Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) was established in 1967 in Islamabad as a public research university. It was initially dedicated to postgraduate education but expanded through the 1980s to an interdisciplinary university offering undergraduate and postgraduate education.
It is one of the most popular universities in the country and counts several public figures and intellectuals among its current and former faculty, researchers, or alumni since its establishment. They include Maleeha Lodhi, Nasim Zehra, Shamshad Akhtar, Suhail Zubairy, Farzana Aslam, Tasneem Zehra, and Salma Zahid.
The university is nationally known for its research, technological advancement, and intellectual interaction with international institutes, including the United Nations, the University of Tokyo, and the ICTP. Currently, the Quaid-i-Azam University has four faculties and nine other teaching and research Institutes, Centre and Schools.
These include Faculty of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine (affiliated), Area Study Centre for Africa, North and South America, Centre of Excellence in Gender Studies, National Institute of Pakistan Studies, National Institute of Psychology, National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, National Institute of Asian Civilizations, and the Computer Centre.
All You Need to Know About QAU Admissions
As mentioned before, QAU offers a wide array of higher education programs. Each program has its own set of eligibility criteria for admission. The following are some of the important details that you must bear in mind, with respect to the different programs:
How to Apply & Documents Required
- The applicants can apply through the online application system from the QAU website (www.qau.edu.pk), along with a Challan of Habib Bank Ltd. OR Askari Bank Ltd.
- The applicants are advised to deposit Rs. 2115/- in any branch of Habib Bank Ltd. OR Rs. 2100/- in any branch of Askari Bank Ltd. in favor of the Treasurer, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
- The Bank Challan should be attached to the online Admission Data Summary Sheet along with other scanned requisite documents otherwise the application will not be entertained.
- The applicants are required to scan & attached the following requisite/required documents with the online application for verification of data and determination of merit:
| S# | Attested Photocopies of The Requisite Documents | No. of Copies |
| 1 | Copy of SSC (Matriculation) Examination Marks Sheet or equivalent. | 01 |
| 2 | Copy of HSSC (Intermediate) Part-I Marks Sheet or equivalent. | 01 |
| 3 | CNIC OR Form B in case of under 18-years of age. | 01 |
| 4 | CNIC of Father/Parents/Guardian. | 01 |
| 5 | Domicile Certificate of candidate OR of father/mother if the applicant is under 18-years of age and his/her name is included in it. | 01 |
| 6 | Character Certificate from the institution last attended. | 01 |
| 7 | Equivalence Certificate and conversion of the grades, into marks from Inter Board Committee of Chairman (IBCC) for Matriculation and Intermediate levels in case of qualifications OR certificate from foreign institutes. | 01 |
| 8 | Sports Certificates i.e. International/National/Provincial/District etc. level issued by the concerned Authorities (Only for applicants seeking admission against the Sports Quota) | 01 |
| 9 | Disability Certificate issued by the District Assessment Board etc. (for applicants of Disabled Reserved Seats) and the Certificate of Disability duly verified by the Principal Medical Officer (Medical Centre) of QAU. | 01 |
| 10 | Minority Certificate issued by the Principal of last attended Institute (for applicants of Minority Reserved Seats) | 01 |
| 11 | Army Personal Service Card OR Pension Book of Parent (for applicants of Children of Army Personals) | 01 |
| 12 | Foreign Citizenship OR Passport for Foreign National and Dual Nationals (having Pakistani and some other nationality) Refugees (status recognized by Govt. of Pakistan) (for Foreigner Reserved Seats) | 01 |
