Every year the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan awards a number of Masters by Research and PhD scholarships to high achieving Pakistani students.
This is the first year Swinburne University has partnered with the HEC to provide 10 successful applicants with this opportunity.
The signed agreement was presented to HEC by the current Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Margaret Adamson on May 14th, 2018.
The scholarship will be available for students willing to enrol in a Masters by Research degree or PhD.
![HEC Scholarship Agreement](https://sbs-au-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com/drupal/yourlanguage/public/pakistani-scholarship-agreement_ls.jpg?imwidth=1280)
Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Margaret Adamson, presenting signed agreement to Higher Education Commission of Pakistan Source: Swinburne University Website
A living allowance of A$19,000 per annum and a tuition scholarship for up to four years will be awarded to successful applicants according to .
Applicants will be provided further support in the form of a return international airfare and Overseas Health Cover (OSHC) for up to four years.
In 2018 the number of applications has exceeded the quota with an expression of interest for more than 70 applicants.
It is forecasted that a total of $3.8 million will be spent to support 50 postgraduate research students over the next 4 years.
The aim of the program is to support the growing need of Pakistan in the fields of engineering, science and technology.
International Research Engagement Officer at Swinburne Research, Mr. Abdul Bais Abbasi, told SBS Urdu “The program started this year in 2018 and it will go on for the next 4 years.
In 2018 the number of applications has exceeded the quota with an expression of interest for more than 70 applicants. Due to such a high number, there is a possibility that the intake may exceed 10 applicants”
The HEC shortlists high achieving students in Pakistan and informs them of available scholarships. Students then send through their expression of interests directly to Swinburne.
Swinburne University and HEC then liaise with each other to shortlist the final applicants.
The next round of applications will open at the start of 2019.
Students will have from April till August to apply and finalise all the documentation.
Final decisions are announced in October after which successful applicants can proceed with their course at Swinburne.
Swinburne University is the latest educational facility to partner with the Pakistani government. Others include:
Macquarie University, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, University of New South Wales, University of Wollongong, University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of Southern Queensland and University of Western Australia, Edith Cowan University
To find out more about the course and selection criteria