A new door has opened for Pakistani students dreaming of a master’s degree in the United Kingdom. The UK government’s prestigious Chevening Scholarship programme has joined hands with Allied Bank Limited (ABL), making the bank the first Pakistani organisation to fund Chevening scholarships locally. Under the new partnership, two fully funded master’s scholarships at leading British universities will be offered to Pakistani students every year, beginning with the 2027-28 academic year.
The announcement was made on 3 November 2026 by British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott. The scheme — called the Chevening-ABL Scholarship — will run for three academic years and focuses on the fields Pakistan needs most: artificial intelligence, technology, cybersecurity, digital transformation, economics and financial inclusion. For ambitious young professionals, it is one of the most generous routes to a world-class degree abroad — with every major expense covered.
The Announcement: Pakistan’s First Local Chevening Partner
Jane Marriott announced the partnership in an official statement, describing Allied Bank as the first local Chevening partner in Pakistan. She called it a fitting full-circle moment: Allied Bank’s chief executive, Aizid Gill, is himself a Chevening alumnus who studied in the UK through the programme years ago.
“Pakistan’s greatest strength is its people,” the High Commissioner said, welcoming the bank’s commitment to fund two master’s scholarships in the UK each year. Through this collaboration, Allied Bank will support two Pakistani scholars annually, helping them access international academic opportunities and develop skills they can bring back to contribute to Pakistan’s future. The partnership brings the country’s private sector directly into one of the world’s best-known international scholarship schemes for the first time.
What the Chevening-ABL Scholarship Covers
Chevening is the UK government’s flagship global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). It is a genuinely fully funded award: it covers tuition fees for a one-year taught master’s degree, a monthly living stipend, return economy airfare to the UK, an arrival allowance, a homeward departure allowance, the cost of one visa application, and a travel grant to attend Chevening events across the country.
The Chevening-ABL Scholarship carries the same benefits, with Allied Bank’s funding supporting the two Pakistani scholars each year. Scholars will enrol at leading universities in the United Kingdom and join a worldwide network of more than 55,000 Chevening alumni — including over 2,000 Pakistanis already working in public service, business, academia, media and civil society. For a full picture of the other awards available to local students, see our complete guide to scholarships for Pakistani students.
Who Can Benefit: Subjects, Eligibility and Key Dates
The partnership is designed to invest in Pakistan’s next generation of leaders in future-critical fields. Scholarship students will study artificial intelligence, technology, cybersecurity, digital transformation, economics and financial inclusion — areas where the country urgently needs trained talent, from building secure digital systems to widening access to financial services.
Timing matters. The first two Chevening-ABL scholars for the 2027-28 academic year will be selected from the existing pool of Chevening applicants, so there is no separate application for the inaugural year. Applications for the 2028-29 Chevening-ABL Scholarships are expected to open in August 2027 as part of the regular Chevening cycle, with successful candidates beginning their studies in the United Kingdom in 2028. Students planning ahead should also keep an eye on HEC, provincial and other foreign awards listed in our scholarships roundup.
Standard Chevening eligibility applies. Applicants must be Pakistani citizens who have not previously studied in Britain on a UK government-funded scholarship. They need an undergraduate degree and at least two years of work experience, and must apply to three eligible one-year taught master’s courses at UK universities. Crucially, scholars agree to return to Pakistan for at least two years after completing the degree — the point of the scheme is that the skills come home.
Why This Partnership Matters for Pakistan
More than 2,000 Chevening alumni are already shaping Pakistan’s public service, businesses, universities and newsrooms. Until now, the programme has been funded entirely from London. By putting its own money behind two scholarships a year, Allied Bank becomes the first Pakistani organisation to invest directly in the scheme — a model that could encourage other companies to follow.
The choice of subjects is deliberate. Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are no longer niche disciplines; they decide how banks, governments and hospitals will operate in the coming decade. A Pakistani professional trained at a top British university in these fields — fully funded, with no debt — can return to build local capacity that lasts far longer than any single project. If the partnership proves successful over its three-year run, it may become a template for how Pakistan’s corporate sector backs world-class education for its own talent.
Sub News English reported the same three-year timeline. Khabr.pk reported the details of the partnership.
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