LAHORE, October 15, 2026: The Punjab government has officially notified the admission policy for MBBS and BDS programmes in public and private medical and dental colleges across the province for the academic session 2026–27.
The notification, issued by the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department on October 14, 2026, outlines eligibility requirements, merit calculations, tuition fees, seat allocations and admission procedures.
Under the policy, the University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore, will serve as the admitting university and conduct centralized admissions for medical and dental institutions throughout Punjab.
Merit Calculation and MDCAT Requirements
The government has retained a merit determination formula based on three academic components:
- MDCAT examination: 50%
- FSc Pre-Medical/HSSC or equivalent: 40%
- Matriculation/SSC or equivalent: 10%
Candidates seeking admission to MBBS programmes must secure at least 55% marks in MDCAT, while applicants for BDS programmes must obtain a minimum of 50%.
The MDCAT result will remain valid for three years from the date of the examination.
Applicants must also have obtained at least 60% marks in their HSSC or equivalent qualification, with Biology and Chemistry as compulsory subjects and either Physics or Mathematics as an optional subject.
Candidates holding equivalent foreign qualifications must provide an equivalence certificate issued by the Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC).
The policy also specifies that additional marks for Hafiz-e-Quran candidates will not be awarded, in accordance with the applicable PMDC regulations and the relevant court decision.
Annual Tuition Fee Fixed at Rs50,000
The annual tuition fee for MBBS and BDS students admitted to public-sector medical and dental colleges has been fixed at Rs50,000, excluding admissions against overseas and foreign quota seats.
Overseas Pakistani candidates selected on open-merit seats will pay the same fees as Pakistani students.
However, overseas Pakistani students admitted against reserved overseas quota seats in public-sector colleges will be required to pay US$10,000 annually on a self-finance basis.
Private Medical Colleges Require Rs600,000 Deposit
Under the new admission arrangements, candidates selected for private-sector medical and dental colleges must deposit Rs600,000 in a designated UHS bank account within three working days of the publication of the merit list.
Failure to deposit the required amount within the specified period will result in withdrawal of the admission offer, with the seat subsequently offered to the next eligible candidate on merit.
The remaining admission fee will be paid directly to the respective college after publication of the final merit list.
Students will have the option of paying their tuition fees quarterly, every six months or annually, in accordance with the applicable medical education regulations.
Medical and Dental College Seat Allocations
According to the notification, private-sector medical and dental colleges will offer 5,500 seats for the 2026–27 academic session, comprising 4,400 MBBS seats and 1,100 BDS seats.
Private institutions may reserve up to 15% of their annual seats for eligible overseas Pakistani and foreign candidates. Vacant seats under this category will be transferred to open merit.
For public-sector colleges, the policy provides an indicative allocation of 3,981 open-merit seats, 410 quota seats and 123 additional seats. These figures are subject to PMDC approval.
Online Applications and College Preferences
The entire admission process will be conducted through an online portal managed by UHS Lahore.
An application fee of Rs2,000 will be charged, and applicants seeking admission to both MBBS and BDS must apply separately for each programme.
Candidates applying to private-sector institutions may select any number of colleges, while public-sector applicants must list all colleges in their preferred order.
Students may modify their applications until the submission deadline. However, college preferences cannot be changed after the closing date.
A college not included in a candidate’s preference list will not be considered for admission or subsequent upgradation.
Merit Lists and Upgradation Process
UHS will publish three or more merit lists, with selections determined through a computerized merit-cum-preference system.
Private-sector students must indicate through the online portal whether they wish to retain their allocated college or seek upgradation to another institution according to merit and preferences.
Students who formally surrender their upgradation rights at the time of joining an institution cannot reverse that decision later.
Vacant seats will be handled through the prescribed upgradation process, subject to admission deadlines established by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.
Admission Schedule and Official Information
The UHS will prepare and publish the public-sector MBBS and BDS admission prospectus for the 2026–27 academic session on its official website.
The schedule for the commencement of classes will be announced by the admitting university in accordance with the PMDC admission calendar.
Candidates are advised to consult the official UHS website, www.uhs.edu.pk, for admission announcements, application procedures, merit lists and relevant deadlines.
