The federal government has opened registrations for a programme that pays back up to Rs 70,000 of the cost of an international IT certification. Under the Prime Minister’s IT Certification Reimbursement Program, run by the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, eligible IT graduates and professionals who pass an approved exam can claim the money back. The idea is simple: you pay the exam fee first, pass the test, and the government reimburses the cost, up to the Rs 70,000 cap. For many young professionals, that removes the biggest obstacle to getting certified — the price of the exam itself.
What the programme offers
The headline figure is Rs 70,000 per approved certification, and programme guidance allows up to three certifications per candidate — so someone who passes three approved exams could, in principle, claim up to Rs 210,000 back in total. But the figure comes with an important condition: Rs 70,000 is the maximum reimbursement, not a fixed payment. The actual amount depends on the eligible expenses for the exam taken, so a cheaper exam means a smaller reimbursement. Registration is open now on PSEB’s Tech Destination Skills portal, and the programme page was last updated on 28 October 2026. There is no closing date announced, so interested candidates should not assume the window stays open indefinitely.
Which certifications are covered
The programme covers internationally recognised certifications from five of the biggest names in technology: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, Google, Cisco and Oracle. These are the certificates employers ask for most often, from cloud computing and networking to data and security. The full approved list sits on the Tech Destination Skills portal, and candidates must pick from that list — a certificate from a provider outside the list will not qualify for reimbursement. The money makes a real difference here: associate-level exams from these providers typically cost between about $150 and $300, so Rs 70,000 can cover most, and in many cases all, of a single exam fee at current exchange rates.
Who can apply
The programme is aimed at Pakistani IT graduates and professionals. PSEB’s guidelines also open it to final-year students of four-year BS IT or ICT degrees, freelancers, job seekers and working professionals who want to strengthen their credentials. Applicants need a valid CNIC and a degree, transcript or student ID from an institution recognised by the Higher Education Commission. The common thread is that applicants must already be in the technology field or studying towards it — this is a skills programme for people building a career in IT, not a general scholarship. Similar skills initiatives are already running, including an Aramco-backed free robotics training programme for 10,000 students, and Pakistan recently secured 11 education agreements with China focused on youth skills.
How to apply, step by step
Applying happens entirely online through the Tech Destination Skills portal. First, visit skills.techdestination.com and create an account. Then complete your personal and educational profile, and upload your CNIC and academic transcripts. Next, select an approved certification from the portal’s list and register for the exam with the certification provider, paying the fee yourself. After you pass the examination, go back to the portal and submit your official certificate, the examination fee receipt and your supporting documents. PSEB then verifies everything before approving the reimbursement. Keep the fee receipt safe — without proof of payment, there is no claim. And remember the order matters: the money comes after the pass, never before it.
How the money comes back — and what it does not cover
This is a reimbursement, not a grant and not a free exam. Nobody gets paid before sitting the test, and a failed attempt earns nothing — the payment follows a pass and a successful verification. Only approved certifications qualify, only eligible expenses are covered, and the Rs 70,000 figure is a ceiling. That honesty matters, because the programme’s real value is not a cash handout: an AWS or Microsoft certificate on a CV can change what a graduate earns, whether they are applying for a job in Lahore, freelancing for clients abroad, or competing for remote work. The government is betting that removing the exam fee barrier will put more certified Pakistani professionals into a global market that pays for proven skills. For anyone who has been putting off a certification because of the cost, the message is straightforward — register, pick the exam, pass it, and claim the money back.
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