The KDDP Scholarship (Kohat Division Development Program) is a Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa scheme run under the Higher Education, Archives & Libraries Department. It pays for bachelor's degrees in expensive, high-demand fields like MBBS, engineering, AI and data sciences, and it is aimed squarely at students from four districts: Karak, Hangu, Kohat and Lakki Marwat. If your family is poor, you hold a domicile from one of these districts and you have already won a merit seat in one of the listed programs, this is one of the most valuable awards you can get inside Pakistan. You can see the full scholarship details on our listing.
It is a narrow scheme, though. It does not help you get admission, it does not cover every university or every degree, and it has a hard poverty cut-off. Most rejections come from students who assume otherwise.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded: full educational expenses plus a monthly stipend |
| Level | Bachelor's |
| Seats | 154 in the 3rd Batch (2025-26) |
| Poverty requirement | BISP-NSER poverty score between 0 and 45 |
| Deadline | Typically opens around August; the exact date is set per batch and per university, so confirm it |
| Country | Pakistan (study at approved Pakistani universities) |
| Official site | HEALD KPK portal |
Four districts, one domicile rule
KDDP is a regional program. You must hold a valid domicile certificate from Karak, Hangu, Kohat or Lakki Marwat. Living or studying in Kohat on a domicile from Peshawar, Bannu or anywhere else does not count. Seats are allocated district by district, which keeps one district from taking the whole batch.
For the 3rd Batch, the published district split was Karak 36, Hangu 30, Kohat 31 and Lakki Marwat 15. Seat allocations are set batch by batch, so confirm the current figures for your district with your university or on the HEALD KPK portal before you plan around them. Lakki Marwat applicants in particular should know the competition for a small quota can be tight.
The 0 to 45 poverty score is the real gatekeeper
This is the condition that catches people out. KDDP requires a BISP-NSER poverty score between 0 and 45. The score comes from the National Socio-Economic Registry survey carried out by BISP (Benazir Income Support Programme). It is not something your university calculates and it is not based on an income certificate you get signed locally.
If your household has been surveyed, you can check the score through the BISP helpline (0800-26477) or at a BISP Tehsil Office. If your household was never surveyed, you can ask for a re-survey at your nearest BISP office. Allow several weeks for this. Students who wait until the form is in their hand often find they cannot get the score documented in time.
My honest advice: check your score the moment you start thinking about this scholarship, even before admission results are out. If it is above 45, KDDP is not an option for you and you should put your energy into other scholarships.
Which degrees and universities KDDP pays for
The program list is specific. KDDP does not fund any BS at any university. The eligible options are:
- MBBS at KMU and affiliated public medical colleges
- BS Nursing at KMU
- BE Petroleum & Gas Engineering at UET Lahore and BUITEMS
- BE Energy, Electrical Power, Mechanical, Chemical & Mineral, Mining, Water Resource and Civil Engineering at UET Peshawar campuses
- BE Materials Engineering at GIKI
- BS Artificial Intelligence, BS Data Sciences and BS Robotics at PAF-IAST
These are costly degree tracks, and they are the ones lower-income families in the region have historically struggled to pay for and sustain. If you are aiming for something outside this list (a BBA, a BS Computer Science at a different university, or a private medical college), KDDP will not help, however strong your case is.
What full funding means here
The scholarship covers full educational expenses at the approved university and pays a monthly stipend. The source describes it as zero cost to the student. The stipend amount is not published in the information we have, so ask your university's scholarship office what the current rate is and how often it is paid.
One condition matters for the whole duration: you cannot hold any other scholarship at the same time. If you are offered another award after KDDP comes through, you must formally notify the KDDP Management Unit and choose one. Hiding a second scholarship can lead to cancellation and possible legal consequences under the scholarship agreement.
Eligibility in plain terms
You qualify only if all four of these are true:
- You hold a valid domicile of Karak, Hangu, Kohat or Lakki Marwat.
