National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST): A Pinnacle of Academic Excellence and Innovation

About the Author(s)

Fatimah Naeem

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Ms Fatimah Naeem is pursuing her Bachelor's in Peace and Conflict Studies from National Defence University Islamabad.

• Fatimah Naeem

  https://www.paradigmshift.com.pk/author/fatimah-naeem/

  Provincial Power Up: Analyzing the Devolution of Power in Pakistan
• Fatimah Naeem

  https://www.paradigmshift.com.pk/author/fatimah-naeem/

  Tales from the Steppes: The Presence of Muslims & Islam in Russia
• Fatimah Naeem

  https://www.paradigmshift.com.pk/author/fatimah-naeem/

  National Defence University (NDU): Fortifying Pakistan’s Strategic Eminence
• Fatimah Naeem

  https://www.paradigmshift.com.pk/author/fatimah-naeem/

  Anchors Aweigh: Pakistan’s Seaports in the Global Trade Network
• Fatimah Naeem

  https://www.paradigmshift.com.pk/author/fatimah-naeem/

  Israel's Dominance in Cyberspace: What Made It Possible?

Scientific and Technological Education

NUST, formally known as the National University of Sciences and Technology, emerged in 1991, marking the beginning of an innovative era for scholars in Pakistan. Promoting higher education in the fields of science and technology, later followed by a school of business and humanities, the institute aimed towards establishing a nurturing academic atmosphere with several research curriculums to enhance the industrial proponents as well.

Islamabad, the federal capital of Pakistan, hosts the main campus while several other affiliated institutes are situated in the cities of Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Risalpur. A massive number of students from all over Pakistan attend the institute due to the quality education that it provides and the endless prosperous opportunities that it brings.

Aims and Objectives of NUST

Higher educational establishments that revolved solely around increasing the technological and scientific pace were scarce in Pakistan. Upon germination, NUST attached with itself an emblem of success as its top-notch facilities and accomplished faculty galvanized its credibility nationally as well as internationally. Considered to be one of the most prestigious educational institutes in Pakistan, NUST holds its sanctity in the engineering, business, and humanities degrees that it offers.

Asserting a vision of modeling itself as a comprehensive university, the institute focuses on developing thought leadership, co-creation of knowledge, and sustainability while also maintaining a state-of-the-art higher education experience. With the core values set on integrity, the pursuit of excellence, inspiring partnerships, diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability, NUST has been able to gain colossal momentum in terms of an academically exceptional reputation. Particular focus has been emphasized on adhering to these core values to create a success-inspired ambiance for students throughout all campuses.

Accreditation and Academic Recognition

The Higher Education Commission formally accredits NUST, hence granting it the credibility that the degrees offered by the institute are authentic and considered under applicable requirements. With the increasing flow of contests between various institutes and their graduates for relevance in the employment market, it is important to understand the need for an accredited degree from renowned institutes of relevant scientific and technological fields.

NUST has been able to secure a highly esteemed position because of its top-quality assurance regime and robust research ecosystem, with accolades such as the “International Quality Award” at the Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN) Conference and the Annual General Meeting held in Vietnam in 2014 and the “Turnitin Academy Integrity Award” in 2015.

Quality Education with Easy Access to Need-Based Financial Aid

To attain a scholarship in NUST, a student must apply externally through an HEC-offered program such as Ehsaas, PEEF, or other similar programs. The programs can be sponsored by the federal government as well as the respective provincial governments. More importantly, to obtain the opportunity of being considered as a potential candidate for the scholarship, the candidates are required to provide furnished proof of application/result for such scholarships.

Moreover, there’s a need-based financial aid program that focuses on being accessible to those individuals who face financial challenges and are to be admitted purely on high merit. This need-based program is completely funded by the university’s resources and external funding in an attempt to facilitate students who belong to low-income or middle-income families. The need-based financial aid is offered in three forms:

1. Need-based scholarships: Covering partial/full academic expenditures for partial/full duration of the studies (Maximum 2 and 4 years for Masters and Undergraduate respectively)
2. Interest-free loans e.g. deferment of tuition fees, Ihsan Trust Interest-Free Loans, etc.   
3. Facility to deposit fees in installments. This facility does not apply to admission/1st-semester dues.

