ISLAMABAD: As many as 77,210 applications have been submitted and 23,740 application cases are in process of submission since the reopening of the Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship Programme (EUSP) web portal in the first week of September 2021. According to an official source, the last date to submit scholarship applications for the year 2021 has been extended till December 31 to enable a maximum number of deserving students to apply for this opportunity. Earlier, November 30, 2021 was the last date for the online submission of applications however it was extended realizing the difficulties of the students due to the delays in the admission process at several public sector universities in the country. The Ehsaas undergraduate Scholarships are targeted at students from low-income families earning less than Rs 45,000 a month and marginalized regions to assist them in their undergraduate studies. 135 public sector universities recognized by the Higher Education Commission are part of this programme, the source said. Students enrolled in 4 to 5-year undergraduate programmes of public sector universities are eligible to submit scholarship applications for the year 2021. Eligible students can apply through an online portal: https://ehsaas.hec.gov.pk/. In the last two years, 142,000 Ehsaas scholarships were awarded to undergraduate students nationwide while this year also, 50,000 scholarships will be awarded to deserving students. The Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship covers the hundred percent tuition fees and a monthly stipend. The recipients who had secured Ehsaas undergraduate scholarship in the last two years will continue receiving scholarships till the completion of their undergraduate degree based on their academic performance. The total budget of the programme is Rs. 24 billion. Over the span of four years, 200,000 undergraduate scholarships will be awarded on a need and merit basis with 50 percent scholarships reserved for girls.