The program was introduced in 2009, will fund 4,500 students

The Afghanistan Central Asia/Azerbaijan Inter-governmental Coordination Cell (ACICC)
announced the launch of the second tranche of the third phase of the Allama Iqbal Scholarships
Programme for Afghan students, offering 4,500 fully funded scholarships over three years.
The announcement was made by Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad
Sadiq in a post on X, who chaired a meeting outlining the program’s details.

This phase of the program will provide scholarships for undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD
studies in fields including medicine, engineering, and agriculture. Over 22,000 applicants will
participate in an online test this month, followed by interviews to determine the final
selections. The entire selection process is expected to be completed within 45 days.

A significant aspect of the program is the reservation of 33% of the scholarship seats for female
students. The Allama Iqbal Scholarships Programme is the largest foreign scholarship program
for Afghan students and is highly popular among Afghan youth.

The meeting announcing the program’s launch was attended by key figures including the
Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan,
and senior officials from relevant Pakistani ministries and departments. The program
represents a substantial commitment to supporting Afghan education and development.

The Allama Iqbal Scholarship program, initially introduced in 2009 to support Afghan nationals
pursuing higher education, has now entered its third phase. This program covers tuition fees,
accommodation, and a monthly stipend for Afghan students enrolled in undergraduate,
graduate, and doctoral programs at Pakistani universities.
The program was designed to strengthen bilateral ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The latest tranche comes months after Pakistan repatriated hundreds of thousands of Afghan
refugees living in Pakistan without proper documentation.