Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony extended the application deadline for its Minorities Scholarship 2026-27, also known as the Pakistan Minorities Welfare Fund Scholarship, from October 4 to October 19, 2026. The scholarship is a federal programme for students belonging to recognized religious minority communities, including Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrian students, who are enrolled at the school, college, or university level. The ministry first advertised the scholarship on September 5, 2026. To be eligible, applicants must hold Pakistani citizenship, be enrolled in a government-recognized educational institution, demonstrate genuine financial need alongside satisfactory academic performance, meet verified household income limits, and obtain endorsement from their institution. Applications were submitted through an online registration process on the ministry's website, where students registered using their CNIC or B-Form number, selected their academic level, and completed their educational profile. Applicants were also required to upload supporting documents, including marks sheets, fee vouchers, national identity documents, attested transcripts, utility bills, and income certificates. The ministry said the extended October 19 deadline was final, with applications submitted after midnight on that date rejected automatically. The extension gave applicants an additional fifteen days beyond the original cut-off. With the application window now closed, the ministry's verification process is expected to begin, with merit lists and award letters anticipated by late November 2026. The scholarship notice did not specify a stipend or award amount. Students and families with questions about the status of their applications can contact the ministry's helpline at 051-9208487, or the Section Officer IH-II handling the programme, for further guidance on the verification timeline.