Digital Prospectus
Session 2026 – 2027
A Tradition of Excellence · A Future of Purpose
Contents
More than a school · A Community for Life
About Abbottabad Public School
Abbottabad Public School is located at an altitude of about 4,500 feet, ten kilometres from Abbottabad town on Mansehra Road. It covers an area of more than fifty-five acres, and is surrounded by verdant hills with pine trees that make it look like a piece of paradise. The height, scenic beauty, serenity and climate make its environment pollution-free and healthy.
This alluring piece of land was initially chosen by Pakistan Railways in 1956 to establish a Model School which was named as Pakistan Railways Public School, Abbottabad. The then Central Minister for Pakistan Railways, Sardar Bahadur Khan, was the originator of the School, and Mr. M.A Rehman was the founder Principal.
A Commission on National Education, formulated in December 1958, presented its report in August 1959 stressing the importance of establishing residential schools throughout the country. The commission recommended immediate establishment of two such schools — one in the West and one in the East — to serve the cause of National Integration.
Under the auspices of the President of Pakistan, the school was re-established as Abbottabad Public School and began functioning in April 1961 under the control and able guidance of the founder Principal M.A Rehman. With the passage of time, it attracted students from abroad — South Africa, the Middle East and the Far East — and earned a great reputation, at par with the country's other sister institutions.
The first Board of Governors was constituted in 1961. In 1962-63, administrative control transferred to an autonomous BoG constituted by the provincial government. The institution was later transferred to the Government of KPK (then N.W.F.P) under the Government Education and Training Institutions Ordinance 1971.
From the Principal's Desk
History & Legacy
Established as a residential public school under the recommendations of the 1959 Commission on National Education, and re-founded in April 1961 as Abbottabad Public School, this institution has served as a nursery for the Armed Forces, the Civil Services and the country's leading professional bodies for more than six decades.
A nursery for national life
The students of APS have played leading roles in the country — the printed prospectus names Mr. Shaukat Aziz (former Prime Minister), Justice (R) Nasir-ul-Mulk (Chief Justice of Pakistan), Chaudhary Ahmad Mukhtar (former Federal Minister), Mr. Arbab Alamgir, and Mr. Muhammad Shehzad Arbab (former Chief Secretary KPK) as some of the school's prominent alumni. A fuller list appears in the Alumni chapter.
Vision · Mission · Core Values
Vision
To provide quality education to the aspirant youth of the country by creating a congenial atmosphere for learning and the development of their potential and talents — an all-embracing training that shapes a balanced personality for the service of the nation.
Mission
Great emphasis is laid on character building, moral and spiritual upgradation, discipline, academic excellence and physical fitness — so that graduates prove a great asset to society rather than a burden on its resources.
Core Values
Codified in the School Code of Honour, taken as a pledge by every boy: duty to God, country and fellow human beings; honour to parents, teachers and elders; care for those in distress; and the daily practice of at least one good deed.
The School Code of Honour
“I pledge my word of honour that…”
Why APS
Reason One
Pakistan's first residential public school of its kind.
Established following the 1959 Commission on National Education; opened in April 1961 under founder Principal M.A Rehman.
Reason Two
Merit is the only criterion for admission.
Admissions are purely on merit through competitive written test and interview. Parental influence or approach causes cancellation of candidature.
Reason Three
A fully residential life on fifty-five acres.
Seven boarding houses, resident staff, a 12-bed medical centre, mess, mosque, library and playing fields — all inside a single walled campus above the city.
Reason Four
BISE Abbottabad curriculum, taught by a resident subject staff.
Classes VII–XII in English, Urdu, Islamiyat, Pakistan Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology; Pre-Engineering and Pre-Medical at FSc, under the Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education, Abbottabad.
Reason Five
The School Code of Honour, taken as a pledge.
Character building, moral and spiritual upgradation, discipline, academic excellence and physical fitness — the working promise of every day here.
Reason Six
A nursery for national life.
A former Prime Minister, a Chief Justice, Federal Ministers, Chief Secretaries and thousands more — the network its graduates rely on.
