The Government of Cuba Scholarship is one of the few ways a Pakistani student can get an MBBS-equivalent seat abroad through a government-to-government deal. Cuba and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan run it under a bilateral cultural and educational cooperation agreement. For the 2026-27 academic year there were 11 seats in total: 10 for Medicine and 1 for other disciplines. You can see the full scholarship details on our listing, but this guide walks through what the offer really means for a student and family in Pakistan.
My honest view up front: this is a good deal on tuition and a hard deal on daily life. Cuba pays for your studies and housing, but the food it provides is not halal, the teaching is typically in Spanish, and you will be paying for a lot of things yourself for several years. If you have a strong USAT-M score and your family can cover steady monthly costs, it deserves a serious look. If you were hoping for a fully paid ride, it is not that.
The offer in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding type | Partial funding |
| Level | Bachelor's (Medicine / MBBS equivalent, plus 1 seat in other disciplines) |
| Seats (2026-27 cycle) | 11 (10 Medicine, 1 other) |
| Usually opens | February |
| Deadline | March 31 (annual, 2:00 PM), through the HEC portal |
| Country | Cuba |
| Managed by | Government of Cuba and HEC Pakistan |
| Official site | HEC scholarship portal |
What Cuba pays for, and the bills that stay with you
The Government of Cuba covers your full tuition fee, hostel accommodation and toiletries. It also provides food. HEC Pakistan gives you one return air ticket, used at joining and on completion of the program.
That sounds generous until you read the next part. The food Cuba provides is not halal, so Pakistani students are expected to arrange and pay for their own halal food for the whole program. You also pay for:
- Halal food, which is the largest personal expense
- Medical insurance
- Visa fees
- Personal living costs, such as hygiene products, phone and internet, and occasional travel
Monthly personal expenses for international students in Cuba are estimated at USD 150-300 on top of what the government provides, depending on lifestyle. Treat that as a rough estimate, not a promise. Multiply it across a full medical degree and you can see why families need to plan before applying, not after nomination.
Why your USAT-M score decides almost everything
Nomination is based only on USAT (Undergraduate Scholarship Aptitude Test) scores. For the 10 medicine seats, HEC considers only the USAT-M (medical) score. There is no interview score, essay or extracurricular weighting to make up for a weak test. Basic eligibility still has to be met, but once you clear it, the ranking is the test.
So if you are a year or two away from applying, the single most useful thing you can do is prepare properly for USAT-M. Your score has to be obtained on or after March 31, 2025 to count for this cycle, so check the validity window again when the next announcement comes out.
Eligibility for Pakistani students
This is a bilateral scholarship only for Pakistani nationals, administered by HEC. Students from other countries who want to study medicine in Cuba are told to contact the Cuban embassy in their own country instead. To apply through HEC you need to be:
- A Pakistani or AJK national, aged 18-25 years on the application closing date
- Holding 70% or above in FSc/A-Level (Pre-Medical) and 60% or above in SSC/Matric
- An MDCAT pass with at least 50% marks, which PMDC/PMC requires for admission abroad
- In possession of a valid USAT score (USAT-M for medicine seats)
- Medically fit, with an HIV/AIDS test report from a government hospital
Result-awaiting candidates are not eligible. If your FSc result is still pending when the window opens, you will have to wait for the next cycle.
The paperwork, including the Spanish translation step
The document list is long and most of it needs attestation. Here is what you will need:
- Completed and signed HEC online application form
- SSC/Matric certificate with IBCC and MOFA attestation
- FSc/Intermediate certificate with IBCC and MOFA attestation
- NADRA birth certificate with MOFA attestation
- Copy of your father's or guardian's CNIC
- Original No Criminal Record Certificate, MOFA attested
- Valid passport with more than 6 months validity
- 10 colour passport-size photographs (1x1 inch)
- Medical certificate including the HIV/AIDS test report from a government hospital, MOFA attested
On top of this, all documents must be translated into Spanish by NUML (National University of Modern Languages) in Islamabad. NUML has the official mandate in Pakistan for certified Spanish translations for Cuban scholarship applications, and translations from private agencies are typically not accepted by HEC or the Cuban government. Contact NUML's Spanish Department early to ask about current turnaround times and fees, because those are not fixed in advance.
IBCC and MOFA attestation take weeks. If you have not done this before, our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains the process in order.
Applying on the HEC portal
Everything goes through HEC. You do not apply to a Cuban university directly.
