The biggest Z-score gaps between districts for the same course
For Architecture at the University of Moratuwa, the last student selected from Puttalam had a Z-score of -0.4582 and the last from Monaragala 1.9291: a gap of 2.3873, the widest in the 2025/2026 list. Across the 237 rows filled by district quota, the median gap is 0.3926.
Why the same course has different cut-offs
Most courses are filled under a district quota: 40 percent of places go on all-island merit, 55 percent are shared across the 25 districts in proportion to population, and 5 percent go to the 16 educationally disadvantaged districts. So the last student selected from one district can have a very different Z-score from the last selected from another. The 23 rows selected purely on all-island merit have one cut-off for every district and no gap.
The 20 widest gaps
Of these 20 rows, 10 are marked in the UGC list as needing a practical or aptitude test, where the Z-score is only part of the selection. The widest gap on a row with no test mark is Music at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, 2.1268.
| Course | Gap | Lowest (district) | Highest (district) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArchitectureUniversity of Moratuwa · aptitude test | 2.3873 | -0.4582 Puttalam | 1.9291 Monaragala |
| MusicUniversity of Sri Jayewardenepura | 2.1268 | -0.4010 Galle | 1.7258 Puttalam |
| Engineering Technology (ET)University of Jaffna | 1.8240 | 0.0849 Mannar | 1.9089 Kalutara |
| Fashion Design & Product DevelopmentUniversity of Moratuwa · aptitude test | 1.7940 | -0.3476 Monaragala | 1.4464 Anuradhapura |
| DanceUniversity of Jaffna · aptitude test | 1.7201 | -0.8176 Trincomalee | 0.9025 Kegalle |
| Visual & Technological ArtsSwami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies · aptitude test | 1.6372 | -0.6710 Ampara | 0.9662 Puttalam |
| Drama & TheatreSwami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies · aptitude test | 1.5711 | -0.6544 Puttalam | 0.9167 Mullaitivu |
| MusicUniversity of Jaffna · aptitude test | 1.4777 | -0.3471 Badulla | 1.1306 Puttalam |
| Art & DesignUniversity of Jaffna · aptitude test | 1.4203 | -0.4005 Trincomalee | 1.0198 Mannar |
| MusicSwami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies | 1.3877 | -0.3180 Trincomalee | 1.0697 Colombo |
| Artificial IntelligenceUniversity of Moratuwa | 1.3478 | 1.1199 Mannar | 2.4677 Galle |
| DesignUniversity of Moratuwa · aptitude test | 1.3345 | -0.0627 Badulla | 1.2718 Monaragala |
| Physical EducationUniversity of Jaffna · aptitude test | 1.2577 | -0.2398 Hambantota | 1.0179 Mannar |
| Information Communication TechnologyUniversity of Vavuniya | 1.2369 | 0.0787 Mannar | 1.3156 Kurunegala |
| Translation StudiesUniversity of Jaffna | 1.2287 | 0.1423 Gampaha | 1.3710 Batticaloa |
| Business ScienceUniversity of Moratuwa | 1.1708 | 1.0598 Mullaitivu | 2.2306 Colombo |
| Electronic and Intelligent Systems EngineeringUniversity of Peradeniya | 1.1401 | 0.8645 Mullaitivu | 2.0046 Ampara |
| MusicUniversity of the Visual & Performing Arts | 1.0984 | -0.2255 Ampara | 0.8729 Matale |
| Physical Science -IctUniversity of Kelaniya | 1.0750 | 0.1596 Mannar | 1.2346 Colombo |
| Drama & TheatreUniversity of the Visual & Performing Arts · aptitude test | 1.0567 | 0.0672 Colombo | 1.1239 Trincomalee |