| 13 | Letter of Registration from District Bar Association duly verified by the President concerned. (Only for the Children of Advocates on Reserved Seats in BH LLB program only) | 01 |
| 14 | Original HBL/Askari Bank Deposit Slip/Proof of online payment of Rs.2100/- (For Admission Processing Charges & Admission Form of QAU) | 01 |
| 15 | Any other supporting/relevant document | 01 |
Undergraduate Programs
QAU offers several high-quality undergraduate courses for prospective students. They are as follows:
| Program | Eligibility Criteria | Test Required |
| Biochemistry | FSc (Pre-Medical) or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Biotechnology | FSc (Pre-Engineering/Medical) or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Bioinformatics | FSc (Pre-Engineering/Medical) or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Botany | FSc (Pre-Engineering/Medical) or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Environmental Sciences | FSc (Pre-Engineering/Medical) or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Microbiology | FSc (Pre-Engineering/Medical) or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Zoology | FSc (Pre-Medical) or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| International Relations | FA/FSc or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | Entry Test at QAU Campus |
| Political Science | FA/FSc or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | Entry Test at QAU Campus |
| BH L.L.B | FA/FSc or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | LAT(Law Admission Test) as conducted by the HEC |
| Archaeology | FA/FSc or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Business Administration | FA/FSc or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Economics | FA/FSc or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| History | FA/FSc or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Pakistan Studies | FA/FSc or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Psychology | FA/FSc or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Computer Science | Intermediate with Mathematics with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Chemistry | FSc (Pre-Engineering/Medical) or equivalent with at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Electronics | FSc or equivalent with Mathematics and Physics, and at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Geophysics | FSc or equivalent with Mathematics and Physics, and at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| I.T. | FSc or equivalent with Mathematics and Physics, and at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Mathematics | FSc or equivalent with Mathematics as a subject and at least 50% marks. | No Test |
| Physics | FA/FSc/A-Level or equivalent (at least 50% marks) with Physics and Mathematics | No Test |
| Statistics | FSc or equivalent with Mathematics as a subject and at least 50% marks. | No Test |
Fee Structure for Undergraduate Programs
Management Sciences, Computer Science, IT, LLB programs:
| Category A (At the time of Admission) | ||
| S# | Description | Fee in PKR |
| 1 | Admission Fee | 4,851 |
| 2 | Registration Fee | 4,851 |
| 3 | Identity Card | 305 |
| 4 | Library Security (Refundable) | 5,544 |
| 5 | Documents Verification fee | 2,218 |
| 6 | Departmental Security (Refundable) | – |
| Total A | 17,769 | |
| Category B (Per Semester) | ||
| 7 | Tuition Fee | 27,720 |
| 8 | Transport Maintenance Fund | 1,050 |
| 9 | Students Welfare Fund | 624 |
| 10 | Magazine/Newspaper fund | 83 |
| 11 | Sports Charges | 832 |
| 12 | Library Charges | 1,040 |
| 13 | Laboratory Charges | 1,575 |
| 14 | Computer Charges | 1,050 |
| 15 | Transport Charge | 4,725 |
| 16 | Terminal Examination Fee (For M.Phil: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th semesters if courses registered where applicable) | 2,356 |