Academic Programme
The school caters to the educational demands of students from Class 7th to Class 12th. At intermediate level we offer only Pre-Engineering and Pre-Medical groups. English is the medium of instruction for all classes.
The three stages
Junior classes — the years the boys arrive together and the boarding life takes shape.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Textbook Board Matric years — preparation for the Secondary School Certificate.
BISE Abbottabad FSc — 1st & 2nd Year Pre-Engineering and Pre-Medical streams (Open Merit & Self-Finance), under the Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education, Abbottabad.
The school also runs a functional English language laboratory. Great emphasis is placed on communication skills, on independent reading, and on the classroom habits that carry into a boy's university years.
Curriculum & Departments
The normal curriculum of the institution includes English, Urdu, Islamiyat, Pakistan Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Computer Science and Art are taught in the 7th and 8th classes. English is the medium of instruction throughout.
Languages
Comprehension, essay-writing and independent reading, supported by a functional English language laboratory.
Languages
Urdu literature and language taught with the same seriousness as English, from Class VII through the FSc.
Faith
Compulsory at all stages of the school curriculum — a foundation the daily routine is built around.
Humanities
The KP Textbook Board Pakistan Studies syllabus, taught alongside Islamiyat as required for every candidate.
Sciences
Class VII through the FSc Pre-Engineering group; the school's most consistently oversubscribed department.
Sciences
Practical work in the school laboratories alongside Board preparation, at both Matric and FSc.
Sciences
Chemistry from Matric through FSc, with lab work built into the timetable and store-cum-preparation rooms.
Sciences
Biology for the FSc Pre-Medical stream, and for Matric candidates who take the subject at SSC.
Computing
Computer Science taught to Class VII and VIII in a state-of-the-art lab with latest computers, Smart Boards and projectors.
Beyond the Classroom
The school's co-curricular calendar runs alongside the academic year — inter-house competitions, debates, Na'at and Qirat, hobbies and societies, and the annual national declamation contest that gathers the country's leading institutions on this campus.
i
The last two periods every Saturday in the second term are allotted to hobbies and societies. Every student chooses one activity to develop his special interests and talents.
ii
Regular competitions in English and Urdu. Islamic recitation and Na'at competitions are held on a regular basis; inter-house debates are a fixture of the academic calendar.
iii
Every September, the country's leading institutions gather at APS in memory of Capt. Aakash Shaheed — ex-student and first shaheed of Operation Zarb-e-Azb.
iv
Held twice a week — Fridays for the junior section, Saturdays for seniors — to highlight hidden talent. Faculty members and the Principal attend.
v
Educational visits, excursion trips and hiking programmes are arranged through the year — recreation with an educational purpose.
Games & Sports
Sport is an integral part of APS. The school's vast, lush green grounds and experienced physical training staff support morning P.T. — compulsory for every boy — and regular inter-house competitions for juniors (7th, 8th, 9th) and seniors (10th, 11th, 12th) in all major games.
Friendly matches with sister institutions
Lawrence College Ghora Gali · Cadet College Kohat · Cadet College Hassanabdal · Aitchison College Lahore.
Houses & House System
Abbottabad Public School is entirely a residential institution. The boys are accommodated in seven hostels named after great national heroes — Iqbal, Jinnah, Liaquat, Sir Syed, Sardar Bahadur, Sultan Tipu and Nishtar. Besides these seven residential houses, there is a house for day-scholars — Rahman House — named after the founder Principal Mr. M.A Rehman. Every house is under the charge of a Housemaster.
Named for the poet-philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
Named for the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Named for Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, Pakistan's first Prime Minister.
Named for the educationist and reformer Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.
Named for Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, statesman and Governor of Punjab.
Named for the school's founder Sardar Bahadur Khan.
Named for Sultan Tipu, ruler of Mysore.
Named for founder Principal Mr. M.A Rehman — the day-scholars' house.
The common room, the house library
Every house has its own common room, facilitated with Television, DVD, Table Tennis, Carom, Chess, Draughts, Scrabble and a house library. The four older houses — Iqbal, Jinnah, Liaquat and Sir Syed — dine in the main dining hall; Sardar Bahadur, Sultan Tipu and Nishtar take their meals in the dining halls located in their own premises.
