HAT Test 2026: HEC Higher Education Aptitude Test Guide

By ask2mudasar · Updated 17 October 2026 · How we verify

HAT test 2026: HEC’s aptitude test for MS, MPhil, PhD and HEC scholarships

The Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT) is HEC’s test for MS/MPhil and PhD admissions and for HEC scholarships, run by HEC’s Education Testing Council (ETC) at etc.hec.gov.pk. It has 100 multiple-choice questions in English (verbal), analytical reasoning and quantitative sections, in five categories by subject. Scholarships such as Commonwealth and the Chinese Government Scholarship need a score of at least 60, and a result is valid for two years.

Quick facts

Run by	HEC Education Testing Council (ETC)
Register at	etc.hec.gov.pk
Format	100 MCQs: English/verbal, analytical, quantitative
Score needed	60/100 for HEC scholarships such as Commonwealth; universities may set their own minimum for admission
Validity	2 years from the test date
Recent tests	5 July 2026; special HAT 30 August 2026 for scholarship applicants

HAT categories and section weightage

Category	Subjects	English / Analytical / Quantitative (%)
HAT-I	Engineering & technology, computer science, mathematics, statistics, physics	30 / 30 / 40
HAT-II	Management sciences, business education	30 / 40 / 30
HAT-III	Arts & humanities, social sciences, psychology, law	40 / 35 / 25
HAT-IV	Agriculture, veterinary, biological & medical sciences, physical sciences, education, media	40 / 30 / 30
HAT-General	Religious studies, madrasa graduates	40 / 30 / 30

Choose the category of your field; you cannot change it after you register. For the Commonwealth scholarship, HEC accepts only HAT-I to HAT-IV taken on or after 25 October 2024.

How to register for HAT

1. Create an account on etc.hec.gov.pk and fill in the online form.
2. Choose your category and test city.
3. Generate the fee challan and pay through 1-Link, ATM, mobile or internet banking.
4. Click Submit after payment; incomplete applications are not accepted.
5. Download your roll number slip about a week before the test.
6. Bring your original CNIC or passport and the slip; no phones, smartwatches or calculators.

Tips

• Check the scholarship’s rule. Some accept only certain categories or recent dates.
• Practise quantitative questions. They carry 40% in HAT-I.
• A HAT for local admission may not count. HEC’s Commonwealth call excluded HATs taken only for university admission.

Scam warning: Register only on etc.hec.gov.pk. No one can sell a HAT score or ‘guaranteed’ paper. Check suspicious offers with our Scam check.

Frequently asked questions

What is the HAT test? HEC’s Higher Education Aptitude Test for MS/MPhil and PhD admissions and HEC scholarships.

What is the passing score in HAT? HEC scholarships such as Commonwealth need 60/100; universities may set their own minimum for admission.

How long is a HAT result valid? Two years from the test date.

Which HAT category should I take? The one for your subject: HAT-I engineering and sciences, HAT-II business, HAT-III humanities and social sciences, HAT-IV life and physical sciences, HAT-General religious studies.

Where do I register for HAT? On HEC’s ETC portal, etc.hec.gov.pk.

Sources

We checked these sources on 17 October 2026:

• Eduvision – Special HAT 2026: dates, categories, 60 score, validity
• Eduvision – HAT 2026 guide: July 2026 test, registration steps
• ProPakistani – Commonwealth 2027-28: HAT rule for Commonwealth

HEC’s ETC site could not be opened by our checker; facts come from education news reports of HEC’s notices. Confirm the fee and next date on etc.hec.gov.pk.