Engineering cut-off marks 2025/2026, by university and district
Engineering was offered at six universities in 2025/2026, and the gap between them is wide: the University of Moratuwa had a median cut-off of 2.0381, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka 1.3158. Where you sat the exam moves the bar too. From Matara the lowest Z-score that won any Engineering seat was 1.8106; from Nuwara Eliya it was 1.0464.
Lowest Z-score that won a place, by district
For each district, the lowest minimum Z-score at which any of the 6 universities selected a Engineering student from that district in 2025/2026, and which university it was. Your own chances also depend on the order of your choices and the university you list.
| District | Lowest Z-score | University |
|---|---|---|
| Colombo | 1.7895 | University of Ruhuna |
| Gampaha | 1.4556 | University of Jaffna |
| Kalutara | 1.6049 | University of Jaffna |
| Matale | 1.2556 | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| Kandy | 1.6624 | University of Ruhuna |
| Nuwara Eliya | 1.0464 | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| Galle | 1.7514 | University of Ruhuna |
| Matara | 1.8106 | University of Sri Jayewardenepura |
| Hambantota | 1.6952 | University of Ruhuna |
| Jaffna | 1.7017 | University of Ruhuna |
| Kilinochchi | 1.5065 | University of Jaffna |
| Mannar | 1.1270 | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| Mullaitivu | 1.1816 | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| Vavuniya | 1.1070 | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| Trincomalee | 1.0908 | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| Batticaloa | 1.5048 | University of Jaffna |
| Ampara | 1.4561 | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| Puttalam | 1.3764 | University of Jaffna |
| Kurunegala | 1.6926 | University of Ruhuna |
| Anuradhapura | 1.3158 | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| Polonnaruwa | 1.1104 | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| Badulla | 1.4786 | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
| Monaragala | 1.4211 | University of Jaffna |
| Kegalle | 1.6228 | University of Ruhuna |
| Ratnapura | 1.4391 | University of Jaffna |
Universities compared
Lowest, median and highest minimum Z-score across the districts with a qualified candidate, and how many districts had none (NQC).
| University | Lowest | Median | Highest | NQC districts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Moratuwa | 2.0291 | 2.0381 | 2.1689 | 2 | |
| University of Peradeniya | 1.8674 | 1.8738 | 1.9992 | 4 | |
| University of Sri Jayewardenepura | 1.8073 | 1.8106 | 1.8650 | 6 | |
| University of Ruhuna | 1.6055 | 1.6203 | 1.8169 | 0 | |
| University of Jaffna | 1.3743 | 1.4350 | 1.6049 | 8 | |
| South Eastern University of Sri Lanka | 1.0464 | 1.3158 | 1.5757 | 10 |
What the numbers say
- Among districts with a qualified candidate, the lowest selected Z-score for Engineering was 1.0464 (Nuwara Eliya, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka) and the highest 2.1689 (Kilinochchi, University of Moratuwa).
- By median across districts, University of Moratuwa was the hardest to enter (2.0381) and South Eastern University of Sri Lanka the most reachable (1.3158).
- The cut-off moved most with the district at South Eastern University of Sri Lanka: from Nuwara Eliya at the low end to Kilinochchi at the high end, a spread of 0.5293, wider than the median spread of 0.3319 across every course and university in the table.
- 30 of the 150 district places (20%) had no qualified candidates (NQC), but every district had at least one university that admitted someone.
- By median cut-off, Engineering was harder to enter than 94% of the course names in the 2025/2026 table.
- 16 of the 16 educationally disadvantaged districts (where the 5% EDD quota applies) had a place for this course at one university or more.
Every university, every district
The minimum Z-score selected for Engineering at each university from each district, as the UGC published it. NQC means No Qualified Candidates and is not a Z-score of zero.