The financial aid office is located in H-12 Islamabad and is accessible throughout all working days of the week. Adhering to its core values, the institute offers these opportunities regardless of ethnicity, race, or gender.

Faculties

A university’s faculty is the trademark of its brilliant pursuits. Emphasizing this ordeal, the faculty members of NUST have acquired Ph.D. degrees from renowned universities worldwide that further fuel their legacy of quality and authentic education. The development of various international academic linkages has also watered roots for the institutes’ growth. Currently, NUST is actively collaborating with 125 institutions and research organizations from across 32 different countries. 

Moving along, it is important to understand that NUST offers its degrees by branching them into different schools or programs including some programs that may be offered in one campus but not the other, depending on the demands. The wide variety of programs falls under multiple institutions situated within the university such as:

1. School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SMME): Mechanical Engineering, Design and Manufacturing Engineering, Robotics and Intelligent Machine Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Sciences.
2. School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS): Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Security, Innovative Technologies in Learning, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
3. School of Chemicals and Material Engineering (SCME): Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Materials and Surface Engineering, Nanoscience and Engineering, Process System Engineering.
4. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SCEE): Civil Engineering, Geoinformatics Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Construction Engineering and Management, Water Resources Engineering and Management, Remote Sensing and GIS, Environmental Science, Urban and Regional Planning.
5. Atta Ur Rehman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB): Biotechnology, Plant Biotechnology, Industrial Biotechnology, Healthcare Technology, Agribusiness Management, Molecular Medicine, Food, Science and Technology.
6. NUST Business School (NBS): BBA, Accounting and Finance, Tourism and Hospitality Management, MBA, Human Resource Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Demand, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 
7. School of Social Sciences and Humanities (S3H): Economics, Public Administration, Mass Communication, Psychology, LLB, Clinical Psychology, Development Studies, Career Counseling and Education, Governance and Public Policy.
8. School of Art, Design, and Architecture (SADA):  Architecture and Industrial Design, Architectural Design.
9. School of Natural Sciences (SNS): Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Statistics. 
10. Centre for International Peace and Stability (CIPS): Peace and Conflict Studies, Strategic Studies.
11. School of Interdisciplinary and Engineering Sciences (SINES): Computational Science and Engineering, Applied Mechanics, Communication Systems and Networks, Computational Biomedical Engineering, Applied Computer Science, System Analysis and Control, Computational Chemistry, Systems Engineering, Autonomous Aerospace Systems, Cognitive System, Bioinformatics, Computational Systems Biology, Computational Drug Design, Translation Bioinformatics.
12. USP- Centre for Advanced Study in Energy Systems (USPCAS-E): Energy Systems Engineering, Thermal Energy Engineering, Electrical Engineering (Power).

Programs/Courses Offered by NUST

Encompassing the undergraduate degrees or courses, NUST offers the following;

Engineering Programs:

• BS Mechanical Engineering
• BS Electrical Engineering
• BS Mechatronics Engineering
• BS Civil Engineering
• BS Chemical Engineering
• BS Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
• BS Avionics Engineering
• BS Aerospace Engineering
• BS Geoinformatics Engineering
• BS Environmental Engineering
• BS Naval Architecture Engineering
• BS Software Engineering
• BS Computer Engineering
• BE Information Security

Computing Programs:

• BS Computer Science
• BS Artificial Intelligence
• BS Data Science
• BS Bioinformatics

Business Studies and Social Sciences:

• BBA
• BS Accounting and Finance
• BS Tourism and Hospitality Management
• BS Economics
• Bachelor in Public Administration
• BS Mass Communication
• BS Psychology
• LLB

Architectural and Industrial Design:

• BS Architecture
• BS Industrial Design

Natural Sciences:

• BS Mathematics
• BS Physics
• BS Chemistry

Other Programs:

• BS Biotechnology
• BS Food Science and Technology
• BS Environmental Science

The above-mentioned degrees are subject to the affiliated constituent institutions of NUST.