| 17 | External Examination Charges/Thesis Charges | – |
| 18 | Project/Thesis Charges (06 Credit) | – |
| 19 | Field Work Charges | 3,150 |
| Total B | 44,204 | |
| Total A + B | 61,973 | |
| Category C (One Time) | ||
| 1 | Admission Processing Fee | 2,100 |
| 2 | Fee for a noncredit course other than a compulsory (per course) | 2,079 |
| 3 | Fee for Repeating (per course) (Compulsory & Non-Credit) | 901 |
| 4 | Grade Card/Result Card* Normal/Regular (20 working days) | 315 |
| 5 | Grade Card/Result Card* – Urgent (05 working days) | 630 |
| 6 | Degree Fee* (20 working days) | 3,812 |
| 7 | Urgent Degree Fee* (5 working days) | 7,623 |
| 8 | Duplicate Degree Fee * | 6,930 |
| 9 | Migration Certificate Fee | 2,772 |
| 10 | Duplicate Detail Marks Certificate * | 2,772 |
| 11 | Degree Folder Fee* (If student required) | 500 |
| 12 | Verification Fee | 1,100 |
For all other Programs:
| Category A (At the time of Admission) | ||
| S# | Description | Fee in PKR |
| 1 | Admission Fee | 4,649 |
| 2 | Registration Fee | 4,649 |
| 3 | Identity Card | 292 |
| 4 | Library Security (Refundable) | 5,313 |
| 5 | Documents Verification fee | 2,125 |
| 6 | Departmental Security (Refundable) | – |
| Total A | 17,029 | |
| Category B (Per Semester) | ||
| 7 | Tuition Fee | 26565 |
| 8 | Transport Maintenance Fund | 1,050 |
| 9 | Students Welfare Fund | 597 |
| 10 | Magazine/Newspaper fund | 80 |
| 11 | Sports Charges | 797 |
| 12 | Library Charges | 996 |
| 13 | Laboratory Charges | 1,575 |
| 14 | Computer Charges | 1,050 |
| 15 | Transport Charge | 4,725 |
| 16 | Terminal Examination Fee (For M.Phil: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th semesters if courses registered where applicable) | 2,259 |
| 17 | External Examination Charges/Thesis Charges | – |
| 18 | Project/Thesis Charges (06 Credit) | – |
| 19 | Field Work Charges | 3,019 |
| Total B | 42,713 | |
| Total A + B | 59,742 | |
| Category C (One Time) | ||
| 1 | Admission Processing Fee | 2100 |
| 2 | Fee for a noncredit course other than a compulsory (per course) | 1,993 |
| 3 | Fee for Repeating (per course) (Compulsory & Non-Credit) | 863 |
| 4 | Grade Card/Result Card* Normal/Regular (20 working days) | 302 |
| 5 | Grade Card/Result Card* – Urgent (05 working days) | 604 |
| 6 | Degree Fee* (20 working days) | 3,653 |
| 7 | Urgent Degree Fee* (5 working days) | 7,306 |
| 8 | Duplicate Degree Fee * | 6,641 |
| 9 | Migration Certificate Fee | 2,675 |
| 10 | Duplicate Detail Marks Certificate * | 2,675 |
| 11 | Degree Folder Fee* (If student required) | 500 |
| 12 | Verification Fee | 1,100 |
* For courses offered during summer, Tuition Fee would be charged @ Rs. 7,350
Graduate/Masters Programs
Just like Undergraduate programs, QAU offers various Graduate or Masters programs for its students. They are as follows:
| Program | Eligibility Criteria |
| Zoology | BSc with Zoology in combination with any one of the following subjects:
|
| Biochemistry |
|
| Microbiology |
Botany/Chemistry/Zoology/Microbiology/Biochemistry/Biotechnology.
|
| Anthropology | 14-years Bachelor’s Degree with any Social Sciences subjects. |
| Archaeology | BA/BSc/B.Com/BBA/BPA/BS/BIT or 3-years honors degree or MBBS or BE. |
| Public Administration | BA/BA(Hons), BSc/BSc(Hons), BBA/BBA(Hons), B.Com/B.Com(Hons), BPA/BPA(Hons), BS/BS(Hons), BCS/BCS (Hons), BIT/BIT (Hons), MBBS, BE (Bachelor of Engineering). |
| Defense & Strategic Studies | BA/BSc/B.Com/BBA, BA/BSc. (Hons) 3-Years. |
| Gender Studies | BA or BSc / BA (Hons) 3-years with one of the following subjects:
Gender/Women’s Studies/Sociology/Political Science/ Economics/ History/ Geography/International Relations/ Journalism/ Mass Communication/Psychology/Applied Psychology/Humanities/Anthropology/Development Studies/ Pakistan Studies/Social Work/Demography/Media and Communication Studies. |
| Pakistan Studies |
|
| Psychology | BA/BSc with one of the following subjects:
|
| Sociology | 14-years Bachelor Degree with any Social Sciences subjects |
