Search “scholarships for nursing students 2026” and you’ll find dozens of blogs promising a single, dedicated, fully-funded “nursing scholarship” that covers everything from tuition to plane tickets. In reality, there is no one program built only for nursing. What actually exists is a small set of government and university programs — some open to all fields including health sciences, one built specifically around nursing education in Pakistan — that a nursing student can genuinely qualify for, if they apply to the right one at the right level.
This guide to scholarships for nursing students only covers programs we verified this week: real official pages, real deadlines, and clear notes on who each one is actually for. If a program is closed right now, we say so and tell you when the next cycle is expected, instead of dressing up an old date as if it’s still open.
Zorvia Take:Most of what’s genuinely open to nursing students right now sits at the postgraduate level (HEC Overseas, Commonwealth) — because a lot of “nursing scholarship” content online is really written for the US market, where undergraduate nursing scholarships are common and simply don’t apply to a Pakistani applicant abroad. If you’re a BScN student still in Pakistan, your most realistic near-term option is need-based financial assistance from your own university, not a foreign government award.
Scholarships Nursing Students Can Actually Apply To
| Program |
Type |
Degree Level |
Where |
| HEC Overseas Scholarships (Phase-III, Batch-IV) |
Government of Pakistan |
MS/MPhil, PhD |
Top 200 QS/THE universities worldwide |
| Commonwealth Scholarships (via HEC nomination) |
Bilateral government (UK) |
Master’s, PhD |
United Kingdom |
| Türkiye Bursları (Türkiye Scholarships) |
Government of Türkiye |
Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD |
Türkiye |
| AKU School of Nursing & Midwifery — Financial Assistance |
University need-based aid |
BScN, MScN |
Pakistan (Karachi) |
Each works differently, so treat these scholarships for nursing students as four separate paths rather than four versions of the same program.
Eligibility Criteria for Scholarships for Nursing Students
| HEC Overseas Scholarships |
Pakistani/AJK nationals already holding a relevant degree. MS track: 16 years’ education, min 3.0/4.0 CGPA, age ≤30 (≤35 for eligible employees). PhD track: 18 years’ education (MS/MPhil held), min 3.0/4.0 CGPA, age ≤35 (≤40 for eligible employees). |
| Commonwealth Scholarships |
Citizens of eligible Commonwealth countries, including Pakistan. Generally requires an upper-second-class (2:1) undergraduate degree or above; must apply through Pakistan’s nominating body (HEC), not directly to the CSC. |
| Türkiye Bursları |
International applicants of any nationality, with some exclusions. Age and academic thresholds vary by degree level; full details are published when each cycle opens. |
| AKU Financial Assistance |
Students already admitted to AKU’s BScN or MScN programmes. Awarded on financial need after admission, not as a separate competitive application. |
Nursing itself doesn’t usually appear as its own eligibility category in these programs — it typically falls under a broader “Health,” “Health Sciences,” or “Health, Biotechnology and Life Sciences” heading, so check the specific thematic area listed in each announcement before assuming you qualify.
What Scholarships for Nursing Students Actually Cover
| Program |
What’s Covered |
Category Note |
| HEC Overseas Scholarships |
Tuition, stipend, health insurance (per project-approved provisions) |
If actual university tuition exceeds the HEC allocation, the candidate must secure their own fee waiver for the difference |
| Commonwealth Scholarships |
Full tuition, monthly stipend, return airfare, and study-related allowances |
Figures are set annually by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in the UK — confirm the current year’s amounts on their official site |
| Türkiye Bursları |
Full tuition, monthly stipend, dormitory accommodation, health insurance, one year of Turkish language training, return airfare |
Stipend amount differs by degree level — check the official announcement for the year you apply |
| AKU Financial Assistance |
Grant-in-aid and/or student loan, scaled to demonstrated financial need |
Not a fixed amount — assessed case by case after admission |
Deadlines & Apply Links for Nursing Student Scholarships
| Scholarship |
Last Date to Apply |
Apply Link |
HEC Overseas Scholarships (MS/MPhil & PhD, Batch-IV)
Open to Pakistani/AJK nationals |
28 August 2026, 4:00 PM (PST) |
HEC e-Services Portal |
Commonwealth Scholarships (via HEC nomination)
HEC’s internal nomination deadline is usually earlier — confirm with HEC |
CSC deadline around 20 October 2026for courses starting September 2027 |
HEC Commonwealth Scholarships Page |
Türkiye Bursları (Türkiye Scholarships)
2026 cycle already closed |
Closed 20 February 2026; next cycle expected around January 2027 |
Official Türkiye Scholarships Portal |
AKU Financial Assistance (BScN/MScN)
Rolling, tied to the admission cycle |
No fixed date — 2026–27 BScN admissions closed 13 May 2026; apply for aid after admission |
AKU Financial Assistance |
Among all the scholarships for nursing students listed above, the HEC Overseas Scholarships deadline is only days away at the time of writing, so if you’re eligible, don’t wait to start the online form.
