Bangladeshi students allege deception over Pakistan scholarship benefits

For Bangladeshi students hoping to study in Pakistan on a fully funded government scholarship, the offer appeared generous: tuition, a monthly stipend, accommodation, return air tickets and a settling-in allowance.

But some master’s applicants say the terms changed by the time they reached the final stages of selection.

Several students selected under Pakistan’s Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarship programme say they were later told that only tuition fees and accommodation would be covered.

At universities without hostel facilities, some said they were offered only a tuition waiver.

The discrepancy has prompted allegations that applicants were misled, and persuaded some selected students to turn down the scholarships altogether.

A University of Chittagong student selected for a master’s in data science said applicants had not been told at the outset that the benefits for master’s students could differ from those advertised more broadly.

The student said the programme had been particularly attractive because it did not require IELTS and the application process was relatively straightforward.

After sitting the selection test in June, however, the student received an email in August that mentioned only tuition coverage and accommodation.

That came as a surprise.

The student said many applicants had travelled through heavy rain and severe traffic congestion to take the qualifying examination because they believed they were competing for a fully funded scholarship.

“Had we known from the beginning that only tuition fees would be covered, many of us would not have applied,” the student said.

The Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka disputed the suggestion that applicants had been kept in the dark.

It said students had been informed that financial benefits for master’s students under the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarship could differ from those offered to undergraduates.

“However, all eligible students travelling under this programme will receive equal financial assistance,” the High Commission said.

Pakistan launched its Knowledge Corridor initiative in August 2025 with plans to provide scholarships to 500 Bangladeshi students over five years.

According to the High Commission, 74 students travelled to Pakistan in the first batch last year.

For the second batch, 125 undergraduate, 22 master’s and 14 PhD students were selected from around 3,000 candidates who sat the test.

The High Commission said all selected students would join designated Pakistani universities once the necessary formalities were completed.

But one crucial question remains unresolved.

The High Commission has yet to respond to bdnews24.com’s query on whether master’s students will receive all the benefits listed in the original scholarship advertisement.

For the students now weighing whether they can afford to go, that answer may determine whether the scholarship remains an opportunity. Or one they have to walk away from.