University of Colombo
State university · Colombo · cmb.ac.lk
Undergraduates, 2024
14,240
Courses with a 2025/26 cut-off
19
Undergraduates, 2022 → 2024
+2,258
Undergraduates on the UGC's own count, excluding students carried over from earlier years (the backlog). The Open University of Sri Lanka is counted separately and isn't included.
Z-score cut-offs, 2025/26
State universities admit on the A-level Z-score, which places a candidate against everyone who sat the same subjects that year. Each course has a cut-off for every one of Sri Lanka's 25 districts, because places are shared out between districts — so the same course can need a very different score in Colombo and in a rural district. Shown: the lowest and highest district cut-off, and Colombo's. Z-scores compare courses within a year and a subject stream, not across them.
| Course | Lowest district | Highest district | Colombo | No qualified candidate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | 2.2624 | 2.4753 | 2.2721 | 2 of 25 |
| Information Communication Technology | 1.7103 | 2.2172 | 1.7143 | 10 of 25 |
| Engineering Technology (Et) | 2.0681 | 2.2135 | 2.0686 | 8 of 25 |
| Law | 2.0129 | 2.1215 | 2.0156 | 1 of 25 |
| Management | 1.7686 | 1.9736 | 1.7686 | 2 of 25 |
| Biosystems Technology (Bst) | 1.5762 | 1.8981 | 1.5762 | 5 of 25 |
| Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 1.3315 | 1.8191 | 1.8128 | — |
| Primary Education | 1.4225 | 1.7990 | 1.4899 | 5 of 25 |
| Physiotherapy | 1.7297 | 1.7688 | 1.7444 | 12 of 25 |
| Biological Science | 1.7141 | 1.7664 | 1.7144 | 13 of 25 |
| Arts | 1.6989 | 1.6989 | 1.6989 | — |
| Medical Imaging Technology | 1.3900 | 1.6926 | 1.6615 | — |
| Physical Science | 1.4350 | 1.6879 | 1.4390 | 8 of 25 |
| Industrial Statistics & Mathematical Finance | 0.5728 | 1.5660 | 1.5561 | — |
| Nursing | 1.3784 | 1.5488 | 1.3784 | 4 of 25 |
| Ayurveda Medicine & Surgery | 1.3165 | 1.3835 | 1.3185 | 3 of 25 |
| Unani Medicine & Surgery | 0.6329 | 1.1753 | 1.0176 | — |
| Arts (SP) / Mass MediaSri Palee Campus | 1.1653 | 1.1653 | 1.1653 | — |
| Arts (SP) / Performing ArtsSri Palee Campus | 0.9374 | 0.9374 | 0.9374 | — |
Undergraduates by field, 2024
- Arts4,053
- Management & Commerce2,819
- Science1,951
- Technology1,332
- Law1,295
- Medicine1,168
- Indigenous Medicine1,003
- Allied Health Sciences619
Undergraduates by year
2022
11,982
2023
13,867
2024
14,240
Undergraduate study at Sri Lanka's state universities is free for students admitted through the UGC. Compare every state university.
Sources: University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka — “Sri Lanka University Statistics 2024” (Table 3.2) and the 2025/26 minimum Z-score cut-offs; Ministry of Higher Education — list of degree-awarding institutes. Figures re-keyed and summarised by CollegeMatcher.
Similar institutions in Sri Lanka
Picked by type, place and size, from the same data as this page — not a judgement of quality.
- University of the Visual and Performing ArtsState university · Colombo · 2,880 undergraduates (2024)
- University of RuhunaState university · Matara · 14,241 undergraduates (2024)
- University of PeradeniyaState university · Peradeniya · 13,127 undergraduates (2024)
- University of KelaniyaState university · Kelaniya · 15,549 undergraduates (2024)
- University of JaffnaState university · Jaffna · 12,186 undergraduates (2024)
- University of Sri JayewardenepuraState university · Nugegoda · 16,661 undergraduates (2024)