| District | University of Moratuwa | University of Peradeniya | University of Sri Jayewardenepura | University of Ruhuna | University of Jaffna | South Eastern University of Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colombo | 2.0363 | 1.8674 | 1.8079 | 1.7895 | NQC | NQC |
| Gampaha | 2.0379 | 1.8723 | 1.8080 | 1.6055 | 1.4556 | 1.5207 |
| Kalutara | 2.0325 | 1.8698 | 1.8204 | 1.6066 | 1.6049 | NQC |
| Matale | 2.0364 | 1.8779 | NQC | 1.6893 | 1.3743 | 1.2556 |
| Kandy | 2.0414 | 1.8738 | 1.8106 | 1.6624 | NQC | NQC |
| Nuwara Eliya | 2.0534 | 1.8820 | 1.8650 | 1.6058 | 1.4216 | 1.0464 |
| Galle | 2.0403 | 1.8740 | 1.8075 | 1.7514 | NQC | NQC |
| Matara | 2.0315 | 1.8716 | 1.8106 | 1.8169 | NQC | NQC |
| Hambantota | 2.0291 | 1.8747 | 1.8087 | 1.6952 | NQC | NQC |
| Jaffna | 2.0432 | 1.8689 | 1.8073 | 1.7017 | NQC | NQC |
| Kilinochchi | 2.1689 | NQC | 1.8617 | 1.6422 | 1.5065 | 1.5757 |
| Mannar | NQC | NQC | NQC | 1.7826 | 1.4206 | 1.1270 |
| Mullaitivu | NQC | NQC | NQC | 1.6187 | 1.4398 | 1.1816 |
| Vavuniya | 2.0624 | NQC | 1.8422 | 1.6689 | 1.3873 | 1.1070 |
| Trincomalee | 2.0682 | 1.9276 | 1.8121 | 1.6203 | 1.4350 | 1.0908 |
| Batticaloa | 2.0769 | 1.8745 | 1.8481 | 1.6065 | 1.5048 | 1.5645 |
| Ampara | 2.0323 | 1.8723 | NQC | 1.6073 | 1.4656 | 1.4561 |
| Puttalam | 2.0371 | 1.8901 | NQC | 1.6203 | 1.3764 | 1.4199 |
| Kurunegala | 2.0573 | 1.8721 | 1.8080 | 1.6926 | NQC | NQC |
| Anuradhapura | 2.0381 | 1.8675 | 1.8097 | 1.6131 | 1.3779 | 1.3158 |
| Polonnaruwa | 2.1203 | 1.9992 | NQC | 1.6070 | 1.3774 | 1.1104 |
| Badulla | 2.0291 | 1.8966 | 1.8259 | 1.6095 | 1.4837 | 1.4786 |
| Monaragala | 2.0381 | 1.9032 | 1.8642 | 1.6095 | 1.4211 | NQC |
| Kegalle | 2.0461 | 1.8713 | 1.8073 | 1.6228 | NQC | NQC |
| Ratnapura | 2.0333 | 1.8723 | 1.8269 | 1.6090 | 1.4391 | 1.4522 |
Who can apply
Engineering admits from the Physical Science stream, according to Section 2 of the UGC Admissions Handbook. The handbook adds subject and grade conditions for some courses, so check it before you apply. Most places are filled by district quota; some go on all-island merit, and 5% are set aside for the educationally disadvantaged districts.
Want to check your own Z-score against every course at once? Use the cut-off finder.
Questions
- Which university has the lowest cut-off for Engineering?
- In 2025/2026, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka had the lowest median cut-off for Engineering (1.3158) and University of Moratuwa the highest (2.0381). The figure that applies to you is the one for your district, in the tables on this page.
- What Z-score do I need for Engineering?
- It depends on your district and the university. The lowest Z-score that won a place anywhere was 1.0464 (Nuwara Eliya). The district table on this page gives, for each district, the lowest Z-score that won a place at any university. Next year's cut-offs will differ: they come from the next exam's results.
- Which A/L stream can apply for Engineering?
- Engineering admits from the Physical Science stream, according to the UGC Admissions Handbook. The handbook adds subject and grade conditions for some courses, so check it before you apply.
- What does NQC mean?
- No Qualified Candidates: no student from that district was selected for that course at that university. Per the UGC, the district quota may already have been filled, the course may have filled from higher Z-scores in other districts, or nobody from that district met the requirements. It is not a Z-score of zero.
More courses
- Medicine cut-off marks
- Agriculture cut-off marks
- Biological Science cut-off marks
- Computer Science cut-off marks
- Physical Science cut-off marks
- Management cut-off marks
- All 2025/2026 cut-offs
Source: University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka, G.C.E. (A/L) 2025, after re-scrutiny. Data last checked 2026-07-31. Spotted an error? Tell us.