Z-Score Matcher සිංහල

Frequently asked questions

What does this website do?

It compares the Z-score from your A/L results sheet with the minimum Z-scores (cut-off marks) that the University Grants Commission (UGC) published for each course, university and district, and shows which courses that Z-score would have cleared. It does not calculate Z-scores and it does not select students.

Can this website calculate my Z-score?

No. The Department of Examinations calculates the Z-score and passes it to the UGC. The UGC handbook describes it as a statistical calculation based on your raw mark in a subject and the mean and standard deviation of that subject's marks in that year. Use the Z-score printed on your official results sheet.

How does the UGC select students for most courses?

Under the 2025/26 admission policy (UGC handbook, Section 1.1), up to 40% of the places in a course are filled in order of Z-score on an all-island merit basis, 55% are allocated to the 25 administrative districts in proportion to each district's population, and the remaining 5% go to students from 16 educationally disadvantaged districts.

Which districts are educationally disadvantaged districts?

The UGC handbook (Section 1.1) lists these 16 districts:

  • Nuwara Eliya
  • Hambantota
  • Jaffna
  • Kilinochchi
  • Mannar
  • Mullaitivu
  • Vavuniya
  • Trincomalee
  • Batticaloa
  • Ampara
  • Puttalam
  • Anuradhapura
  • Polonnaruwa
  • Badulla
  • Monaragala
  • Ratnapura

Which courses are selected 100% on all-island merit?

The UGC handbook (Section 2.1) lists these Arts-group courses: Arts, Arts (SP), Arts (SAB), Communication Studies, Peace & Conflict Resolution, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language, Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), Social Work and Arts – Information Technology. In the UGC cut-off list they are marked * and the same cut-off is printed for every district.

Music, Dance, Drama & Theatre, Visual Arts, Visual & Technological Arts and Art & Design are selected under the district quota system.

What is a cut-off mark?

It is the minimum Z-score for selection to a course of study at a university, published by the UGC for each district. Cut-off marks are calculated by the University Grants Commission.

Why do cut-off marks change every year?

The UGC handbook (Section 1.4) explains that cut-off marks depend on students' A/L performance, the demand for each course, the number of places and district populations, so they vary from year to year. A course shown as Safe for one year's cut-off is not a guarantee of selection in another year.

What does NQC mean?

NQC means No Qualified Candidates. The UGC prints NQC instead of a cut-off and says this may be due to the following reasons:

  1. District quota for a given course of study in a given district has already been filled by the students of that district.
  2. Number of places in a given course of study in a given university has already been filled by the students with higher Z-scores from other districts.
  3. No candidates who have satisfied the minimum requirements for admission for a given course of study from that district.

This site always shows these cells as NQC, never as a number.

Which courses need an aptitude or practical test?

The UGC handbook (page 151) lists the courses for which candidates must also pass a practical/aptitude test conducted by the university, in addition to reaching the cut-off. They are marked # in the UGC cut-off list and carry an "Aptitude test required" label on this site:

Can I miss a course even if my Z-score is above the cut-off?

Yes. Cut-off marks change every year, and courses with an aptitude test also need a pass in that test. The UGC also notes that certain courses of study are not conducted in all three languages, so some students may not get selected to such courses in some universities even though they obtained the minimum Z-score.

Which district am I counted in?

According to the UGC handbook (Section 1.5), it is the district of the school where you studied for the longest period, of at least one year, during the three years before the month of the A/L examination. If no school accounts for at least one year, the district of permanent residence is used. Section 1.5 of the handbook lists the certificates required.

Which year's cut-off marks does this site use?

The matcher uses the newest list by default: the 2025/26 cut-off marks published by the UGC, based on the results of the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination 2025 after re-scrutiny (document dated 31/07/2026, released 01/08/2026). The site also has these earlier years: 2024/25, 2023/24, 2022/23, 2021/22, 2018/19. You can choose a year in the matcher's options, and every trend table shows all of them.

What does the UGC advise when applying?

The UGC handbook (Section 1.4) advises applicants to apply for the maximum number of courses they are eligible for, in order of preference, regardless of their Z-score or previous years' cut-off marks. Always follow the official UGC admission handbook for the current year.

Are there other ways to be admitted?

A small number of students are admitted on special grounds described in Section 6 of the UGC handbook. This site covers only the published cut-off marks.

Is my Z-score stored or sent anywhere?

No. The comparison runs entirely in your browser. Your Z-score is not sent to or stored on any server, and it is never added to the page address.