Student Leadership
The senior boys in the houses are given various appointments to help in managing the house affairs. Each house has one senior prefect and two other prefects who assist the housemaster in his job.
Prefects are selected from the best lot, taking into account academic performance, discipline and conduct. In this way a sense of responsibility is inculcated and the qualities of leadership are developed. Irregularities, negligence of work and breach of discipline are brought to the notice of the Principal by the housemaster for necessary action, over and above the punishment awarded by the housemasters themselves.
Character & Discipline
The School Motto is taken as a working promise. Great emphasis is laid on character building, moral and spiritual upgradation, discipline, academic excellence and physical fitness.
House Assembly
Each house performs its own assembly, beginning with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by Na'at and the School Code of Honour. The Housemaster gives a brief speech on the day's programme, the value of hard work, discipline and character building; and checks presence, uniform and general cleanliness.
Class Assembly
Class assembly is held fifteen minutes before the start of classes under the supervision of the class teacher. A student recites a verse of the Holy Quran with translation, a short speech in Urdu & English is delivered, and the National Anthem is sung.
Religious Teachings
Five-time prayers are mandatory, and the daily routine begins with the morning congregational prayer followed by Nazra classes in the school Masjid. The fundamentals of Islam are taught alongside the life of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.), the early caliphs, and the heroes of Islam.
Boarding & Hostel Life
Abbottabad Public School is entirely a residential institution accomplishing the needs of boys coming from different parts of the country. Every house is under the charge of a housemaster who acts like a parent to the boys, and helps them to solve their educational, social and personal problems.
In every common room
Campus & Facilities
Fifty-five acres, walled and self-contained. From the mosque to the medical centre, from the mess to the memorial library, everything a boy needs sits inside a single boundary above the city.
Classrooms
Science Laboratories
Lab Facilities
Library (10,000+ books)
Boarding Houses
Mess & Dining Halls
School Mosque
12-Bed Medical Centre
Guest House
Amenities on campus
Shopping centre · general store · stationery · grocery · sports goods · tailor shop · a branch of the National Bank of Pakistan · a Pakistan Post office · barber · washer man · cobbler · spacious cafeteria · hot water in the hostels in winter, and generator-backed power to the boarding houses and classrooms during outages.
Classrooms & Laboratories
Laboratories
Well-equipped laboratories for Physics, Chemistry and Biology support the teaching of the science curriculum. The school also owns commodious store-cum-preparation rooms to be used as supplements.
Computer Studies
An expert and highly qualified teacher is available in the computer lab to guide the students of Classes 7th and 8th. The lab comprises latest computers; Smart Boards, LEDs and projectors are installed in the classes.
English Language Laboratory
The school runs a functional English language laboratory to support the medium of instruction and communication skills across every class.
Library, IT & Digital Learning
The main library, quite spacious, holds more than ten thousand volumes.
The main library
The school library is quite spacious and properly ventilated. It houses more than ten thousand books on various subjects. Daily newspapers in English and Urdu, along with local and foreign magazines and periodicals, are also subscribed. Communication skills are supported through these reading materials.
Sir Hugh Catchpole (CBE, SI) Memorial Digital Library
This library is meant for 7th and 8th class students. Story books and simplified versions of English novels are issued to broaden the intellectual horizon of the students. Digital books were introduced in 2018 in collaboration with the British Council. Students can choose any book by scanning a QR code and read on mobile or tablet. The library is 100% computerised; books can be retrieved digitally.
Sports Facilities
Grounds
Vast, lush green playing fields inside the walled 55-acre campus — for cricket, hockey, football, athletics and inter-house season play.
Physical Training
Morning P.T. is compulsory for every boy. Experienced physical training staff, well-versed in all the major games, coach both house sides and school teams.
Inter-House Competition
Regular Inter-Houses Competitions for juniors (7th, 8th, 9th) and seniors (10th, 11th, 12th) in all major games run through the academic year.
Friendly Matches
Friendly matches with sister institutions — Lawrence College Ghora Gali, Cadet College Kohat, Cadet College Hassanabdal and Aitchison College Lahore.
Dining & Mess
The students of the four older houses — Iqbal, Jinnah, Liaquat and Sir Syed — dine in the main dining hall. The students belonging to Sardar Bahadur, Sultan Tipu and Nishtar House take their meals in the dining halls located within their own premises.
Meals are taken in the house dining hall with the Housemaster and senior prefects at the head table. It is where a house sits down as a house.
Wellbeing & Pastoral Care
Medical Facilities
There is a 12-Bed hospital in the school. A Medical Officer, assisted by two dispensers, manages the school hospital. In addition to general treatment, the students are inoculated against Typhoid, Cholera, Tetanus and Hepatitis-B.
An ambulance is available 24/7 to carry the students to specialists or hospitals if referred by the School Medical Officer. Sick boys are referred to the School Medical Officer at morning assembly; those suffering from contagious or infectious diseases are moved to the isolation room in the hospital, as their attendance in classes is neither advisable nor allowed.
The Housemaster
The Housemaster is deemed to be the focal person regarding boarding-house affairs. He acts as a parent to the boys, and helps them to solve their educational, social and personal problems.
In order to enhance the relationship between the Housemaster and the parents, regular contact — through the school office and at scheduled meetings — is imperative. Parents may reach the school on 0992-406508 or 0992-406509 and ask to be put through to the concerned Housemaster.
Daily Routine
Winter Programme
Summer Programme
Sunday brunch replaces breakfast at 10:30 am. Friday classes end after the 5th lesson; Jumma Prayer at 01:15 pm; lunch at 02:00 pm.
Faculty & Staff Directory
The teaching faculty is composed of experienced, qualified subject specialists — most resident on campus — supported by a small administrative team. Names and qualifications are as recorded in the school's own prospectus.
Teaching Staff
Administration & Support
A fully illustrated staff directory with photographs and departments lives on the school's Faculty page.
Student Life
Achievements & Distinctions
KP Textbook Board Matric and FSc results, and admissions to the country's leading universities and professional colleges.
Inter-house season results and friendly-match results against sister institutions — Lawrence, Cadet Colleges, Aitchison.
The All Pakistan Capt. Aakash Shaheed Bilingual Declamation Contest, inter-house debates in English and Urdu.
Graduates in the Armed Forces, Civil Services, medicine, academia and public life — the network the school produces.
Specific trophy shelves, board-topper listings, national-level distinctions and year-on-year performance tables are compiled by the school administration at the close of each academic session, and are available on request from the Principal’s office. A selection is updated in the News & Events feed on the APS website through the year.
Competitions & Events
The signature event
Every year in the month of September, all the renowned institutions of Pakistan gather at APS to commemorate Capt. Aakash Shaheed — first shaheed of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, and an ex-student of this school — and to compete with one another in speeches. It is a golden opportunity for the students of APS to meet the students of these prominent institutions and to learn from the knowledge and experience of one another.
Both English and Urdu inter-house debates are regular features of the academic calendar.
Held on a regular basis to encourage boys to praise the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and to recite the Holy Quran according to the norms of Qirat.
Twice a week — Fridays for the junior section, Saturdays for seniors — to highlight hidden talent. Faculty members and the Principal attend.
Inter-Houses Competitions for juniors and seniors in all major games run through the year on the campus grounds.
Alumni
Abbottabad Public School has proved to be a good nursery for the Armed Forces, Civil Services and professional institutions since 1961. Old Abbottabadians serve across Pakistan and abroad — the network the school produces is one of the things its graduates most rely on.
A contact sheet · Old Abbottabadians named in the printed prospectus
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A fuller alumni gallery — with more names as they are added — appears on the school website.
Admissions
Admissions to different classes are done purely on merit and competitive bases. The major intake is in 7th class. It is open to boys from all parts of the country and abroad. Candidates are evaluated through a written test in English, Mathematics, Urdu and Islamiyat, all of appropriate standard.
A merit list is compiled on the basis of the performance of the candidates, and those who qualify the written test are interviewed. The final selection is made keeping in view the performance of the candidates in the written test (70% weightage), interview (30% weightage) and medical fitness.
Admission Procedure
Visit www.aps.edu.pk and follow the procedure given in the tab “Apply Online”. Registration forms and test schedule are also advertised in leading newspapers of the country.
