The Government of Pakistan and the United States have renewed their longstanding partnership in higher education through a new five-year agreement between the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP), reaffirming their shared commitment to academic excellence, human capital development, and international educational cooperation.
The Ministry of Education and Professional Training welcomes the renewed agreement, which will cover the period from Financial Year 2026–27 through Financial Year 2031–32 and encompass the Fulbright Master’s and PhD programmes, Visiting Scholar Programme for post-doctoral scholars, Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Programme, and Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Programme. Under the agreement, the programme has set a target of supporting 66 PhD scholars over the five-year period, in addition to opportunities provided through the other programme streams. The initiative will continue to offer Pakistani scholars and academics opportunities to pursue advanced education, undertake research, strengthen professional expertise, and contribute to Pakistan’s socio-economic development upon their return.
As part of the financial commitment, HEC will provide at least USD 4.54 million annually, with the total funding commitment capped at PKR 6.48 billion over the five-year period. The agreed payment schedule provides for USD 2 million by June 30, a further USD 2 million by January 31, and the remaining balance by April 30, subject to the timely release of government funds. Any interest earned on HEC funds held by USEFP will be reinvested in student grants, thereby further supporting the educational objectives of the partnership.
The selection process under the renewed agreement will remain merit-based, with no fixed quotas for any particular group, region, or category.
