The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced a Special Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT) 2026 for students who want to apply for major scholarship programs.
According to the official notice, the test will be conducted by HEC through the Education Testing Council (ETC) for candidates applying for Commonwealth Scholarships, Chinese Government Scholarships, and other HEC scholarships.
The Special HAT is for applicants interested in scholarships for MS, M.Phil., Ph.D., and Doctoral programs.
Online registration for the test has opened from Sunday, July 19, 2026. Candidates can apply through the official ETC portal at etc.hec.gov.pk.
The last date for online registration is Monday, August 3, 2026, while the HAT test will be conducted on Sunday, August 30, 2026.
HAT Categories
HEC has divided the test into different categories based on academic disciplines. Candidates must select the correct category according to their subject area.
| HAT Category | Disciplines |
|---|---|
| HAT 1 | Engineering & Technology, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics |
| HAT 2 | Management Sciences, Business Education |
| HAT 3 | Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences, Psychology, Clinical & Applied Sciences, Law |
| HAT 4 | Agriculture, Veterinary Sciences, Biological & Medical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Education, Media & Mass Communication |
| HAT General | Religious Studies / Madrassa Graduates |
How to Apply
Interested candidates can apply online through the official ETC portal at etc.hec.gov.pk. Applicants should create an account or log in to their existing account and complete the online registration form.
Candidates must enter correct personal, academic, CNIC, mobile number, and email details. HEC has advised applicants to review their information carefully before final submission.
After submitting the form, candidates must pay the test fee through 1Link/1Bill Invoice Payment Services using the generated consumer number. Once the fee is paid, applicants should verify the payment from their ETC dashboard.
Only submitted applications will be accepted. Applications left in SAVE or INCOMPLETE mode will not be entertained.
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