Admissions guide, the 2026-27 cycle
PM&DC held MDCAT 2026 on 20 September 2026. All five regions declared results between 24 and 26 September. This page covers the admission cycle that follows: applications, merit lists, and counseling. It also covers the aggregate formula, the 2027 timing policy, and the province-by-province process with official portal links.
Last verified 7 October 2026
At a glance
2026 test
Held 20 September 2026
138,160 registered candidates
2026 result
Declared 24 to 26 September
All five admitting regions
Format
180 MCQs, 180 marks, 180 minutes
Pen and paper, no negative marking
Passing
55% MBBS, 50% BDS
Subject to PM&DC gazette
Aggregate
Matric 10% + Inter 40% + MDCAT 50%
Unchanged for 2026
Score validity
Three admission cycles
2026, 2027, and 2028
Help, what to do right now
A short list of concrete next steps for the most common situations candidates find themselves in this cycle. Pick the row that matches you and follow it. The other rows can wait.
Step 1
Have your 2026 result
Now, before applications close
Compute your aggregate with Matric 10%, Intermediate 40%, and MDCAT 50%. Then check which colleges your aggregate reaches using the directory and its 2025-26 closing merits.
Why
The aggregate, not the MDCAT score alone, decides merit. KMU applications close on 21 October. Other provinces publish their own windows shortly after.
Step 2
Could not sit or register in 2026
The 2027 cycle starts now
Plan for MDCAT 2027 from today. The announced policy holds the test within days of the FSc results, so preparation moves into the FSc year itself. Cover the FSc Pre-Medical syllabus end to end and build a spaced-repetition habit early.
Why
There is no late registration, and agents claiming a late 2026 slot are running a scam. The 2027 calendar rewards twelve months of steady prep, not a summer cram.
Step 3
Choosing a college
Before the first merit list
List every public and private medical and dental college in your province that you are eligible for, in order of preference. Decide before the merit list lands so you can act on day one of counseling without panic.
Why
College choices are usually locked at the first counseling round. A second list is published only for unfilled seats.
Step 4
Planning tuition
Now to counseling
Public college tuition in Punjab, Sindh, KPK, and Balochistan is nominal. Private medical college tuition typically sits in the PKR 1.2M to 2.4M band per year. Apply for HEC, PEEF, Ehsaas, and provincial Qarz-e-Hasna in parallel, not after admission.
Why
Most need-based scholarships only accept applications from candidates who already hold an admission offer. The award cycle is the wrong way round, so apply early.
Step 5
Foreign or overseas candidate
Before the next cycle opens
In 2026 the test ran in Pakistan and Riyadh. Confirm your centre when the 2027 registration opens, and note that the foreign-quota admission process is separate and runs through PM&DC directly, not through the provincial admitting universities.
Why
Foreign quota seats are filled after the regular merit list. There is a separate application window that opens after the result.
Step 6
Appealing a result or a merit position
Within 7 days of the merit list
File a written complaint with the admitting university, attach your MDCAT scorecard and the published merit list, and request a recount. Recounts only check the OMR sheet against the published answer key.
Why
The complaint window is short and varies by province. The provincial admitting university website is the only authoritative source for the deadline.
Timing policy
The Federal Health Minister announced a new MDCAT schedule starting with the 2027 cycle: the test will be held within days of the FSc results, instead of months after them. The stated rationale is to close the long gap that coaching academies monetize, and to save families the cost of a post-FSc cram course. The practical consequence for a 2027 candidate: preparation moves into the FSc year itself, alongside board exams. No 2027 test date, syllabus change, or eligibility change has been announced yet; this page and the news desk update the day PM&DC publishes.
Source: Pakistan Observer, Health Minister statement. A Senate sub-committee has separately recommended holding MDCAT twice a year; that is a recommendation, not a decision.
Format
The 2026 paper is unchanged from the previous cycle. There is no negative marking. Each MCQ carries one mark. The English and Logical Reasoning sections are MCQ-based, not descriptive.
| Subject | MCQs | Share | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 81 | 45% | FSc Pre-Medical curriculum, PM&DC gazette |
| Chemistry | 45 | 25% | FSc Pre-Medical curriculum, PM&DC gazette |
| Physics | 36 | 20% | FSc Pre-Medical curriculum, PM&DC gazette |
| English | 9 | 5% | FSc Pre-Medical curriculum, PM&DC gazette |
| Logical Reasoning | 9 | 5% | FSc Pre-Medical curriculum, PM&DC gazette |
| Total | 180 | 100% | 3 hours, single sitting |
Aggregate
The merit score combines your SSC marks, your HSSC marks, and your MDCAT score on a fixed weighting. The same formula is used for both MBBS and BDS admissions, and for both public and private colleges.
