The Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant Program is a fully funded scholarship from the Government of Azerbaijan, named after the country's founding president. Each year it brings in approximately 100 international students to Azerbaijani universities, and it is open across all major fields. What makes it unusual is that it explicitly covers General Medicine (the MBBS equivalent) and Medical Residency. Very few government scholarships do that, which is why it gets so much attention from Pakistani students who want to study medicine abroad without paying for it.
For Pakistanis there is a catch that trips people up every year: you cannot simply apply on the Azerbaijani portal. There is a Pakistan-Azerbaijan bilateral track, and it runs through an HEC nomination first. This guide walks through how the two stages fit together, what the money actually looks like, and where applicants lose their chance. You can also see the full scholarship details.
The grant in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Government of Azerbaijan (Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant Program) |
| Funding | Fully funded |
| Levels | Preparatory language course, Bachelor's, General Medicine/MBBS, Master's, Medical Residency, PhD |
| Fields | All fields, including Medicine/MBBS and Medical Residency |
| Monthly stipend | 800 AZN (about USD 470), paid over 10 months a year |
| 2026 cycle deadlines | HEC nomination by April 15, 2026; SIACAS portal open May 18 to June 1, 2026 |
| Usually opens | February |
| Country | Azerbaijan |
| Official site | Azerbaijan Education Portal (portal.edu.az) |
These are the dates for the 2026 intake, which started classes on September 15, 2026. If you are reading this for a later cycle, treat them as a guide to the rhythm of the process and confirm the current dates on the official portal and on HEC's portal.
Why MBBS applicants should look at this one first
Most fully funded scholarships that Pakistani students chase are aimed at Master's and PhD study. Medicine is usually excluded, or squeezed into a handful of seats. The Heydar Aliyev Grant lists General Medicine as a 5-6 year program and Medical Residency as a 2-5 year program, so in principle you can go from undergraduate medicine to residency within the same scholarship framework.
The full list of study levels and their usual lengths:
- Preparatory or language course, 6 months to 1 year
- Bachelor's, 4-5 years
- General Medicine/MBBS, 5-6 years
- Master's, 1.5-2 years
- Medical Residency, 2-5 years
- PhD, 3 years
One honest caution for future doctors. Medical degrees from Azerbaijani institutions go through the standard foreign degree verification and licensing process in your home country, the same as any other foreign medical degree. Before you rank a university, check that the specific institution is accredited and recognised by Pakistan's medical licensing authority. Do this before the application, not after you have a seat.
What 800 AZN a month actually buys you
The package covers:
- Full tuition, including the preparatory language course
- One round-trip international flight ticket every year, to Azerbaijan and back
- A monthly stipend of 800 AZN (about USD 470) for accommodation, daily expenses and study materials, paid over 10 months per year
- A medical insurance allowance of 200 AZN per year
- Visa and residence permit fees
Notice that the stipend runs for 10 months a year, not every month. Budget for the two months without it, especially if you plan to stay in Baku over the summer rather than using your annual flight to go home. Living costs in Azerbaijan are low by international standards, and many recipients say they manage comfortably on the stipend. Still, plan from your own numbers, not from other people's savings stories.
The yearly return flight matters more than it looks. Many scholarships pay for one ticket at the start and one at the end. Here you get a round trip every year, so a medical student on a 5-6 year program can come home annually without paying for it.
The eligibility rules that cut people out
The source is clear that this track is for international students from an eligible country, and for Pakistani applicants it runs through HEC. The main conditions:
- You must not be an Azerbaijani citizen.
- A minimum academic score of 70% (or 7/10) in your previous degree.
- Age limits: under 35 for Bachelor's and Medicine, under 40 for Master's and Residency, under 45 for PhD.
- For English-taught programs, IELTS 5.0 for Bachelor's or IELTS 5.5 for Master's and PhD. Previous education in English also counts, with an English Proficiency Certificate from your institution.
- A valid USAT or HAT score obtained on or after March 20, 2025.
- A nomination through HEC Pakistan before the Stage 2 application.
The USAT/HAT requirement is the one Pakistani students most often miss. USAT is the undergraduate test and HAT is the postgraduate one, both run by HEC. Your score is not just a box to tick. It feeds into the selection ranking, so a stronger score improves your position. If you do not have a valid score yet, book the test now rather than hoping a later sitting will fit into the window.
The IELTS bar is modest, which is good news. If your previous degree was taught in English, a proficiency certificate from your institution may be enough, but get that letter in writing and on letterhead.
Stage 1 is HEC, and it decides everything
The grant has two stages, and the first one is where most Pakistani applications live or die.
