Most Pakistani students hunting for funded study abroad look at the UK, Germany, Turkey or China. Colombia rarely makes the shortlist. That is partly why the ICETEX Scholarship Programme deserves a look. It is a Colombian government initiative, run by ICETEX (the Colombian Institute of Educational Credit and Technical Studies Abroad), and part of its job is to support international academic mobility, including international students who want to study in Colombia.
Before you get excited, understand one thing: ICETEX is not a single scholarship with one form and one deadline. It is an institution that manages many programs at once, each tied to a specific cooperation agreement. The funding, eligible fields, deadlines and requirements all change from call to call. This guide explains how the system works and how to approach it sensibly. For the summary version, see our full scholarship details.
Why ICETEX works as a portal of calls, not one scholarship
ICETEX is the Colombian government entity responsible for promoting higher education through financial aid and international cooperation. It runs scholarship programs for Colombian citizens and for international students who want to study in Colombia. Its scholarship portal is the central place where open calls, cooperation agreements and financial support options are published, and it connects international applicants with Colombian higher education institutions.
The wider aim is to strengthen international academic ties and internationalise the Colombian education system. For you, the practical meaning is simpler. You do not apply to "ICETEX" in general. You find a specific open call on the portal, check that you fit it, and apply to that call under its own rules.
This suits a particular kind of student: someone patient, comfortable reading official terms carefully, and genuinely interested in Colombia or Latin America. If you want a predictable annual scholarship with a fixed date you can plan around for a year, this is probably not the best first choice.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | ICETEX (Colombian Institute of Educational Credit and Technical Studies Abroad) |
| Funding | Full or partial, depending on the specific call |
| Study levels | Undergraduate, Master's, PhD, Specialization |
| Fields | Varies by specific scholarship call |
| Deadline | Varies by specific scholarship call |
| Country | Colombia |
| Official site | ICETEX scholarships portal |
What a call can cover, and why you must read the fine print
Funding is listed as full or partial, and coverage depends on the agreement behind each call. The benefits that can be included are:
- Tuition coverage, as defined by the specific agreement
- Living stipends, as defined by the specific agreement
- Health insurance coverage, as defined by the specific agreement
- Visa support, as defined by the specific agreement
Notice the repeated phrase. Every one of these benefits depends on the agreement. A call might fund tuition but not living costs, or include insurance but no stipend. There is no published fixed stipend amount for the programme as a whole, so do not assume one. Read the benefits section of the exact call you are applying to and work out whether it covers enough for you to actually live in Colombia. If a call is partial, you will need your own money for the rest, and that money will also matter later when you apply for a visa.
Levels and fields: wider than most government schemes
ICETEX calls can cover undergraduate, Master's, PhD and Specialization study. Specialization is a postgraduate category used in Colombia, so if you see it in a call, read what the specific programme involves before assuming it equals a Master's.
Eligible fields vary by call. Some calls may be open broadly through partner institutions, while others may be tied to particular subjects. You will only know once you open the call itself.
Can Pakistani students apply?
This is the question that matters most, and the honest answer is: it depends on the call. ICETEX does run programs for international students, but eligibility is set call by call and may include academic level, nationality and language proficiency. Nothing in the general programme information confirms that every call is open to Pakistani nationals.
So check eligibility for your nationality in each call before you prepare anything. Some cooperation agreements may be limited to certain countries. Spending weeks on a statement of purpose for a call you cannot legally enter is the most avoidable mistake here.
The general eligibility points that apply across calls are:
- You must meet the specific criteria of the call you choose
- Academic transcripts from your previous institutions
- Proof of language proficiency, if the program requires it
- A valid passport or identification document
- Letters of recommendation, as requested by the specific call
The paperwork, and the Spanish question
The standard document set for ICETEX calls is:
- Academic transcripts
- Curriculum Vitae
- Statement of purpose
- Letters of recommendation
- Proof of language proficiency
- Copy of passport
Two points deserve attention. First, language proficiency is listed as required "if required by the program." Colombia is a Spanish-speaking country, and some calls may ask for documents to be translated into Spanish. Do not wait until the last week to arrange translations, because certified translation can take time and cost money.
Second, your Pakistani degrees and transcripts will usually need to be properly attested before any foreign process. If you have not done this before, read our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide. For a broader list of what international scholarship applications tend to ask for, the documents checklist for international scholarships is a useful starting point. Always defer to what the specific ICETEX call lists.
How the application actually works
The process is online and runs through the ICETEX portal:
- Visit the official ICETEX scholarship portal.
- Search for currently open scholarship calls.
- Review the specific requirements and benefits for the program you choose.
- Prepare all required documents as listed in that call.
- Submit your application through the online ICETEX portal.
- Monitor the portal for selection results.
Steps two and three are where most of your effort should go. Each call has its own terms and conditions, and you should read them in full for every call, not just the first one you look at. Make a short note for each call you find: who it is open to, which levels and fields, what it pays for, which documents it wants and in what language, and the deadline.
Timing when there is no fixed deadline
There is no single annual intake. Calls are published periodically on the ICETEX website, and new ones can appear throughout the year. Both the opening date and the deadline vary by specific scholarship call, so confirm the current cycle and deadline on the official portal.
That has a practical consequence. You cannot start preparing when you see a call, because some calls may not stay open long. Keep a ready file: an updated CV, a statement of purpose draft you can adapt, attested transcripts, a valid passport and recommenders who already know you might ask. Then check the portal regularly so you spot new calls early.
Where applicants usually go wrong
Based on how the programme is structured, these are the mistakes most worth avoiding:
- Treating ICETEX as one scholarship and copying requirements from one call into another.
- Assuming "government scholarship" means fully funded. Funding is full or partial depending on the agreement.
- Skipping the nationality line in the call terms.
- Submitting English-only documents when the call asks for Spanish translations.
- Leaving portal registration to the final day. If you hit technical problems, contact the ICETEX support lines rather than giving up, and do it early enough that the deadline does not pass while you wait.
- Writing a generic statement of purpose. Calls exist to build academic ties with Colombia, so explain why Colombia and why that specific institution or field.
If a call is partial and you need a visa, your own finances will be checked. Our guide to bank statements and proof of funds explains how to prepare that side properly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for an ICETEX scholarship?
Go to the official ICETEX scholarship portal, choose an open call, and follow the application instructions given for that program. Applications are submitted online through the portal.
Are ICETEX scholarships fully funded?
Not always. Funding can be full or partial, depending on the specific scholarship agreement. Check the benefits section of each individual call.
Is the programme open to Pakistani students?
Eligibility, including nationality, is set by each call. ICETEX runs programs for international students, but you need to confirm in each call's terms that Pakistani nationals can apply.
Do I need to speak Spanish?
Proof of language proficiency is required if the program asks for it, and some calls may require documents translated into Spanish. Read the language requirements of your chosen call carefully.
When is the deadline?
It varies by call. Calls are published periodically throughout the year, so check the portal often and confirm the exact deadline for the call you are applying to.
Which levels of study can I apply for?
Calls can cover undergraduate, Master's, PhD and Specialization study. Each call states which levels it includes.
Check open calls and their exact terms on the official ICETEX scholarships portal, and keep our ICETEX scholarship page handy for the summary details.