LUMS Eligibility Criteria 2027: FSc & A-Level %
LUMS asks for 70% in Matric and 70% in FSc/ICS/ICOM (65% in FA), or an O Level average of B plus 2 Bs and 1 C at A Level. SBASSE and engineering add subject rules. Here is every school's official minimum, and what counts if your result is still awaited.
By ParhaiKrlo Team · Published 29 Sept 2026 · 7 min read
Updated: 29 September 2026
Before you spend a month preparing for the LCAT, check that you can apply at all. LUMS sets a minimum academic record for every undergraduate applicant, and the rules change slightly depending on the school you pick and whether you did FSc, FA, A Levels or something else. This page lists exactly what LUMS publishes, school by school.
One thing to know first: LUMS has not yet posted its Fall 2027 criteria. The numbers below are from the Fall 2026 admission criteria on LUMS's programme pages, which is the latest version available. We will update this page when the Fall 2027 criteria go up.
Quick answer: what marks do you need for LUMS?
- FSc / ICS / ICOM: at least 70% in Matric and 70% in intermediate.
- FA: at least 70% in Matric and 65% in FA (for SDSB, MGSHSS and SAHSOL only).
- O/A Levels: O Level average of B in at least 8 subjects, and A Level 2 Bs and 1 C across your best three full-credit subjects.
- Engineering (Electrical, Chemical): Pre-Engineering with Physics, Chemistry and Maths, at least 70% aggregate.
These are Fall 2026 figures. Confirm on LUMS's official programme pages before you apply.
LUMS eligibility by school
LUMS has four schools that admit undergraduates. SDSB, MGSHSS and SAHSOL use the same academic minimums. SBASSE lists fewer intermediate streams and restricts which A Level subjects count, and its two engineering degrees add a Pre-Engineering requirement on top.
| School | Programmes | FSc / HSSC minimum | A-Level minimum | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDSB (Business) | Accounting & Finance, Management Science | Matric 70% + FSc/ICS/ICOM 70% or FA 65% | O Level avg B (8+ subjects) + A Level 2 Bs & 1 C (best 3) | No specific subjects listed |
| MGSHSS (Humanities & Social Sciences) | Economics, Political Science, English, History, Psychology and 5 others | Matric 70% + FSc/ICS/ICOM 70% or FA 65% | O Level avg B (8+ subjects) + A Level 2 Bs & 1 C (best 3) | No specific subjects listed |
| SAHSOL (Law) | BA-LL.B (Honours) | Matric 70% + FSc/ICS/ICOM 70% or FA 65% | O Level avg B (8+ subjects) + A Level 2 Bs & 1 C (best 3) | No specific subjects listed (LAT required as a test) |
| SBASSE (Science) | Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Economics & Maths | Matric 70% + FSc/ICS 70% (FA and ICOM not listed) | Same grades, from Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Computer Science, Maths, Further Maths, IT, Physics | A Level from that list; IB applicants need science subjects |
| SBASSE (Engineering) | Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering | Matric 70% + HSSC Pre-Engineering 70% aggregate | Same grades, from the SBASSE list | Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics |
Some details the table can't hold:
- A Level rules: at least three full-credit A Level subjects. Advanced Subsidiary (AS) subjects, the A Level General Paper and any grade below E don't count towards your best three.
- O Level subjects: LUMS notes that the minimum number of O Level subjects "may vary regionally" and points to IBCC's rules for equivalence.
- Other qualifications (all schools): American High School Diploma with 70% or a B grade average; IB Diploma with at least 28 out of 45 points; the IB Career-related Programme (no score stated); a combination of these; or "any other equivalent qualification", where the Admissions Committee sets the minimum.
- DAE (diploma holders): at least 70%, plus an IBCC equivalence certificate. This comes from LUMS's admission FAQ, which doesn't split it by school.
FSc and Matric students: what counts
If you have finished intermediate, LUMS looks at your full Matric and intermediate marks against the minimums above.
If you haven't sat your intermediate finals yet when you apply, you can still apply. LUMS lets applicants who are "expecting their final results by August" apply on:
- Matric 70% and Part-1 70% for FSc, ICS and ICOM, or
- Matric 70% and FA Part-1 65% (SDSB, MGSHSS and SAHSOL only).
If you are shortlisted, you get a conditional offer. For Fall 2026, the conditions had to be met by August 2026 and the degree completed before classes began.
Improving your marks: for Fall 2026, LUMS said applicants who had finished intermediate below the minimum had to improve their marks by November 2025. Check the improvement exam deadline with LUMS admissions before registering for a retake.
Private candidates: LUMS says appearing privately doesn't affect your chances. You are judged on your grades either way.
Gap years: LUMS's pages don't say anything about gap years or a maximum time since intermediate.
O and A Level students: grades, retakes and IBCC
Predicted grades. LUMS doesn't mention predicted grades anywhere on its admission pages. What it does say is that A Level students who haven't taken their final exams before applying can apply on their O Level results alone: an average of B in at least 8 subjects. Any offer is then conditional on your final results.
