Quaid-i-Azam University
جامعہ قائداعظم
Islamabad's federal research university, where BS admission runs on Matric and first-year Intermediate marks.
- Tuition
- PKR 172K
- From · Fall 2026
- Founded
- 1967
- QS World Ranking
- #381
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Urban
About QAU
Quaid-i-Azam University was established in July 1967 by an Act of the National Assembly, originally as Islamabad University, and took its current name in 1976. It began with MPhil and PhD programmes only and later added master's and then undergraduate degrees. As a federal public-sector university it admits students from all regions of Pakistan and reserves seats for foreign nationals.
Teaching is organised in the Faculties of Natural Sciences, Biological Sciences and Social Sciences, plus an affiliated Faculty of Medicine. Undergraduate BS programmes run for four years (eight semesters) across subjects from physics, mathematics, computer science and geophysics to biotechnology, economics, international relations and psychology, alongside a five-year Pharm-D and a law degree admitted through the HEC Law Admission Test.
The campus sits at the foot of the Margalla Hills in Islamabad and has nine hostels with space for more than 2,200 students. QAU suits academically strong students who want a research-oriented public university in the capital at a fraction of private-university fees; admission to most BS programmes is decided by a merit formula based on Matric and HSSC Part-I marks.
وَمَن يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا
“And he to whom wisdom is granted receiveth indeed a benefit overflowing” — university motto
Why students choose QAU
Public-sector fees: the first-semester total for most regular BS programmes in Fall 2026 was about Rs. 100,600.
Merit for most BS programmes is transparent: 30% Matric and 70% HSSC Part-I marks, with a published merit calculator.
Nine on-campus hostels with capacity for 2,202 students, each with its own no-profit mess.
Its Office of Scholarship and Financial Assistance reports Rs. 208 million in scholarships awarded in 2019-22, including Ehsaas undergraduate scholarships.
Admissions
Fall 2027 intake (rules and dates shown are from Fall 2026)
Selectivity
QAU does not publish an acceptance rate. Seats are filled on a merit list by department, with reserved seats (including 10% for foreign nationals on a self-finance basis).
Typical entry requirements
| HSSC / Intermediate (Pakistan) | HSSC Part-I with at least 50%; merit = 30% Matric (SSC) marks + 70% HSSC Part-I marks |
|---|---|
| Pharm-D | FSc (Pre-Medical) or equivalent with at least 60% |
| LLB | Valid HEC LAT result; merit = 50% HSSC Part-I + 30% LAT + 20% SSC |
| Foreign nationals and dual nationals | Admitted to reserved seats (10% of each department's seats, self-finance) subject to passing the department's entry test (SAT-I or university admission test where required) |
Deadlines
- BS Software Engineering (self-support) and Pharm-D, Fall 2026 (reference) Non-binding Passed29 September 2026
Late-cycle programmes still open on the admissions portal on 29 September 2026.
- Undergraduate admissions (Fall intake) Non-bindingOpens usually in June
QAU says the undergraduate admission process usually starts in June, once a year, for the Fall semester.
Fall 2027 dates had not been published. For Fall 2026, most BS applications opened in the summer and a few programmes (BS Software Engineering self-support and Pharm-D) closed on 29 September 2026.
How to apply
Apply through QAU's Online Admission System, paying the Rs. 2,860 application processing fee via Kuickpay or 1-Bill and uploading the receipt with scanned documents. Departments may hold a pass/fail entry test; admission is then by merit list (morning regular, self-finance and evening self-support seats). Foreign applicants contact the admissions office and apply for the reserved foreign-student seats.
What admissions looks for
- High Matric and HSSC Part-I marks, which make up the whole merit score for most BS programmes.
- A pass (at least 40%) in any departmental entry test, used for shortlisting.
- For LLB, a strong HEC LAT score (30% of merit).
- Complete, correct documents uploaded with the online form and fee receipt.
Tips for applying to QAU
- 1 Use QAU's merit calculator to check your aggregate: it is based on Part-I, not final Intermediate, marks.
- 2 Apply as soon as admissions open in June: most programmes run one Fall intake a year.
- 3 If you miss the regular merit list, look at self-finance and evening (self-support) seats, which have higher fees.
- 4 Apply for a hostel place early through the Campus Management System: allotment is first come, first served.
Costs & financial aid
Fall 2026 · figures in PKR
QAU's Office of Scholarship and Financial Assistance, set up with the Higher Education Commission, administers need- and merit-based scholarships. It reports Rs. 208,437,999 awarded in 2019-22, including Rs. 129.5 million in Ehsaas undergraduate scholarships and awards from HEC, USAID, the British Council, OGDCL and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal.
