How to Apply to FAST-NU in Pakistan: Rs 3,000 Fee, 50% Test Merit and 2026 Dates

FAST-NU admission runs on one portal, admissions.nu.edu.pk, and one test choice. You pay a Rs 3,000 applicant fee, pick the NU Admission Test or a recognised test, and merit is 50% test and 50% school marks. The 2026 cycle ran from 20 May to 30 June. The Spring 2027 dates were not on the official page when we read it on 8 October 2026.

That last point matters. Many students wait for a date that has not been set. This guide shows the dates the university published for 2026, the fees it lists for 2026-27, and how to be ready before the next window opens.

Know what the university has published, and what it has not

The FAST-NU admissions page, updated on 8 October 2026, shows the 2026 schedule only. It does not show a Spring 2027 window. Treat any other date you see on social media as unconfirmed until it appears on nu.edu.pk.

We read the page on 8 October 2026. FAST-NU can change a schedule, so check the page itself before you plan around these dates. Last year's dates are a guide to the usual shape of a cycle, not a promise for the next one.

Choose one test route before you apply

The FAST-NU FAQ says an applicant must select only one of three test options. These are the NU Admission Test, or a recognised national test such as the SAT, NTS or HAT. You cannot mix them. Your choice sets which score the university uses.

If you already hold a score from another test, ask the admissions office whether it is accepted for your programme and campus. Our guides to the NTS test and the HEC HAT test explain how those tests work. If you take the NU test, you sit it at the date and centre FAST-NU gives you.

Check your programme too. Computing degrees need an accredited route, and the rules on subjects are covered in the guide to BS Computer Science admission for pre-medical students.

Understand how merit is worked out

For most programmes the FAST-NU FAQ gives the formula as 50% admission test and 50% academic record. For undergraduate applicants the academic record means your SSC and HSSC marks. For graduate applicants it means the bachelor result.

This means a strong test cannot fully cover weak school marks, and strong marks cannot cover a weak test. The FAQ does not list the number of questions, the test length or the passing score. We could not verify those, so ask the admissions office or read the test notice that comes with your registration.

Budget for the fees on the 2026-27 list

The FAST-NU fee page for 2026-27 lists an applicant fee, a one time admission fee, a refundable deposit and a fee for each credit hour. Cost is the main reason students drop out after getting in, so read the numbers before you apply.

The page says tuition is refunded in full if you leave within 10 days of the semester start, and the refund falls to zero after day 30. The admission fee is not refundable. Payment is by UBL or Faysal Bank branch, or by Kuickpay, which charges Rs 60 a transaction. Our guide to the HEC fee refund rule covers the national policy.

The fee page does not say how many credit hours a semester has, so we cannot give you a total for a year. Ask the campus for the study plan of your programme and multiply by the credit hour fee.

Apply in the right order when the window opens

Do the preparation now so that you can apply on the first day. Only use the official portal. The university runs on nu.edu.pk and admissions.nu.edu.pk, and any other website that asks for a fee is not the university.

1. Create your account at admissions.nu.edu.pk and note your email.
2. Scan your SSC and HSSC marksheets, CNIC or B-Form, and a photograph.
3. Choose one test option: NU Admission Test, SAT, NTS or HAT.
4. Pay the Rs 3,000 applicant fee through the listed channel.
5. Pick your campus and programme choices carefully, then submit.
6. Download your test slip and sit the test on the date given.
7. Watch the merit list date on the official page.

Be careful with the contact details. The official addresses are the admissions email on nu.edu.pk and the campus numbers listed on the admissions portal. Do not send fees to a person on WhatsApp.

Common questions about FAST-NU admission

When does FAST-NU open admission for Spring 2027?

We could not find a Spring 2027 window on the official page on 8 October 2026. The page showed the 2026 schedule only. Check nu.edu.pk again before you plan, because the university sets its own dates.

Can I use my SAT, NTS or HAT score?

The FAQ lists the SAT, NTS and HAT as options beside the NU Admission Test, and you must pick only one. Confirm with the admissions office that your score is valid for your programme.

How is the merit list decided?

For most programmes it is 50% test and 50% academic record, as the FAQ states. Individual programmes can differ, so check the prospectus for yours.

Is the Rs 3,000 fee refundable?

No. The fee page calls the applicant fee non-refundable. The Rs 20,000 security deposit is the part that comes back at the end of your degree.

How much is the fee for one credit hour?

The 2026-27 page lists Rs 12,000 a credit hour for BBA, BS, MBA, MS and PhD. Check the page again for any later change.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked 8 October 2026 on the official FAST-NU admissions schedule, FAQ and fee structure pages at nu.edu.pk. We could not verify the Spring 2027 dates, the test format or the passing score, because the pages did not list them. Confirm every date and fee on nu.edu.pk before you pay.