Honhaar Scholarship Phase 4 2026: New Criteria, Income Limits and 9 November Deadline

October 2026 has left many students confused about the Honhaar Scholarship, and honestly, the confusion is understandable. One headline talks about a second phase, another talks about Phase 4, and old pages still show last year’s criteria and deadlines. This update sorts the whole picture out: which round is actually open on the portal, what the current income and marks criteria are, what the October announcements really meant, and which viral claims you should simply ignore before you apply.

What the October Announcements Mean

• 18 October announcement: On 18 October 2026, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari announced that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had formally launched the second phase of the combined laptop and scholarship programme.
• Programme cycle, not a round: That “second phase” is the launch cycle of the government’s whole education package, covering laptops and scholarships together, and it is not the same count as the scholarship’s own application rounds.
• 15 October ceremony: The first distribution ceremony of this cycle was held on 15 October 2026 at the University of Sahiwal, covering students from Sahiwal, Okara and Pakpattan.
• Ceremonies continue: Distribution events for students selected in earlier rounds are continuing across all nine divisions of Punjab during October and November 2026.
• Two things at once: Old selections are being honoured at ceremonies while a new application round is open, which is exactly why the headlines look contradictory at first glance.
• Your round is Phase 4: If you are applying now, your application goes into Phase 4 for Fall 2026, and that is the round your documents, criteria and deadline belong to.
• Old counts mislead: If a blog tells you that Phase 2 applications opened in October 2026, it has mixed the two counts, because Honhaar’s own Phase II already ran in 2025.

New Criteria for Phase 4

• Widest semester range: Students from the 1st to the 8th semester at eligible public institutions can apply in this round, which is the widest range of any round so far.
• Private institutions differ: At partner federal and private institutions, eligibility in this round is limited to first-semester and first-year entrants, so continuing private students should check the portal before assuming they qualify.
• Marks for universities: New students at public universities need 70% in Science and 65% in Arts, while HED college entrants need 65% in Science and 60% in Arts.
• Marks for MBBS and BDS: First-year MBBS and BDS applicants at public medical and dental colleges need 80%, which is the highest threshold in the scheme.
• Continuing students: Students beyond the first semester are assessed on their current academic record, with thresholds that differ by institution type, so your latest result matters as much as your admission marks.
• Punjab domicile compulsory: A domicile of any district of Punjab is required, and without it the rest of the application cannot move forward.
• No age limit: The scheme sets no age limit and no gender restriction, whatever a copied blog or viral post claims.
• Undergraduate only: MPhil, MS and PhD students remain outside the scheme, which covers undergraduate degrees only.

Income Limits and Documents

• Public institutions: Family income must be under Rs 350,000 per month for students at public-sector universities, colleges and medical or dental colleges.
• Federal and private partners: For eligible federal and private institutions, the limit for first-year applicants is under Rs 500,000 per month.
• Old figures still circulate: Lower income limits from earlier phases are still written on many pages, so use only the current limits above for this round.
• Income affidavit: Support your income declaration with an affidavit on e-stamp paper, using the sample format shown on the official portal.
• CNIC and domicile: Keep your CNIC and Punjab domicile ready, along with your result cards and proof of admission at your institution.
• Clear uploads only: Upload clear, readable scans or photographs in the format and size the portal shows you, because an unclear document can stall an otherwise strong application.
• False declarations fail: An untrue income declaration can lead to rejection or cancellation, so enter your family’s real income position honestly.
• Apply early: Do not leave the form for the last day, because portals slow down near deadlines and a missing affidavit or unclear scan then costs the whole application.

What Has Not Changed

• Full tuition fee: The benefit is unchanged at 100% of the defined tuition fee, exactly as it has been since the first round.
• Paid to the institution: The money is paid directly to your university or college, never as cash into the student’s own hands.
• Full degree duration: The scholarship supports your full undergraduate degree, provided you keep the required academic standing through your studies.
• Continuation rule: Selected students must maintain the required GPA or percentage each term or year, or the support can stop, so the award rewards continued performance.
• Not covered: Boarding, lodging and transport remain outside the scheme, as they always have been.
• No monthly cash: There is no monthly cash payment attached to this scholarship and there never has been, so pages promising a monthly stipend are inventing a benefit.
• Merit within institution: Selection is ranked within your own institution and discipline, so meeting the minimum marks makes you eligible but never guarantees selection.

Claims You Should Ignore

• Wrong last dates: Some pages still show a closing date in late October or an older November date, but the Phase 4 deadline for this round is 9 November 2026.
• Invented seat counts: No official total number of scholarships for Phase 4 has been announced, so any exact figure quoted for this round is a guess.
• Fake age limit: The scheme has no age limit, whatever a copied blog says, and no age claim should stop an otherwise eligible student from applying.
• Monthly stipend stories: The scheme pays tuition fee only, so any story about monthly cash under Honhaar is false from start to finish.
• Old income limits: Figures from earlier phases are still copied onto new pages, and using them can make an eligible student wrongly give up.
• Paid guarantees: Nobody can guarantee your selection or speed up your application for money, and anyone selling that promise is a fraud.
• Trust the portal: The safe habit is simple: trust the official portal and statements from PHEC and the Punjab government, and treat everything else as commentary.

Contact and Helpline Details

Conclusion

The October 2026 position is now clear: Phase 4 applications are open for 1st to 8th semester undergraduates at eligible public institutions, with the current income and marks criteria, and the deadline is 9 November 2026. Ignore viral dates, invented seat counts and monthly stipend stories, and apply only on the official portal. If you are eligible, apply early, upload clear documents, and keep your application ID safe for tracking your status.

FAQs

Which Honhaar phase is open right now?
Phase 4, for the Fall 2026 session, is the round open on the portal. The “second phase” in the news is the Chief Minister’s combined laptop and scholarship programme cycle announced on 18 October 2026. Honhaar’s own Phase II already ran in 2025.

What is the income limit in the new criteria?
For public-sector institutions, family income must be under Rs 350,000 per month. For eligible federal and private institutions, the limit for first-year applicants is under Rs 500,000 per month. An income affidavit on e-stamp paper is required.

Has the merit list date for Phase 4 been announced?
No. Applications close on 9 November 2026, and no official merit list date has been announced yet. Lists will be published on the portal institution-wise after verification. Any page giving you an exact list date today is guessing.

Did the scholarship benefit change in this round?
No. The benefit is unchanged: 100% of the defined tuition fee, paid directly to your institution for the full undergraduate degree. Boarding, lodging and transport are still not covered, and there is no monthly cash payment.

Can private university students apply in Phase 4?
Yes, but only first-semester and first-year students at partner federal and private institutions in selected disciplines. Continuing private university students should check the portal’s eligibility screen for their own category.