Good A Level grades are necessary for Pakistan’s most selective universities, but each one asks for them differently. This guide sets out the A Level grades for LUMS and IBA Karachi in the 2027 admissions cycle, along with the subjects, entry tests and IBCC equivalence each expects, taken from the universities’ own admissions pages in November 2026. Where a university does not publish something, such as a rule on predicted grades, we say so.

Requirements change from year to year, so always check the admissions office before you apply.

At a glance

	LUMS (Fall 2027)	IBA Karachi
A Level grades	Average of three Bs across best three full-credit subjects	BBA: average of 2 Bs and 1 C. Most BS: 1 B and 2 Cs
Subjects	Best three cannot include AS subjects or General Paper	Mathematics compulsory for BS CS and maths-based BS
Applying before A Level results	O Level (8 subjects including Maths, average B) or Matric and FSc Part-1 at 75%	Not stated on the policy page
Entry test	SAT, ACT or LCAT (no minimum SAT/ACT score)	IBA Aptitude Test, or SAT/ACT route
IBCC equivalence	Required	Required for foreign certificate holders
Main deadline	27 January 2027	Three rounds: 9 December 2026, 8 March 2027, 9 June 2027

LUMS A Level requirements for Fall 2027

Grades and subjects

LUMS asks completed A Level applicants for “A-Level (in at least three full-credit A-Level subjects) with an average of 3 Bs across the best three subjects”. The best three cannot include Advanced Subsidiary subjects, the General Paper or any grade below E (LUMS BSc Anthropology and Sociology). The same threshold appears on the business (BSc Accounting and Finance) and science and engineering (BS Computer Science) programme pages.

For the Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, LUMS lists Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Computing and Information Technology as full-credit subjects. Electrical Engineering adds a requirement: a pass in the HSSC Pre-Engineering examination or equivalent, with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, “securing at least 75% marks in aggregate” (LUMS BS Electrical Engineering). An A Level student aiming for engineering therefore needs Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

Applying before your A Level results

With a January deadline, Upper Six students apply before their final results. LUMS lets students who expect results by August 2027 apply with one of:

• O Level results in at least eight subjects, including Mathematics, with an average of at least B
• Matric with 75% and FSc or ICS Part-1 with 75%

Shortlisted applicants receive a conditional offer and must meet its conditions by August 2027 (LUMS BSc Anthropology and Sociology). LUMS does not publish a separate rule on predicted grades; the final grades you need are set out in the offer letter.

If you are re-sitting, LUMS says you can apply if you have sat the November 2026 retakes, and should select the result-awaiting option in the online application (LUMS admission FAQs).

Tests and dates

Applicants to the schools of science and engineering, business, and humanities and social sciences must take one of the SAT, ACT or the LUMS Common Admission Test (LCAT). Law applicants take the Law Admission Test. “There is no minimum score required for SAT/ACT,” and LUMS considers the best score from a single attempt (LUMS admission FAQs).

Fall 2027 milestone	Date
Online application deadline	27 January 2027, 5:00 pm
Last date to take the SAT	6 March 2027
LCAT (tentative)	21 March 2027
Last date to take the ACT	10 April 2027
Admission decisions	15 April to 30 July 2027

Source: LUMS important dates.

IBA Karachi A Level requirements

Grades and subjects

IBA’s admission policy sets out A Level grades by programme (IBA admission policy):

Programme	A Level requirement	Higher Secondary alternative
BBA, BS ACF, BSBA	Average of 2 Bs and 1 C, minimum 8 points in 3 principal subjects	65%
BS Computer Science, Economics and Mathematics, Mathematics, Economics and Data Science	Average of 1 B and 2 Cs, minimum 7 points in 3 principal subjects, including Mathematics	60%
BS Economics and Social Sciences, Liberal Arts	Average of 1 B and 2 Cs, minimum 7 points in 3 principal subjects	60%

For every programme, “a maximum of one D grade” is allowed and E and U grades are not accepted. Subsidiary, general and advanced supplementary papers earn no credit. IBA requires an IBCC equivalence certificate from all foreign certificate holders. The policy page does not say how it treats A Level students who apply before their results.

Aptitude test or SAT

The IBA Aptitude Test evaluates “quantitative and analytical capabilities”, and one test covers both campuses. The Admissions Committee sets the cut-offs using statistical analysis.

The SAT is an alternative route. “There is no minimum SAT score required for aptitude test exemption,” but “only the top SAT scorers in the SAT merit list will be granted direct admission or called for an interview”. IBA also lists ACT thresholds: a composite of 29 with 25 in English/Writing for BBA, BSBA and BSAF, and a composite of 28 for most BS programmes (IBA admission policy).