- Go to scholarship.hec.gov.pk and complete your profile.
- Under "Learning Opportunities Abroad", find and select the Cuba scholarship announcement.
- Upload your USAT score card in the documents section. The upload field is labelled "Do you have previous HAT score/result card", which confuses people, but that is where the USAT card goes.
- Fill in every required field and make sure your email address and phone number actually work.
- Submit, then print and sign a copy for your own records.
- If HEC shortlists you, submit all attested original documents. Hard copies are not needed until shortlisting.
- Start the NUML Spanish translations in parallel so they are ready if you are nominated.
HEC also has a dedicated Cuba scholarship announcement page with the seat breakdown and instructions for each cycle. Read it alongside the portal listing.
From February announcement to August departure
The cycle usually runs like this:
- February: HEC posts the Cuba scholarship on its portal.
- March 31, 2:00 PM: application deadline. It is described as firm with no extensions, but confirm the exact date and time on the official portal each year.
- April to May: HEC shortlists on USAT-M scores and basic eligibility.
- After shortlisting: attested originals and NUML Spanish translations are submitted.
- May to June: HEC nominates selected candidates to the Cuban authorities.
- August to September: visa processing, HEC air ticket and departure to Cuba.
The Cuban Embassy in Islamabad (House 56, Street 2, F-8/3, phone +92-51-2852742) handles student visa requirements and bilateral coordination. Contact them after your HEC nomination is confirmed, not before. Their site is misiones.minrex.gob.cu/en/pakistan. Once you are in Havana, the Embassy of Pakistan in Cuba (Calle 26, No. 515 e/ 5ta y 7ma, Miramar, phone +53-7-2042548) provides consular help such as passport renewal, attestation and emergency assistance.
The PMDC/PMC catch after you graduate
Cuban medical degrees are recognised by PMDC/PMC. Recognition is not the same as registration, though. When you return to Pakistan you must sit the NEB/NRE examination and meet all PMDC/PMC requirements for foreign medical graduates. The degree alone does not give you automatic registration. Plan for that exam from your early years in Cuba rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Who this suits, and where applicants go wrong
This scholarship suits a student with a strong USAT-M result, an MDCAT pass, a family that can send money every month, and the patience to learn Spanish. Medical programs in Cuba are typically taught in Spanish, and you may need a Spanish preparatory course on arrival. Competition is often described as lower than for other HEC bilateral scholarships, mostly because of Cuba's conditions, but with only 10 medicine seats you should not count on that.
Students who should think twice are those who cannot reliably fund halal food and insurance for the full program, and those who are uncomfortable living in a socialist state whose daily life is very different from Pakistan. Read about Cuba's laws and living conditions before you apply, not after you are shortlisted.
The mistakes I would warn you about:
- Leaving IBCC and MOFA attestation until after shortlisting. It takes weeks.
- Waiting for nomination before contacting NUML. The translation takes time and has to be ready if you are selected.
- Using an email or phone number you rarely check. HEC communicates shortlisting only through these channels.
- Applying with a pending FSc result, which makes you ineligible.
- Calling it a free degree at home and then running short on food money in the first semester.
For a broader checklist of what international scholarships usually ask for, see our documents checklist for international scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Is the food in Cuba halal for Pakistani students?
No. The food the Cuban government provides is not halal. Pakistani students have to arrange and pay for their own halal food for the entire program, and it is the biggest ongoing personal cost.
Do I need to speak Spanish before I go?
Medical programs in Cuba are typically taught in Spanish, and you may need to complete a Spanish preparatory course when you arrive. All your documents must also be translated into Spanish by NUML before submission.
Is the Cuban MBBS valid in Pakistan?
The degree is recognised by PMDC/PMC, but you must pass the NEB/NRE examination and meet all PMDC/PMC requirements to register as a foreign medical graduate.
How does HEC pick candidates?
Selection is based entirely on USAT scores. For the 10 Medicine seats, only USAT-M scores are used, and you must also meet the age, marks and MDCAT conditions.
Can I apply if I am waiting for my FSc result?
No. Result-awaiting candidates are not eligible for this scholarship.
Does the scholarship pay my flights?
HEC provides one return air ticket, covering travel at joining and on completion. Visa fees, insurance and other travel are your own cost.
Before you apply, check the current cycle, seats and deadline on the HEC scholarship portal, and keep the Government of Cuba Scholarship page handy for the full details.