Cambridge scholarship opportunities for Pakistani students

In conjunction with the commemoration of Cambridge University’s 800th anniversary, school officials announced a scholarship programme that will admit as many as 15 Pakistani undergraduate students to the prestigious UK institution.

The programme, funded through the Cambridge Assessment Department, offers an opportunity to expand historic links between the two countries, and expresses the university’s commitment to the youth of Pakistan. Almost US$2 million will be available to cover university fees, maintenance and travel costs for the scholarship programme in its first five years.

The Cambridge Assessment is a not-for-profit organisation and a department of the university. It oversees the varsity’s three examination boards: the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Cambridge International Examinations (CIE).

“The new scholarship programme for undergraduates from Pakistan will start in the academic year 2010-2011”, said Cambridge Assessment Chief Executive Simon Lebus. Prospective applicants will be interviewed in Pakistan in October and November this year.

“We play an important role in supporting the university's outreach mission", Lebus said. "In doing so [we] provide opportunities for more and more young people to access the benefits of education.”

According to Ann Puntis, Cambridge's international examinations chief executive, “This year several Pakistani students secured top global scores in a number of different … subjects, including economics, psychology, mathematics, chemistry and literature … The Pakistani high achievers are very creative and enthusiastic learners. Pakistani teachers were also continuously augmenting their learning base and holding workshops for them.” She asserted they characterised potential Pakistani applicants for admission to Cambridge next year.

The last date for the submission of applications for the scholarship is September 20. More information on the Cambridge scholarship programme is available at www.cam.ac.uk.

Reported by: Amna Nasir Jamal