The Omani Scholarship Program is a small bilateral scheme that lets Pakistani students do a Bachelor's degree at selected private universities in Oman. It is offered by the Sultanate of Oman under the Omani Program for Cultural and Scientific Cooperation, and on the Pakistani side it runs through HEC Pakistan and the Embassy of Pakistan in Muscat. You can read the full scholarship details on our listing, but this guide focuses on what actually decides whether you get one of these seats: the paperwork order, the timing, and knowing which of the two seat types you are really competing for.
The headline number to keep in mind is 10. For the 2025-26 cycle there were 10 scholarships in total: 2 fully funded and 8 that waive tuition only. That is a very small pool, and most winners will be paying their own living costs. If you go in expecting a free ride, you will likely be disappointed. If you go in knowing that a tuition waiver at an Omani private university is the realistic outcome, this can still be a sensible option.
Who this scholarship suits, and who should look elsewhere
This program is for recent FSc, A-Level or equivalent graduates who want an undergraduate degree in Engineering, IT, Humanities or the Sciences. It suits students who are young enough (23 or under), who finished Intermediate within the last 3 years, and whose families can cover rent, food and flights if they land one of the tuition-only seats.
It is a poor fit for three groups. First, anyone hoping to study Medicine: Medicine is specifically excluded. Second, anyone applying for a Master's or PhD, since only Bachelor's study is covered. Third, students who need full funding to travel at all. With only 2 fully funded seats, you should not build your plans around getting one.
The program is bilateral and specifically for Pakistani nationals, so eligibility by nationality is clear. Students from other countries are pointed toward Sultan Qaboos University or the Ministry of Higher Education Oman instead.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Full (2 seats) or tuition waiver only (8 seats), based on the 2025-26 cycle |
| Study level | Bachelor's |
| Fields | Engineering, IT and Computing, Humanities, Sciences (Medicine excluded) |
| Deadline | Varies by university; HEC recommends finishing all steps before August 25 |
| Country | Oman (selected private higher education institutions) |
| Managed by | Government of Sultanate of Oman, HEC Pakistan, Embassy of Pakistan in Muscat |
| Official site | HEC Pakistan Omani Scholarship announcement |
Two seat types, two very different deals
The difference between the fully funded and tuition-only seats is large enough that you should treat them as two separate offers.
A fully funded seat covers 100% of tuition, a monthly stipend, and one round-trip air ticket per academic year. The stipend is OMR 200 a month if you are not given housing (roughly USD 520), or OMR 140 a month if housing is provided. That is real support for a student in Muscat, where living costs are described as moderate for the Gulf region.
A tuition-waiver seat covers 100% of tuition fees and nothing else. Accommodation, your air ticket and every other expense are yours to pay. Before you apply, sit down with your family and work out whether you could cover a full year of rent, food, transport and flights without the stipend. If the answer is no, a tuition waiver alone may not be enough to make the move work.
The source material does not say how the 2 fully funded seats are allocated among selected students, so do not assume a strong application automatically lands one. Ask HEC or the embassy if this matters to your decision.
The eligibility rules, in plain terms
- You must be a Pakistani national with a valid passport.
- You must have completed Intermediate (Grade 12) or equivalent within the last 3 years.
- You must be 23 years or younger at the time of application.
- You must be medically fit.
- You must obtain an Equivalency Certificate from the Omani Ministry of Education.
- Your educational documents must be attested by IBCC and MOFA before you use them.
The last two points are where most delays happen, and they are linked. You cannot get the Omani equivalency without attested certificates, and you cannot complete the application without the equivalency.
Why the Omani Equivalency Certificate comes before everything else
This certificate confirms that your Pakistani qualifications are equivalent to Omani standards. It has to come from the Omani Ministry of Education before your application can be processed, and the process takes several weeks. HEC's advice is to start it as early as June.
To request it, email qualifications@moe.om with:
- your IBCC and MOFA attested Matric certificate
- your IBCC and MOFA attested Intermediate certificate
- a copy of your passport
- a formal request letter giving your full name, passport number and Pakistani nationality, and stating that you are applying for an Omani scholarship
Write this email formally and politely, and say plainly what you need and why. A vague email that just attaches documents is easy to set aside.
The catch is attestation. IBCC and MOFA attestation alone can take 2-4 weeks, so if you wait until June to start it, your equivalency request will slip into July and leave you little room before August 25. Get the attestations done before June if you possibly can. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide walks through that process.
