Higher Education Commission has mandate to promote higher education with in the country and to encourage Pakistani nationals as well as foreign nationals to seek admission in Universities and higher educational institutions of Pakistan. Currently, foreign students from different countries are studying in various educational institutions all around Pakistan.

The professional institutions of Pakistan are rated amongst the best institutions of this region. Foreign students from South Asia, Central Asia, Arab Gulf region and from the various developing and under developed countries of Africa and South East Asia are highly attracted towards the educational institutions of Pakistan.

Recently, Higher Education Commission with the collaboration of various administrative agencies which includes Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Economic Affairs Division has streamlined the admission procedure (see below) for foreign students. The main objective behind this revision of admission procedure was to facilitate and to encourage foreign national to obtain admission in Pakistan.

Currently, there are two broad categories in which foreign students apply for admission. The detail information regarding these two categories are given below: