Aga Khan University Medical College

Overview

Aga Khan University Medical College is a private medical institution in Karachi, Sindh. It admits MBBS students through the AKU-Test route.

History & background

Conceived in 1970 to improve healthcare delivery and medical education in Pakistan, with the School of Nursing opening first in 1981 ahead of the medical centre. The Aga Khan University received its charter from the President of Pakistan on 16 March 1983, becoming the country's first private university, and its Medical College admitted its first class the same year; the AKU Hospital opened in 1985 in time for students' clinical rotations.

Location

The university's main campus sits on 84 acres in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city and principal seaport, which has served as the country's commercial, financial and (until 1959) political capital.

Faculties & departments

Standard MBBS/BDS department structure — not independently confirmed for this specific college.

• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Pathology
• Pharmacology
• Forensic Medicine
• Community Health Sciences
• Medicine
• Surgery
• Obstetrics & Gynaecology
• Paediatrics
• ENT
• Ophthalmology
• Psychiatry
• Radiology

Courses offered

• MBBS
• Postgraduate residency programs, nursing and allied health sciences degrees

Student body

Total current enrollment figures are not publicly published; AKU is a large multi-campus international university with health sciences programs across several countries.

Notable facts

• Pakistan's first private university, chartered in 1983
• Part of the international Aga Khan Development Network with campuses in multiple countries
• 84-acre Karachi campus with an internationally accredited teaching hospital

Admission criteria

Admission runs on AKU's own weighting across the AKU-Test, FSc/HSSC, and an interview — not the standard PMDC formula, evaluated separately from every other college in this directory. Don't try to benchmark a Sindh-MDCAT or UHS-MDCAT aggregate against it.

Eligibility

• FSc Pre-Medical (or equivalent) with at least 60% marks
• Qualifying score on the AKU-Test plus an admissions interview
• Domicile / provincial quota requirements as published by the college
• Age, medical fitness, and character certificate per PMDC rules

Application process

1. Register for and appear in the AKU-Test.
2. Submit FSc, Matric, AKU-Test, domicile and CNIC documents on AKU's own admissions portal.
3. Attend the admissions interview if shortlisted.
4. Wait for the offer; confirm your seat and deposit dues directly with AKU.

FAQs

Other Sindh medical colleges

• Dow Medical College (DUHS) — Karachi · public · 87.72% merit
• Sindh Medical College — Karachi · public · 84.74% merit
• Dow International Medical College — Karachi · public · 84.2% merit
• Karachi Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) — Karachi · private · 83.85% merit
• Karachi Medical & Dental College — Karachi · public · 82.98% merit