List of Documents You Must Have as a Pakistani Student to Win a Scholarship

Winning an international scholarship requires planning, preparation, and—most importantly—the correct documents. Many Pakistani students lose fully funded opportunities simply because their documents are incomplete, not attested, or not prepared professionally.

This guide explains every essential document you must have as a Pakistani applicant when applying for global scholarships such as Erasmus+, Chevening, Fulbright, Turkey Burslari, CSC China, DAAD Germany, MEXT Japan, Hungary Stipendium, and top universities worldwide.

Complete Checklist of Documents Required for Scholarships Pakistani Students

1. Valid Passport (Mandatory for All Scholarships)

A passport is the #1 required document for every international scholarship and university application.

You must have:

• A valid Pakistani passport
• Clear scanned copy (front page + back page)
• Passport valid for the next 2–3 years

No scholarship portal—Erasmus, Fulbright, CSC, Turkish, or European universities—accepts applications without a passport.

2. Academic Documents (Certificates, Degrees, Transcripts)

You must prepare:

• Matric / O-Level certificate
• Intermediate / A-Level certificate
• Bachelor’s degree + transcript
• Master’s degree + transcript (if applicable)
• Current semester transcripts (for students still studying)

Attestation Requirements

For most scholarships, your documents must be attested by:

• IBCC — Matric & Intermediate
• HEC — Bachelor’s & Master’s degrees
• MOFA — For use abroad
• Apostille — Required in some European countries

Scan all documents clearly and save them as PDF files with your full name.

3. Letters of Recommendation (LORs)

You will need 2–3 recommendation letters from:

• Professors
• Academic supervisors
• Internship or research mentors

Requirements for strong LORs:

• Written on university letterhead
• Signed and stamped
• Highlights your academic strength, character, achievements, and potential

Almost every scholarship—including Erasmus, Hungary, Germany, UK, and China—requires LORs.

4. Academic CV (Professional Format)

Your CV is one of the most important documents in your application.

A strong CV must include:

• Education
• Research experience
• Work or internship experience
• Certifications
• Skills
• Achievements
• Publications (if any)

For Europe:

Use the Europass CV format.

For Other Countries:

Use a clean, modern academic CV layout.

Avoid copy-paste templates. Make it original and professional.

5. Statement of Purpose (SOP) / Letter of Motivation

Almost all scholarships ask for either:

• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Letter of Motivation (LOM)

Your SOP should include:

• Who you are
• Academic background
• Why you are applying
• Why this country and university?
• Career goals
• How the scholarship will help you contribute to society

This is often the deciding factor for selection committees.

6. Research Proposal / Study Plan (For MS & PhD Applicants)

For research-based degrees, especially in Europe, China, Japan, or Korea, you must submit:

• Research Proposal (for PhD)
• Study Plan (for Master’s)
• Research Interest Statement

A strong proposal explains:

• Your research topic
• Rationale
• Methodology
• Expected impact
• Fit with the professor or program

This document greatly increases your selection chances.

7. English Proficiency Test Results

Most international scholarships require proof of English proficiency.

Common acceptable tests:

• IELTS Academic
• TOEFL iBT
• PTE Academic
• Duolingo English Test (accepted by many universities)

Additional required tests (depending on country):

• GRE (USA, some Europe)
• GMAT (business programs)

Some universities accept a Medium of Instruction (MOI) certificate, but not all.

8. Certificates from Online Courses & Volunteer Work

These documents strengthen your profile and show your commitment.

Examples:

• Coursera, edX, Udemy certifications
• Volunteer work certificates
• Research training certificates
• Internship certificates
• Leadership certificates

Scan and save all certificates as PDFs.

9. Additional Supporting Documents

You may also need:

• CNIC copy
• Experience letters
• Award certificates
• Published research papers
• Portfolio (for design/arts students)
• Police clearance certificate
• Medical fitness certificate
• Financial documents (for partially funded programs)

10. Proper File Preparation (Very Important)

To avoid rejection:

• Save all documents in PDF
• Use clear titles (e.g., “Shaheer-Ahmed-CV.pdf”)
• Maintain both original and scanned versions
• Check each document’s size limit for portals
• Keep soft copies ready for quick submission

Scholarships often have short deadlines. Preparing early gives you a major advantage.

Final Checklist for Pakistani Students (Quick Summary)

You must have:

1. Passport
2. Academic transcripts and degrees
3. Attestation (IBCC, HEC, MOFA, Apostille if needed)
4. Professional CV
5. Study plan / research proposal
6. Statement of purpose
7. Letters of recommendation
8. English test results (IELTS/PTE/TOEFL)
9. Certificates (volunteering + online courses)
10. Additional required documents

Preparing these correctly increases your chances of winning a fully funded scholarship anywhere in the world.