The Belarus Government Scholarship is a state grant run by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus. Locally it is called the "grant to study" (grant na obuchenie). It pays your tuition at a Belarusian public university, gives you a monthly stipend and puts you in a dormitory at the same low rate Belarusian students pay. It covers Bachelor's, Master's and PhD study in all fields. You can read the full scholarship details.
The first thing to get straight: this is a partial grant, not a fully funded scholarship in the Western sense. Your travel, meals, health insurance, visa fees and migration registration are your own costs. The second thing: almost everything happens through the Belarusian embassy, not a website. Students who search for an online application form and wait for it to appear usually miss the cycle entirely.
The grant in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus |
| Funding type | Partial funding (tuition, monthly stipend, subsidized hostel) |
| Levels | Bachelor's, Master's, PhD |
| Fields | All fields, subject to the quota for each year |
| Country | Belarus |
| Language of study | Mostly Russian, with a preparatory language year available |
| Deadline | Documents to the embassy by around February 20 (set by each embassy, so confirm locally) |
| Official site | studyinby.com |
Who this grant suits, and who should think twice
This grant makes sense for a student who wants a low-cost degree, is comfortable studying in Russian (or willing to spend a year learning it), and can pay for food, insurance and flights from family savings. It is a reasonable fit for engineering, natural sciences, medicine and law, which are the areas where the Belarusian system, inherited from the Soviet tradition, is strongest. Belarusian State University (BSU) in Minsk is the largest and most internationally mixed university in the country, with several thousand foreign students from around 70 countries.
It suits you less well if you need every cost paid, if you want to study in English, or if you are hoping to apply with a few clicks. The process is slow, paper-heavy and runs from February to June. You should also check current visa, travel and safety guidance for Belarus yourself before committing, given the changing situation in the region.
What the state pays, and what stays on your bill
Under the grant, the Belarusian state covers:
- A full tuition fee waiver at your assigned public university for the length of the program
- A monthly state scholarship stipend paid through the academic year
- Dormitory or hostel accommodation charged at the same low rate as for Belarusian citizens
- The option of a preparatory Russian (or Belarusian) language course before the degree starts
No stipend amount is published in the source material, so do not plan your budget around a figure you heard from an agent or a friend. Ask the embassy or your university for the current rate.
What you pay yourself is just as important:
- Travel to and from Belarus
- Day-to-day meals
- Mandatory health insurance
- Visa fees
- Registration with the migration authorities after arrival
Belarus has a low cost of living compared with most of Europe, so these costs are manageable for many families. Still, they are real, and they recur every year. Work out a yearly figure before you apply, not after you receive the invitation letter. If you will need to show funds for a visa, our guide on bank statements and proof of funds covers how Pakistani students usually prepare this.
Can Pakistani students apply?
Yes. Eligibility is open to foreign citizens of any nationality, so Pakistani applicants qualify. The Ministry does not set an age limit. The full list of requirements is:
- Non-Belarusian citizenship
- Completed secondary education for Bachelor's applicants, or a relevant prior degree for Master's and PhD applicants, backed by a certificate or transcript
- A medical certificate confirming you are fit to study your chosen field, plus a certificate confirming you do not have HIV
- Proof of Russian and/or Belarusian proficiency, or willingness to complete the preparatory language year first
- A written application or motivation statement explaining why you chose that specialty and institution
- A valid passport
- No serious criminal record or health condition that would prevent study, which is assessed during the medical and document review
One detail many applicants miss: places are allocated by field through a quota set by the Ministry each year, and that quota can shift based on bilateral education agreements between Belarus and your home country. "All fields" means all fields are possible, not that every specialty will have a grant seat for Pakistani candidates in a given year. Ask the embassy which specialties are open.
Building the document package for the embassy
The standard package has eight items:
- An application for admission (free form, with your reasoning for the chosen specialty)
- A reference or certificate from your current place of study, if you are already enrolled somewhere
- A copy of your passport
- Documents confirming Belarusian ethnic origin, if this applies to you (it will not for most applicants)
- A copy of your secondary school certificate or diploma, or a certificate confirming current student status
- A medical certificate on your state of health for the chosen specialty, plus an HIV-negative certificate
- A copy of a document confirming Russian and/or Belarusian language knowledge, where you have one
- Notarized Russian or Belarusian translations of every document issued in another language
The embassy has the final word on the checklist. Some items, such as medical certificates, notarized translations and proof of earlier schooling, vary by country and by degree level. Ask for the current year's list in writing before you start collecting papers.
