Khyber Medical University's third KMU-CAT (MACKUP) cycle for 2026 closes registration on October 15, with the test on October 25. Here's what DPT, Pharm-D, Nursing and Allied Health applicants need to know.
Khyber Medical University (KMU) runs its own Centralized Admission Test, commonly called the KMU-CAT or MACKUP test, to screen applicants for several undergraduate health sciences programmes across its affiliated institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For students who missed the earlier sessions this year, KMU has opened a third and what is expected to be the final test cycle for the 2026-27 academic session, and the registration window for it is closing soon.
What the KMU-CAT Covers
The KMU-CAT is the mandatory entry test for admission into a cluster of undergraduate programmes offered at KMU and its constituent and affiliated colleges, including:
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
- Pharm-D
- BSc Nursing
- BS Allied Health Sciences
- BS Clinical Psychology
Students applying to any of these programmes for the 2026 session need a valid KMU-CAT score; there is no separate university-specific test for most of these seats, which is why the KMU-CAT carries so much weight for KP-based applicants.
The 2026 Test Schedule So Far
KMU has held its admission test in three cycles this year, each with its own registration deadline and exam date:
- First cycle: registration closed July 10, 2026; test held July 26, 2026
- Second cycle: registration closed September 10, 2026; test held September 20, 2026
- Third cycle: registration closes October 15, 2026; test will be held on October 25, 2026
If you have not yet registered or sat the test, the October cycle is your remaining opportunity for this admission season. Overall online registration for the 2026 cycle opened back on June 10, 2026, and the university has been running these repeat "makeup" sessions specifically so that students who could not appear earlier, or who want to improve their score, get another chance before seats are finalised.
How to Register
- Visit the official KMU admissions portal and create or log in to your applicant account.
- Fill in your academic credentials accurately -- your matriculation and intermediate (FSc pre-medical or equivalent) details are verified against your board record, so double-check roll numbers and marks before submitting.
- Generate the bank challan form through the portal.
- Deposit the processing fee at any authorised Bank of Khyber branch.
- Log back into the portal roughly 24 hours after payment to confirm your fee status has been updated before your registration is treated as complete.
Do not leave this last verification step for the final day -- bank fee postings can take time to reflect in the portal, and an unconfirmed payment close to the deadline risks your registration being rejected.
On Test Day
Candidates should arrive at their allotted test centre at least one hour before the reporting time. Bring your original CNIC, NICOP, or passport along with a printed copy of your roll number slip -- KMU does not allow entry without original photo ID matched to the roll slip.
After the Test: What Determines Admission
A KMU-CAT score alone does not guarantee a seat. Final merit for each programme is worked out using a combined aggregate of your matriculation marks, intermediate (FSc) marks, and your KMU-CAT score, weighted according to the criteria set for that specific programme and institution. Because the weighting and minimum qualifying marks can differ by programme (DPT merit lists, for instance, are compiled separately from Pharm-D or Nursing), applicants should check the specific admission criteria published for their chosen programme on the KMU website once results are announced, rather than assuming the same cut-off applies across programmes.
Practical Advice for the October 25 Attempt
Since this third cycle is likely to be the last opportunity to sit the KMU-CAT for the 2026-27 session, prioritise registering well before October 15 rather than waiting for the deadline day, given that fee verification needs roughly a day to clear. Use the roughly two-week gap between registration closing and the test date to revise your FSc-level Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and English syllabus, since the KMU-CAT draws its questions from the intermediate curriculum rather than introducing new content. Past KMU-CAT papers and KP textbook board material are the most reliable preparation resources, since the test format and difficulty level have stayed broadly consistent across the 2026 cycles held so far.
If you are applying to DPT, Pharm-D, Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, or Clinical Psychology programmes in KP and have not yet appeared in a KMU-CAT session this year, register before October 15 to keep your admission options open for this session.