- Rs. 154,830 for most programmes; Rs. 177,620-180,620 for Business Administration, Computer Science, IT, Pharmacy, Law, English and SP&IR
- Self-finance / evening BS, first-semester total (Fall 2026)
- USD 733 (or rupee equivalent)
- Foreign students, BS total at admission (Fall 2026)
- Rs. 32,490 per semester services fee + Rs. 6,300 refundable security + Rs. 580 form
- Hostel, local students (Fall 2026)
- Rs. 2,860
- Application processing fee
- Rs. 208,437,999
- Scholarships awarded 2019-22
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (four-year BS of eight regular 18-week semesters, plus optional summer semesters)
BS Physics
Part of the Faculty of Natural Sciences; alumni include quantum optics physicist M. Suhail Zubairy (MSc Physics).
BS Computer Science
One of the higher-fee BS programmes (Rs. 106,530 at admission for regular students in Fall 2026).
BS International Relations
Taught in the Faculty of Social Sciences; actor Hamza Ali Abbasi took his master's in the subject at QAU.
Pharm-D (5 years)
Requires FSc (Pre-Medical) with 60%; the extended Fall 2026 application deadline was 29 September 2026.
LLB (5 years)
Admission through the HEC Law Admission Test, weighted at 30% of merit.
BS Biotechnology
One of the Faculty of Biological Sciences' undergraduate programmes alongside biochemistry, bioinformatics and microbiology.
Research
- QAU began as a research university offering only MPhil and PhD programmes.
- Fellowships for MPhil and PhD students totalled Rs. 44.5 million in 2019-22, according to the scholarship office.
- International partners named by the university include UNESCO and Spain's Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Biological Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine (Affiliated)
Student life
Campus life centres on QAU's nine hostels (four female and five male, plus a female annexe), each run by a senior warden with its own no-profit mess and a night canteen. Hostels are within walking distance of the departments, and places are allotted first come, first served. The university also has games and sports facilities, cafeterias, banks, mosques, a medical centre and a post office on campus, so most daily needs are met without leaving the Margalla foothills.
- Nine hostels with capacity for 2,202 residents.
- Each hostel has its own no-profit, no-loss mess and a night canteen.
- On-campus banks, mosques, medical services, utility store and post office.
- Sports quota admissions for students with international to district-level sports certificates.
Housing. Hostel places (2,202 in total) are allotted first come, first served; Fall 2026 charges for local students were Rs. 32,490 per semester plus a refundable Rs. 6,300 security deposit.
Location
The campus lies in the foothills of the Margalla Hills on the edge of Islamabad, Pakistan's planned capital. Islamabad is home to government offices, embassies and research institutions, with the older city of Rawalpindi next door. Hostels on campus house more than 2,200 students, and Islamabad International Airport serves the capital.
Nearest airport: Islamabad International Airport (ISB)
Notable alumni
- MS M. Suhail ZubairyQuantum optics physicist; MSc in physics from QAU (1974)
- NZ Nasim ZehraJournalist and television host; studied business at QAU
- SZ Salma ZahidMember of the Parliament of Canada; MBA from QAU
- TZ Tasneem Zehra HusainTheoretical physicist and author; MS in physics from QAU
- NC Naela ChohanPakistani diplomat, former ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay, Peru and Ecuador
- A Abrar-ul-HaqSinger and politician; master's in social sciences from QAU
- HA Hamza Ali AbbasiActor; master's in international relations from QAU
Frequently asked questions
How is merit calculated at Quaid-i-Azam University?
For most BS programmes, merit = 30% Matric marks + 70% HSSC Part-I marks. For LLB it is 20% SSC, 50% HSSC Part-I and 30% HEC LAT.
Is there an entry test for QAU BS admission?
Departments may hold an entry test that must be passed with 40%, but it is only for shortlisting and does not count in merit. For Fall 2026 the HEC USAT requirement for BS and Pharm-D was waived; LAT remains compulsory for LLB.
What are QAU's BS fees?
For Fall 2026, the first-semester total for regular morning students was Rs. 100,600 for most programmes and up to Rs. 106,530 for Law, Computer Science and IT; self-finance and evening seats cost Rs. 154,830-180,620.
Can foreign students study at QAU?
Yes. 10% of seats in each department are reserved for foreign nationals, dual nationals and recognised refugees on a self-finance basis; the Fall 2026 BS fee at admission for foreign students was USD 733.
When do QAU admissions open?
Undergraduate admissions usually start in June, once a year, for the Fall semester.
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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