Encompassing the graduate degrees or courses, NUST offers the following;

1. Military College of Signals (MCS), Rawalpindi

• MS Electrical Engineering (Evening)
• Telecommunication / Communication Systems
• RF & Microwave
• Signal Processing
• AI & Autonomous Systems
• MS Software Engineering (Evening)
• MS Information Security (Evening)
• MS Computer Science (Evening)

2. College of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering (EME), Rawalpindi

• MS Electrical Engineering (Evening)
• ​AI & Autonomous Systems
• Power
• Control Systems
• Integrated Circuits and Systems
• MS Mechanical Engineering (Evening)
• MS Computer Engineering (Evening)
• MS Software Engineering (Evening)
• MS Mechatronics Engineering (Evening)
• MS Engineering Management (Evening)
• MS Applied Mathematics (Evening)

3. School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences (SEECS), Islamabad

• MS Information Technology (Evening)
• MS Computer Science (Evening)
• MS Information Security (Evening)
• MS Electrical Engineering (Evening)
• Digital Systems
• Control Systems
• AI & Autonomous Systems
• Smart Telecom Systems and Networks
• RF & Microwave
• Integrated Circuits and Systems
• MS Innovative Technologies in Learning (Evening)
• MS Data Science (Evening)
• MS Artificial Intelligence (Evening)

4. School of Civil & Environmental Engineering (SCEE), Islamabad

• MS Structural Engineering (Evening)
• MS Transportation Engineering (Evening)
• MS Geotechnical Engineering (Evening)
• MS Construction Engineering and Management (Evening)
• MS Water Resources Engineering & Management (Evening)
• MS Remote Sensing & GIS (Evening)
• MS Environmental Engineering (Evening)
• MS Environmental Science (Evening)
• MS Urban and Regional Planning (Evening)

5. School of Chemical & Materials Engineering (SCME), Islamabad

• MS Materials & Surface Engineering (Evening)
• MS Chemical Engineering (Evening)
• MS Nanoscience and Engineering (Evening)
• MS Process System Engineering (Evening)

6. School of Natural Sciences (SNS), Islamabad

• MS Mathematics (Morning)
• MS Physics (Morning)
• MS Chemistry (Morning)
• MS Statistics (Morning)

7. School of Interdisciplinary Engineering & Sciences (SINES), Islamabad

• MS Computational Science & Engineering (Morning)
• Applied Mechanics (AM)
• Communication Systems and Networks (CS&N)
• Computational Biomedical Engineering (CBE)
• Applied Computer Science (APC)
• System Analysis and Control (SAC)
• Computational Chemistry (CC)
• MS Systems Engineering (Afternoon)
• Autonomous Aerospace Systems (AAS)
• Communication Systems and Networks (CS&N)
• Applied Computer Science (APC)
• Cognitive System (CS)
• MS Bioinformatics (Morning)
• Computational Systems Biology (CSB)
• Computational Drug Design (CDD)
• Translational Bioinformatics (TB)
• MS Climate Change and Sustainable Development (Evening)

8. USP-Center for Advance Study in Energy Systems (USPCAS-E), Islamabad

• MS Energy Systems Engineering (Morning)
• MS Thermal Energy Engineering (Morning)
• MS Electrical Engineering (Power) (Morning)

9. School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering (SMME), Islamabad

• MS Mechanical Engineering (Evening)
• MS Design & Manufacturing Engineering (Evening)
• MS Robotics & Intelligent Machine Engineering (Evening)
• MS Biomedical Engineering (Evening)
• MS Biomedical Sciences (Evening)

