sharpening the parts of the application that selectors actually weigh.
Before anything else, MTZ looks at your degree, your years of study, your experience, and your field, then tells you which of the three routes you qualify for. If a clinical medicine goal rules out Fulbright, you hear that on day one, not after a rejection.
Your Statement of Purpose, your research proposal for a PhD, and your Humphrey leadership narrative are where applications are won or lost. MTZ helps you draft, structure, and tighten these in your own voice, against what USEFP selectors look for. MTZ never writes a fake essay, and US rules forbid AI-drafted application essays.
MTZ maps your GRE or Duolingo booking against the live deadline, flags the HEC public-university GRE reimbursement if you qualify, and keeps your document set on track so nothing is missing when the portal closes.
Ready to find your route? Start with the free scholarship eligibility assessment:
The honest limits you should know
A USA scholarship for Pakistani students is fully funded, but it is also one of the most competitive routes a Pakistani applicant can take, so honesty about its limits saves you wasted effort. MTZ does not award or guarantee any of these scholarships; selection rests with USEFP and the United States Government.
Read these limits before you apply.
These awards are highly competitive. A strong CGPA, a clear purpose, and a real reason to return to Pakistan matter as much as eligibility on paper.
• Every route requires you to return to Pakistan. Fulbright PhD winners sign an HEC bond to serve Pakistan for a period equal to the scholarship; Humphrey and Global UGRAD require immediate return
Fulbright will not fund clinical medicine. If your aim is a clinical medical degree in the United States, this route cannot pay for it.
The current cycles are closed as of 12 June 2026. Dates on this page follow the annual pattern; the live deadline is announced by USEFP, and MTZ confirms it with you.
Dependents are not automatically funded. On Humphrey, family can join only after a funds review and proof of dependent health insurance, and not at the start of the programme.
Funding depends on the United States Government budget. USEFP states that awards are always contingent on its budget allocation for the programme year.
Fulbright, Humphrey or Global UGRAD: which route fits you
The right USA scholarship for Pakistani students depends on where you are in your studies and career, so the comparison below sets the three routes side by side on the points that decide your choice. Fulbright is the flagship for a full degree; Humphrey is for established professionals; Global UGRAD is a single semester for current undergraduates.
| Point | Fulbright (MS and PhD) | Hubert H. Humphrey | Global UGRAD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A full Master’s or PhD in the US | Mid-career professionals, leadership track | A current Bachelor’s student wanting one US semester |
| Award type | Full degree | 10 to 12 month non-degree fellowship | One semester, 4 to 5 months, non-degree |
| Entry level | 16 years for Master’s, 18 for PhD | 16 years plus 8 to 18 years’ experience | 14th year, the 2nd year of a Bachelor’s |
| Test at application | GRE General, min 145 each section | Duolingo, or valid TOEFL or IELTS | None at application |
| Age rule | None published | None published | 18 to 24 by the deadline |
| Clinical medicine | Not funded | Not a degree route | Medical students may apply if in 2nd year |
| Return requirement | Yes; PhD signs an HEC bond | Yes; immediate return | Yes; return to finish your degree |
| Annual deadline pattern | Around early April | Around mid to late May | Announced September to October |
For a broader picture of every funded country option, see the MTZ global scholarships hub:
USA scholarship questions Pakistani families ask
These are the questions Pakistani applicants and parents ask most about USA scholarships, answered from the official USEFP source as of 12 June 2026. Each answer leads with the direct answer so you get the point first.
Yes. The three main routes, Fulbright, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship, and Global UGRAD, are fully funded by the United States Government and cover tuition, airfare, a living stipend, and health insurance. They are managed in Pakistan by USEFP.
No, you do not need IELTS to apply for any of the three routes. Fulbright asks selected candidates for the TOEFL later, Humphrey accepts a Duolingo English Test score or a valid TOEFL or IELTS, and Global UGRAD asks only selected candidates to sit a test. So you can start a fully funded USA scholarship Pakistan application without an IELTS booking.
USEFP is the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan, the binational Fulbright Commission. It manages every US Government scholarship for Pakistani citizens, so Fulbright, Humphrey, and Global UGRAD are all applied for through one body at applications.usefp.org. Paper applications are not accepted.
Not for a clinical medical degree. The Fulbright scholarship Pakistan route funds all disciplines except clinical medicine, so it cannot pay for a clinical MD or clinical residency in the United States. Non-clinical health fields such as public health or biomedical sciences are not blocked by that rule.
For the Master’s you need a four-year Bachelor’s, or a Bachelor’s plus Master’s totalling 16 years of education. For the PhD you need a Master’s, M.Phil, or comparable degree of 18 years from an accredited university. A strong academic record matters because the route is competitive.
Only Global UGRAD publishes one: applicants must be 18 to 24 years old by the deadline. Fulbright and Humphrey publish no age limit, with Humphrey gating instead on 8 to 18 years of work experience. Verify the current rule at the official USEFP source before you apply.
Yes. The GRE General is required for all Fulbright applicants, with a minimum score of 145 in each section. If you study or teach at an HEC-approved public university, USEFP may reimburse your GRE fee when you score 300 in science and engineering, or 290 in humanities and social sciences.
Yes, every route requires you to return to Pakistan. Fulbright PhD winners sign a bond with the Higher Education Commission to serve Pakistan for a period equal to the scholarship length, while Humphrey and Global UGRAD require immediate return after the programme.
Not automatically, and not at the start. On the Humphrey Fellowship, dependents may join only after a funds review and proof of dependent health insurance, and they cannot accompany you initially. The other routes do not fund dependents
The current cycles are closed as of 12 June 2026, so use the annual pattern: Fulbright closes around early April, Humphrey around mid to late May, and Global UGRAD is announced from September to October. MTZ confirms the live date for your cycle, since USEFP sets it each year.
A Pakistani citizen currently enrolled at a Pakistani university, in the 14th year of education, which is the 2nd year of a Bachelor’s, and aged 18 to 24 by the deadline. Medical students may apply if they are in their 2nd year. You return to finish your Pakistani degree after one US semester.
The Hubert Humphrey fellowship Pakistan route is for accomplished mid-career professionals with 8 to 18 years of progressively responsible work experience, 16 years of education, and a guarantee of re-employment in Pakistan. It is a 10 to 12 month non-degree fellowship, not a degree programme.
No, there is no application fee on the Global UGRAD route, and the Fulbright and Humphrey applications are submitted free through the USEFP portal. Your only likely upfront cost is a test fee, such as the GRE, which HEC public-university applicants may later reclaim.
No. MTZ does not award or guarantee any USA scholarship; that decision rests with USEFP and the United States Government. MTZ checks your fit honestly, helps you build a competitive application in your own words, and keeps your timeline and documents on track.
Start your USA scholarship application with MTZ
Find out which USA scholarship for Pakistani students fits you, then build an application that competes. Talk to MTZ on WhatsApp, or send your profile through the free eligibility form, and get an honest route check before the next cycle opens.
Author: Mubbashir Qureshi, CEO, MTZ Global Visa Consultants Pvt Ltd. 25+ years personal experience guiding Pakistani students into study abroad and international education. MTZ Global Visa Consultants Pvt Ltd is SECP registered and ISO 9001:2015 certified, with British Council certified counsellors and offices in Islamabad and Lahore. The 25+ years refers to the CEO’s personal experience, not the company, which was established in 2025. This page was last verified against the official USEFP source on 12 June 2026.
