Options in Engineering and Computing for Pre-medical Students: Updates and Tips
In recent years, more and more options are becoming available to pre-medical students in the field of engineering and computer science. Premedical students have been able to apply for computing programs in certain universities since 2020, and will also be able to apply for engineering programs starting 2025. However, most premedical students are not fully aware of these updates and the rules and policies surrounding them.
This article will aim to provide you a list of universities that allow premedical students to apply for engineering and computing programs and give you the latest updates in policies and test patterns regarding premedical students.
Policy Updates
- 20th October 2024 - NUST Policy Update: NUST has released a new update of it paper pattern for engineering and computer science test. All students will now have to give the same test if they are applying for any engineering or computing program.
- 2nd October 2024 - NUST Policy Update: NUST has updated its admission policy for premedical students in light of the PEC notification earlier this year. Premedical students will now be allowed to apply for engineering programs but will have to appear in NET-engineering for both engineering and computing programs.
- 11th July 2024 - PEC Policy Update: PEC issued a notification allowing premedical students to apply for admission in all engineering programs. Students will need to clear the entrance test and pass an 8 week comprehensive mathematics course before admission.
- 13th March 2020 - NCEAC Policy Update: NCEAC has decided to allow premedical students to take admission in undergraduate computing programs.
Eligibility Criteria
Pre-medical students will have to comply with eligibility criteria set by PEC and NCEAC for engineering and computing programs respectively, along with any additional requirement set by specific universities.
- For engineering programs: Applicants for engineering programs must score at least 60% in intermediate (or equivalent qualification)
- For computing programs: Students wishing to apply for computing program must score at least 50% in intermediate (or equivalent qualification)
Which Universities Allow Pre-medical Students to Apply for Engineering and Computing
While both NCEAC and PEC have issued regulations allowing premedical students to apply for admission in computing and engineering programs, it is on the university’s discretion whether they follow this policy or not. Additionally, while the basic eligibility criteria is dictated by these accreditation councils, the specifics regarding test paper patterns and syllabus are decided by universities.
Most universities allow premedical students with additional mathematics to apply to all programs. However, many universities have started to allow premedical students to apply to these programs with having additional mathematics as well.
NUST
NUST has been allowing premedical students admission in computing via their applied sciences test for the last few years. They have recently made a shift in their admission policy regarding premedical students. Premedical students are now allowed to also apply for admission to engineering programs. However, giving the NET-applied sciences is no longer an options for computing programs. For both engineering and computing programs, premedical students are required to give NET-engineering which comprises of a large section of intermediate level mathematics.
In addition to this, premedical students will also be required to attend and pass an 8 week condensed mathematics course before their admission. Details of this course are yet to be released by the university.
For details on NUST’s updated policy and NET paper pattern for premedical students, read this article. For details about NUST’s admission process, click here.
UET
UET allowed premedical students to apply in computer science, software engineering, and other computing programs in 2024. Students with a premedical background (without additional mathematics) could opt for biology instead of mathematics in their UET ECAT test combination, but needed to clear additional mathematics courses worth 6 credit hours within their first year of university.
UET has yet to release an update policy reading other engineering programs, and the test pattern for them in light of the new PEC regulation. We will update here, as soon as there is any news of a new policy by UET.
For details about UET’s ECAT paper pattern and syllabus, go to this article.
NED
NED has also allowed premedical students to apply to some specific computing programs, and reserve a few seats for premedical students in these programs. NED is expected to update its testing and seat distribution policies this year to reflect the change made by PEC.
It is expected that NED will announce their new policy around March before their first entry test registrations open.
COMSATS
Medical students could apply for BS CS, BS SE and BS Physics programs at COMSATS via NAT-IM. All such students needed to pass deficiency course of Mathematics of 6 credit hours within one year of their regular studies.
Additionally, premedical students with additional mathematics to apply to all engineering programs on the basis of their F.Sc part 1 exam. These students were treated as result-awaiting candidates, and needed to provide an affidavit stating they appeared for additional mathematics prior to applying for admission.
COMSATS also allowed premedical students to apply to BS Electrical Engineering and BS Electronics Engineering in August 2024 in their Abbottabad campus.
Students are still waiting for a more comprehensive update in admission policy.
PIEAS
PIEAS offers the following undergraduate programs: BS Electrical Engineering, BS Mechanical Engineering, BS Chemical Engineering, BS Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, BS Computer and Information Sciences, BS Physics.
According to their current admission policy, premedical students (without additional mathematics) having at least 60% in intermediate can only apply to BS Computer and Information Sciences and BS Physics, and will need to pass deficiency courses for mathematics in their first if granted admission. PIEAS entry test makes a concession for premedical student by offering them matric level math in the test instead of intermediate level math. The test pattern is:
Premedical students are hoping to be eligible to apply to all engineering programs starting 2025, but there has not been an update from PIEAS yet.
Exceptions
Many other universities also allow premedical students a wide range of programs to choose from. Some notable exceptions are popular computing universities GIKI and FAST-NUCES which do allow premedical students to allow to any computing or engineering programs.
How Can I Prepare for Engineering University Test as a Pre-medical Student?
With new updates in rules and policies, premedical students have more options in terms of higher studies but also need to work extra hard to compete with students of pre-engineering and ICS in university entry test. Other students have a edge, having studies mathematics at intermediate level.
To make sure to get a good aggregate and a high merit number in university admissions, students need to perform really well in their ECAT entry test. Students looking for a high score in these tests can use the following resources:
- Live Classes - for deeper conceptual understanding, and to learn NET shortcuts and tricks
- Recorded Video Lectures - for detailed revision
- A diagnostic test - to gauge your strengths and weaknesses
- Tests and FLPs - for topical and full paper practice, and to learn time management
- Guidance and Counselling - to make sure you make the right choices
