Pakistan has two flagship need-based scholarship schemes for undergraduate students, and they are often confused with each other: the HEC Need-Based Scholarship and the Ehsaas (now Benazir) Undergraduate Scholarship. Both exist for one purpose — to make sure that a talented student is never forced to abandon a degree simply because the family cannot afford the fee.

The HEC Need-Based Scholarship is awarded to students enrolled in HEC-recognised public sector universities and degree-awarding institutions. Funding slots are allocated to participating institutions, and each university selects its own deserving students through a defined verification process. It is the older, institution-driven route to need-based support.

The Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship, continued under the Benazir Income Support Programme umbrella, works at a much larger national scale — typically more than 50,000 awards per year across Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with approximately 50 per cent of the awards reserved for female students as per policy. It covers tuition fees along with a stipend component to help with living and study expenses. Because the two schemes share the same HEC online portal and similar eligibility logic, this guide explains them side by side so you can apply to the right one with confidence.

Before you touch the application form, run through this checklist honestly. Applying when you clearly fail a criterion wastes your time and the committee's time.

• You are a Pakistani or Azad Jammu and Kashmir national.
• You are enrolled in an undergraduate degree program (typically a four or five-year program) at a public-sector university or institution recognised by HEC.
• Your family's monthly income falls below the published income ceiling for the scheme — this ceiling sits in the low-income band and is revised from time to time, so verify the current official figure on the HEC portal; reviewed October 2026.
• You are not receiving any other scholarship, stipend, or financial assistance for the same program.
• You can produce documentary proof of income and admission when the university asks for verification.

If you tick every box, you are a genuine candidate. If you fail even one — for example, you study at a private university or already hold another scholarship — these two schemes are not for you, and you should look at alternatives rather than risk rejection.

The table below compares the two schemes on the points students ask about most. Treat coverage figures as indicative: exact tuition and stipend components are announced with each cycle, so verify the current official figures before you rely on them — reviewed October 2026.

Both schemes are applied for through the HEC online portal. The process below is the standard route — follow it in order, and do not skip the verification stage, because that is where most applications are decided.

Once you submit, your university's focal person and the institutional scholarship award committee verify your documents, and in many cases a short interview or scrutiny session is held to confirm financial need. HEC then reviews the recommended lists and issues the final award. Tuition fee is normally settled directly with the institution, while the stipend component is released to the student in installments.

The scholarship is not a one-time prize — it continues for the duration of your degree as long as you meet the continuation criteria: satisfactory academic progress, regular attendance, unchanged financial circumstances, and no disciplinary action. Most institutions re-verify income and results each academic year, so keep your documents updated.

If your financial situation improves significantly, or you accept another scholarship, you must inform your institution. Concealing a change can lead to cancellation of the award and recovery of the disbursed amount.