10. Pakistan Navy Engineering College (PNEC), Karachi

• MS Electrical Engineering (Evening)
• Control Systems
• Communication Systems
• Power
• AI & Autonomous Systems
• MS Mechanical Engineering – (Thermo Fluids / Thermal Power) (Evening)
• MS Manufacturing Engineering & Management (Evening)
• MS Naval Architecture (Morning)
• MS Cyber Security (Evening)

11. Military College Engineering (MCE), Risalpur

• MS Construction Engineering and Management (Afternoon)
• MS Disaster Management (Afternoon)
• MS Mining Engineering (Afternoon)
• MS Water Resources Engineering and Management (Afternoon)
• MS Mathematics (Afternoon)

​12. College of Aeronautical Engineering (CAE), Risalpur

• MS Aerospace Engineering (Morning)
• MS Avionics Engineering (Morning)
• MS Electrical Engineering (Morning)
• AI and Autonomous Systems
• MS Mechanical Engineering (Morning)
• MS Engineering Management ( Evening)
• MS Aviation Management (Evening)
• MS Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (Evening)

13. Atta Ur Rahman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB), Islamabad

• MS Plant Biotechnology (Morning)
• MS Industrial Biotechnology (Morning)
• MS Healthcare Biotechnology (Morning)
• MS Agribusiness Management (Morning)
• MS Molecular Medicine (Morning)

14. NUST Business School (NBS), Islamabad

• Masters of Business Administration (Morning / Afternoon)
• MS Human Resource Management (Morning / Afternoon)
• Executive MBA (Evening)
• MS Logistics & Supply Chain Management (Morning / Afternoon​)
• MS Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Morning / Afternoon)
• MS Marketing (Morning / Afternoon)

 15. School of Social Sciences and Humanities (S3H), Islamabad

• MS Clinical Psychology (Morning)
• MS Economics (Morning)
• MS Mass Communication (Morning)
• MS Development Studies (Morning)​
• MS Career Counseling & Education (Morning)
• MS Governance & Public Policy (Morning)

16. Centre for International Peace and Stability (CIPS), Islamabad

• MS Peace and Conflict Studies (Morning)
• MS Strategic Studies (Morning)

17. National Institute of Transportation (NIT), Risalpur

• MS Transportation Engineering (Afternoon)
• MS Geotechnical Engineering (Afternoon)
• MS Structural Engineering (Afternoon)

18. School of Art Design and Architecture (SADA), Islamabad

• MS Architectural Design (Evening/Weekend)

19. NUST Balochistan Campus (NBC), Quetta

• MS Computer Science (Evening)
• MS Civil Engineering (Evening)

The timings for the programs are as follows:

• Morning:        9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Afternoon:     2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
• Evening:        5:00 PM to 9:00 PM

A particular advertised program may not be offered if an adequate no. of students do not get selected or other conditions do not permit offering a particular program.

Diploma Courses

The Professional Development Centre of NUST has developed a set of diploma courses to assist individuals in strengthening their leadership capabilities, their vision, and their strategic depth in the business area. Helping professionals throughout the nation in aspects such as capacity building and global competitiveness, PDC-NUST has taken an initiative where a series of professional diplomas have been designed to help better navigate professional environments. The following are the most sought-after professional diploma programs offered by the institute;

• Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP)
• Professional Diploma in Project Management
• Professional Diploma in Supply Chain Management
• Professional Diploma in Construction Engineering & Management
• Diploma in Capital Markets
• Professional Diploma in Artificial Intelligence
• Professional Diploma in Building Information Modelling
• Diploma in SAP Human Capital Management
• Leadership and Strategic Business Management
• Learn, Engage, Accelerate and Disrupt (L.E.A.D)
• Train the Trainer Program
• Health Care and Hospital Management
• Quality Management

Some basic requirements and information to enroll and attain these diploma courses include:

• A professional diploma that holds NUST Professional Development Centre (PDC) endorsement.
• NUST Professional Development Centre is the first university-based Approved Provider in Pakistan to have its HR programs Pre-Approved by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI), Headquartered in Virginia.
• Qualification for registration in the program will be at least a BA, B.Sc., BS, or equivalent from a Govt. recognized institution.
• The duration of the diploma varies from two to four months.