Pakistan-Specific Tips
For any foreign qualification (British, American, Canadian, or another system), get your IBCC equivalence certificatesorted well before you apply — HEC and AKU both state plainly that applications won’t be processed for final selection without it. For Commonwealth Scholarships specifically, remember you cannot apply directly to the CSC — Pakistani applicants go through HEC as the nominating body, and HEC’s own internal deadline is typically earlier than the CSC’s headline date, so start that paperwork early. If you’re sending prize or stipend money home from abroad, ask your bank about the correct remittance channel so it’s recorded properly for tax purposes.
Watch Out For Scams
Every program listed here is free to apply for through its official portal. Türkiye Bursları’s own guidance explicitly warns that there are no authorized agents or third parties who can submit an application on your behalf — if someone asks for a “processing fee” to apply for you, that’s a red flag. HEC applications do involve a small official processing fee (currently Rs. 3,000 for the Overseas Scholarship track) paid only through the 1LINK payment system on the HEC portal itself — never to an individual’s personal account.
Required Documents
| Passport / CNIC |
Valid for the duration of the application; passport should have at least a year of validity remaining for foreign programs |
| Academic transcripts & degree certificates |
Attested where required; IBCC equivalence certificate needed for foreign-system qualifications |
| IELTS/TOEFL or other language proof |
Not required by HEC for most tracks, but often required by the host university or country program |
| Statement of purpose / research proposal |
Required for HEC PhD tracks, Commonwealth PhD applications, and Türkiye Bursları master’s/PhD applicants |
| Academic reference letters |
Typically two, at least one from an academic supervisor |
| Medical report |
Required for Türkiye Bursları at enrolment stage; translated/apostilled documents may be needed |
Common Mistakes When Applying for Scholarships for Nursing Students
Assuming a BScN student can apply for HEC Overseas Scholarships or Commonwealth Scholarships — both tracks require an existing bachelor’s degree or higher, so they suit postgraduate nursing study, not entry-level BScN.
Skipping the IBCC equivalence certificate because “the transcripts explain everything” — HEC and AKU both reject applications missing it, regardless of how strong the transcripts look.
Applying to Commonwealth Scholarships directly on the CSC website instead of through HEC as the required nominating body.
Paying anyone claiming to submit a Türkiye Bursları application on your behalf — only individual applications through the official portal are accepted.
Waiting until the final week to start a foreign-system equivalence or a translated medical report — both routinely take weeks to process.
FAQ: Scholarships for Nursing Students
Is there a scholarship made only for nursing students?
Not among the major government programs covered here — nursing sits under broader “health” or “health sciences” categories. AKU’s own School of Nursing and Midwifery is the closest thing to a nursing-specific track, and it works through need-based financial assistance rather than a separate competitive scholarship.
Can a BScN student apply for HEC Overseas Scholarships?
Only after completing that degree. The current Batch-IV track is open to MS/MPhil and PhD-level study, so it fits a nurse with a bachelor’s degree already completed who wants to pursue postgraduate study or research abroad — not a current undergraduate.
What if I miss the Türkiye Bursları deadline for this cycle?
The 2026 cycle closed on 20 February 2026, and the next cycle is expected to open around January 2027, based on the program’s usual yearly pattern. Use the months in between to prepare your documents, since a rushed application is one of the most common reasons candidates get placed lower than they hoped.
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Official Sources
Scholarships for nursing students change between cycles, so always confirm current details, deadlines, and required documents directly on each official site before applying.
Last updated: August 2026 | Written by: The Zorvia Team
Zorvia Team is the editorial team behind Zorvia Magazine, dedicated to researching and verifying fully-funded scholarships for students in Pakistan and around the world. The team tracks official university and government scholarship portals to bring accurate eligibility criteria, deadlines, and application guidance to readers.
Looking for fully funded scholarship for training nursing
Thank you for your comment! You’ll find the full list of verified, fully funded nursing scholarship programs — along with eligibility criteria and direct apply links — in the article above. Feel free to ask if you have questions about a specific program. Good luck!
Am a nursing student requesting for a scholarship to study in Australia
Thanks for reaching out! This guide focuses on Pakistan-eligible nursing scholarships (HEC, Commonwealth, Turkiye Burslari, AKU), so Australia-specific options may differ slightly. We’d recommend checking Australia Awards Scholarships directly, and keep an eye on our site — we’re planning a dedicated Australia scholarships guide soon. Best of luck with your application!
I really need this scholarship for my education and future occupation. Would be highly grateful if you grant me this scholarship successful
Hey Musa, just so you know we’re more of a guide site, we don’t hand out scholarships ourselves lol. But the links and requirements in the article are legit, so apply straight through those. Hoping it works out for you
Make me one of your students who could be granted this big opportunity of scholarship to study abroad, that would make me very grateful to u
Hey Musa, so we’re not actually the ones giving out the scholarship, we just put together info about them on the site lol. Best move is checking the eligibility part in the article and applying directly there. Good luck man
I’m a nursing student in Cameroon requesting for a scholarship anywhere available
Hi Mercy! Glad this reached you — the article has real nursing scholarships listed with their eligibility, so start there. Also check our Fully Funded Scholarships guide, some options there are open to students from Cameroon too. Good luck!