Matriculation / SSC
10%
HSSC Part-I or equivalent is used where Matric marks are unavailable; per PM&DC gazette.
Intermediate / HSSC / FSc (Pre-Medical)
40%
Unadjusted marks, not converted. Equivalent qualifications (A-Levels, IB, foreign) are equated by IBCC.
MDCAT
50%
PM&DC runs the test on a central question bank; provincial admitting universities administered the 2026 papers and publish their own merit lists against the score.
Worked example: a student with 980 / 1100 in Matric, 1040 / 1100 in FSc, and 145 / 180 in MDCAT scores 87.01 aggregate ((980 / 1100) × 10 + (1040 / 1100) × 40 + (145 / 180) × 50 = 8.91 + 37.82 + 40.28 = 87.01). Provincial admitting universities rank candidates against the applicant pool in their own province.
Timeline
What has already happened, and what comes next. Past events are source-linked. Future events are dated based on the historical pattern of the 2024 and 2025 cycles and should be confirmed against the live provincial portals as they publish.
Province by province
PM&DC conducts the test centrally, but admissions remain a provincial process. The table below shows the admitting body, the portal to watch, and what the 2026 cycle looks like in each province.
| Province | Admitting body | 2026 process | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab | University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahorewww.uhs.edu.pk/ | Administered from the PM&DC central question bank in 2026. UHS publishes the Punjab merit list. | 33+ public and private medical and dental colleges. Punjab has the largest pool of MBBS and BDS seats. AJK colleges admit through UHS. |
| Sindh | Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU), Liaquat University (LUMHS), PUMHS Shaheed Benazirabad, SMBBMU Larkanawww.duhs.edu.pk/ | MDCAT 2026 was administered by STS (Sukkur IBA) from the PM&DC central question bank. Each admitting university publishes its own merit list. | Karachi colleges (Dow, JSMU) use a separate admission process from the rest of Sindh. PUMHS Nawabshah runs the women-only public college. LUMHS Jamshoro and SMBBMU Larkana cover interior Sindh and upper Sindh. |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawarkmu.edu.pk/ | Administered from the PM&DC central question bank in 2026. KMU publishes the KPK merit list. | 10 public and 10 private medical colleges under KMU. Gomal Medical College (D.I. Khan) seats raised 100 to 150 for 2026. The 2026-27 application window runs 29 September to 21 October 2026 on cas.kmu.edu.pk. |
| Balochistan | Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences (BUMHS), Quettawww.bumhs.edu.pk/ | Administered from the PM&DC central question bank in 2026. BUMHS publishes the Balochistan merit list. | 4 public medical colleges. Private capacity is one college, currently operating on a court order reviewed each cycle. |
| AJK | Joint Admission Committee (JAC), Government of Azad Jammu & Kashmirwww.szabmu.edu.pk/ | SZABMU Islamabad administered the AJK MDCAT 2026 paper. The JAC then runs the merit list for the public medical colleges of AJK and the AJK-reserved seats elsewhere. | 3 public medical colleges, 1 private. Applications need a State Subject certificate of the 1st Class, domicile, and a PRC. Roughly half the seats at each AJK public medical college are reserved for AJK-domiciled candidates. |
| Gilgit-Baltistan | Nomination Board, Directorate of Education (Colleges), Gilgit-Baltistandoecgb.gov.pk/ | SZABMU Islamabad administered the GB MDCAT 2026 paper. The Directorate then nominates GB students to medical colleges in other provinces. | GB has no college on the PM&DC register as of October 2026, so GB candidates study elsewhere on reserved-seat nominations. The Directorate also publishes a district quota covering Gilgit, Ghizer, Astore, Hunza, Nagar, Ghanche, Skardu, Diamer, Shigar and Kharmang. |
| ICT (Federal) | Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), NUMS, NUSTwww.szabmu.edu.pk/ | Administered from the PM&DC central question bank in 2026. SZABMU publishes the ICT merit list for SZABMU and its affiliated colleges. | Islamabad has two federal medical universities (SZABMU and NUMS) and the densest private medical cluster in Pakistan. NUMS runs a parallel admission cycle for Army Medical College and the eight affiliated CMH institutes. |
| NUMS (Army Medical Corps) | National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindinumspak.edu.pk/ | Administered from the PM&DC central question bank in 2026. NUMS uses the PM&DC score plus its own interview and fitness criteria for Army Medical College. | Army Medical College, CMH Lahore, CMH Kharian, CMH Multan, Wah Medical College, HITEC Taxila, Karachi Institute of Medical Sciences, CMH Bahawalpur, Quetta Institute of Medical Sciences. |
Seat matrix
The numbers below are the published totals from the provincial admitting universities and the PM&DC gazette. Provincial seat counts are revised each cycle; check the live UHS, KMU, DUHS, JSMU, LUMHS, BUMHS, SZABMU and NUMS prospectuses for the 2025-26 cycle before relying on these figures.
