Oxford announces scholarship for Pakistani students

To uplift talented young students, the Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) has announced the Tareen Oxford Scholarship, which will offer means-tested funding for deserving students, preferably from South Punjab.

The scholarship, announced by the OPP on Tuesday, will play a crucial, foundational role in bringing forth youth from one of the most underdeveloped regions in Pakistan.

In a statement, the OPP said that the scholarship will be awarded to students who have an admission offer for one of the eligible graduate courses offered at the University of Oxford's Kellogg College, but they do not possess the financial means to take up the offer.

"Preference will be given to students for whom the scholarship will be a life-changing opportunity and who have the potential and commitment to contribute to the development of South Punjab," the statement read.

The scholarship will contribute towards tuition fees and living costs for the students as part of the OPP’s graduate scholarship programme — through which at least three graduate scholarships are awarded every year to talented Pakistani and British Pakistani students.

The scholarship — made possible with the support of Ali Tareen, who is an alumnus of Kellogg College, Oxford — will be established as a five-year programme, with funds being donated annually and disbursed on a rolling basis.

"The scholarship will not only benefit the awardees but also create a positive spillover in terms of raising aspirations of similar talented scholars in the communities from which Tareen scholars will be drawn from. It will also be a significant step towards creating a more diverse and inclusive academic community at Oxford," the statement mentioned.

This programme will consist of two initiatives:

• An access programme for final year students applying for graduate degrees, which will feature an Access Conference for final year students from South Punjab who are in the process of applying for MSc and PhD degrees abroad. The top 20 attendees at the Access Conference will be offered one-on-one mentorship with an Oxford student or recent alumni, free of cost.
• For FSc toppers and first-year public sector university toppers, 100 students will be selected from South Punjab who have either topped their FSc. boards or obtained the highest marks in their first year at university. These students will be provided mentorship on how to make the most of their next three to four years, guidance on career prospects, and one-on-one mentorship to help them aspire to be the best minds globally.