Held on 25 December every year at centres in Abbottabad, Bannu, Kohat, Karachi, Multan, Peshawar, Sialkot, Rawalpindi and Quetta. Candidates appear at the centre of their choice.
Successful candidates in the written test are called for a medical check-up by the School Medical Officer before the interview — to determine fitness and ensure that the real age of the candidate commensurates with his physical appearance and height.
Those who qualify the written test and medical are called for interview. Senior faculty members also look into the performance and merit of the candidates and forward a report to the Principal on the basis of their findings and recommendations.
Final selection is made keeping in view the written test (70% weightage), interview (30% weightage) and medical fitness. Parents / guardians of selected candidates submit an undertaking on stamp paper, attested by the Notary Public.
Eligibility & Requirements
Age & class prerequisite · Class 7th
Candidates taking the 7th class test must be 11 years old and should either be studying in, or should have passed, the 6th class at the time of admission. Their age should not exceed 13 years, as no age relaxation is permissible.
Test centres & date
The admission test is held on 25 December every year at various centres — Abbottabad, Bannu, Kohat, Karachi, Multan, Peshawar, Sialkot, Rawalpindi and Quetta. Candidates are normally asked to appear at the centre of their choice. Dates for submission of forms and test schedule are advertised well in time in the leading newspapers of the country.
Online application
Students / parents are required to visit the school website (www.aps.edu.pk) and follow the procedure given in the “Apply Online” tab.
Medical check-up
Successful candidates in the written test are called for medical check-up by the School Medical Officer before the interview — to determine fitness and ensure that the real age of the candidate commensurates with his physical appearance and height.
Entry test for 7th class only
It is required to mention here that the entry test is held for Class 7th. Admission in Class 8th and 1st year is subject to availability of seats.
Session & Class XI admission criteria
The academic session for the school section commences in the last week of April and terminates in the first week of April. For the College section, the academic session is prescribed by the BISE, Abbottabad. Admission to both Pre-Medical and Pre-Engineering groups in the 11th class is strictly on merit against 70–80 seats only. To become eligible, a student must obtain minimum ‘B’ grade in internal exams of Class IX & X, and above 85% marks in S.S.C. The school is under no obligation to admit all boys who pass the S.S.C examination from this institution. Discipline of the student and dealing of parents with school staff carry maximum weightage while determining merit for admission in any class.
Discipline & parental conduct
Since admission criterion is strictly adhered to merit, no other consideration is kept in view. Moreover, an ill-disciplined case will not be considered for admission in 1st year class. The behaviour and dealing of the parents with School Staff and Administration will also be given utmost importance in this regard.
Class XI weightage · SF Cases
The requirement for admission to the 1st year class is minimum 85% marks in SSC Board Examination. Weightage for admissions in Class XI (for SF Cases) is:
Entrance Test Format
The candidates undergo a written test followed by an interview. Papers cover the syllabus of Class 6th (for 7th) and Class 7th (for 8th) of all textbook boards of Pakistan.
Criteria: Board Results 40% · Written Tests 40% · Interviews 20%. Written tests are 40% objective / 60% subjective.
Fee Structure
The school fee includes Tuition Fee, Boarding, Lodging, Library, Laboratory, Hobbies, Societies and Computer Fee. All amounts in Pakistani Rupees. Fees are subject to revision by the School administration.
A.
Quarterly Fee · Open Merit
With effect from April 2027 · recurring, per quarter.
| Classes | Amount (PKR) |
|---|---|
| Quarterly Fee · Grade 7th to 10th | 163,000 |
| Quarterly Fee · Grade 11th & 12th | 185,000 |
B.
One-Time · Self-Finance (Non-Refundable)
Charged once at the time of admission under the Self-Finance seat quota.
| Classes | Amount (PKR) |
|---|---|
| Class 7th | 600,000 |
| Class 8th | 500,000 |
| Class 11th | 300,000 |
C.