| Province | MBBS | BDS | Public colleges | Private colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab | 8,376 | 1,920 | 27 | 61 |
| Sindh | 4,100 | 1,390 | 22 | 29 |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 2,635 | 669 | 15 | 16 |
| Balochistan | 620 | 108 | 6 | 1 |
| AJK | 430 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Gilgit-Baltistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ICT | 1,654 | 783 | 7 | 20 |
| Pakistan | 17,815 | 4,870 | 80 | 128 |
Note: ICT private colleges are counted under Punjab in the PM&DC gazette. The province totals above follow that convention.
Headline colleges
A non-exhaustive list of the public and private medical colleges that consistently draw the highest aggregate cutoffs. The seat figures are approximate, drawn from the most recent published prospectus or college announcement. Per-college MBBS and BDS seat counts for 2025-26 should be re-checked on the live admitting university portal.
| College | City | Seats | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Edward Medical University | Lahore | approx 300 MBBS | Founded 1860. Oldest medical school in Pakistan. Most competitive public college in Punjab. |
| Allama Iqbal Medical College | Lahore | approx 325 MBBS | Attached to Jinnah Hospital. Long-standing top merit band. |
| Fatima Jinnah Medical University | Lahore | approx 250 admissions / year | 50% federal quota for Sindh, KPK, Balochistan, AJK, GB. 23 PTAP seats for friendly countries. |
| Services Institute of Medical Sciences | Lahore | approx 200 MBBS | Attached to Services Hospital. |
| Rawalpindi Medical University | Rawalpindi | approx 350 MBBS | Three attached teaching hospitals: Holy Family, Benazir Bhutto, District Headquarters. |
| Nishtar Medical University | Multan | approx 250 MBBS | Largest teaching hospital in south Punjab. |
| Dow Medical College | Karachi | approx 250 MBBS | Constituent college of DUHS, attached to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital. |
| Jinnah Sindh Medical University | Karachi | varies by program | Public. SMC and JMDC are the main constituent colleges. |
| Khyber Medical College | Peshawar | approx 250 MBBS | Constituent of KMU. Oldest KPK medical school. |
| Ayub Medical College | Abbottabad | approx 250 MBBS | Constituent of KMU. |
| Bolan Medical College | Quetta | approx 100 MBBS | Constituent of BUMHS. The principal public medical college in Balochistan. |
| AJK Medical College | Muzaffarabad | approx 100 MBBS | Public. AJK-domiciled candidates get first claim on roughly half of seats. |
| KIU Faculty of Medicine | Gilgit | approx 50 MBBS | Public medical college in Gilgit. Not on the PM&DC register fetched on 7 October 2026. GB students are also nominated to colleges in other provinces. |
| Federal Medical and Dental College | Islamabad | approx 100 MBBS | Constituent of SZABMU. Reserved for ICT-domiciled candidates. |
| Army Medical College | Rawalpindi | approx 200 MBBS | Constituent of NUMS. Civil candidates admitted on open merit; army cadets through PMA Long Course. |
| College | City | Seats | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aga Khan University Medical College | Karachi | approx 100 MBBS | AKU runs its own admission test in addition to MDCAT. |
| CMH Lahore Medical and Dental College | Lahore | approx 150 MBBS | NUMS-affiliated. Open merit through NUMS admission cycle. |
| Shalamar Medical and Dental College | Lahore | approx 150 MBBS | UHS-affiliated. Tuition sits in the upper private band. |
| Lahore Medical and Dental College | Lahore | approx 150 MBBS | UHS-affiliated. |
| FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry | Lahore | approx 150 MBBS | UHS-affiliated. Attached to Fatima Memorial Hospital. |
| Rehman Medical College | Peshawar | approx 100 MBBS | KMU-affiliated. Largest private medical college in KPK. |
| HITEC Institute of Medical Sciences | Taxila | approx 100 MBBS | NUMS-affiliated. Attached to Heavy Industries Taxila hospital. |
| Karachi Institute of Medical Sciences | Karachi | approx 100 MBBS | NUMS-affiliated. |
Documents
After the test
All five regions declared between 24 and 26 September 2026. UHS qualified 37,708 candidates for MBBS, which is 79% of those who appeared. KMU reported a 66% success ratio. STS released provisional Sindh results with a grievance window that closed on 26 September. SZABMU published the corrected federal, AJK and GB result on 25 September. BUMHS declared on 25 and 26 September. Each result sits on the admitting university’s own portal.
