Key Takeaways
- The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has launched a six-month research fellowship for Pakistani and AJK PhD students.
- The fellowship aims to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
- Applications for the fellowship opened on 6 October 2026 and close on 30 October 2026.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced the Quaid-e-Azam Memorial Fellowship, offering eligible Pakistani and AJK PhD scholars a six-month research opportunity at leading foreign universities and research institutions.
This initiative is part of Pakistan's efforts to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, a pivotal figure in the country's history.
The fellowship is designed to support doctoral research on various aspects of Quaid-e-Azam's vision, leadership, contributions, and legacy, including his political, social, and constitutional thought.
Applications for the fellowship opened on 6 October 2026, and the deadline for submission is 30 October 2026. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply promptly.
Eligible applicants must be Pakistani or AJK nationals enrolled as full-time PhD students at a recognised Pakistani university. They must have completed at least 18 credit hours of PhD coursework and be within the relevant PhD enrolment period specified under the fellowship criteria.
Applicants are required to have passed either the GAT Subject Test or the university admission test used for their PhD admission. They must also have a PhD research topic and synopsis approved by the relevant academic authorities at their university.
Foreign university acceptance is a prerequisite for applying. The host institution must be among the recognised leading institutions either overall or subject-wise under the QS World University Rankings or Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
The fellowship includes return economy airfare of up to $1,300 and a monthly living allowance based on the destination country. Examples of the monthly support include $1,500 in the United States, £750 in the United Kingdom, €975 in Germany, and $800 in China.
HEC is inviting research proposals related to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Areas of focus include his vision and thought, leadership and statesmanship, role and contributions, legacy and ideals, political thought, social thought, and constitutional thought.