Other Charges · At the time of Admission
Security Deposit is refundable on completion or withdrawal, subject to clearance.
| Head of Account | Payable | Amount (PKR) |
|---|---|---|
| Admission, Registration & Processing Fee | Once, at admission | 25,000 |
| Security Deposit | Refundable | 150,000 |
| Maintenance Fee | Once, at admission | 60,000 |
| Pocket Money / Uniform / Stationery, etc. | As per actual consumption | 80,000 |
| Internal plus External Exam Fee | Once, at admission | 30,000 |
Payment Schedule & Late Payment
The academic year is divided into four quarters (Jan–Mar, Apr–Jun, Jul–Sep, Oct–Dec). Fee for each quarter is payable in advance in the first month of each quarter — early January, April, July, October.
No monthly bill is sent to the parents as the quarterly fee is fixed. Fee is required to be paid in any branch of National Bank of Pakistan throughout the country.
Not paid by 5th of the second month → strikeoff notice + Rs. 5,000 fine. Not paid by 5th of the third month → struck-off order + Rs. 10,000 fine. Failure by end of quarter → expulsion, reinstated only as a special case on Rs. 15,000 special fine.
A working copy of the fee schedule lives on the school's Fee Structure page. Contact the administration for the current challan and instalment schedule.
Scholarships & Concessions
Abbottabad Public School offers financial support to talented and deserving students through the APS Endowment Fund — chiefly for boys currently studying in Government schools who, with assistance, may pursue a quality education at APS. Merit awards, sibling concessions and subsidised seats are also considered, case by case, in line with the policy of the Principal’s office and the Board of Governors.
For the current situation on concessions and the Endowment Fund application form, please write to secretary@aps.edu.pk or contact the school on 0992-406508 or 0992-406509.
Frequently Asked Questions
The admission test is held on 25 December every year at centres in Abbottabad, Bannu, Kohat, Karachi, Multan, Peshawar, Sialkot, Rawalpindi and Quetta. The date for submission of forms is advertised in leading newspapers.
The major intake is in Class 7th. Admission in Class 8th and 1st year is subject to availability of seats.
Candidates must be 11 years old and should either be studying in, or should have passed, the 6th class at the time of admission. Age should not exceed 13 years — no age relaxation is permissible.
At intermediate level the school offers Pre-Engineering and Pre-Medical groups only. Admission is strictly on merit against 70–80 seats. Minimum eligibility: 'B' grade in internal exams of Class IX & X and above 85% in S.S.C.
Yes. APS is entirely a residential institution. Boys are accommodated in seven boarding houses — Iqbal, Jinnah, Liaquat, Sir Syed, Sardar Bahadur, Sultan Tipu and Nishtar. There is also a day-scholars' house — Rahman House — named for founder Principal Mr. M.A Rehman.
Fee is required to be paid in any branch of the National Bank of Pakistan throughout the country. The academic year is divided into four quarters (Jan–Mar, Apr–Jun, Jul–Sep, Oct–Dec); fee for each quarter is payable in advance in the first month.
Text books, stationery, School Uniform, Games Kit and other articles of clothing are supplied by the school contractor. Boys are not allowed to bring these from the market. The cost is deducted by the housemaster from the boy's Pocket Money Account.
Minimum pocket money credit is Rs. 10,000/-, with an emergency reserve of Rs. 7,000. Parents are advised not to send extra money by any other mode; boys are not allowed to open a private bank / post office account or keep a credit account with the school cafeteria or shops without the Principal's permission.
The school telephone exchange is at function from 7:30 am to 10:00 pm daily on 0992-406508 and 0992-406509. Parents may reach the Housemaster or their son through the exchange.
Yes. There is a 12-Bed hospital on campus, staffed by a Medical Officer with two dispensers. Students are inoculated against Typhoid, Cholera, Tetanus and Hepatitis-B, and a 24/7 ambulance is available for specialist referrals.
Important Information for Parents
Provided by the School
Supplied by the school contractor. On advance payment.
Provided by the School
Supplied by the school contractor. On advance payment.
Provided by the Parents
The following items are provided by the parents at the time of new admission.
Contact Information
Visit
Abbottabad Public School
Mansehra Road, Abbottabad
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
School Telephone
Any enquiry — admissions, boarding, or general correspondence — is handled through the school exchange.
Email & Web
