The Alkhidmat Foundation Academic Scholarship is a need-based award for students who are already studying in Pakistan and are at real risk of dropping out because the family cannot pay. It is run by Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan, a welfare organisation that works in education, health and disaster relief. If you are a strong student from a low-income household at a public college, university or technical institute, this is one of the more realistic local options to look at. You can see the full scholarship details on our listing, and this guide explains how the award works in practice and where applicants usually trip up.
Be clear about one thing before you go further. This is not a scholarship for going abroad. It supports study inside Pakistan, and it is partial funding, so treat it as help with your fees and costs rather than a full ride.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan |
| Funding | Partial funding, amount decided case by case |
| Level | Bachelor's and Master's |
| Fields | All fields at eligible colleges, universities and technical institutes |
| Country of study | Pakistan |
| Last listed deadline | October 31, 2025 (2025 cycle). Check the portal for the next cycle's dates |
| Official site | scholarships.alkhidmat.org |
A need-based award that still asks for strong marks
Many students assume "need-based" means grades do not matter much. Here they do. Alkhidmat sets minimum marks at every stage of your education, and you need to clear all of them, not just your latest result.
- General students need at least 70% in Matric, 70% in FSC/DAE and 75% in the last completed semester or year.
- Minority students need at least 65% in Matric, 65% in FSC/DAE and 70% in the last semester or year.
The selection then leans on financial need. There is no separate entrance test. Your academic results get you over the line, and your family's documents decide whether you are the kind of student the foundation is trying to reach. So a student with excellent marks from a comfortable household is a poor fit, and a student with real hardship but a last-semester result below the cut-off will be screened out on marks.
The exclusions that rule out a lot of applicants
This is where most wasted applications come from. You must be enrolled in a college, university or technical institute in Pakistan, but some institutions are excluded outright:
- Private universities
- AIOU (Allama Iqbal Open University)
- Virtual University
The second exclusion is about other funding. If you already receive financial aid from PEEF, HEC, an NGO or any other organisation, you are not eligible. Do not apply hoping to stack two awards. If you hold one of those scholarships now, this one is not for you while that support continues.
My honest view: if you study at a public institution, meet the marks thresholds and have no other aid, you are exactly the applicant this program was built for, and you should apply. If you are at a private university, skip it and spend your time on other options.
What the money actually looks like
Alkhidmat does not publish a fixed stipend. The support is decided case by case, based on your financial circumstances and your program fees. The aim is to bridge the gap between what your family can manage and what your education costs, not to pay a standard amount to everyone.
That has a practical consequence. You cannot plan your budget around a figure before you apply, and anyone quoting you an exact amount is guessing. After applications are reviewed, selected students are called for further assessment, and that is when the real picture becomes clear. If you need a realistic number earlier, contact the foundation through its official website once the portal opens.
The paperwork, and why the bonafide certificate matters so much
Because this is need-based, the documents carry the application. The list has 10 items:
- CNIC of the applicant (if available)
- CNIC of father or guardian
- Recent photograph, taken within 3 months, with a blue or white background
- Household electricity bill
- Salary slip or pension book of any family member
- All previous examination results
- Last semester or year fee slip
- Bonafide certificate that includes course start and end dates
- Two references from educated people who know your family's circumstances
- Iqrar Nama, only if asked for after approval
The bonafide certificate
A bonafide certificate is an official letter from your institution confirming you are currently enrolled. Alkhidmat wants it to state your course start date and expected end date. A generic letter that only says "currently enrolled" is not enough, and without the dates your application will be marked incomplete. Go to your examination office or registrar and ask for those dates to be written in. Do this early, because offices can take days to issue letters.
References
Pick two educated people who actually know your family's situation. A teacher who has only seen you in class is weaker than someone who understands your household's finances. Their role is to back up the need you are claiming.
The Iqrar Nama
You do not need this at the start. It comes up only if it is required after the scholarship is approved, on Rs. 100 stamp paper, for BS Hons, Masters, MBBS and Engineering students. Know that it may be coming so it does not surprise you later.
If you are building a document file for several scholarships at once, our scholarship documents checklist helps you keep things organised.
Filling in the online form without getting rejected
The whole process runs on the Alkhidmat scholarship portal. It is simple, but it is strict about format.
- Open the portal and register.
- Fill in every field. Every field is compulsory. Where something does not apply to you, write NA. Blank fields get the form rejected.
- Upload every document as a JPG, with a maximum of 2 MB per file. PDFs and other formats may not be accepted.
- Check that your passport-size photo has a blue or white background.
- Select your correct region using the district map attached on the portal.
- Review everything, then submit.
The JPG rule catches people. Most students keep scans as PDFs. Convert each page to JPG and check the file size before upload day. A phone photo of an electricity bill taken in poor light can be unreadable even when it is under the size limit, so scan in good light and zoom in to check the numbers are legible.
Choosing the wrong region is an easy mistake too. Look at the district map properly rather than guessing.
When to apply
The scholarship runs on an annual cycle with a fixed deadline. The last listed deadline was October 31, 2025, for the 2025 cycle. Dates for the next cycle are not confirmed, so check the official portal regularly for the 2026 opening and confirm the exact deadline there before you plan around it.
Start collecting documents well before the portal opens. Electricity bills, salary slips, fee slips and the bonafide certificate all depend on other people or offices, and those are the items that cause last-minute delays. Completeness and document quality decide whether an application moves on to review, so a rushed upload is a real risk.
Mistakes I would steer you away from
- Applying while already on a PEEF, HEC or NGO scholarship. You are not eligible, and it wastes a review slot.
- Checking only your latest result. Your Matric and FSC/DAE marks also have to meet the minimum.
- Submitting a plain enrollment letter instead of a bonafide certificate with start and end dates.
- Leaving optional-looking fields blank instead of writing NA.
- Uploading PDFs, or JPGs over 2 MB.
- Using a photo older than 3 months or one with a coloured background.
For more local and national options, see all Pakistan scholarships in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply if I already have a PEEF or HEC scholarship?
No. Students already receiving financial aid from PEEF, HEC, NGOs or other organisations are not eligible.
I study at a private university. Can I apply?
No. Students at private universities, AIOU and Virtual University are excluded. The scholarship is for students at other colleges, universities and technical institutes in Pakistan.
How much will I receive?
There is no fixed amount. Support is decided case by case based on your financial situation and your program fees. Selected students are called for further assessment after review. Contact Alkhidmat directly once the portal opens if you need a clearer idea.
Is there an entrance test?
No separate entrance test is required. Selection is based on your academic results and your demonstrated financial need.
Are the marks requirements different for minority students?
Yes. Minority students need 65% in Matric, 65% in FSC/DAE and 70% in the last semester or year, compared with 70%, 70% and 75% for general students.
Which file format should I upload?
JPG only, with each file at 2 MB or less. Other formats may not be accepted.
Before you apply, confirm the current dates and requirements on the official Alkhidmat scholarship portal, and keep the full scholarship page handy for the summary.