This hub collects the 27 global programs we cover that are not tied to a single host country. Most of them are run by companies, foundations or international bodies such as the UN agencies, so you apply to the funder instead of a national government. The mix is wide: PhD fellowships from tech companies, women-only STEM awards, master's funding from development organisations, paid UN internships and a group of professional fellowships for people already working in a field.
For a Pakistani student, the strongest fits are clear from the data. If you are heading for a PhD abroad, HEC Overseas Scholarships for PhD is the one program in this list built specifically for Pakistani students. If you are a woman in science or engineering, several awards here are reserved for you. If you are a fresh graduate who wants international experience, the UN internships are open year-round. A few programs, mainly the African Union and Mastercard Foundation ones, are aimed at other regions, so read their guides before spending time on an application.
All 27 global scholarships and fellowships at a glance
Every program below links to our full guide. Where the official source does not fix a date, the table says the deadline varies. Treat those as "check the official site before you plan anything".
PhD funding for Pakistani students in computing and STEM
This is the deepest part of the list, and it rewards students who already have a strong research record. Several of these awards depend on a professor nominating you, which means your relationship with your supervisor matters as much as your CV.
HEC Overseas Scholarships for PhD
HEC Overseas Scholarships for PhD is a government-funded, fully funded scholarship for Pakistani students to take a doctorate at top-ranked universities abroad. Because it is designed for Pakistani applicants, you are competing in a national pool, not against the whole world. That makes it the most realistic starting point for most readers of this page. The deadline varies by call, so watch for each announcement (full details).
Tech company PhD fellowships
Four companies run PhD awards in this list, and they differ more than the names suggest.
- Meta Research PhD Fellowship is a two-year, fully funded fellowship covering tuition, fees and a $42,000 annual stipend. It is open to any nationality at any accredited university, in fields like AI, machine learning, AR/VR, systems and privacy. The deadline falls around September each year, with September 20, 2026 observed for the 2026 cycle (full details).
- Google PhD Fellowship Program supports graduate students doing exceptional research in computer science and related fields, with funding and access to Google researchers. It is listed as fully funded with a deadline of April 30, 2026 and a status of opening soon, so confirm the next cycle's date (full details).
- NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship Program is a professor-nominated award of up to $60,000 for PhD students in AI, deep learning, computer vision, robotics or accelerated computing. It requires a summer research internship at an NVIDIA lab before the fellowship year. The recent deadline was September 15 (full details).
- IBM PhD Fellowship Award is faculty-nominated and aimed at PhD students within two years of graduation whose research matches IBM's priorities. Award values range from about $6,000 to $40,000 depending on the country of your university. Nominations run through the fall, with awards finalized in Q4 (full details).
Our view: if you are already enrolled in a PhD at a foreign university and work in AI or systems, Meta's fellowship is the best-funded option here on paper, and it explicitly accepts any nationality. NVIDIA and IBM are partial awards and depend on nomination, so start the conversation with your supervisor early. None of these four will fund you to begin a PhD from Pakistan; they support students already in a program.
Awards reserved for women in science and engineering
Pakistani women in STEM have a noticeably better set of options in this list than men do. Five programs are limited to women.
- Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship is fully funded, up to US$50,000 a year, for women from developing countries doing PhD or postdoctoral research in STEM at top universities abroad. The annual deadline is November 7 for the following academic year (full details).
- IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme is fully funded support for women taking master's degrees in nuclear-related fields. The deadline varies (full details).
- Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship gives US$12,000 to women doing PhD or doctoral work in aerospace engineering or space sciences anywhere in the world. The deadline is November 15 for the following year's cycle (full details).
- Zonta International Women in STEM Scholarship is a merit-based, partial award for women in undergraduate or graduate STEM degrees, including computer science, engineering and cybersecurity. Applications typically close mid-January, but this varies by district, so confirm with your local Zonta club (full details).
- Google Women Techmakers Scholars Program offers partial funding plus mentorship for women in computer science, computer engineering or related fields, open to students across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. It usually opens in spring with regional deadlines, and its dates are currently unconfirmed (full details).
Schlumberger is the standout for a Pakistani woman planning a PhD, since it is fully funded and targets developing countries directly. Its November 7 deadline comes before the Zonta November 15 date, so if you qualify for both, prepare one strong research statement and adapt it.
Fully funded master's and peace studies options
Only a handful of programs here pay for a master's degree, and each has a narrow subject focus.
- OPEC Fund Scholarship Programme is fully funded for a master's in development-related fields and is meant for students from developing countries. The deadline varies (full details).
- Rotary Peace Fellowships offers up to 170 fellowships a year for master's degrees and professional development certificates at Rotary Peace Centers. It is fully funded and aimed at experienced professionals in peace and development, so it suits someone with work history more than a fresh graduate. Status is opening soon; the deadline varies (full details).
- The IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship, covered above, also funds master's study for women in nuclear-related fields.
For a development or economics graduate from Pakistan, OPEC Fund is the most direct match here. Rotary is better for someone who has spent a few years in NGO, policy or peacebuilding work.
Paid internships with the UN and international organisations
These are not degree scholarships. They are placements for students and recent graduates, usually with a stipend. For a Pakistani graduate who wants to work in development or humanitarian roles later, an internship line on the CV can matter more than another short course.
