Scholarships Without IELTS for Pakistani Students: What Works

Yes, Pakistani students can win fully funded scholarships without an IELTS score, but rarely because English "doesn't matter". It works in one of two ways: the scholarship sets no test of its own and your university accepts a Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter from your Pakistani university, or the programme accepts a different test such as Duolingo or PTE. The decision is almost always the university's or the programme's, not the scholarship's.

This guide shows how that plays out in real 2027 calls, checked on the official pages on 18 October 2026, and how to avoid the traps.

What "without IELTS" really means

When you see "no IELTS required", read it as one of these:

The scholarship has no English test of its own. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission says plainly that it does not require IELTS or another English test. Chevening's eligibility rules don't set one either. But both need you to get into a UK university, and the university has its own English rule.
The programme accepts an MOI letter. Many Pakistani degrees are taught and examined in English, and some programmes accept a letter from your university saying so in place of a test.
The programme accepts other tests. Some accept Duolingo, PTE, TOEFL or Cambridge exams. That isn't "no test", but it can be cheaper or easier to book.

So the real question is not "which scholarship needs no IELTS?" but "which of my chosen programmes will accept my MOI letter?"

Real examples from current calls

These are examples, not a complete list. Each one was checked on the programme's own page today.

Programme	Funding	Accepts an MOI letter?	Next deadline
NOHA (humanitarian action)	Erasmus Mundus	Yes, if your whole bachelor's was taught in English, shown on your diploma or transcript or in a letter from your registrar or examinations office	15 December 2026, 23:59 GMT, for scholarship applicants
NEURASMUS (neuroscience)	Erasmus Mundus	Yes, a university letter stating English was the medium of instruction	1 December 2026, 12:00 CET
GreeNano (nanomaterials)	Erasmus Mundus	Exempts applicants from countries where English is an official language, with confirmation that the bachelor's was taught in English; English is assessed at interview	Check the programme page
BME MSc Computer Science Engineering	Stipendium Hungaricum	Yes, but only if the full programme was taught in English, and it must be uploaded with the application. Duolingo (100) and PTE (50) are also accepted	Expected mid-January 2027
EMCL+ (clinical linguistics)	Erasmus Mundus	No. It says it does not accept MOI or EMI statements	1 December 2026

The last row is there on purpose. Two Erasmus Mundus programmes can have opposite rules, so never assume. GreeNano's page doesn't list which countries count, so email the consortium to confirm Pakistan is included before you rely on it.

For Stipendium Hungaricum, each Hungarian university sets its own language rule for each course, and the HEC nomination has its own steps. Our Stipendium Hungaricum 2027 guide covers the timeline. Browse every Erasmus Mundus course in our catalogue on the Erasmus Mundus page, where the language rule is listed for each one.

UK universities: it depends on where you studied

If you are applying for Chevening or Commonwealth, the English question moves to your UK university. GOV.UK confirms that for a Student visa at degree level, your university can assess your English itself, as long as you are at least at CEFR B2. So the university's policy is what counts.

Policies vary a lot for Pakistani applicants:

Royal Holloway, University of London says on its Pakistan page that a bachelor's or master's from a list of Pakistani universities can count as proof of English, based on the medium of instruction, for up to three years after the degree ends. For postgraduate entry it says graduates of the University of the Punjab, NUST, Bahria University and Greenwich University Karachi may meet its requirement.
The University of Stirling says on its Pakistan page that students from Pakistan must take a Secure English Language Test, though it notes some local qualifications may allow a waiver.

Both are UK universities, with opposite starting points. Check the "country" or "English language requirements" page of every university on your list, and look for your own university's name.

How to get an MOI letter in Pakistan

Ask your university's examinations office, controller of examinations or registrar. Each programme words its rule differently, but a letter has the best chance of being accepted if it is:

on university letterhead, signed and stamped, with the issuing office's contact details;
clear about your name, your degree and the years you studied;
explicit that the whole programme was taught and examined in English, since several programmes above accept it only on that condition.

Some programmes only accept the letter if it is uploaded with the application, as the BME course above says, so request it now rather than in January. Keep a scanned PDF with your other documents. Our document checklist lists what else to prepare, and our paperwork tool helps you track it.

When you should take a test anyway

An MOI letter saves money, but don't let it shrink your options.

Competitive programmes often insist on a test. EMCL+ above is one example, and many top universities and some government schemes are the same.
Some programmes still check your English. GreeNano, for example, says it will assess your English at interview, so be ready to speak confidently.
Your plans may change. If you might add a programme that requires IELTS or TOEFL, book a test early, because test dates near deadlines fill up and results are not instant.

If you do need a test, our English test guide compares IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and Duolingo for Pakistani students.

Traps to avoid

Never buy an IELTS or MOI certificate. Anyone selling a "guaranteed" score, a ready-made certificate or an MOI letter from a university you didn't attend is offering a fake document. Using one can get your application rejected, your scholarship withdrawn or your visa refused, and it is illegal.
Don't trust lists that just say "no IELTS". Lists online are often out of date. Look for the exact sentence on the programme's own page.
Don't pay an agent to "arrange" a waiver. Waivers are decided by the university, free of charge, from your documents.

Your next step

Pick your three to five target programmes. For each one, open the official English requirements page and write down whether it accepts an MOI letter, which tests it accepts and the minimum score. Then request your MOI letter this week. Use our eligibility tool and deadline calendar to find more programmes, and see our Chevening vs Commonwealth comparison if you are aiming for the UK.

Language rules change from one intake to the next. Always confirm them on the programme's official page before you apply.