| Computer Science |
|
| Electronics |
|
| Information Technology | FSc with Physics and Bachelor’s Degree with Mathematics as a major subject. |
| Mathematics Studies |
|
| Statistics | BA/BSc with Statistics and Math-A/Math-B Course/Mathematics General. |
Fee Structure for Graduate Programs
M.Sc/B.B.S/MBA Programs:
| Category A (At the time of Admission) | ||
| S# | Description | Fee in PKR |
| 1 | Admission Fee | 4,851 |
| 2 | Registration Fee | 4,851 |
| 3 | Identity Card | 305 |
| 4 | Library Security (Refundable) | 5,544 |
| 5 | Documents Verification fee | 2,218 |
| 6 | Departmental Security (Refundable) | – |
| Total A | 17,769 | |
| Category B (Per Semester) | ||
| 7 | Tuition Fee (Per Credit Hour) | 6,930 |
| 8 | Transport Maintenance Fund | 1,050 |
| 9 | Students Welfare Fund | 624 |
| 10 | Magazine/Newspaper fund | 83 |
| 11 | Sports Charges | 832 |
| 12 | Library Charges | 1,040 |
| 13 | Laboratory Charges | 1,575 |
| 14 | Computer Charges | 1,050 |
| 15 | Transport Charge | 4,725 |
| 16 | Terminal Examination Fee (For M.Phil: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th semesters if courses registered where applicable) | 2,356 |
| 17 | External Examination Charges/Thesis Charges | – |
| 18 | Project/Thesis Charges (06 Credit) | – |
| 19 | Field Work Charges | 3,150 |
| Total B | 23,414 | |
| Total A + B | 41,183 | |
| Category C (One Time) | ||
| 1 | Admission Processing Fee | 2,100 |
| 2 | Fee for a noncredit course other than a compulsory (per course) | 2,079 |
| 3 | Fee for Repeating (per course) (Compulsory & Non-Credit) | 901 |
| 4 | Grade Card/Result Card* Normal/Regular (20 working days) | 315 |
| 5 | Grade Card/Result Card* – Urgent (05 working days) | 630 |
| 6 | Degree Fee* (20 working days) | 3,812 |
| 7 | Urgent Degree Fee* (5 working days) | 7,623 |
| 8 | Duplicate Degree Fee * | 6,930 |
| 9 | Migration Certificate Fee | 2,772 |
| 10 | Duplicate Detail Marks Certificate * | 2,772 |
| 11 | Degree Folder Fee* (If student required) | 500 |
| 12 | Verification Fee | 1,100 |
For all other Programs:
| Category A (At the time of Admission) | ||
| S# | Description | Fee in PKR |
| 1 | Admission Fee | 4,649 |
| 2 | Registration Fee | 4,649 |
| 3 | Identity Card | 292 |
| 4 | Library Security (Refundable) | 5,313 |
| 5 | Documents Verification fee | 2,125 |
| 6 | Departmental Security (Refundable) | – |
| Total A | 17,029 | |
| Category B (Per Semester) | ||
| 7 | Tuition Fee (Per Credit Hour) | 6,641 |
| 8 | Transport Maintenance Fund | 1,050 |
| 9 | Students Welfare Fund | 597 |
| 10 | Magazine/Newspaper fund | 80 |
| 11 | Sports Charges | 797 |
| 12 | Library Charges | 996 |
| 13 | Laboratory Charges | 1,575 |
| 14 | Computer Charges | 1,050 |
| 15 | Transport Charge | 4,725 |
| 16 | Terminal Examination Fee (For M.Phil: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th semesters if courses registered where applicable) | 2,259 |
| 17 | External Examination Charges/Thesis Charges | – |
| 18 | Project/Thesis Charges (06 Credit) | – |
| 19 | Field Work Charges | 3,019 |
| Total B | 22,789 | |
| Total A + B | 39,818 | |
| Category C (One Time) | ||
| 1 | Admission Processing Fee | 2100 |
| 2 | Fee for a noncredit course other than a compulsory (per course) | 1,993 |
| 3 | Fee for Repeating (per course) (Compulsory & Non-Credit) | 863 |
| 4 | Grade Card/Result Card* Normal/Regular (20 working days) | 302 |
| 5 | Grade Card/Result Card* – Urgent (05 working days) | 604 |
| 6 | Degree Fee* (20 working days) | 3,653 |
| 7 | Urgent Degree Fee* (5 working days) | 7,306 |
| 8 | Duplicate Degree Fee * | 6,641 |
| 9 | Migration Certificate Fee | 2,675 |
| 10 | Duplicate Detail Marks Certificate * | 2,675 |
| 11 | Degree Folder Fee* (If student required) | 500 |
| 12 | Verification Fee | 1,100 |
Eligibility Criteria for M.Phil Programs
To be eligible for admission to MPhil, a candidate:
- Shall possess an MA/MSc degree or its equivalent in the relevant discipline.
