Canada launches scholarship opportunity for Pakistani students

ISLAMABAD: Canada has opened up applications for the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship 2026, for Pakistani and foreign students.

The successful applicants will be provided with financial assistance of CAD 40,000 annually for a maximum period of three years.

The scholarship is available for both Canadian and overseas students who are pursuing their PhD at Canadian universities.

According to the Canadian government, the application deadline is October 17, 2025. The scholarship aims to advance research, innovation, creativity, and knowledge by sponsoring excellent young researchers.

Eligibility Criteria Canada Graduate Research Scholarship 2026

The applicants must already be registered in a recognized PhD program in Canada.

Candidates should not have accomplished more than 36 months of doctoral work by December 31, 2025.

Combined program students (like MD/PhD, MA/PhD) are also eligible, as long as their program consists of a thesis based on research.

Applications should be made through the concerned Canadian institution.

The Canadian government stressed that the program is designed to bring the best researchers in the world to Canada.

Bangladeshi scholarships for Pakistani students

Earlier, Bangladesh had announced 500 new scholarships for promising Pakistani students, a major step towards intensifying bilateral relationships.

The announcement was made at a meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Bangladesh’s Religious Affairs Minister, Dr. Khalid Hussain, in Lahore.

Pakistan President PML-N Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan, H.E. MD Iqbal Hussain Khan, also attended the meeting.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif praised the successes of Bangladesh in the garment sector, microfinance, and women’s empowerment, labeling them as the important pillars of social progress.

She stressed that Pakistan-Bangladesh relations are founded on a shared past and brotherhood.