North South University
নর্থ সাউথ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়
Bangladesh's first private university (per NSU's own history page), an English-medium campus in Dhaka with a published per-credit fee.
- Students
- 16,380
- Student–faculty
- 19.1:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- BDT 264K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1992
About NSU
North South University (NSU) was established in 1992 as the first private university in Bangladesh, founded by a group of industrialists, educators and civil servants after the then government enacted the Private University Act 1992. It was formally inaugurated on 10 February 1993, and since 2009 it has been based on a permanent campus at Bashundhara in Dhaka.
The campus stands on about 5.5 acres with 1.2 million square feet of floor space, organised around an Administrative Building and two ten-storey academic buildings linked by a bridge. The university reports 4 schools: Business and Economics, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Health and Life Sciences. Its degrees run from BBA, Computer Science and Engineering, Architecture and Pharmacy to English, Economics, Law, Media and Journalism, Public Health and, newly, Sociology and History and Global Studies.
Teaching is credit-based, and the admissions site publishes a complete fee table for every undergraduate program (Tk 8,000 per credit from Spring 2026). Entry is through NSU's own two-and-a-half-hour admission test, or a waiver for strong SAT, IELTS or TOEFL scores. The university suits students who want an English-medium, semester-based degree in Dhaka and who are ready to plan around its per-credit costs and three-semester year.
Why students choose NSU
It was Bangladesh's first private university, and it publishes a full undergraduate fee structure for each program on one page.
Top 10 scorers on the undergraduate admission test receive a full (100%) tuition waiver, and high SSC/HSC or O-/A-Level results with a satisfactory test score also qualify for waivers.
Engineering, Architecture, Pharmacy and Life Sciences students have access to on-campus labs, including 15 computer labs, 8 pharmacy labs and 9 life sciences labs.
An SAT score of 1150+ can waive the admission test for eligible applicants (not for BPharm or LLB); IELTS 7.0+ or TOEFL iBT 85+ waives it only for BA English and BSS Media, Communication and Journalism.
Admissions
Spring 2027 intake
Selectivity
NSU does not publish an acceptance rate. Admission is by its own test and minimum academic requirements; BPharm and LLB are offered in Spring and Summer only and are admitted purely on admission-test merit.
Typical entry requirements
| SSC and HSC (Bangladesh) | Combined GPA of 8.0 with at least 3.5 in each |
|---|---|
| GCE O-Levels and A-Levels | O-Levels in five subjects averaging at least 2.5 grade points and A-Levels in two subjects averaging at least 2.0 (A=5 to E=1); only one E allowed |
| IB Diploma | Six subjects, minimum average 4.0 out of 7 (24 points) |
| US high school diploma / other 12-year schooling (international applicants) | At least 60% average marks; English medium of instruction, or SAT 1100, IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 72 if from a non-English-speaking country |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 72 For international applicants from non-English-medium schools (or SAT 1100). NSU also plans a one-year non-degree English course for applicants with limited English, especially from China, Korea and Japan. |
Deadlines
- Spring 2027 undergraduate admission Non-binding Next deadline · In 47 daysApplication deadline 22 November 2026; admission test 28 November 2026 (tentative)
Online applications are expected to open on 20 October 2026 (tentative).
These are the Spring 2027 dates on the NSU admissions dates and deadlines page (checked 30 September 2026); the admission test date is marked tentative by NSU. Summer 2027 and Fall 2027 dates are not published yet.
How to apply
Register on the admissions site with an email and phone number, complete the online application, pay the application fee (Tk 2,000 by bank or Tk 2,031 by bKash), print the admit card and sit the admission test. International applicants first email their documents to the Office of Admissions, then receive an offer letter for a Bangladesh student visa.
What admissions looks for
- Meeting the minimum SSC/HSC, O-/A-Level or IB requirements before applying, because ineligible applicants can be refused and the application fee is not refunded.
- Strong English, math and writing skills, which the admission test measures.
- For engineering degrees, Math and Physics at HSC grade B or equivalent; for Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biology and Chemistry.
- For Architecture, a drawing test and Math or Physics at the stated grade.
Tips for applying to NSU
- 1 Check the program-specific subject requirements first: engineering, architecture, pharmacy and public health each have their own grade thresholds.
- 2 If you already hold a strong SAT (1150+) or IELTS (7.0+) score, ask about the test waiver, but note it does not apply to BPharm or LLB.
- 3 Use the sample admission test paper posted on the admissions site.
