MDCAT stands for Medical and Dental College Admission Test. It is Pakistan's national entrance examination for admission to MBBS (medicine) and BDS (dentistry) programmes, held once a year under the regulations of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC). Every student who wants a seat in a public or private medical or dental college in Pakistan must sit the MDCAT after FSc Pre-Medical or an equivalent qualification such as A-Levels.
Quick Answer
MDCAT = Medical and Dental College Admission Test. A 180-question, 3-hour multiple-choice exam covering Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English and Logical Reasoning. Conducted under PMDC. Next test: 20 September 2026.
MDCAT letter by letter
| Letter | Word | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| M | Medical | Admission to MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) |
| D | Dental | Admission to BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) |
| C | College | All PMDC-recognised public and private medical and dental colleges |
| A | Admission | The score is the largest single component of your admission aggregate |
| T | Test | A single-sitting MCQ exam held on one day nationwide |
Who conducts the MDCAT?
The MDCAT is held under the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), the statutory body that regulates medical and dental education in Pakistan. PMDC sets the syllabus, the paper pattern and the admission regulations. The test itself is administered province-wise by designated public-sector universities - for example the University of Health Sciences (UHS) Lahore in Punjab - on the same day and with the same weightage everywhere.
The conducting body has changed twice in recent years, which is why you will still see older names online:
- 2008 - 2019: Provincial entry tests. Punjab's was run by UHS and called the MCAT, Sindh had its own test, KP used ETEA.
- 2020 - 2022: The Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) replaced the provincial tests with a single national MDCAT.
- 2023 onwards: The PMC was dissolved and the PMDC was restored. The MDCAT continues as a national test under PMDC regulations.
MDCAT vs MCAT - not the same exam
The one-letter difference causes real confusion. MCAT is the Medical College Admission Test, the American graduate-entry exam run by the AAMC and taken after a four-year bachelor's degree. MDCAT is Pakistan's test, taken straight after FSc. Because Punjab's pre-2020 test was also called MCAT, many teachers and seniors still say "MCAT" when they mean today's MDCAT. If you are in Pakistan applying for MBBS or BDS, the exam you need is the MDCAT. For the full comparison, read MDCAT vs MCAT - what's the difference?
MDCAT exam format at a glance
| Subject | MCQs | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 81 | 45% |
| Chemistry | 45 | 25% |
| Physics | 36 | 20% |
| English | 9 | 5% |
| Logical Reasoning | 9 | 5% |
| Total | 180 | 3 hours, no negative marking |
Every question carries one mark and there is no negative marking, so you should attempt all 180. The syllabus is the PMDC national MDCAT syllabus built on the FSc Pre-Medical curriculum. You can see the full unit-by-unit breakdown in our MDCAT syllabus 2026 guide and practise each unit for free in the topic-wise MCQ bank.
Key facts about MDCAT 2026
- Exam date: 20 September 2026 (rescheduled from 16 August 2026).
- Registration fee: Rs. 9,000 regular, Rs. 13,000 with late fee. See the MDCAT fee 2026 guide.
- Eligibility: FSc Pre-Medical, A-Levels (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) or an IBCC-equivalent qualification. Students awaiting their result can also register.
- Attempts: No limit. You can sit the test every year it is held; your most recent valid score is used.
- Where the score is used: Admission aggregates for public and private MBBS/BDS colleges across Pakistan. In Punjab the formula is 50% MDCAT, 40% FSc, 10% Matric - try the merit calculator.
- Last year's cutoffs: KEMU closed at 96.06 and AIMC at 95.60 in 2025. Full tables on the Punjab MBBS closing merit page.
Related abbreviations you will meet
- PMDC - Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, the regulator that governs the MDCAT.
- UHS - University of Health Sciences, Lahore, which administers the MDCAT in Punjab.
- NUMS - National University of Medical Sciences, which runs a separate entry test for Army Medical College and affiliated colleges.
- AKU - Aga Khan University, which has its own admission test. See MDCAT vs AKU test.
- MBBS / BDS - Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery / Bachelor of Dental Surgery, the two degrees the MDCAT admits you to.
- FSc - Faculty of Science (Intermediate), the two-year pre-medical qualification most MDCAT candidates hold.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the full form of MDCAT?
Medical and Dental College Admission Test.
What does MDCAT mean in simple words? (MDCAT kya hai?)
It is the entry test you must pass after FSc to get admission in any medical (MBBS) or dental (BDS) college in Pakistan. Your MDCAT score, combined with your FSc and Matric marks, decides which college you can get into.
Who conducts the MDCAT?
It is conducted under the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), with public-sector universities such as UHS Lahore administering it in each province.
Is MDCAT the same as MCAT?
No. MDCAT is Pakistan's undergraduate medical entry test. MCAT is the American graduate-entry test. Punjab's old provincial test was called MCAT until 2019, which is why the names get mixed up.
How many times can I take the MDCAT?
There is no limit on attempts. Each attempt needs a fresh registration and fee.
Is the MDCAT held more than once a year?
No. It is held once a year, on a single day nationwide. In 2026 that day is 20 September.
Start preparing
Now that the name is clear, the exam itself is what matters. MDCAT Prep gives you free topic-wise MCQs for all five subjects, past papers from 2008 to 2025 and a full-length timed mock test that mirrors the real 180-question paper.