In order to support and help the needy students, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has allocated Rs170m in its annual budget which will be given away in the form of fee-waiver and scholarships.

The annual budgeting for unprivileged students has been increased up to 100% in order to end the financial difficulties of the students who have future study plans, said AIOU Vice Chancellor Dr Shahid Siddiqui. “We are fulfilling our social responsibility to take care of marginalised sections of the society,” he further said.

The university has also announced free education for the students of matriculation belonging to Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Balochistan. It was the university’s initiative to ensure the availability of educational facilities to the students of remote areas.

The university has also offered special merit scholarships for the students having more than 75% marks in the exam.

The deserving students can contact the university’s officials to ensure their scholarship, Director Students’ advisory affairs Rana Tariq Javed said.

Earn-to-learn scheme, outreach scholarship scheme, final year project grant scheme, scholarship for communities, scholarship for women, fee installment scheme and alumni-sponsored scholarship are among the various scholarship schemes which AIOU is offering.

The forms are available of the varsity’s website which the students can download and submit to the concerned authorities.