- Shall have obtained first division in MA/MSc or BA/BSc or at least 60% marks in BS (Hons) and all other 4-5 years degrees.
- Shall not have obtained third division in BA/BSc or MA or MSc.
- In case the candidate has a third division in FA/FSc, they need to have first division in both BA/BSc and MA/MSc, or at least 60% marks in BS (Hons) and all other 4-5 years degrees.
Fee Structure for M.Phil Programs
| Category A (At the time of Admission) | ||
| S# | Description | Fee in PKR |
| 1 | Admission Fee | 6,273 |
| 2 | Registration Fee | 5,821 |
| 3 | Identity Card | 305 |
| 4 | Library Security (Refundable) | 5,544 |
| 5 | Documents Verification fee | 2,772 |
| 6 | Departmental Security (Refundable) | 5,544 |
| Total A | 26,223 | |
| Category B (Per Semester) | ||
| 7 | Tuition Fee (Per Credit Hour) | 8,316 |
| 8 | Transport Maintenance Fund | 1,050 |
| 9 | Students Welfare Fund | 624 |
| 10 | Magazine/Newspaper fund | 83 |
| 11 | Sports Charges | 832 |
| 12 | Library Charges | 1,109 |
| 13 | Laboratory Charges | 2.100 |
| 14 | Computer Charges | 1,050 |
| 15 | Transport Charge | 4,725 |
| 16 | Terminal Examination Fee (For M.Phil: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th semesters if courses registered where applicable) | 2,356 |
| 17 | External Examination Charges/Thesis Charges | 2,625 |
| 18 | Project/Thesis Charges (06 Credit) | – |
| 19 | Field Work Charges | 3,150 |
| Total B | 28,019 | |
| Total A + B | 54,243 | |
| Category C (One Time) | ||
| 1 | Admission Processing Fee | 2100 |
| 2 | Fee for a noncredit course other than a compulsory (per course) | 2,722 |
| 3 | Fee for Repeating (per course) (Compulsory & Non-Credit) | – |
| 4 | Grade Card/Result Card* Normal/Regular (20 working days) | 315 |
| 5 | Grade Card/Result Card* – Urgent (05 working days) | 630 |
| 6 | Degree Fee* (20 working days) | 3,812 |
| 7 | Urgent Degree Fee* (5 working days) | 7,623 |
| 8 | Duplicate Degree Fee * | 6,930 |
| 9 | Migration Certificate Fee | 2,772 |
| 10 | Duplicate Detail Marks Certificate * | 2,772 |
| 11 | Degree Folder Fee* (If student required) | 500 |
| 12 | Verification Fee | 1,100 |
Ph.D. Programs
- Students applying for admission are required to submit a copy of synopsis/research work. Admission is subject to the availability of the Supervisor in the field of research and HEC’s requirements.
- The application shall be submitted to the chairperson of the department/school/institute/center where the student wishes to pursue the studies.
- All applications received in the department shall be periodically considered by the departmental admission committee constituted by the Vice-Chancellor.
- The admission committee, when satisfied, shall recommend to Advanced Studies and Research Board the candidates who are found eligible and suitable for admission to the PhD program.
- The admission shall be approved by the Advanced Studies & Research Board.
- A notification of registration/admission letter for each candidate approved for admission to the Ph.D. program shall be issued by the University.
- Each student so selected shall be required to register and pay the dues within 30 days from the date of issuance of the notification of registration/admission letter.
- In the case of in-service students, No Objection Certificate from the employer is required to be attached with Admission Form and routed through Proper Channel or they can submit the same by the end of the first semester, failing which their admission shall be canceled.
- Shortlisted candidates will be called for interview/ presentation of research proposals.
- A student can do more than one Ph.D. but not simultaneously even at different universities.
