Just out of curiosity, what are tuition fees like for undergrad and post-grad universities? Like med school, if you are doing a PhD or attending top universities in the major cities?
Who normally pays the tuition fees? Parents? Is there a concept of government run student loans?
Re: Post-Secondary Education in Pakistan
I went to college in 1999 & university in 2001 so these figures may not be the most current.
Government Colleges(HSC-11-12 ) the fees is peanuts i remember paying 1000 Rs ( about 200 USD based on the exchange rate at the time) for the whole year.
There are private colleges that charged a fee upto 2-3 thousand per month at that time, I believe they would be charging more now.
Similarly there are government universities & some private universities. The fees in Government universities for undergrad students were about 10-15 k per Annum at my time , i believe IBA had a slightly higher fees (its semi-government there is a self finance & a government funded option atleast thats how it used to be uptil 2005).
The variation in the fee structure of private universities is much larger, i paid 45K per semester which was about median fee level at that time, i believe the fees per semester now is somewhere around 60 K.
There used to a student loans scheme from state bank of Pakistan - providing interest free loans to students (I think this scheme is no longer available), however some private banks still offer student loans.
Besides that there are scholarship schemes from HEC , provancial endowment funds & scholarship/student financial aid programs within every university for enrolled students.
In addition to that a very very convenient means of funding university education in Pakistan is for the student to give tuitions , there are ample tutoring opportunities specially to o/a-level students that a dilligent undergrad student should not have any problem financing his education.
I am not familiar with any fellowship programs for Graduate or PHD programs at the moment but at the time I was pursuing my under-grad studies we use to hear that there are ample funds available with HEC to assist students pursuing post graduate studies
Pursuing Graduate and UnderGraduate studies from Pakistan is Economically very cheap.
From Public Sector Universities , which always stands on top in Pakistan except few like GIKI , LUMS , NUST , IBA etc (which are also SemiGovt Institutions)
For pursuing UnderGraduate degree from Pakistan say B.E(Bachlor of Engineering) , there are always two options.
Merit
Selfinance
Merit
Open Merit +Regional quota.
While I was doing my studies undergraduate overall fees for one year was 3,200 , hence total of 3,200x4=12,800(PkRs)
However this was revised while I was in Final year to one year Tution fees 12,000PkRs so, total was 4x12,000=48,000PkRs.
Can say Maximum fees for Undergraduate Degree in any Public sector Uni. in Pakistan could hardly be 100,000PkRs (AED5,000 or 1,370 UsDollars) for 4 years bachlor degree.
The rest of the Expenses could be living, Housing and Transportation etc.
But if you will not avail Merit (not open or quota) then you have another option that is Self-finance 4 years before it was PkRs 200,000(2,500UsDollars) , in case they have increased would be hardly 400,000PkRs (5,000Udollars).
This will be only tution fees , living , food , transportation etc would be plus to it.
For Postgraduate studies there are abudance of HEC(Higher Education Commission) scholorships, however one can go for selfinance scheme also.
Two years postgraduate fees in Public Sector University could hardly cost upto 200,000 PkRs and can say same for Private Sector University.
NTS(National Testing Services www.nts.org) conducts GRE type test known as GRE Local that have quantative, verbal and analytical parts only.
on the bases of GRE Local plus previous acadamic records admissions are given to any pakistanis regardless of Domicile and HEC Scholorship could also be availed on the basis of GRE Local score.
In case some submit his/her ETS , GRE general score that is accepted and find more preference in admissions and possibly he/she can find abroad education funding.
As Dormant pointed out there are ample opportunities for students to finance theirselves by tutoring in big cities like Karachi such opportunities are in abundance.
However first option could always be assistanship in case of Postgraduate/Phd studies.
Re: Post-Secondary Education in Pakistan
study in pakistan is cheapest compared to any country in the world, its almost free in well known and public sector institutions. Entisar has given a good overview of the current system.
there is slight difference of fee for international students though, they pay a bit more but still still at about 10% compared to US or UK studies.
Re: Post-Secondary Education in Pakistan
i never paid for any of my education both in India and Canada...i did NOT pay a SINGLE PENNY...its quite an achievement in itself lol