The Asian University for Women (AUW) Scholarship is a need-based award at a private liberal arts university in Chittagong, Bangladesh. AUW was set up to give women from Asia and the Middle East a university education they might otherwise be unable to pay for, and its scholarship is how that works in practice. Roughly 85% of AUW students currently receive scholarship support of some kind. You can see the full scholarship details separately. This guide goes through what the award actually involves for a Pakistani applicant.
The short version: if you are a young Pakistani woman with a good school record, a family that genuinely cannot fund a degree abroad, and an interest in a broad liberal arts education, this is one of the most realistic routes you have. If your family can comfortably pay, or you want a specific professional degree such as medicine, look elsewhere.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Full or partial, depending on assessed financial need |
| Level | Bachelor's (Pathways for Promise and Undergraduate programs) |
| Fields | Liberal arts and sciences, all undergraduate majors offered at AUW |
| Deadline | Varies by intake, set before each academic program begins |
| Country | Bangladesh (campus in Chittagong) |
| Open to | Women from Asian or Middle Eastern countries, Pakistan included |
| Official site | asian-university.org |
A women-only university that has enrolled Pakistanis from the start
AUW only admits women, and its scholarships are only for female applicants. Pakistan is explicitly included in the list of eligible countries, and Pakistani students have been part of the student body since the very first cohort, which brought together young women from six countries.
That history matters more than it might seem. Many international scholarships technically accept Pakistanis but rarely pick them. AUW has a long record of enrolling Pakistani students, so you are applying to a place that already understands Pakistani school certificates, Pakistani family income documents and the realities of studying away from home for the first time.
Chittagong is Bangladesh's second-largest city. For a Pakistani family, Bangladesh is a lower-cost and more culturally familiar destination than Western countries, and for many parents that makes sending a daughter abroad an easier conversation.
Why your family's finances decide the size of the award
This is the part most applicants misunderstand. AUW's scholarship is fundamentally need-based, not a prize for top marks. Strong grades get you admitted and keep your aid going, but the amount of money you receive comes from an assessment of your household's circumstances.
The university's Financial Aid Committee looks at household income, family composition, parental education and employment, and wider socio-economic circumstances. It does not decide on a single income figure. Based on that review, each student gets either a full or a partial scholarship package, and the decision comes before the academic program begins.
So the honest advice is simple: put as much effort into your financial file as your academic file. A vague or incomplete set of financial papers can lead to a smaller award than your situation actually justifies.
What a full award pays for, and what partial means
A full scholarship at AUW is broad. It covers:
- Tuition
- Room and board
- Course supplies
- Student activity fees
- Primary healthcare
On top of that there is limited travel support: a one-way ticket to Chittagong when you start, and a return ticket home when you graduate. Note what this does not say. It does not promise yearly flights home for holidays, so plan for those costs yourself if your family expects you back every summer.
Partial scholarships go to students whose financial need is real but smaller. The source does not publish fixed amounts for partial awards, so you will only know your number once the Committee has reviewed your file. Do not assume a partial award will cover living costs.
Eligible full-time undergraduates can also join the Work Study Program, which lets students earn wages on campus while picking up professional experience. It is useful pocket money and a line on your CV, not a replacement for the scholarship itself.
The eligibility rules that rule people out
The basic requirements are short:
- You must be a female applicant from an Asian or Middle Eastern country. Pakistan is included.
- You should be a high school graduate or a final-year student with a strong academic record.
- You must show financial need through the Self-Assessment Form and supporting documents.
- You must not be a transfer student.
The transfer rule catches people. If you have already started a degree at a Pakistani university and plan to move to AUW as a transfer student, you will not be eligible for AUW financial aid. If you depend on the scholarship, apply as a new student, not a transfer.
The second rule to take seriously is the 2.5 CGPA. Financial aid continues only if you keep a minimum 2.5 CGPA every year. This is not a one-time admission hurdle. A bad year could put your funding at risk, so treat the first semester as seriously as your final school exams.
Pathways for Promise or straight into the undergraduate program
AUW has two entry tracks. The direct Undergraduate track is for students who are academically ready for university-level work. Pathways for Promise is a pre-undergraduate track for students whose academic profile needs strengthening first.