- 4 Choose BPharm or LLB as your first choice if you want them, since they run only in Spring and Summer.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in BDT
NSU offers merit-based tuition waivers: the top 10 scorers on the undergraduate admission test get a full waiver, and students with GPA 5.00 in SSC or HSC and 4.80 in the other (or 7 A's in O-Level and 3 in A-Level) with a satisfactory test score also qualify. Continuing students can apply for aid with a minimum CGPA of 2.75 after 9 credits, and siblings at NSU can receive 25% waivers each. A 100% waiver covers tuition only, not admission, activity or lab fees.
- 100% tuition waiver
- Top 10 undergraduate admission test scorers
- Tk 8,000
- Tuition per credit (from Spring 2026)
- Tk 2,000 by bank or Tk 2,031 by bKash
- Application fee
Academics
Academic calendar: Three semesters a year (Spring, Summer, Fall); BPharm and LLB run on a bi-semester (six-month) schedule
BS in Computer Science & Engineering
130 credits, with engineering entry requiring Math and Physics at a minimum grade.
Bachelor of Business Administration
120 credits at Tk 8,000 per credit, offered by the School of Business and Economics with MBA and EMBA programs alongside.
Bachelor of Architecture
A five-year program of 170 credits with a mandatory 30-minute drawing test.
Bachelor of Pharmacy
160 credits on a bi-semester schedule, admitted on test merit alone and supported by 8 pharmacy labs.
Bachelor of Laws (LLB Hons)
130 credits, offered in Spring and Summer only, admitted on test merit.
BSS in History & Global Studies and Sociology
Newly launched undergraduate programs highlighted on the admissions page.
Research
- Research units include the NSU Global Health Institute, the NSU Genome Research Institute and the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance.
- Centers include the Center for Climate Change and Disaster Resilience, the Center for Migration Studies and the NSU Center for Business Research.
- A Confucius Institute and an Institute of Modern Languages are based on campus.
Schools & faculties
- School of Business & Economics
- School of Engineering & Physical Sciences
- School of Humanities & Social Sciences
- School of Health & Life Sciences
NSU has a Career and Placement Center; the pages checked do not publish a dated graduate employment rate.
Student life
NSU is a commuter-style urban university on a single Bashundhara campus, with classrooms, labs, a library and student amenities in three linked buildings. Student clubs, a Student Counseling Center, a Career and Placement Center and an Office of Student Affairs sit alongside NSU Startups Next for student ventures. The auditorium seats 1,100 and the campus has a fully automated library and more than 1,000 basement parking spaces. International students can take an optional basic Bangla course.
- A Student Counseling Center and a Career and Placement Center.
- NSU Startups Next supports student ventures.
- A 1,100-seat auditorium and a fully automated library on campus.
- An optional basic Bangla course is offered to international students.
Location
NSU's permanent campus is at Bashundhara in Dhaka, where it moved in 2009 after the foundation was laid in 2003. Dhaka is Bangladesh's capital and largest city. International students are met at the airport by NSU's Office of External Affairs once they have a visa and an offer letter.
Nearest airport: Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC)
Notable alumni
- TM Tanvir MishukEntrepreneur and co-founder of Nagad
- TK Tasneem KhalilJournalist
- SK Shamim Kaisar LincolnPolitician, member of parliament and state minister
- AI Aninda Islam AmitPolitician, member of parliament and state minister
- NI Nusrat Imrose TishaActress and producer
- T TopuMusician and singer-songwriter
Frequently asked questions
What is the QS ranking of North South University?
QS World University Rankings 2027 places NSU in the 901-950 band (QS publishes bands, not exact ranks, at this level). THE World University Rankings 2026 places it in the 801-1000 band.
How much does it cost to study at NSU?
Tuition is Tk 8,000 per credit from Spring 2026. Published program totals range from about Tk 1.06 million for BBA to about Tk 1.52 million for Architecture, or roughly Tk 264,000 to Tk 354,000 a year including semester fees.
Is there an admission test at NSU?
Yes: a 2.5-hour test of English, math, reading and an essay. It is waived for eligible applicants with SAT 1150+ (all programs except BPharm and LLB), or with IELTS 7.0+ or TOEFL iBT 85+ (BA English and BSS Media, Communication and Journalism only).
What is the Spring 2027 application deadline?
The undergraduate application deadline is 22 November 2026, with the admission test on 28 November 2026 (tentative).
What English score do international applicants need?
International applicants from non-English-medium systems need IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 72 or SAT 1100, plus 12 years of schooling with at least 60% average marks.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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