Sri Lanka to Begin 2025/2026 University Admissions in September

The admission process for students entering government universities for the 2025/2026 academic year will begin in the first week of September 2026, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya announced in Parliament today (06).

Responding to a question raised by a Member of Parliament, the Prime Minister stated that all university admission lists will be submitted to the respective institutions by August 31, 2026, following the release of official cut-off marks.

She noted that universities will then be able to decide the exact start dates for their academic programs, which are expected to commence in early September.

Dr. Amarasuriya also revealed that two new degree programs will be introduced for the upcoming academic year. These include a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) program at the University of Ruhuna with an intake of 50 students, and an Electronic and Intelligent Systems Engineering program at the University of Peradeniya, also admitting 50 students.

According to official statistics, a total of 281,810 candidates sat for the 2025 G.C.E. Advanced Level examination, of whom 176,538 qualified for university admission. Out of these, 42,937 students are expected to secure placements in state universities this year.

The Prime Minister added that while the overall number of undergraduate admissions will remain unchanged, steps will be taken to improve facilities and enhance the quality and efficiency of higher education.