KEMU PhD and MPhil Admission 2027 in Lahore: HAT Required, Adverts Due in March or April

KEMU announced this on 29 October 2026, months before the actual admission notice. The point is simple: if you leave HAT until the KEMU advert appears in spring, you may not have a valid score in time.

What KEMU has announced for 2027

KEMU's Registrar says the university is going to announce PhD and MPhil admissions in March or April 2027, citing an HEC letter of 13 May 2026. Candidates must fulfil HEC's HAT requirement and the eligibility criteria before they apply.

KEMU refers to HEC letter No. 15-54/Coord/2019/QAD/HEC/317. The announcement does not list subjects, seats or fees yet. Those will come with the advert itself.

HAT is HEC's test for MS and MPhil admission

The Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT) is run by HEC's Education Testing Council (ETC) for admission to MS and MPhil programmes in public and private universities, and for HEC scholarships. A score of 50 out of 100 qualifies, and it stays valid for two years.

HAT has five categories, each set for 16 years of education. Medical and biological subjects fall under HAT 4.

Pick the category that matches your degree and the university's requirement. Once you submit, the category cannot be changed. For medical subjects that points to HAT 4, but check the subject list when KEMU publishes it.

HEC also runs a HAT for PhD candidates: its answer keys for the 25 October 2026 test covered five PhD categories. Confirm which version KEMU wants when its PhD advert comes out.

The December HAT is the one to take

HEC's 2026 test calendar puts the fifth HAT for MS and MPhil at: registration closes Sunday, 22 November 2026, roll number slips on 4 December, test on Sunday, 13 December, and result on Thursday, 31 December 2026.

A result on 31 December leaves about three months before a March or April KEMU advert. If you scored 50 or more in a HAT within the last two years, check that the score will still be valid on KEMU's closing date. More on the December round, including USAT, is in HEC USAT and HAT December 2026.

How to register for HAT

Register on etc.hec.gov.pk with your own CNIC, choose the right category, pay through 1Link 1Bill, and submit. Saved or incomplete applications are not entertained. Your roll number slip arrives a week before the test.

1. Go to etc.hec.gov.pk and create an account.
2. Enter your details exactly as on your CNIC. A mismatch stops you from sitting the test.
3. Choose your HAT category and test centre. Neither can be changed later.
4. Pay the fee through 1Link 1Bill with the consumer number the portal generates, then click Verify Online Payment.
5. Submit the application. Only submitted applications count.
6. Download the roll number slip a week before the test, and bring it with your original CNIC or passport.

Do not register on a parent's or sibling's CNIC. HEC does not let such candidates sit the test. Phones and other electronic devices are not allowed in the test centre. For help, ETC's helpline is 051-111-119-432 or 0334-111-9432.

KEMU postgraduate diploma has its own test

KEMU says it also expects to announce its Postgraduate Diploma programme. Diploma applicants will not need HAT; KEMU will conduct its own admission test instead. No date or subject list has been given yet.

Doctors comparing options in Punjab can also look at the UHS route, which uses its own entry test, in UHS MPhil and PhD admission.

Common questions

When will KEMU announce PhD and MPhil admissions 2027?

In March or April 2027, according to KEMU's Registrar.

Is HAT compulsory for KEMU MPhil?

Yes. KEMU says PhD and MPhil candidates must fulfil HEC's HAT requirement and eligibility criteria before applying.

Do KEMU postgraduate diploma applicants need HAT?

No. KEMU will hold its own admission test for the diploma.

What is the passing score in HAT?

50 out of 100. The score is valid for two years.

Which HAT category is for medical sciences?

HAT 4, which covers Biological and Medical Sciences along with Agriculture, Veterinary, Physical Sciences, Education and Media.

What is the last date for the December 2026 HAT?

Sunday, 22 November 2026, under HEC's test calendar. The test is on 13 December.

How we verified this

What we checked and where we read it.

We checked KEMU's announcement No. 2659/Reg/KEMU/2026 dated 29 October 2026, "KEMU PhD, MPhil and Postgraduate Diploma Admissions 2027", on the KEMU website on 15 November 2026. HAT categories, the qualifying score, validity and registration rules are from HEC's HAT notice on its announcements page. HAT dates are from the ETC test calendar for 2026, revised on 25 August 2026. HEC's HAT notice image still shows the July 2026 round's dates, so the December dates here come from the calendar.