Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan is a national institution that is actually responsible for Higher Education activities across the country. HEC is central body for conduct & monitoring of higher education.
What is USAT?
USAT stands for Undergraduate Studies Admission Test. This test is actually a pre admission test for the students who are stepping into higher education through undergraduate programs & organised by HEC. Education Testing Council (ETC) is a testing company like NTS, NTPA, PPSC, FPSC etc. ETC is controlled by Higher Education Commission (HEC). This council of HEC is authority to take USAT in Pakistan. USAT is acceptable all across Pakistan. It is a subject specific test based on Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) pattern. Note that SAT is an international test that is acceptable across the globe as admission eligibility test.
Higher Education Undergraduate Studies Admission Test (HEC-USAT) covers all known desciplies including Engineering, Allied Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Information Technology (IT) & Management Sciences at undergraduate entry level. All the students qualifying USAT will considered eligible across all Pakistan in respective universities accepting USAT.
Why USAT ?
It is a good question that why USAT even there are several undergraduate eligibility tests options available i.e. NAT, ECAT, MDCAT, NET etc ?
The answer is that all these tests that are being taken across Pakistan are very confusing for students. How weird it is that every university taking test of their own choice & a student who want to opt five universities admission applications in order to secure admission at least in any one of them. If these five universities accept different admission tests then he has to attempt all these tests that are required to be eligible for admission. Its just rediculous.
HEC introduced Undergraduate Studies Admission Test (USAT) aiming to have a national undergraduate test that is equally accepted by all higher education institutions. But unfortunately in starting era, the test was just considered as an option to universities & most of the universities didn’t entertain it. Hence, the trouble of multiple tests along with increment of one more test USAT persist.
Now HEC started to implement the actual purpose of USAT & ordered the institutions to accept USAT test for admission in relevent category/desciplie in order to facilitate the students & universities as well. Now USAT has become first step towards Higher Education.
USAT Categories (Subjects)
USAT has 6 categories (subject combinations) for students to assess students according to their precious qualifications. These 6 categories are listed below:
- USAT-E
- USAT-M
- USAT-A
- USAT-CS
- USAT-GS
- USAT-Com
Who can apply for USAT?
The eligibility criteria for Undergraduate Studies Admission Test (USAT) is as follows
- Candidate must have passed HSSC OR Equivalent to apply for HEC USAT
- Candidates who appeared in final exams but waiting for result can also apply before announcement of final result
USAT Paper pattern
USAT is more likely to SAT international in eligibility evaluation prospective. The total marks of a USAT paper are 100 & passing marks are minimum 50%. Candidate scoring any marks above 50 Out of 100 are considered as test qualified or passed. USAT is an MCQs based test containing subject related questions & English along with reasoning questions that may be called intelligence evaluation questions. Except English & Intelligence, other questions are of major subjects for example for engineering category they can be of Mathematics, Physics & Chemistry. Detailed pattern is available at HEC website please visit from link given in details coulmn.
How to apply for USAT?
To apply for USAT you need to fill online application form & submit test fee. Here’s complete video tutorial in which whole procedure of USAT application & fee submission has practically shown.
