HEC Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT) 2026 — Register by 2026-10-02; Test on 2026-10-25

Issuer: Education Testing Council, Higher Education Commission (Sector H-9, Islamabad). Purpose: Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT) for candidates seeking HEC scholarships for Ph.D. programmes and admission to MS/MPhil/MS and Ph.D. programmes in universities.

Who should apply: Students with 16 years or equivalent education intending to apply for HEC Ph.D. scholarships or admission to MS/MPhil programmes. HAT result is valid for award of HEC scholarships (including Commonwealth, Chinese Government, Hungarian and other HEC scholarships).

Important dates and actions:

• Last date for online registration: 2026-10-02 (24:00 hours).
• Test date: 2026-10-25 (Sunday).

How to apply (key instructions):

• Register online at: https://etc.hec.gov.pk. For online help: https://onlinehelp.hec.gov.pk.
• Complete the online registration form and SUBMIT the application. Only SUBMITTED applications will be considered.
• Pay the test fee using the generated consumer number via 1Link/IBFT/bill invoice payment services and then verify payment online.
• Roll number slips will be available for download from the ETC portal and will also be sent to the registered email/SMS a week before the test.
• Queries/complaints must be registered before the registration portal closes. Candidates with discrepancies between CNIC and application details will not be allowed to sit the test.
• Test centres will be arranged in major cities; ETC will notify any changes on its website.

Help/Contact:

• Helpline: 051-111-119-432 and 0334-311-9432
• Web: https://etc.hec.gov.pk (Education Testing Council)

Note: Candidates must choose the relevant HAT category according to university admission requirements and their academic streams. Selected subject category cannot be changed after submission. For full instructions, fee details and test centre allocation visit the ETC portal.