KIU has limited programmes; students wanting engineering, medicine, or business must relocate to Islamabad, Lahore, or Karachi
Gilgit is the capital of Gilgit-Baltistan and the most urbanised district in the region. Literacy rates are among the highest in Pakistan's underserved regions, a product of AKDN investment in education stretching back decades. The Aga Khan Higher Education Board has supported students from Gilgit in accessing universities across Pakistan and internationally.
Karakoram International University is headquartered in Gilgit and has grown significantly, but students who want to study medicine, engineering, business, or law still need to leave the region. The cost and logistics of relocating to Islamabad, Lahore, or Karachi — combined with the emotional weight of leaving one of Pakistan's most insular and close-knit communities — means that many qualified students do not pursue the opportunities available to them.
Students from Gilgit who have navigated this path describe the support networks in cities like Islamabad (where a significant Gilgiti community exists near the university belt) as crucial. Daakhla can help with both the application process and the preparation for this transition.
Full scholarship — tuition, accommodation, and monthly stipend
Up to Rs 40,000 per semester (tuition support)
50% grant + 50% loan (effectively full support for those who cannot repay)
Full scholarship — tuition, housing, and monthly living stipend
Up to 100% tuition waiver; some awards include living expenses
The AKF scholarship is your primary resource — apply early (January deadline). If you attended an AKDN school, your teacher network may include alumni who can guide you through the AKF process. For LUMS and Habib University, your high literacy and education culture in Gilgit means you are often better prepared than applicants from other underserved regions — use that advantage. KIU graduates applying for postgraduate programmes have a solid foundation; frame your KIU experience as preparation for higher-level study.
Daakhla is just beginning its work in Gilgit-Baltistan and has not yet guided a student from Gilgit. Students from GB consistently perform well at elite institutions once they find the pathway — and you could be among the first we help find it, through the Aga Khan Foundation scholarship or the LUMS NOP.
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 →