Fall 2027 rounds

	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3
Form deadline	9 December 2026	8 March 2027	9 June 2027
Aptitude test	20 December 2026	21 March 2027	20 June 2027
Aptitude results	30 December 2026	31 March 2027	30 June 2027

Classes start on 23 August 2027. You must apply and pay separately for each IBA school you want to be considered for (IBA admissions schedule).

IBCC equivalence: the step everyone needs

For Intermediate (HSSC) equivalence IBCC needs three A Level subjects at grade E or above in the right group: Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics for Pre-Engineering, Physics, Chemistry and Biology for Pre-Medical, and any three electives for Humanities (IBCC equivalence FAQs).

LUMS says A Level applicants “will be required to get an equivalence certificate” from IBCC (LUMS admission FAQs). IBCC converts each grade into marks: A 85, B 75, C 65, D 55, E 45, and A* above 90, with subject-wise A* marks published for each session (IBCC conversion for equivalence). The certificate costs Rs6,000 (Rs12,000 for the urgent O and A Level service) and takes 15 to 20 working days, and a statement of results is accepted for a maximum of six months (IBCC equivalence FAQs). Apply as soon as your results are out.

O Level students choosing between routes can compare them in O Level vs Matric in Pakistan. For funding, see our guide to undergraduate scholarships in Pakistan for A Level students.

How to plan your A Level year around these deadlines

1. Pick subjects for the course you want. Engineering needs Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics; IBA’s maths-based programmes need Mathematics.
2. Protect your O Level average. LUMS uses it for applicants who do not yet have A Level results.
3. Book the SAT or LCAT early. The LUMS SAT cut-off is 6 March 2027, and IBA’s first aptitude test is on 20 December 2026.
4. Know your re-sit options. If a paper is disrupted, read what happens if a Cambridge paper leaks.
5. Bank grades on the papers you control. Work through recent past papers, such as the Cambridge 9709 Mathematics May/June 2026 papers, under timed conditions.

What extra help costs

Many students in Pakistan add coaching in their A Level year. As one current example, an online O and A Level Physics coaching programme lists its August–December 2026 batches at Rs11,000 a month for one subject (its advertised price, checked November 2026).

Tutopiya Premium covers every subject and curriculum on the Learning Portal for one price. At the State Bank of Pakistan’s interbank rate of about Rs276.7 per US dollar on 6 November 2026 (SBP revaluation rates), the monthly plan of S$10 is about Rs2,200 and a year (S$50) is about Rs10,800, less than one month of coaching in one subject.

Start free

The Tutopiya Learning Portal covers Cambridge and Edexcel AS and A Level subjects with notes, practice questions by difficulty, quizzes, flashcards and past papers organised by syllabus code, and a large section is free. Create a free account to start. If you need to lift one subject before the deadlines above, you can book a free trial lesson with a one-to-one A Level tutor.

Frequently asked questions

What A Level grades do I need for LUMS? +

For Fall 2027, LUMS asks completed A Level applicants for at least three full-credit A Level subjects with an average of three Bs across the best three. AS subjects, General Paper and grades below E do not count towards the best three.

What A Level grades does IBA Karachi require? +

IBA's admission policy asks BBA, BS ACF and BSBA applicants for an average of two Bs and a C in three principal subjects, with at most one D. Most BS programmes need one B and two Cs, and the maths-based BS programmes require Mathematics.

Do I need the SAT for LUMS? +

Science and engineering, business, and humanities and social sciences applicants must take one of the SAT, ACT or the LUMS Common Admission Test (LCAT). LUMS says there is no minimum SAT or ACT score. For Fall 2027 the last SAT date is 6 March 2027 and the LCAT is tentatively on 21 March 2027.

Can I apply to LUMS before my A Level results? +

Yes. Students who expect final results by August 2027 can apply with O Level results in at least eight subjects including Mathematics, averaging at least a B, or with Matric and FSc Part-1 at 75%. Shortlisted applicants receive a conditional offer whose conditions must be met by August 2027.

Do A Level students need IBCC equivalence for LUMS and IBA? +

Yes. LUMS says A Level applicants need an IBCC equivalence certificate, and IBA requires one from all foreign certificate holders. IBCC needs three A Level subjects at grade E or above for Intermediate (HSSC) equivalence.

Is there a minimum SAT score for IBA? +

IBA says there is no minimum SAT score for exemption from its aptitude test, but only the top scorers on its SAT merit list are given direct admission or called for interview. It also lists ACT composite thresholds of 28 or 29, depending on the programme.

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