The National University is now accepting applications for admission to its Master’s and Doctoral (MPhil) programs for the 2026-27 academic year, for both full-time and part-time researchers. Online applications opened on September 3 and will close at midnight on September 30.
The university announced this in a press release on Monday. Applications can be submitted through the admissions website: nu.ac.bd/admissions.
Three steps, and the last one has its own date
This is the part to get right, because it is not the sort of thing an application portal reminds you about.
First, complete the preliminary application form online before midnight on 30 September.
Second, pay the preliminary application fee. This is done either through the university’s online gateway or by downloading a Pay Slip and paying against it.
Third — and this is the one people will miss — collect a printed copy of the preliminary application form. That must be done by 11 October, eleven days after applications close.
The applicant who submits the form, pays the fee, and considers the process complete is not yet finished. The printed copy is a separate requirement with its own deadline and is not included in the application period.
A pattern at this university
It’s worth noting that this is the third notice from the National University in two weeks, all based on a multi-stage process.
The review of applications for the fourth year of the undergraduate program separates the application from the payment deadline and states that an unpaid application is not considered submitted. The extension for the in-person master’s final exam grants seven days between the application deadline and the payment deadline. This extension adds an in-person collection step after both deadlines.
None of these processes are unreasonable in themselves. Taken together, they mean that at the National University, submitting an application is rarely the last thing you need to do. Make sure to note all the dates listed in the notice, not just the main one.
What the notice does not include
Virtually everything an aspiring researcher would want to know.
There is no information on tuition fees, a list of courses offered, admission criteria, the number of available places, or a description of the selection process. Everything is referred to the notice published on the university’s admissions website.
Therefore, the most practical approach is to first consult the website and read the complete call for applications before beginning any procedures. Find out if your course is offered and if you meet the requirements before paying tuition fees whose amount has not been published.
Why this matters more than the coverage suggests
The National University is the largest university in Bangladesh by student enrollment, yet its research programs receive scant attention in educational reports. Most of what is written about the institution focuses on its undergraduate and master’s degree programs at affiliated centers.
The master’s and doctoral pathways represent a small part of a very large institution, but they are a real pathway, and for those teaching at an affiliated center, they are often the most accessible way to obtain a research degree without leaving their position. The fact that part-time admission is explicitly offered is the detail that makes this possible.
Before 30 September
- Read the full circular on nu.ac.bd/admissions rather than any summary, this one included
- Confirm your subject is offered and that you meet the eligibility conditions before paying
- Complete the online form well before midnight on the 30th
- Note 11 October separately for collecting the printed form
- Keep your payment reference
Rising Barta will report the MPhil and PhD selection process and admission schedule when National University publishes them.
