UK, Allied Bank launch fully funded master's scholarships for Pakistanis

The UK government's Chevening programme and Allied Bank Limited (ABL) have announced a partnership to provide fully funded master's scholarships to Pakistani students at leading British universities, according to The Express Tribune and Express News.

A British High Commission statement said two Pakistani scholars will receive funding each year for three academic years, beginning in 2027-28. The scheme is called the Chevening-ABL Scholarship.

The first two Chevening-ABL scholars will be chosen from the existing applicant pool for the 2027-28 academic year. Applications for the 2028-29 scholarships are expected to open in August 2027, and successful candidates will begin their studies in the UK in 2028.

Express News reported that scholarship students will study artificial intelligence, technology, cybersecurity, digital transformation, economics and financial inclusion. It described Allied Bank as the first organisation in Pakistan to provide local funding for a Chevening scholarship partnership.

Aizid Gill, President and CEO of Allied Bank, studied MSc Business Economics at the University of Manchester as a Chevening scholar in 2001. He said: "The ABL-Chevening Scholarship is about giving talented Pakistanis the opportunity to learn, grow and bring that exposure back home."

British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said: "Pakistan's greatest strength is its people."

Chevening is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations, and has offered fully funded one-year master's degrees since 1983. Close to 60,000 people from more than 160 countries and territories have studied in the UK through the programme. According to Express News, it works with more than 140 organisations, including private companies, NGOs, foreign government departments and UK universities.