- Every student at the time of admission to this University shall give an affidavit to the effect that he/she is not pursuing degree program studies in any other institution.
- A student cannot be awarded two PhDs on the same research material/document.
- A student after taking a migration certificate from the QAU cannot pursue a Ph.D. unless he/she re-migrates back to this University.
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible for admission to Ph.D., a candidate shall possess an MS/ MPhil degree or its equivalent in a relevant subject from a recognized university with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 (Semester System) or First Division (Annual System).
- The Ph.D. student prior to admission must qualify with at least 60% score in the NTS GAT Subject Test or should have scored the International GRE Subject test with a 60% percentile (except foreign students).
- A college or university teacher or a member of the research staff of a research organization who holds an MA / MSc degree but has shown undoubted promise for research may also be considered for admission to Ph.D. However, the candidate would have to complete the course work of 24 credit hours for MPhil / MS level as a prerequisite for moving into the Ph.D. program.
- All the admitted students in the Ph.D. program of the University need to complete 18 credit-hours course work. The course work shall be based on at least 12-credit hours of class work teaching (regular courses) and up to a maximum of 6 credit hours of seminar.
- For a Ph.D. student who does not hold an MPhil or equivalent degree, the course work requirement shall be of 42 (24+18) credit hours. The course work shall be based on at least 36-credit hours of class work teaching (regular courses) and up to a maximum of 6-credit hours of seminar.
- For the students registered in the Ph.D. program of Faculty of Biological Sciences and Natural Sciences, a paper published in W category shall be accepted whereas the students registered in the Ph.D. program of Faculty of Social Sciences, a paper published in W, X or Y category shall be accepted.
Fee Structure for Ph.D. Programs
| Category A (At the time of Admission) | ||
| S# | Description | Fee in PKR |
| 1 | Admission Fee | 6,273 |
| 2 | Registration Fee | 5,821 |
| 3 | Identity Card | 305 |
| 4 | Library Security (Refundable) | 5,544 |
| 5 | Documents Verification fee | 2,772 |
| 6 | Departmental Security (Refundable) | 5,544 |
| Total A | 26,223 | |
| Category B (Per Semester) | ||
| 7 | Tuition Fee (Per Credit Hour) | 8,316 |
| 8 | Transport Maintenance Fund | 1,050 |
| 9 | Students Welfare Fund | – |
| 10 | Magazine/Newspaper fund | 83 |
| 11 | Sports Charges | 832 |
| 12 | Library Charges | 2,218 |
| 13 | Laboratory Charges | 4,725 |
| 14 | Computer Charges | 1,575 |
| 15 | Transport Charge | 4,725 |
| 16 | Terminal Examination Fee (For M.Phil: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th semesters if courses registered where applicable) | 2,356 |
| 17 | External Examination Charges/Thesis Charges | 10,500 |
| 18 | Project/Thesis Charges (06 Credit) | – |
| 19 | Field Work Charges | 3,150 |
| Total B | 39,530 | |
| Total A + B | 65,753 | |
| Category C (One Time) | ||
| 1 | Admission Processing Fee | 2100 |
| 2 | Fee for a noncredit course other than a compulsory (per course) | 2,722 |
| 3 | Fee for Repeating (per course) (Compulsory & Non-Credit) | – |
| 4 | Grade Card/Result Card* Normal/Regular (20 working days) | 315 |
| 5 | Grade Card/Result Card* – Urgent (05 working days) | 630 |
| 6 | Degree Fee* (20 working days) | 4,574 |
| 7 | Urgent Degree Fee* (5 working days) | 9,148 |
| 8 | Duplicate Degree Fee * | 9,009 |
| 9 | Migration Certificate Fee | 2,772 |
| 10 | Duplicate Detail Marks Certificate * | 2,772 |
| 11 | Degree Folder Fee* (If student required) | 500 |
| 12 | Verification Fee | 1,100 |
| 13 | Re-examination Fee | 27,720 |
| 14 | Extension Fee for M.Phil/M.S 5th & 6th semesters and Ph.D. 15th semester & Onward | 5,544 |
