Pakistani students hoping to pursue a PhD in the United States have a new funding option through the Higher Education Commission's US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor scholarship program. The scheme offers fully funded doctoral study at universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings' top 100 in the United States. The scholarship is open only to Pakistani and Azad Jammu and Kashmir nationals who are applying for direct PhD admission; it does not cover Master's programs or MS-to-PhD pathways. Applicants must have completed at least 16 years of education, equivalent to a four-year bachelor's degree, and must have a consistent academic record with no lower than a second division. There is also an age limit: candidates can be up to 40 years old if they are regular government employees, public-sector university faculty, or staff at approved public-sector research organizations, while other applicants must be under 35. Funding is split into two categories depending on where an applicant is admitted. Students admitted to universities ranked in the QS top 50 receive full tuition coverage according to the university's invoice, along with an annual stipend of $19,200 and $2,000 per year toward health insurance. Those admitted to universities ranked 51st to 100th receive tuition support of up to $12,000 per year, along with the same stipend and insurance benefits. Applicants must first secure admission to a qualifying US university before applying for the scholarship. They should also not be holding any other scholarship at the time of application. HEC has noted that the scholarship may not cover all expenses, so applicants are encouraged to arrange any additional funding they might need from their university. Applications are submitted online through the HEC scholarship portal at scholarship.hec.gov.pk. The deadline for the Spring/Summer 2027 intake is October 30, 2026, while students aiming for the Fall 2027 intake have until March 30, 2027, to apply.