University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore
Pakistan's oldest engineering institution, where a single ECAT-weighted merit score decides who gets which seat.
- Tuition
- PKR 170.5K
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1921
- QS World Ranking
- 791-800
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Urban
About UET Lahore
The University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore opened in 1921 as Mughalpura Technical College, became Maclagan Engineering College, and became a university in the early 1960s (1961 in the prospectus, 1962 on the history page); it took its current name in 1972. It is Pakistan's oldest engineering institution and started the country's first mining engineering degree in 1954. The main campus sits on the Grand Trunk Road in Lahore, with further campuses at Kala Shah Kaku, Faisalabad and Narowal and a constituent college, RCET, in Gujranwala.
Teaching is organised into eight faculties covering electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical, metallurgical and polymer, and earth sciences engineering, plus computing, architecture and planning, and natural sciences and humanities. Four-year BSc engineering degrees are accredited by the Pakistan Engineering Council and computing degrees by NCEAC, and every student completes a final-year project on a real engineering problem.
Admission is almost entirely by numbers. For engineering, computing and architecture, an aggregate built from the ECAT entry test (33%), first-year intermediate marks (50%) and matric marks (17%) ranks every applicant, and seats are filled down each candidate's list of preferences. It suits strong science students who want a respected, low-cost public engineering degree and are comfortable with a crowded, competitive campus.
Why students choose UET Lahore
Fees are low by any standard: subsidised (A1) tuition for Fall 2026 is Rs. 56,290 a semester.
UET says QS ranked it 201st in the world for Engineering and Technology in 2026, and its ranking page lists Petroleum Engineering in the 51-100 subject band.
One application fee of Rs. 3,000 covers as many programmes and campuses as you are eligible for.
UET reports scholarships worth more than PKR 1.45 billion awarded in 2025-26, and advertises 50% financial assistance for deserving foreign students.
Admissions
Fall 2026 undergraduate intake (Fall 2027 dates not yet published)
Selectivity
UET does not publish an admit rate. Admission is by merit aggregate; in the first Fall 2026 merit list the closing aggregate for A1 (subsidised) seats at the Lahore main campus was 87.47 for Computer Science, 85.14 for Electrical Engineering and 82.64 for Civil Engineering.
Typical entry requirements
| Intermediate (FSc) or equivalent | At least 60% marks for engineering, architecture and computer engineering (NCEAC); at least 50% for science, technology and business programmes, with the subject combination each programme requires |
|---|---|
| O/A-levels, Grade 12 or other foreign qualifications | Accepted; grades are converted by the IBCC formula and an IBCC equivalence certificate must be submitted if selected |
| DAE (diploma of associate engineer) | Eligible for engineering programmes with ECAT in the Physics, Mathematics, English and Chemistry or Computer Science combination |
Deadlines
- ECAT Fall 2026 (second sitting) Non-binding Passed13 June 2026 (registration); test 16-21 June 2026
Results were announced on 30 June 2026.
- Undergraduate online application (Pakistani applicants) Non-binding Passed15 July 2026
Applications opened 8 June 2026; preferences could be edited 12-14 July for Rs. 1,500.
- Foreign / dual nationals (Self-Finance scheme), Fall 2026 Non-binding Passed5 October 2026
The official downloads notice states the application deadline is 5 October 2026 (up to midnight); the advertisement's 29 September to 13 October 2026 window is the overall admission process, not the submission deadline.
These are Fall 2026 dates. UET has not yet published the Fall 2027 schedule; based on 2026, expect ECAT registration and applications between May and July 2027.
How to apply
Pakistani applicants pay a Rs. 3,000 challan, sit ECAT where required, then complete the online form at admission.uet.edu.pk and rank their programme and campus preferences; merit lists are issued in rounds and a seat is offered at the highest preference your aggregate reaches. Foreign and dual nationals apply separately under the Self-Finance scheme by emailing their academic documents and passport to the admissions office.
What admissions looks for
- A high merit aggregate: ECAT score and intermediate and matric marks are combined by fixed weights, with no interviews or essays.
- The right intermediate subject combination for each programme, such as Physics and Mathematics for engineering.
- At least 60% in intermediate for engineering and architecture, or 50% for science and business programmes.
- Eligibility for the seat category you choose: open merit seats (A1, A2) are for Punjab-domiciled candidates, while other categories, such as the all-Pakistan AP seats and provincial nominations, have their own rules.
Tips for applying to UET Lahore
- 1 Rank preferences carefully: once you are selected in one preference, all lower preferences expire, and you are never considered for a programme you did not list.
- 2 Tick every category you are eligible for (A1 and A2); A1 fees are about 35% lower, but A2 widens your chances.
- 3 ECAT covers the full intermediate or A-level syllabus with no negative marking, so answer every question.
- 4 Foreign and dual nationals should use the Self-Finance route and send an IBCC equivalence certificate if selected.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in PKR
UET reports scholarships worth more than PKR 1.45 billion awarded in financial year 2025-26, and financial assistance is available in different programmes. Its foreign-student advertisement offers 50% financial assistance to all deserving foreign students.
