Southern KP district with one science-focused university; broader options require relocation
Bannu lies in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, near the edge of the former tribal areas. The University of Science and Technology Bannu gives the district a local institution with a science and technology focus, but students with ambitions in other fields — or aiming for Pakistan's most selective universities — still face the journey north to Peshawar or beyond to Islamabad.
The district has lived through years of instability that interrupted schooling and slowed educational progress. Many of Bannu's students are the first in their families to consider university at all, which means the entire application process — choosing universities, preparing for the SAT, writing a personal statement, applying for aid — is unfamiliar territory for the whole household.
This is the precise situation scholarships and counselling are meant to address. Bannu students are eligible for the KPK Government Scholarship, the LUMS National Outreach Programme, and HEC need-based aid. With guidance, a first-in-family student from Bannu can reach LUMS or IBA on a full scholarship.
Full scholarship — tuition, accommodation, and monthly stipend
Up to Rs 40,000 per semester (tuition support)
Full tuition at public universities; partial at private
Full tuition reimbursement at public-sector universities
If you are from Bannu and you would be the first in your family to attend university, know that this is exactly who the major scholarships are built for. The KPK Government Scholarship and LUMS NOP both prioritise students like you. Do not let unfamiliarity with the process stop you — that is precisely what Daakhla exists to handle. Begin SAT preparation early and reach out as soon as you start FSc.
Daakhla is just beginning its work in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and has not yet guided a student from Bannu. Being the first in your family to aim for university is not a disadvantage in these scholarships — it is the point. You could be among the first students we help reach a top institution.
Free admissions counselling and SAT preparation for students from Pakistan’s underserved districts. Rs 10,000 for both programmes — full financial aid for those who need it.
Apply for free counselling →