LUMS LCAT 2027
LUMS Common Admission Test (LCAT) — the admission test for Undergraduate programmes at all LUMS schools: SDSB (business), MGSHSS (humanities & social sciences), SAHSOL (law) and SBASSE (science & engineering, with an added Scientific Aptitude Test).
What LUMS LCAT is for
LCAT is LUMS’s own admission test for undergraduate applicants who do not submit an SAT or ACT score. It measures reasoning in English and Mathematics in a format close to the SAT, rather than testing the FSc syllabus.
LUMS admits freshmen once a year, for Fall only, and LCAT is held once a year with no second round. Science and engineering (SBASSE) applicants also sit the SBASSE Scientific Aptitude Test.
Accepted for
- SDSB — Suleman Dawood School of Business
- MGSHSS — humanities & social sciences
- SAHSOL — law
- SBASSE — science & engineering (+ Scientific Aptitude Test)
Test centres: LUMS, Lahore + test centres
Upcoming LUMS LCAT dates
Dates that have passed drop off automatically. Confirmed dates are published by LUMS; Tentative dates are official but may move; Expected dates are Tayarri's estimate from the last cycle.
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2027 online application | Oct 2026 – late Jan 2027 | Expected |
| LCAT registration deadline | Early Feb 2027 | Expected |
| LCAT test day | Mid-Feb 2027 | Expected |
| Deadline to take SAT (alternative) | Mar 2027 | Expected |
| Admission decisions | Apr – Jul 2027 | Expected |
For Fall 2026 the application deadline was 27 Jan 2026 and LCAT was held on 15 Feb 2026. Check the LUMS portal for the Fall 2027 dates. Always confirm on admission.lums.edu.pk before you register or pay.
Last checked by Tayarri: 18 Oct 2026
Test pattern & marking
LCAT tests how you think, not what you have memorised. Verbal sections use sentence completion, critical reading and grammar; math sections use arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data problems pitched at O-Level/SAT level but with tricky wording. Speed and accuracy with simple maths matter more than advanced topics.
Syllabus by subject
Each linked topic opens a ladder of 10 adaptive tests pitched one step above the real LCAT. Questions you see for LCAT are not reused in other universities' series.
VVerbal reasoningVerbal
QQuantitative reasoningMathematical
Past papers & official samples
LCAT past papers & reconstructed papers
Papers organised by year, with answers and explanations where available.
Open past papers →OFFICIALLUMS testing & admissions guidelines
Sample papers, syllabus and instructions published by LUMS.
Visit official site ↗PRACTICEUse past papers the right way
Do one past paper untimed to learn the style, then switch to the timed mocks below. Re-solve every question you got wrong after three days.
Go to mock series ↓Skills that lift your LCAT score
Read for inference
Critical reading asks what the author implies, not what is stated.
Clean simple maths
Percentages, ratios and algebra without slips beat advanced calculus here.
Grammar rules
Subject-verb agreement, parallelism and modifiers appear repeatedly.
Section timing
Each part is separately timed; practise with sectional clocks.
One shot a year
Plan your peak for the February test date.
Consider SAT too
If you are also applying abroad, an SAT score can replace LCAT.
Your 10-week path to 80%+
The dashed line is the target curve for an hour a day. Your own diagnostic, sectional and mock scores on this device plot on top of it, so you can see whether you are ahead or behind.
Take the diagnostic to plot your first point.
Prep & mock test series
Work through the stages in order. Each mock uses its own questions, so a score from mock 3 is a fresh measurement, not a memory test.
LUMS LCAT FAQ
Is LCAT required for LUMS?
Only if you do not submit an SAT or ACT score. LCAT is the LUMS alternative to the SAT.
How many times is LCAT held?
Once a year, for Fall admissions only.
When is LCAT for Fall 2027?
Not announced yet. LCAT for Fall 2026 was held on 15 February 2026; expect mid-February 2027.
Do science applicants take another test?
Yes. SBASSE applicants also take the Scientific Aptitude Test.