FAST National University Admission Test
FAST entry test: format, weighting and eligibility
FAST is one of the most important computing and engineering admission routes in Pakistan, but it uses a different weighting for computing versus engineering. That matters more than most students realise because the same test score can produce different rankings depending on the degree you apply to.
Looking for this year's dates?
We deliberately don't publish test dates or registration deadlines — they change every cycle, and a stale date on a page like this does real damage. Check FAST-NUCES directly. Everything below is structural and holds across cycles.
At a glance
- Conducted by
- FAST-NUCES
- Questions
- Usually 100 MCQs
- Duration
- Typically 2 hours
- Total marks
- Variable by intake and programme
- Mode
- Computer-based and paper-based formats vary by intake
- Negative marking
- Check the current intake announcement on the FAST admissions page before sitting
What's in the paper
Section weights decide where your preparation time is worth spending.
Eligibility
- •At least 60% in SSC and 50–60% in HSSC depending on the programme and intake.
- •Computing and engineering programmes are not interchangeable in FAST admissions. The exact formula and subject requirements differ by programme.
- •FAST requires the intermediate qualification needed for the target discipline — for example, mathematics-heavy programmes need a qualifying math background.
Qualifying marks
FAST does not publish a single universal pass mark. Its admissions are merit-based and programme-specific, so the key variable is how your score compares with the published intake formula and the university’s own admissions policy.
Worth knowing
FAST uses separate merit formulas for engineering and computing/BBA admissions. An old calculator using the wrong formula can overstate or understate your merit by several points.
Format details checked on against FAST official admissions criteria. These are secondary sources — confirm against FAST-NUCES before you rely on them.