New Chevening partnership to fund Pakistani scholars at UK universities, a first for the country

Talented young people from Pakistan will get new chances to study at UK universities through the first locally funded Chevening Scholarship partnership in the country. Allied Bank Limited has teamed up with Chevening, the UK government's flagship international scholarship programme, to fund two scholars a year for three years, starting in the 2027-28 academic year, the British High Commission in Pakistan has announced.

It is a story with special resonance in Birmingham, home to one of the largest Pakistani communities in Britain and to universities that welcome thousands of international students every year.

Subjects that matter for Pakistan's future

The Chevening-ABL scholars will study subjects important to Pakistan's growth, including artificial intelligence, technology, cyber security, digital transformation, economics and financial inclusion.

The first two scholars will be chosen from the existing applicant pool for 2027-28. Applications for the 2028-29 scholarships are expected to open in August 2027, as part of the usual Chevening cycle, with successful candidates beginning their studies in the UK in 2028.

A "full-circle moment"

The partnership has a personal story behind it. Aizid Gill, president and chief executive of Allied Bank, studied for an MSc in Business Economics at the University of Manchester as a Chevening Scholar in 2001. Twenty-five years later, he is helping to open the same door for a new generation.

"The ABL-Chevening Scholarship is about giving talented Pakistanis the opportunity to learn, grow and bring that exposure back home," he said. "We hope this support helps them build the required knowledge and skills to contribute meaningfully to the country's future."

The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, said: "Pakistan's greatest strength is its people. This partnership will help impressive future leaders to study at world-leading UK universities and bring fresh ideas home. It is especially fitting that a former Chevening Scholar is now opening the same door for the next generation."

About Chevening

Chevening is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations. Since 1983 it has offered future leaders fully funded one-year master's degrees at UK universities, covering tuition, living costs and travel. Close to 60,000 people from more than 160 countries and territories have studied in the UK through Chevening, including nearly 2,000 from Pakistan, whose alumni now work in education, government, health, climate, business and civil society.

Chevening partners with more than 140 organisations, including private companies, charities, foreign government departments and UK universities. Allied Bank is the first organisation in Pakistan to set up a locally funded partnership.

Why it matters here

International scholars bring ideas, connections and talent to UK campuses, and many keep close links with the cities where they studied long after they return home. For Birmingham, with its deep family, business and cultural ties to Pakistan, partnerships like this strengthen a relationship that already runs both ways.

Students interested in Chevening can find details on the programme's website ahead of the next application round.