- You are already admitted on merit to an approved university in one of the eligible programs.
- You are not receiving any other scholarship.
- Your household's BISP-NSER poverty score is between 0 and 45.
Notice the order of things. Admission comes first. KDDP is not a route into a university, it is support for students who have already earned a merit seat.
Paperwork to have ready
The document list is short, which makes accuracy more important. Providing false information leads to automatic cancellation.
- KDDP application form, which you get from your university
- Valid domicile certificate (Karak, Hangu, Kohat or Lakki Marwat)
- University admission letter or enrollment proof showing merit-based admission
- BISP-NSER poverty score documentation
- Academic transcripts: Matric and FSc (or equivalent) certificates
Keep several photocopies of each and make sure names and dates match across the domicile, certificates and admission letter. For a general checklist of how to organise scholarship paperwork, see our documents checklist guide.
Applying through your university, not HED
The application route is different from most government scholarships. You do not apply online to a central portal and you do not post anything to Peshawar.
- Secure admission on merit to an approved university in an eligible program.
- Collect the KDDP application form directly from your university.
- Fill in every field and attach all supporting documents.
- Submit the completed form to your university only.
- The ISAC committee reviews applications and shortlists candidates.
- Selected students are notified and the scholarship is disbursed.
Step 4 is where some students lose out. An application sent directly to the Higher Education Department or the KDDP Management Unit is invalid. It goes to your university, nowhere else.
How the timing works
New batches have typically opened around August, and announcements appear on the HEALD KPK portal. The Chief Minister KPK scholarship portal is also worth monitoring for KDDP and other provincial scholarship news. The practical deadline, though, is your university's. Each university sets its own date for collecting KDDP forms, so ask the scholarship or financial aid office as soon as you are enrolled.
The sequence looks like this: admission first, then the form is submitted by the university's deadline, then ISAC review and shortlisting, then disbursement once you are confirmed. There is no fixed published date for results, so do not count on the stipend arriving in your first weeks of classes.
Where applicants go wrong
From the way this scheme is set up, the common mistakes are predictable. Students apply before getting admission. They assume an income certificate replaces the BISP-NSER score. They pick a program or university that is not on the list. They send the form to HED. Or they keep a second scholarship and say nothing.
Who is this best for? A student from one of the four districts who has a confirmed merit seat in MBBS at a KMU-affiliated public college, an engineering seat at UET Peshawar, or an AI or data sciences seat at PAF-IAST, and whose family is already in the BISP registry with a low score. If that describes you, apply without hesitation. If you are still waiting on admission, use the time to sort out your poverty score and domicile.
If KDDP does not fit, look at all Pakistan scholarships for other need-based and merit options.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for KDDP before I get university admission?
No. You must already be admitted on merit to an approved university in an eligible program. The form itself is issued by your university.
My domicile is from Bannu but I live in Kohat. Am I eligible?
No. A valid domicile certificate from Karak, Hangu, Kohat or Lakki Marwat is required. Where you currently live does not change that.
How do I find out my BISP-NSER poverty score?
Call the BISP helpline on 0800-26477 or visit a BISP Tehsil Office. If your household was never surveyed, request a re-survey at your nearest BISP office and leave several weeks for it.
Can I hold KDDP alongside another scholarship?
No. If you receive another scholarship after KDDP is awarded, formally notify the KDDP Management Unit and decline one of them. Concealing it can lead to cancellation and legal consequences.
Is BS Computer Science covered?
It is not on the eligible list. The computing-related options are BS Artificial Intelligence, BS Data Sciences and BS Robotics at PAF-IAST.
Who do I contact with questions?
Start with your university's scholarship office, since it handles the form and submission. For eligibility and documentation queries, the HEALD office in Peshawar is the contact point.
For new batch announcements, check the official HEALD KPK portal, and keep the full KDDP scholarship page handy for the eligibility details in one place.