Each provincial admitting university publishes its own merit list using the aggregate formula on this page. Public college seats go first to the open merit pool, then to the province-specific quota seats (domicile, rural, female, disabled, minorities, FATA / merged districts, and so on).
Candidates shortlisted on the merit list are invited to a counseling round, either online or in person at the admitting university. Original documents are verified at this stage. Plan to bring all originals, plus two attested sets of photocopies, and be ready to pay the first semester fee on the spot.
The seat is confirmed once the candidate deposits the first semester or annual fee. The MBBS program typically starts in January. PM&DC issues a formal registration number after the college confirms admission. Students who fail to pay in the fee window forfeit their seat to the next list.
Money
Federal and provincial scholarship programmes that cover medical and dental students. Income ceilings, deadlines, and the availability of each programme change each cycle. The links below go to the live portal where the current rules are published.
| Programme | Eligibility | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| HEC Need-Based Scholarship | Open to students admitted on merit to PM&DC-recognized public and private medical and dental colleges. Income ceiling revised each cycle; see the live portal for the current threshold. | www.hec.gov.pk/english/scholarshipsgrants/ |
| Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) | Punjab-domiciled students admitted to public medical and dental colleges. Merit plus need; preference for students of government schools at the Matric and FSc level. | peef.org.pk/ |
| Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship | Federal-level need-based scholarship administered by HEC. Income ceiling is set at PKR 45,000 per month for the most recent cycle; confirm the live threshold on the portal. | scholarship.hec.gov.pk/ |
| PM&DC Need-Based Scholarship (where active) | Awarded to students in PM&DC-recognized private medical and dental colleges, when federal funding is available. The status of the 2026 cycle should be confirmed on the PM&DC homepage. | www.pmdc.pk/ |
| Provincial Qarz-e-Hasna (interest-free loan) | Punjab, Sindh, and KPK each run a student-loan programme covering tuition at public and selected private medical and dental colleges. Disbursed through the provincial higher education department. | www.hec.gov.pk/english/scholarshipsgrants/ |
| AKU Financial Assistance | Aga Khan University, Karachi. Need-based, awarded after admission; covers full or partial tuition based on the family financial profile. | www.aku.edu/admissions/Pages/FinancialAssistance.aspx |
Foreign applicants
In 2026 the test ran in Pakistan and at an international centre in Riyadh. The centre list for each cycle is published on the admit-card notice at mdcat.pmdc.pk. Foreign candidates register through the same portal as domestic candidates.
A Senate panel on 5 June 2026 directed legal documents to make MDCAT compulsory for foreign medical admissions. The older SAT-Subject-Test alternative (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) is no longer a safe assumption. Verify the live foreign-quota policy on pmdc.pk before applying. FJMU runs a 23-seat PTAP programme for friendly and Islamic countries.
Common questions
Official links
Colophon
This page is reviewed against the PM&DC homepage, the mdcat.pmdc.pk registration portal, and the provincial admitting university websites each time a fact changes. Past events are source-linked inline. Future events are dated based on the historical cycles and will be revised as the 2026-27 cycle progresses. If a fact looks wrong, tell us and we will correct it.
Last verified 7 October 2026.