NUST Admissions 2024

For undergraduate admissions, NUST offers candidates two options: either to attempt NETs or be granted acceptance through ACT/SAT scores. The National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan will open registrations for NET 2024 in November 2023 and the entry tests will commence on 2^nd December 2023. Moreover, NUST is offering two new courses to undergraduates which include BS Artificial Intelligence (SEECS Islamabad and NBC Quetta only) and BS Environment Science (SCEE Islamabad only).

Catering to the new PEC regulations, students who have cleared their intermediate degrees having a combination of Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Studies/Computer Science or equivalent are eligible to apply for the Engineering courses with the condition of clearing Chemistry as a remedial subject or course during admissions/ 1^st semester.

As for students applying in undergraduate through their ACT/SAT applications, the registrations will commence from May 2024. Those candidates who have registered themselves for ACT/SAT-based application form must provide their scores as per the following:

• Engineering        
• Computing Programs
• BS Biotechnology / BS Food Science and Technology
• BS Environmental Science
• Architecture & Industrial Design

ACT Composite Score (Minimum score to apply – 25)

• Natural Sciences

ACT STEM Score (Minimum score to apply – 25)

• Business Studies / Social Sciences / LLB

SAT-1 (Minimum score to apply in each subject – 550)

ACT Score in Mathematics, English, and Reading

(Minimum score to apply in each subject – 25)

Do keep in mind that the ACT/SAT scores are only valid for two years.

No announcements have been made so far for the 2024 graduate courses so far, but admission for PhD is open from 8^th October for the Spring 2024 session. A new PhD course in Computer Science is also being offered this time around.

Detailed list of Programs and Courses Open for Admissions 2024 (National Students)

Engineering Programs:

Computing Programs:

Business Studies and Social Sciences:

Architecture and Industrial Design:

Natural Sciences:

Other Programs:

Detailed List of Programs and Courses Open for Admissions 2024 (International Students)

There a specific eligibility criteria for dual nationals and foreign students who wish to pursue their higher education at NUST. The following list provides a detailed insight into what courses they’re able to opt for.

Campuses and Centers of NUST

As many as 18 constituent institutions are working under the umbrella of NUST. With 6,500 students currently enrolled in various affiliated campuses of the institute, their addresses and phone numbers are as follows.

National University of Sciences and Technology

Address: Scholars Ave, H-12, Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory.

Phone Number: (051) 111 116 878.

NUST College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Address: Main Peshawar Rd، adjacent to Daewoo Terminal, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory.

Phone Number: (051) 54444051

NUST School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (NUST-SEECS)

Located in: National University of Sciences and Technology

Address: JXVR+25F, Indus Loop, H-12, Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory

Phone Number: (051) 90852400

College of Aeronautical Engineering, NUST

Address: 3X6H+4XJ, Risalpur, Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Phone Number: +92 923 631498

National University of Sciences and Technology, Karachi Campus

Address: V3QQ+RP3, PNEC Road, PNS Jauhar Karsaz Faisal Cantonment, Karachi, Karachi City, Sindh.

Phone Number: (021) 48503043

NUST Business School

Located in: National University of Sciences and Technology

Address: NBS Building, Scholars Ave, H-12, Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory

Phone Number: +92-51-90853012

Military College of Engineering, NUST

Address: 3X3Q+3Q6, Risalpur, Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Phone Number: (0923) 631667

NUST School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS)

Address:  Scholars Ave, H-12, Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory

Phone Number: 05190852163

Military College of Signals, NUST

Address: H3H7+275, Adiyala Rd, Lalazar, Rawalpindi, Punjab 46000

Phone Number: (051) 9271501

Institute of Geographical Information System, NUST

Address: Institute of Geographical Information Systems, Scholars Ave, H-12, Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory

Phone Number: (051) 9267241

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