- Rs. 713,920 (A1) / Rs. 1,085,430 (A2)
- Total fees over 8 semesters (Fall 2026 entry)
- Rs. 7,000 cubicle or Rs. 5,500 dormitory (A1), plus utility charges; meals not included
- Hostel room rent per semester
- More than PKR 1.45 billion
- Scholarships awarded, 2025-26
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (Fall and Spring, with an optional summer semester)
Computer Science (BS)
The highest closing aggregate among ECAT-based programmes on the main campus in Fall 2026 (87.47 for A1 seats in the first merit list).
Electrical Engineering (BSc)
Offered at several campuses; the university's ranking page lists Electrical and Electronic Engineering in the QS 201-250 subject band.
Petroleum and Gas Engineering (BSc)
UET's strongest QS subject result, listed on its ranking page in the 51-100 band for Petroleum Engineering.
Mining Engineering (BSc)
Pakistan's first mining engineering degree, started at UET (then Maclagan Engineering College) in 1954.
Architecture and City and Regional Planning
Long-running degrees from the 1960s, accredited by the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners.
Research
- The Al-Khwarizmi Institute of Computer Science (KICS) is UET Lahore's in-house computing research institute.
- UET's history page notes it set up its own power generation unit in 2004, now 3 MW, which it says was the first of its kind at a Pakistani educational institution.
- The university's 2026 foreign-student brochure reports 9,072 research papers and 41 national and international patents.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering
- Faculty of Computing
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
- Faculty of Civil Engineering
- Faculty of Chemical, Metallurgical and Polymer Engineering
- Faculty of Earth Sciences and Engineering
- Faculty of Architecture and Planning
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Humanities and Islamic Studies
Student life
UET's main campus mixes colonial-era buildings, such as the arched Main Block inherited from Maclagan College, with newer departments along the Grand Trunk Road. Most out-of-town students live in the halls: the main campus has 17 hostels housing around 5,000 men and women, in cubicles or dormitories for 2 to 10 students, each with a mess, common and prayer rooms and Wi-Fi. Student hostel management committees run much of daily life, and the campus has a swimming pool, a cricket ground and student societies.
- 17 hostels on the main campus, including Mumtaz, Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam halls, with separate halls for women.
- Sports facilities include a swimming pool, tennis and squash courts and a cricket stadium.
- The university celebrated its centenary in 2021-22 with a commemorative coin and postage stamp.
- Separate hostel accommodation is offered to international students.
Housing. Hostel places are allotted subject to availability; Fall 2026 room rent is Rs. 5,500-7,000 a semester for subsidised students, plus utilities and a Rs. 2,810 one-time hostel admission fee.
Location
Lahore is Pakistan's second-largest city and the capital of Punjab. UET's main campus is on the Grand Trunk Road in the Mughalpura area, a few kilometres from the Mughal-era Shalimar Gardens and within reach of the Walled City's historic sites. The city is known for its food, colleges and busy cultural life, and living costs are low by international standards.
Nearest airport: Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore (LHE)
Notable alumni
- MF Mehreen FaruqiAustralian Senator for New South Wales (Greens) and former Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens; BEng in civil engineering (1988)
- AI Ahsan IqbalPakistani Federal Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives; BSc in mechanical engineering (1981)
- PB Parvez ButtFormer chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission; BSc in mechanical engineering (1962)
- SB Sultan Bashiruddin MahmoodNuclear engineer; BSc with honours (1960)
- JJ Junaid JamshedVocalist of Vital Signs ("Dil Dil Pakistan") and later Islamic preacher; mechanical engineering graduate
- JA Jawad AhmadPop singer and politician; mechanical engineering graduate
Frequently asked questions
How is merit calculated at UET Lahore?
For engineering and computing programmes, the aggregate is 33% ECAT, 50% first-year intermediate marks and 17% matric marks (or 33% ECAT and 67% O-level marks for O/A-level students). You need at least 50% overall.
What merit do you need for Computer Science at UET Lahore?
In the first Fall 2026 merit list, the closing aggregate for subsidised (A1) Computer Science seats at the Lahore main campus was 87.47; later merit lists can close lower as seats are released.
How much are UET Lahore's fees?
For Fall 2026 entrants, tuition is Rs. 56,290 a semester on subsidised (A1) seats and Rs. 85,250 on partially subsidised (A2) seats, plus a one-off admission fee. Total fees over eight semesters are Rs. 713,920 (A1) or Rs. 1,085,430 (A2).
Can international students apply to UET Lahore?
Yes. Foreign and dual nationals apply to the Lahore main campus under the Self-Finance scheme by email, pay the partially subsidised fee, and must submit an IBCC equivalence certificate if selected. The Fall 2026 foreign-student round closes on 5 October 2026.
Is ECAT required for every programme?
No. ECAT is required for engineering, computing and architecture programmes; science and business programmes admit on matric and intermediate 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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