UN agency internships with rolling deadlines
- UNDP Internship Programme places interns across UNDP offices in more than 170 countries, with a monthly stipend for interns not otherwise funded. Postings open and close continuously on the UNDP jobs site (full details).
- UNHCR Internship Programme puts students and recent graduates in humanitarian roles at headquarters, global service centres and field offices for 2 to 6 months, with a monthly stipend and travel support. Deadlines vary per vacancy (full details).
- UNICEF Internship Program 2026 is listed as fully funded, with a monthly stipend, travel and visa support and mentorship. It is open to enrolled students and recent graduates, needs no IELTS or TOEFL, and accepts applications year-round (full details).
- UNICEF Internship and Fellowship Programme offers internship and professional development placements in the humanitarian sector with mandatory monthly stipends, flexible durations and global placements. The deadline varies (full details).
- UNICEF Traineeship 2027 invites international students to apply for summer internship placements in international settings. Funding is full or partial and the deadline varies (full details).
Other international organisation internships
Organization of American States Internship Program gives students and recent graduates practical experience at the Organization of American States. Deadlines vary by application cycle (full details). World Bank Group Pioneers Internship offers professional experience inside an international development organisation, but our data notes that specific details are currently unavailable because the official link is broken, so verify everything on the World Bank site before applying (full details).
If you want one place to start, the UNICEF internship is the easiest door to open: rolling applications, no English test requirement and travel and visa support in the listing. UNDP and UNHCR are close behind.
Professional fellowships for people already working in a field
The last group suits mid-career applicants more than students. Funding is usually listed as full or partial, which means it depends on the specific track.
- WHO Fellowships and Scholarships for Health Professionals supports health professionals building skills for global health work. The deadline varies (full details).
- FAO Fellowships and Training Programme offers professionals and students experience in food and agriculture with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. The deadline varies (full details).
- Ford Foundation Fellowships, including the Ford Global Fellowship, backs people working on social justice and inequality. The deadline varies (full details).
- Open Society Foundations Fellowships supports public intellectuals and researchers working on human rights, social justice, climate change and inequality. The current deadline has passed, so this one is for next year's planning (full details).
- United Nations Nippon Foundation Fellowship provides research and training in ocean affairs and the law of the sea. Our data notes the official URL was inaccessible at the time of review (full details).
- United Nations Nippon Foundation Fellowship is listed for government officials and other professionals building expertise in ocean affairs and the law of the sea. The deadline varies (full details).
Programs aimed at other regions
African Union Scholarships and Fellowships supports African citizens in line with the goals of Agenda 2063, and deadlines vary by program call (full details). Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program funds secondary, undergraduate and master's study for young people from underrepresented backgrounds, with a focus on Africa and Indigenous communities in Canada (full details). Based on these summaries, most Pakistani applicants will not be the target group, so check eligibility in the guides first.
How to choose between global programs
Start with your stage, not the brand name. A BS graduate in Pakistan has three realistic routes in this list: the UN internships, Zonta Women in STEM or Google Women Techmakers for women in tech, and OPEC Fund or the IAEA fellowship for a funded master's. Someone aiming for a PhD should put HEC first, then Schlumberger if eligible. Students already in a foreign PhD program should look at Meta, Google, NVIDIA and IBM.
Then check the deadline column honestly. Many entries say the deadline varies, which in practice means you need to watch the official site. A fixed date like November 7 or November 15 is easier to plan around, and the rolling UN internships let you apply whenever your documents are ready.
A simple rule: apply to one program built for people like you (HEC, Schlumberger, OPEC Fund) before chasing a global brand where you compete with everyone.
Preparing documents for global applications
Most of these programs want the same core file: transcripts, degree certificates, a CV, a statement of purpose or research proposal and recommendation letters. Nominated awards like NVIDIA and IBM add a professor's nomination, so your supervisor needs time to write it. Internships usually ask for proof of enrolment or recent graduation.
Our documents checklist for international scholarships covers attestation, translations and the order to collect things in. For the wider picture of which schemes suit which profile, see the scholarships guide for Pakistani students.
Frequently asked questions
Which global scholarship is best for a Pakistani PhD applicant?
HEC Overseas Scholarships for PhD is built for Pakistani students and is fully funded, so it should be first on your list. Women in STEM should add the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship.
Do the tech company fellowships accept Pakistani students?
Meta's fellowship says it is open to any nationality at any accredited university. Google, NVIDIA and IBM are described as worldwide or global. All four support students already in a PhD program, and NVIDIA and IBM require a professor's nomination.
Are UN internships paid?
According to our data, UNDP pays a monthly stipend to interns not otherwise funded, UNHCR gives a monthly stipend and travel support, and the UNICEF internship lists a monthly stipend with travel and visa support.
Do I need IELTS for these programs?
The UNICEF Internship Program 2026 states that no IELTS or TOEFL is required. For other programs, check the individual guide, since the requirement depends on the funder and the university.
What does "varies" mean for a deadline?
It means the funder sets dates per call, vacancy or partner institution, or our source could not confirm a fixed date. Check the official website regularly and set your own reminder.
Each program above has its own guide with eligibility, benefits and application steps, plus a link to the funder's official website. Use the guides to shortlist, then confirm every date and requirement on the official site before you submit.