For Pakistani students, the translation step is where time disappears. Your Matric, Intermediate or degree documents, transcripts and medical papers all need notarized Russian translations. Find a translator early, and if your documents also need attestation at home, start that process in parallel. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains the usual Pakistani steps, though you should confirm with the embassy whether attestation is required for this grant.
The February to June calendar
There is no single portal deadline. The grant follows a fixed national cycle, and each embassy sets its own internal date within it.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| By around February 20 | You submit your documents to the embassy (exact date set by each embassy) |
| By around March 15 | The embassy forwards its candidate list to the Ministry of Education |
| By June 15 | Universities interview shortlisted candidates, in person or by video call |
| By June 20 | The Ministry approves the final list of grant recipients |
| September | The academic year begins |
Because the February date is approximate, treat it as the latest possible moment, not a target. Embassies need time to compile and forward papers by mid-March, and a late file simply sits until the next year.
How the selection actually moves
- Contact the Belarusian embassy or diplomatic mission that covers Pakistan. Confirm the checklist and its internal deadline for this year.
- Prepare the full package, with notarized translations into Russian or Belarusian, and submit it directly to that embassy.
- The embassy compiles a preliminary list of candidates with copies of all documents and sends it, on paper and electronically, to the Ministry of Education.
- An interdepartmental commission reviews the lists and documents, then forwards shortlists to the relevant universities, which may include BSU or other public institutions.
- The university's examination board interviews you, in person or remotely by video call.
- The Ministry approves the final list based on interview results, and successful candidates are notified.
- Your university sends the official invitation letter you need for a Belarusian student visa, travel planning and registration.
The Ministry works with its Main Information and Analytical Center (GIAC) on coordination, but you will not deal with them directly at the start. Your entry point is the embassy. If there is no Belarusian embassy in your country, check which neighboring country's embassy or consular section has been designated to cover your region.
Students already studying in Belarus on a self-funded basis can also apply for a grant place through their current university's international office, using the same document package.
Targeting Belarusian State University
BSU takes grant students into Bachelor's, Master's and PhD programs across faculties such as International Relations, Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Economics, Law, Biology and Journalism, among others. Since the Ministry decides how many grant seats each field gets, check with BSU's admissions office at ums.bsu.by which faculties have grant-eligible places in your intake year. The BSU page for applicants is also useful.
Do not pick a faculty only because it sounds prestigious. Your motivation statement has to explain why that specialty and that institution, and the interview will test whether you mean it.
The Russian question
Most grant-funded programs are taught in Russian. If you do not speak it, ask the embassy about combining your grant application with the preparatory language year at the Republican Institute for Higher Education in Minsk. This is arranged through the same embassy process. Plan for your degree to start a year later than it would otherwise, and budget your self-paid costs for that extra year.
Mistakes that cost Pakistani applicants a year
- Waiting for an online form. There is no central online application. Contact the embassy first.
- Leaving translations to the last week. Late translation work is a common reason people miss the deadline.
- Calling it a free scholarship at home. Families who expect zero costs get a shock when insurance, meals and registration add up.
- Going silent after submission. Interviews are scheduled by the university, often by video call, so check your email and phone and stay in touch with the embassy.
- Writing a generic motivation statement. It should name the specialty and institution and explain the choice.
- Skipping your own safety and visa research. Do it before you accept a place.
If you are comparing this with other options, our scholarships guide for Pakistani students lists fully funded alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Belarus Government Scholarship fully funded?
No. It covers tuition, a monthly stipend and subsidized dormitory housing. You pay for travel, meals, health insurance, visa fees and registration, so it is a partial-funding grant.
Can I apply through a university website?
Not for a new applicant from abroad. The grant runs through the Ministry of Education and Belarusian embassies. Only students already studying in Belarus can apply through their current university's international office.
Do I need to know Russian before I apply?
No, but most programs are in Russian. Without it, you can ask to combine the grant with a preparatory language year at the Republican Institute for Higher Education in Minsk.
Is there an age limit?
The Ministry does not specify one. Your academic qualifications and the interview matter more.
When will I know if I have been selected?
The Ministry approves the final list by June 20, after university interviews by June 15. Successful candidates then receive an invitation letter for the student visa, ahead of a September start.
Can I use the grant at Belarusian State University?
Yes. BSU is one of the public universities that receives grant students, subject to the quota for each faculty and specialty that year.
For the current year's process, start at the official Study in Belarus grant page, then contact the embassy covering Pakistan. You can also review the full Belarus Government Scholarship page on Titans Abroad.