BS Space Science Universities in Pakistan

BS Space Science Universities in Pakistan (2026 Guide)

Three public institutions are verified to offer a BS-level space science degree in Pakistan: the Institute of Space Technology (IST) in Islamabad, the University of the Punjab in Lahore, and the University of Karachi. If you were expecting a longer list, the section "Other universities you may see listed" explains why.

All three programmes take four years after intermediate and lean heavily on physics, mathematics and data skills.

List of Institutes which provide BS Space Science

Institution Name	Program Name	Location
Institute Of Space Technology Islamabad	BS Space Science	Institute of Space Technology, P.O. Box 2750, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
National Centre for Remote Sensing and Geo-informatics IST Campus Karachi	BS Space Science	1, Islamabad Highway, Islamabad 44000, (P.O. Box No: 2750)
PU Lahore	BS Space Science	University colony, campus bridge.canal road, Lahore, Pakistan.

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Quick comparison

The fee figures come from directories and are not official fee schedules. They may cover different periods and exclude hostel and one-time charges. Always confirm with the university.

The three programmes

Institute of Space Technology (IST), Islamabad

IST was founded in 2002 under Pakistan's national space agency, SUPARCO. In the Higher Education Commission's 2022 rankings it was placed sixth among the country's 19 technical universities. It teaches space science next to aerospace and other engineering programmes, so the campus is built around the sector.

The undergraduate space science scheme on your BS Space Science subjects page starts with applied physics, calculus and GIS fundamentals. It moves on to remote sensing, astronomy, space plasma physics and meteorology, then to space flight dynamics, digital image processing and space mission design. The last year includes space law, project management and two design projects.

For fees and details, see the IST Islamabad profile and the latest IST admission notice.

University of the Punjab, Lahore

PU's space science work is the oldest of the three. The department was reorganised from astronomy into space science in 1985, and the undergraduate honours programme began in 2000-01. PU's own page describes an observatory with a seven-inch refractor and a remote sensing and image processing lab that receives NOAA weather satellite images.

Admission is through the Institute of Space Science at the Quaid-e-Azam Campus, with a morning and a replica (self-supporting) shift. PU's recent teaching notices list courses such as solar system astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology, space plasma, systems engineering management, geospatial intelligence, weather analysis and forecasting, and data visualisation.

See the PU Lahore profile and its admission page.

University of Karachi

KU teaches the subject through its Institute of Space Science and Technology (ISST), which works on astronomy, astrophysics, satellite communication, space flight dynamics, atmospheric science, climatology, and GIS and remote sensing. The undergraduate programme is called Space Science and Technology, and KU runs a separate route for diploma (DAE) holders.

KU admits morning-programme students on open merit. The 2026-27 notice lists 21 October 2026 as the last date, so check the KU admission notice now if you are applying this cycle.

BS Space Science universities by city

Lahore: the University of the Punjab is the verified option. See current notices on the Lahore admissions page. That page includes some old, auto-generated listings for unrelated colleges. Do not treat them as confirmation that a college offers the degree.

Karachi: the University of Karachi's ISST is the verified option. IST also has a Karachi sub-campus, but the programmes I could confirm there are computer science, computer engineering and physics, not space science. Check Karachi listings with care for the same reason.

Islamabad: IST is the verified option. See the Islamabad admissions page.

Which university is right for you?

There is no reliable official ranking of the three for this degree, so choose by your situation.

Other universities you may see listed

Some websites name UCP, GCU Lahore or the University of Sargodha as offering BS Space Science. I could not find confirmation from those universities or from the Eduvision directory, which lists only the three institutions above. Before you pay an application fee anywhere else, ask the department for the programme's HEC recognition and its current admission notice in writing.

Eligibility and how to apply

• Qualification: FSc Pre-Engineering is the safest route. IST's guide also lists Computer Science and ICS. Mathematics is essential, since the degree runs on calculus, linear algebra and differential equations.

• Pre-medical students: PU lists Pre-Engineering and IST's guide does not mention Pre-Medical, so a Pre-Medical applicant should ask the admissions office before assuming eligibility.

• Entry test: IST has accepted NAT scores rather than running its own test, but its requirements have varied between rounds. PU and KU publish their own merit rules. Read the notice for your year.

• Steps: read the current notice, check eligibility and deadline, prepare marksheets and CNIC/B-form, apply online, then track the merit list. Our admission page and merit list page cover the general process; check their figures against the university notice.

Fees

Fees differ by university, shift and year, and directories do not always agree.

• IST: about PKR 110,156 per semester on its ilmkidunya profile; Eduvision lists 133,289. If the per-semester figure stayed constant, eight semesters would come to about PKR 881,000, but fees usually change, so treat that as a rough guide only.

• PU: Eduvision lists 38,950 for a local student. Other third-party sites show different numbers, so ask PU for the current schedule.

• KU: Eduvision lists 47,500.

Hostel, transport and one-time charges are usually extra. See the fee structure page and confirm its figures with the university.

What you study

Expect physics, mathematics and computing in the first two years, then specialised work in remote sensing and GIS, astronomy and astrophysics, space weather and plasma, meteorology, and orbital or mission design. IST's scheme ends with design projects, space law and project management. PU's courses lean toward astronomy, geospatial work and weather.

Programming and data handling come up repeatedly, so students who enjoy maths and coding tend to find the degree manageable. The subjects page has IST's semester-wise list.

Careers and further study

SUPARCO, the national space agency, has its main centres in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, and advertises jobs and internships online through the Smart Careers portal. In 2026 its internship call was aimed at engineering, computer science, data science and related graduates, so a space science degree does not guarantee a SUPARCO post. Skills in GIS, remote sensing, programming and data analysis widen your options in government, research and the private sector.

For further study, PU has offered an MSc in Space Science since 1990 with SUPARCO's collaboration, KU's ISST teaches at MSc, MPhil and PhD level, and IST lists MS and PhD Space Science. Our career page covers more options.

I have not quoted salary figures because I could not find a reliable published source for them.

Similar degrees to compare

If you narrowly miss a seat, look at BS Physics, BS Environmental Sciences or BS Geology. SUPARCO's own description of IST's non-engineering programmes also mentions GNSS, mathematics, and astronomy and astrophysics.