- HEC nomination. Apply on the HEC scholarship portal. For the 2026 cycle, the nomination deadline was April 15, 2026. Only candidates nominated through HEC or the Azerbaijani Embassy can move on.
- SIACAS online application. Nominated candidates apply on the official portal (Azerbaijan Education Portal (portal.edu.az)), which was open from May 18 to June 1, 2026. Create an account, select "Heydar Aliyev Grant Program" and choose up to 3 universities and programs in order of preference.
- Evaluation. The Scholarship Committee reviews nominated applications. Selection looks at academic records, language proficiency and, where applicable, national test scores such as USAT/HAT. The 2026 evaluation period ran June to July.
- Results. Announced in July-August 2026 for that cycle.
- Visa and travel. Successful students receive the visa and residence permit, travel to Azerbaijan, and begin studies. For 2026 that was September 15.
Do not try to go straight to SIACAS. Without the nomination, you cannot get in, no matter how good your file is. And do not treat April 15 as the date to start. The HEC window usually opens in February, and that is when you should apply.
The paperwork, and the attestation trap
The document list is fairly standard, but one requirement creates most of the delays:
- HEC nomination form for Stage 1
- Academic diplomas and transcripts
- Medical certificate with HIV and Hepatitis B/C tests
- Valid passport
- CV
- Language certificate (IELTS/TOEFL) or an English Proficiency Certificate from your previous institution
- Motivation letter
- Awards and achievements (optional, but they help)
All documents must be clear, readable, in English, Azerbaijani, Turkish or Russian, and notarized or legalized with IBCC, MOFA and HEC attestation as relevant. That chain typically takes 4-6 weeks and is the most common bottleneck. If you start attestation in late March, you are already behind. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains the order of steps, and the documents checklist for international scholarships helps you prepare the rest in parallel.
The medical certificate is easy to leave until last. Get the blood tests done early so a lab delay does not hold up the rest of the file.
Choosing your three universities on SIACAS
You get up to 3 choices, ranked. Treat that ranking seriously. Look at each institution's academic reputation, facilities and recognition status before you commit, and for medicine, check recognition above everything else.
Also confirm the language of instruction. Many programs, Medicine included, run in English, Azerbaijani or Russian depending on the university. Most international students on this grant pick English-medium tracks. The funded preparatory course (6 months to 1 year) is there for students who want to study in Azerbaijani or Russian, and you do not need any Azerbaijani before you arrive.
Who this suits, and who should think twice
This grant suits a Pakistani student who wants to study medicine abroad on full funding, has at least 70% in previous studies, can sit USAT or HAT in time, and is organised enough to get HEC nomination and attestations done by spring. Engineering, computer science and energy-related students also have a good reason to look at it, since those are strong fields in Azerbaijan.
It is a poor fit if you need a program that is guaranteed to lead to licensing without extra exams back home. Graduates of foreign medical schools generally need to pass their home country's licensing examination, and this grant does not change that. It is also hard to pull off if you only find out about it in April. Late starters tend to fail at the attestation stage.
The mistakes that most often cost applicants a place:
- Applying to SIACAS without an HEC nomination.
- Using a USAT/HAT score from before March 20, 2025.
- Writing a generic motivation letter. Say specifically why Azerbaijan, why that program, and how it fits your career plan.
- Ranking universities by city or friends' advice instead of recognition status.
Frequently asked questions
Is MBBS covered under the Heydar Aliyev Grant?
Yes. General Medicine (MBBS equivalent) is covered as a 5-6 year program, and Medical Residency of 2-5 years is also covered. You can take the preparatory language course before the main program.
Can I apply directly to Azerbaijan without HEC?
Pakistani applicants first need a nomination through HEC Pakistan. Only nominated candidates can proceed to the Stage 2 application on the SIACAS portal.
Is the stipend paid every month of the year?
It is 800 AZN (about USD 470) a month, paid over 10 months per year. Plan your savings for the remaining months.
Which USAT or HAT score is accepted?
A valid score obtained on or after March 20, 2025. USAT is for undergraduate applicants and HAT is for postgraduate applicants. Register through HEC's official portal.
Do I need IELTS?
For English-taught programs you need IELTS 5.0 for Bachelor's or 5.5 for Master's and PhD, or proof of previous education in English through an English Proficiency Certificate.
Does the grant cover a flight home every year?
Yes. It includes one round-trip international flight ticket each year, so you can visit Pakistan annually at no personal cost.
Dates and requirements can change between cycles, so check the Azerbaijan Education Portal (portal.edu.az) and the HEC scholarship portal before you start, and keep the full Heydar Aliyev Grant page open while you prepare.