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COMSATS admission test: the NTS NAT paper pattern with numbers
The NAT papers that COMSATS applicants take, the number of questions in each section for the engineering, pre-medical and computer science papers, and how to prepare.
Last updated: 31 October 2026
The short answer
COMSATS University Islamabad uses tests of the National Testing Service (NTS) for undergraduate admission. In its test schedule for the campuses the undergraduate test types are NAT-IE, NAT-IM, NAT-ICS and NAT-Other. The National Aptitude Test (NAT) of NTS is a single test, and a candidate who takes it is eligible to apply to all the universities that use it for the same subject group. The NAT result is valid for one year.
Which paper to take
- NAT-IE is for candidates with 12 years of education in the Pre-Engineering group.
- NAT-IM is for candidates in the Pre-Medical group.
- NAT-ICS is for candidates in the Computer Science group.
- NAT-Other covers the other groups. NTS also has NAT-IA (Arts), NAT-IGS (General Science) and NAT-ICOM (Commerce).
- Check the admission page of your campus and your programme to see which paper it asks for.
Paper pattern
NTS publishes this pattern for the three papers below. Each paper has 90 questions and the time allowed is 120 minutes.
| Section | Questions | What it contains |
|---|---|---|
| English | 20 | Sentence completion 5, analogy 3, antonym 4, comprehension 5, synonym 3 |
| Analytical | 20 | Scenario based 12, statement based 8 |
| Quantitative | 20 | Arithmetic 13, algebra 4, geometry 3 |
| Subject | 30 | NAT-IE: Physics 10, Chemistry 10, Mathematics 10. NAT-IM: Physics 8, Chemistry 8, Biology 14. NAT-ICS: Physics 10, Computer 10, Mathematics 10 |
| Total | 90 | 120 minutes |
How to prepare
- Arithmetic carries 13 of the 20 quantitative questions, so practise percentages, ratio, speed and distance, average and simple interest first.
- For analytical questions, practise short scenarios and statements, and learn to find what must be true from the given facts only.
- For the English section, learn synonyms and antonyms in context and practise analogies, sentence completion and short passages.
- Revise your subject at the FSc level. In NAT-IM, Biology has the most questions in the subject section.
- Practise 90 questions in 120 minutes.
What to check
- The campus, the test type and the test date in the schedule on the COMSATS admission website.
- The merit rule for your programme. COMSATS has a merit calculator on its admission website.
- How to register and pay with NTS.
Where this comes from
- National Testing Service (NTS), National Aptitude Test (NAT) paper pattern page at nts.org.pk: the number of questions, time allowed and section details.
- COMSATS University Islamabad admissions system at admissions.comsats.edu.pk: the undergraduate test types in the test centre schedule and the merit calculator.
- Confirm the pattern in the NTS announcement for your own test date.