The documents to have ready
- Valid passport
- Intermediate (FSc or A-Level) certificate, IBCC and MOFA attested
- Matric (SSC or O-Level) certificate, IBCC and MOFA attested
- Omani Equivalency Certificate
- English language proficiency results, if you have them or if your chosen university requires them
The English test is listed as conditional, so check each university's requirement on the study portal rather than assuming you need one or don't. For a general list of what scholarship files usually include, see our documents checklist for international scholarships.
The application route through universities, the ministry and the embassy
Once the equivalency process is underway, there are three steps. Do them in this order.
- Apply to universities. You can apply to up to 3 universities and choose up to 2 majors through the Study in Oman portal at tinyurl.com/studyinoman. This link also has the full list of participating universities, their programs and their individual deadlines. The portal is also referenced as studyinoman.com.
- Register with the Omani Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation on its student registration portal.
- Email the Embassy of Pakistan in Muscat at parepmuscat@mofa.gov.pk with your complete details, including your name, program and chosen university. State clearly that you are applying for the Omani Scholarship.
HEC also lists its own scholarship portal for Pakistani applicants and says forms and documents are submitted there when the Oman cycle opens. Because the process involves several offices, read the current year's announcement on the HEC website carefully and confirm exactly where each part of your application must be submitted. Do not assume last year's route is unchanged.
Use all 3 university choices. The advice from the program itself is to apply to the maximum to improve your chances of both admission and scholarship placement. Applying to one university to save effort is one of the easier mistakes to avoid.
A realistic timeline from June to the first semester
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before June | Finish IBCC and MOFA attestation of Matric and Intermediate certificates |
| June | Email qualifications@moe.om to start the Equivalency Certificate |
| June to July | Complete any remaining attestations |
| July | University applications open; apply to up to 3 universities on the study portal |
| Varies by institution | Individual university deadlines, listed on the study portal |
| August 25 | Recommended date to have all steps completed |
| September to October | Academic year begins at Omani universities |
August 25 is a recommendation, not a single fixed cut-off. The real deadline depends on each university, and some may close earlier. Confirm the exact deadline on the official portal and for every university you pick. Treat August 25 as the latest safe date, not your target.
Send your email to the Pakistani Embassy in Muscat as early as you can. Early submissions help the embassy with coordination, and you gain nothing by holding it back.
What life in Oman looks like for a Pakistani student
Oman is a Muslim-majority country with halal food available everywhere and a strong Pakistani expatriate community. Muscat, the capital, is modern and well connected internationally, and Pakistan and Oman have historically strong bilateral relations. The country is generally described as safe, clean and less crowded than some Gulf neighbors, and more conservative too.
The weather is the main adjustment. Summer temperatures go above 40°C, though university campuses are air-conditioned. Proximity matters as well: flights home from Oman are short and relatively affordable, which helps if you are on a tuition-only seat and paying your own fares.
Mistakes that cost applicants their place
- Starting attestation in June. By then you should already be emailing the Omani Ministry of Education.
- Choosing Medicine or a field outside Engineering, IT, Humanities and Sciences. It will not be considered.
- Missing the age or 3-year Intermediate limit. Check both against the date you apply, not the date you start university.
- Applying to only one university when three are allowed.
- Treating August 25 as the deadline when your chosen university may close earlier.
- Planning finances around the stipend. Most seats are tuition-only.
One more point in your favour: the program describes competition as relatively low compared with many international scholarships. That does not mean easy. It means a complete, early, correctly ordered application has a fair chance of standing out.
Frequently asked questions
Can I study Medicine on the Omani scholarship?
No. Medicine is specifically excluded. The available fields are Engineering, IT and Computing, Humanities and Sciences.
How much is the monthly stipend?
Only the 2 fully funded seats include a stipend. It is OMR 200 per month (about USD 520) if housing is not provided, or OMR 140 per month if it is. Tuition-waiver seats have no stipend.
How long does the Equivalency Certificate take?
Several weeks. Start it as early as June, and have your IBCC and MOFA attestations done before that, since attestation alone can take 2-4 weeks.
I finished FSc four years ago. Can I still apply?
The rule is that Intermediate or equivalent must have been completed within the last 3 years, and you must be 23 or younger when you apply. If you fall outside either limit, you do not meet the published criteria. Check with HEC if your case is borderline.
Where do I find the list of participating universities?
The full list of universities, programs and individual deadlines is on the Study in Oman portal.
Can students from other countries apply?
No. This is a bilateral program for Pakistani nationals only. Others interested in Oman can look at Sultan Qaboos University or the Ministry of Higher Education Oman.
Check the current announcement on the HEC Pakistan website before you start, and keep the Omani scholarship page handy for contacts and links as you work through each step.