Honhaar Scholarship 2026: 50,000 Scholarships Open, Last Date 9 November

On 18 October 2026, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari announced that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had formally launched the second phase of the laptop and scholarship schemes. For Honhaar students, the useful news is simple: a fresh application round is open on the official portal right now, offering 50,000 scholarships that cover 100% of the tuition fee for undergraduate students, and its last date is 9 November 2026. This article clears up the phase confusion honestly and shows you how to apply in time.

The 18 October Announcement, Explained Honestly

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari told the media that the Chief Minister had formally launched the second phase of the laptop and scholarship schemes, linking them to AI and modern technology. The news was reported the same day by national media. It covers the government’s combined education support programme: laptops for bright students, and the Honhaar Scholarship for undergraduate students who need their tuition fee paid.

• Announced by: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, reporting the Chief Minister’s launch
• What launched: the second phase of the combined laptop and scholarship programme cycle
• Distribution ceremonies for already selected students had started on 15 October at the University of Sahiwal
• Similar ceremonies continue in all nine divisions of Punjab in October and November 2026
• The announcement itself opened no application window: the open round is the one below

Now the part most websites will not tell you. The words “second phase” in the news belong to the Chief Minister’s combined programme cycle. The Honhaar Scholarship itself has its own round history, with earlier rounds in 2024 and 2025. So when you open the official portal to apply, you are applying in Phase IV, whatever the news headline calls it. That is good news: Phase IV is the widest round so far.

What Honhaar Actually Pays

Honhaar is a tuition fee scholarship. It covers 100% of the defined tuition fee of your programme, and the money is paid directly to your university or college. You do not receive cash in hand, and that is a strength of the scheme: your fee is settled with the institution for the full duration of your degree, as long as you keep the required academic standing.

• Covered: 100% of the defined tuition fee
• Paid to: your institution directly, not to the student
• Duration: the full length of your undergraduate degree (four to five years)
• Not covered: hostel, boarding, lodging and transport charges
• This is also why you should ignore any page promising a monthly cash payment under Honhaar: no such payment exists

Who Can Apply: Eligibility Checklist

Phase IV is for undergraduate students only. If you are studying in a BS programme, or in MBBS or BDS, at an eligible institution, you can apply. Students of MPhil, MS and PhD programmes are not covered by Honhaar, and neither are intermediate students.

• Degree: undergraduate only, BS, MBBS and BDS programmes
• Domicile: Punjab domicile is compulsory, from any district
• Age limit: there is none. Students of any age can apply
• Family income: below Rs 350,000 a month for public sector institutions, below Rs 500,000 for selected federal or private institutions
• Marks: at least 70% in Intermediate Science or 65% in Arts for public university students; 80% for medical students
• Your institution, discipline and programme must appear as eligible on the official portal
• Income proof: a family income affidavit on e-stamp paper is required

About 160,000 students have been supported under the Honhaar programme so far, which shows how large this programme has become.

How to Apply Before 9 November

Applications are accepted online only, and there is no hard copy process. Register on the portal with your CNIC or B-Form number, your mobile number and your email. Then fill in your personal, educational and family income details, upload your documents, and submit the form.

Apply only on the official portal: honhaarscholarship.punjabhec.gov.pk. Saving the application does not mean you have submitted it: you must click Submit and get the confirmation message and application ID.

Five Mistakes That Get Applications Rejected

Thousands of students will compete for the 50,000 scholarships. Most rejections come from small, avoidable errors rather than from merit. Go through this list before you press submit.

• Wrong institution or discipline: confirm your university, programme and discipline appear as eligible on the portal before applying
• Income above the limit: the Rs 350,000 (public) and Rs 500,000 (federal or private) ceilings are strict, verified through the e-stamp affidavit
• Marks below the minimum: check your Intermediate percentage against the 70%, 65% or 80% requirement for your category
• Blurry documents: upload clear, readable scans. Make sure each file meets the format and size requirements shown on the application page
• Waiting for the last day: the portal gets slow near the deadline. Apply early and keep a copy of your submitted form

Merit Lists and What Happens Next

While new applications are being taken, the government is also handing over awards to students selected in earlier rounds. The ceremonies that began in Sahiwal on 15 October will move through all nine divisions, and selected students receive their laptops and scholarship awards there.

• After the 9 November deadline, the Punjab Higher Education Commission verifies applications with the institutions
• Merit lists are published on the portal, institution-wise
• The tuition fee of selected students is paid to their institutions for the degree’s duration
• No official date for the Phase IV merit list has been announced yet: beware of any page that gives you one
• Check your application status through the same portal account you applied with

Conclusion

The 18 October announcement launched the next phase of the CM’s laptop and scholarship programme, and the Honhaar round open for applications is Phase IV: 50,000 scholarships covering full tuition for Punjab undergraduates. Apply online before 9 November 2026.

FAQs

What was launched on 18 October 2026?

Information Minister Azma Bokhari announced that CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif had formally launched the second phase of the combined laptop and scholarship schemes. It is the government’s programme cycle, under which Honhaar scholarships and laptops are distributed to students.

If the news says Phase 2, why does the portal round say Phase IV?

The two numbers belong to two different counts. “Second phase” is the combined programme launch cycle. The Honhaar Scholarship’s own rounds ran in 2024 and 2025, and the round open for applications now is Phase IV.

What is the last date to apply?

The last date for the open Phase IV round is 9 November 2026. Apply online at honhaarscholarship.punjabhec.gov.pk before this date, because the portal does not accept late applications.

Does the scholarship pay cash to students?

No. Honhaar pays 100% of the defined tuition fee directly to your university or college. Boarding, lodging and transport are not covered, and no monthly cash stipend is part of this scheme.