- HEC has issued an advisory titled 'Verify Before You Apply' for prospective students nationwide.
- Degrees from unrecognised universities and campuses will not be accepted, the commission warned.
- Four official lists cover recognised universities, campuses, foreign-affiliated institutions and fake institutions.
- Students and parents are asked to check the lists on the HEC website before taking admission.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has told students across Pakistan to check recognised universities and campuses before they apply. The warning comes in its latest advisory, titled 'Verify Before You Apply'.
In this article
The commission says degrees issued by unrecognised universities and campuses will not be accepted. Students and parents have been asked to use the official lists on the HEC website before making any admission decision.
| List | What students can verify |
|---|---|
| Recognised universities | Whether a public or private university is recognised by HEC |
| Recognised campuses | Whether the specific campus where they plan to study is approved |
| Recognised foreign-affiliated institutions | Recognition status of institutions offering foreign degree programmes in Pakistan |
| Illegal and fake institutions | Whether an institution is listed as illegal, fake or unrecognised |
Recognised universities: what the HEC advisory says
HEC has warned that a qualification from an unrecognised university or campus will not be accepted. The advisory is meant for prospective students nationwide, and it asks them to check recognition status before they apply.
To make the checking process easier, the commission has shared links to four official lists. Together they cover public and private universities, individual campuses, institutions offering foreign degree programmes in Pakistan, and institutions that HEC identifies as illegal or fake.
The commission has addressed its warning to parents as well as students. The message is to confirm recognition first and apply afterwards.
The four lists for checking recognised universities and campuses
HEC has shared links to four lists. Each one serves a different purpose, as set out below.
The first list covers HEC-recognised universities and degree-awarding institutions. Students can use it to confirm whether a public or private university of their choice is recognised.
The second list names recognised campuses of public and private institutions. HEC has issued it separately, so students should check the status of the particular campus where they plan to study.
The third list covers recognised foreign-affiliated, or transnational, educational institutions. Students considering foreign degree programmes offered in Pakistan can check an institution's recognition status there.
The fourth list names illegal, fake and unrecognised institutions operating in Pakistan. It lets students see whether an institution they are considering has been identified as illegal, fake or unrecognised.
Why the campus check matters
The advisory provides separate lists for universities and campuses, and students are told to check the status of the campus where they plan to study. Checking recognised universities is therefore only part of the task.
The commission's warning applies to both. Degrees from unrecognised universities and unrecognised campuses will not be accepted.
Put simply, a student should know the recognition status of the university and of the particular campus before applying.
Explained: what 'Verify Before You Apply' means
'Verify Before You Apply' is the title of the HEC advisory. In plain terms, it asks students to confirm an institution's recognition status first and submit an application afterwards.
The reason given is that degrees from unrecognised universities and campuses will not be accepted. The commission has therefore pointed students towards its official lists, which cover universities, campuses, foreign-affiliated institutions and illegal or fake institutions.
How students and parents can use the lists
Based on the advisory, the checking process can be summarised in a few steps. First, note the name of the university and the campus where admission is planned. Second, look for the university in the list of recognised universities and for the campus in the list of recognised campuses.
Third, students considering foreign degree programmes offered in Pakistan can check the list of recognised foreign-affiliated institutions. Finally, the list of illegal, fake and unrecognised institutions shows whether an institution has been identified as such.
All of these lists are available through links shared by HEC, and the commission wants the checks done before any admission decision is made.
Parents and students: check recognised universities first
HEC has addressed its advisory to parents as well as students. Both are urged to check the official lists on the commission's website before making any admission decisions.
The four lists cover the recognition status of universities, campuses and foreign-affiliated institutions, as well as institutions HEC has listed as illegal or fake. Students and parents who consult these lists can confirm the status of recognised universities and campuses before taking admission.
Background: the HEC advisory in brief
The Higher Education Commission has issued an advisory titled 'Verify Before You Apply' for prospective students nationwide. It warns that degrees from unrecognised universities and campuses will not be accepted.
To support that warning, HEC has shared links to four official lists: universities, campuses, recognised foreign-affiliated institutions, and illegal and fake institutions. Students and parents are asked to check them on the HEC website before taking admission.
Questions and answers
What is HEC's 'Verify Before You Apply' advisory?
It is a notice from the Higher Education Commission asking students and parents to check whether a university or campus is officially recognised before applying for admission.
Will degrees from unrecognised institutions be accepted?
No. HEC has warned that degrees from unrecognised universities and campuses will not be accepted.
Which lists can students check?
HEC has shared links to four lists: recognised universities, recognised campuses, recognised foreign-affiliated institutions, and illegal or fake institutions.
Why should students verify recognition before applying?
The commission has warned that degrees from unrecognised universities and campuses will not be accepted, so it wants students and parents to check the official lists before taking admission.
Is it enough to check only the university?
No. The advisory provides separate lists for universities and campuses, and students are told to check the status of the campus where they plan to study.
Where can students find the lists?
HEC has shared links to the four lists, and students and parents are asked to check them on the HEC website.
Who is the advisory meant for?
It is meant for prospective students nationwide, and HEC has addressed it to parents as well.
What does the list of illegal and fake institutions show?
It names illegal, fake and unrecognised institutions operating in Pakistan.
Can students check foreign degree programmes offered in Pakistan?
Yes. The third list covers recognised foreign-affiliated, or transnational, educational institutions, so students can check an institution's recognition status there.