Retakes. If you have taken at least three full-credit A Levels and are below 2 Bs and 1 C, LUMS requires you to improve them before you can be admitted. For Fall 2026, it accepted November 2025 retakes and said applicants planning to improve in June 2026 were not eligible for that intake. Check the improvement exam deadline with LUMS admissions before registering for a retake. When you apply with a retake pending, tick the "result awaiting" option in the online application and tell the Admissions Office when the result is due.
IBCC equivalence. If your education doesn't lead to Matric, FA, ICS, ICOM or FSc (so O/A Levels, IB, an American diploma, DAE or anything else), LUMS requires an equivalence certificate from IBCC. IB applicants to SBASSE need that equivalence in science subjects. For Electrical and Chemical Engineering it must be equivalent to the Pre-Engineering stream.
Subject combinations: who can apply where
Here is what LUMS actually says, stream by stream:
- FSc Pre-Engineering: can apply to every school, including Electrical and Chemical Engineering (Physics, Chemistry and Maths, 70% aggregate).
- FSc Pre-Medical: LUMS's page says FSc without naming a group, so pre-medical students should confirm with admissions (admissions@lums.edu.pk) before applying to SBASSE science programmes. The engineering degrees need Pre-Engineering with Maths, so pre-medical alone doesn't meet them. LUMS doesn't mention any deficiency or bridging course for pre-medical students.
- ICS: eligible for all four schools at 70%. The engineering degrees need Physics, Chemistry and Maths, which LUMS words as "Pre-Engineering (or equivalent)", so check with LUMS if your ICS group had no Chemistry.
- ICOM: eligible for SDSB, MGSHSS and SAHSOL at 70%. The SBASSE criteria don't list ICOM.
- FA / Humanities: eligible for SDSB, MGSHSS and SAHSOL at 65%. The SBASSE criteria don't list FA.
LUMS doesn't publish a required subject for SDSB, MGSHSS or SAHSOL. One related note: BSc Economics at MGSHSS makes students without A Level Economics take ECON 100 as a remedial course once enrolled. That's a degree requirement, not an admission rule.
Meeting the minimum isn't enough
LUMS is blunt about this: meeting the criteria makes you eligible to apply and "does not guarantee admission." Your marks are one of six things LUMS evaluates, alongside your admission test (SAT, ACT or LCAT), your application, documents, application review and an interview if you are called. Admission is highly competitive, and LUMS's own figures for its undergraduate Class of 2029/30 show an average FSc/ICS score of 88%, well above the 70% floor. How LUMS weighs all of this is the subject of our upcoming post on LUMS merit and admission decisions (coming soon). For what LUMS says about LCAT scoring, see LCAT passing marks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage is required for LUMS?
Under LUMS's latest published criteria (Fall 2026), you need at least 70% in Matric and 70% in FSc, ICS or ICOM. FA students need 70% in Matric and 65% in FA, for SDSB, MGSHSS and SAHSOL only. Electrical and Chemical Engineering need Pre-Engineering with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics at 70% aggregate. LUMS has not yet published Fall 2027 criteria, so confirm on its official programme pages before applying.
Can pre-medical students apply to SBASSE?
LUMS's page says FSc without naming a group, so pre-medical students should confirm with admissions (admissions@lums.edu.pk) before applying to SBASSE science programmes. Electrical and Chemical Engineering require Pre-Engineering with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, so pre-medical alone does not meet them. LUMS does not mention a deficiency or bridging course for pre-medical students.
Does LUMS accept A-Level predicted grades?
LUMS does not mention predicted grades on its admission pages. A Level students who have not taken their final exams before applying can apply on O Level results alone: an average of B in at least 8 subjects. Any offer is conditional, and the final A Level minimum is 2 Bs and 1 C across the best three full-credit subjects.
Is IBCC equivalence required for LUMS?
Yes, if your education does not lead to Matric, FA, ICS, ICOM or FSc, for example O/A Levels, IB, an American High School Diploma or DAE. IB applicants to SBASSE need the equivalence in science subjects, and for Electrical and Chemical Engineering it must be equivalent to the Pre-Engineering stream.
Can I apply to LUMS if my FSc result is awaited?
Yes. For Fall 2026, applicants expecting final results by August could apply with Matric 70% and FSc, ICS or ICOM Part-1 70% (or FA Part-1 65% for SDSB, MGSHSS and SAHSOL). Shortlisted applicants receive a conditional offer and must meet its conditions by August and complete their degree before classes begin.
Check your eligibility, then prepare
If you meet the minimum for your school, the next step is the admission test: the LCAT, SAT or ACT. Last cycle the application closed about three weeks before the LCAT, so plan both together.
- LCAT 2027 dates and deadlines: what LUMS has announced for the Fall 2027 cycle.
- LUMS preparation hub: everything LCAT in one place.
- Full-length LCAT mocks: timed practice with instant scoring and a subject-by-subject breakdown.
- LCAT passing marks: what LUMS says about cutoffs and scoring.
The criteria above are LUMS's Fall 2026 minimums. Always check the Admission Criteria tab on your programme's page at lums.edu.pk before you apply. We will update this page when LUMS publishes the Fall 2027 criteria.