If your English or your science and maths foundation is weaker than you would like, ask AUW about Pathways for Promise rather than forcing an undergraduate application that may not succeed. Choosing the right track at the start is better than struggling to hold a 2.5 CGPA later.
The paperwork behind a need-based decision
Expect to gather the following:
- The Self-Assessment Form. Non-Bangladeshi applicants use the international version, called SAF-International.
- Family bank statements
- Tax return documents
- Salary certificates
- Third-party financial verification, if the Financial Aid Committee asks for it
- Academic transcripts and your secondary school certificate
For Pakistani families, salary certificates and tax records can be the slow part, especially if a parent works in the informal sector or does not file returns. Start collecting these early and be ready to explain your family's situation clearly where a standard document does not exist. Our documents checklist for international scholarships covers general preparation, and the bank statement guide explains how statements are usually read.
How the application moves from admission to an aid decision
- Review AUW's admissions requirements and decide between Pathways for Promise and the direct Undergraduate track.
- Submit the standard university application with your academic transcripts.
- Complete the SAF-International and collect your bank statements, tax records and salary certificates.
- Submit the financial aid package to the Financial Aid Committee, which reviews it alongside your admissions file.
- Wait for the Committee's assessment, which sets whether your award is full or partial before the program begins.
- Once accepted, arrange your visa and travel. Check with AUW how the travel support to Chittagong applies to you.
Scholarship and admission are handled together, so there is no separate scholarship application to chase. The financial file simply has to be complete when your admissions file is reviewed.
Timing: no fixed date to circle
AUW does not publish a single fixed deadline. Deadlines vary by intake and are set before each academic program begins, for both Pathways for Promise and the Undergraduate programs. The application and the financial aid assessment both happen before the program starts, and the scholarship decision is made before classes begin.
Because the date moves, confirm the current intake deadline on the official AUW website well in advance. If you are in your final school year, check the dates early so your financial documents are ready before your results come out.
Mistakes that cost Pakistani applicants money
Treating it like a merit scholarship is the biggest one. Applicants spend weeks polishing essays and then submit a thin financial file. The Committee cannot award what it cannot see evidence for.
Applying as a transfer is the second. It removes your eligibility for aid entirely.
Third, families sometimes understate or overstate their circumstances out of embarrassment or hope. Submit honest, consistent documents. The Committee may ask for third-party verification, and figures that do not match across bank statements, tax records and salary certificates will raise questions.
Finally, do not assume every cost is covered. Even a full award gives only limited travel support. Budget for visa fees, visits home and personal spending. The common visa problems guide is also worth a read before you file your Bangladesh visa.
If you have questions about how the assessment works, AUW lists the Office of Student Activities (osa@auw.edu.bd) as a contact. The university's scholarships and financial aid page is the place to check current rules. You can also compare this option with all Bangladesh scholarships we cover.
Frequently asked questions
Can men apply for the AUW scholarship?
No. Asian University for Women is a women-only institution, and its scholarships are only for female applicants.
Is the AUW scholarship based on grades or on need?
It is fundamentally need-based. The award size comes from the Self-Assessment Form and supporting financial documents. A strong academic record is still expected for admission, and you must keep a minimum 2.5 CGPA to continue receiving aid.
Is every student given a full scholarship?
No. Students receive either a full or a partial package depending on the Financial Aid Committee's assessment. About 85% of AUW students receive some form of scholarship support, but the level differs from student to student.
Does the scholarship pay for flights?
Only in a limited way. Travel support covers a one-way ticket to Chittagong and a return ticket home on graduation. Other trips are your own cost.
I am already at a university in Pakistan. Can I transfer to AUW with aid?
Transfer students are not eligible for AUW financial aid. If you need the scholarship, you would have to apply as a new student rather than as a transfer.
Can I earn money while studying at AUW?
Eligible full-time undergraduates can join the Work Study Program and earn wages while building professional skills.
Before you apply, confirm the current intake dates and requirements on the official AUW website, and keep the full AUW scholarship page handy as you prepare your documents.