Best Colleges in Dhaka 2026-27 — the Class XI Admission List
বাংলায় পড়তে চাও? দেখো: ঢাকার সেরা কলেজ ২০২৬-২৭ — একাদশ শ্রেণিতে ভর্তির তালিকা
Dhaka is not short of colleges, but at Class XI admission almost everyone chases the same fifteen or twenty names. This page lists them — and not just the names, but the distinction that actually decides your strategy: which of them admit through the central online application, and which make you sit a separate entrance test.
The distinction matters because the two demand completely different preparation. In the central system the one lever you control is the order of your choices; once results are out there is nothing left to do. At an own-test college a strong SSC result still will not save you if the written paper goes badly.
The other Dhaka reality is shifts and versions. Many of the larger colleges run morning and day shifts and separate Bangla-medium and English-version sections, and on the application form each counts as its own choice. Listing two shifts of the same college therefore spends two of your ten slots.
The list — best colleges in Dhaka
| College | Why it is here | Key fact |
|---|---|---|
| Notre Dame College | Dhaka's most competitive college for boys; teaches all three streams, with an English version in Science. | Own admission test · EIIN 108274 |
| Holy Cross College | The equivalent for girls — admits through its own process with the Ministry's permission. | Own admission test · EIIN 131962 |
| St. Joseph Higher Secondary School | Small cohorts and a 100-mark written test of its own; the first choice around Mohammadpur and Dhanmondi. | Own admission test · EIIN 108259 |
| Dhaka College | A government college, so the cost is comparatively low — worth putting near the top of the list if budget matters. | Central application · EIIN 107977 |
| Kabi Nazrul Govt. College | Founded in 1874 at Laxmibazar in Old Dhaka — a government college with seats in all three streams, low cost and a GPA bar below the top names, which makes it a strong, realistic choice for a mid-range result. | Central application · EIIN 108507 · 2025-26 minimum GPA: Science 4.00, Business 3.50, Humanities 3.00 |
| Viqarunnisa Noon School & College | One of Dhaka's largest colleges for girls, running across several branches and shifts. | Central application |
| Government Science College | Science only — a specialised government institution for students committed to the science stream. | Central application · Science only |
| Adamjee Cantonment College | A cantonment college, known for discipline and consistency of results. | Central application |
| RAJUK Uttara Model College | The leading choice in Uttara and around it, with both Bangla and English versions. | Central application |
| Ideal School & College, Motijheel | A large co-educational institution in Motijheel with seats in all three streams. | Central application |
| Dhaka Commerce College | One of the largest providers of Business Studies seats in the country — worth a close look if commerce is your stream. | Central application |
| Dhaka Residential Model College | Offers residential facilities, which matters for students coming from outside Dhaka. | Central application · residential |
| BAF Shaheen College, Dhaka | Run by the Air Force, spread across several branches, and strong in Science and Business Studies. | Central application |
How to use this list
Do not read this list as a ranking. There is no single answer to "the best college" — it changes with your stream, your GPA, the distance from home and what your family can afford. A college that is outstanding in Science may be ordinary in Business Studies.
Order your choices in three bands: two or three reach colleges at the top, four or five realistic ones in the middle, and at least two at the bottom where your GPA makes a place near certain. Skip that last band and a bad year can leave you selected nowhere — in this year’s first phase 2,205 students with a GPA of 5 got no college. A long-established government college such as Kabi Nazrul Govt. College in Old Dhaka fits the middle or bottom band: low cost, and a GPA bar below the top names.
The own-test colleges (Notre Dame, Holy Cross, St. Joseph) are not an alternative to the central application — they run in parallel. Apply to them *and* file the central application, because there is no way to know in advance whether you will clear the entrance test.
Shifts and versions count as separate choices. Listing both the morning and day shifts of one college spends two of your ten slots — so decide deliberately whether you want the college or that particular shift.
Class XI admission 2026-27 — every phase and its date
About 995,230 students applied in phase 1; 980,815 were placed on the merit list and 14,415 got no college at all — 2,205 of them with a GPA of 5. After migration 853,441 were finally selected against 2,601,779 seats, so the students left out were short of a well-built choice list, not of seats.
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| SSC 2026 result published | 10 August 2026 |
| Admission policy published | 24 August 2026 |
| Phase 1: online application | 2 September 2026 – 10 September 2026, 8:00 PM |
| Phase 1: late window | 12–13 September 2026, until 8:00 PM |
| Phase 1: merit list | 16 September 2026, 8:00 PM |
| Phase 1: confirmation deadline | 18 September 2026, 8:00 PM |
| Phase 1: migration result | 19 September 2026, 8:00 PM |
| Admission at the college (phase 1) | 20–22 September 2026 |
| Classes began | 24 September 2026 |
| Phase 2: online application | 27 September 2026 (Sunday) – 28 September 2026, 8:00 PM |
| Phase 2: result | 1 October 2026, 8:00 PM |
| Phase 2: confirmation | 1–3 October 2026, until 8:00 PM |
| Phase 2: migration result | 4 October 2026, 8:00 PM |
| Phase 2: admission at the college | 5–7 October 2026 |
| Phase 3 | Not announced yet |
| Where to apply | xiclassadmission.gov.bd |
If you got no college in phase 1, or did not confirm, phase 2 is your chance: applications run from 27 September 2026 (Sunday) to 28 September 2026, 8:00 PM. A phase-1 applicant who was not selected anywhere applies free this time.
Read next
- Notre Dame College — admission details
- Holy Cross College — admission details
- St. Joseph Higher Secondary School — admission details
- Kabi Nazrul Govt. College — admission details
- Every college admission circular
- Lists for other cities
- Class XI admission 2026-27 schedule
- The website you apply on
- Class XI admission — main guide
Frequently asked questions
Notre Dame College, Holy Cross College and St. Joseph Higher Secondary School — these missionary-run institutions run their own tests under a court direction and Ministry permission. The rest, including Dhaka College, Viqarunnisa, Adamjee Cantonment and RAJUK Uttara, admit through the central online system.
It differs by college and by stream, and it moves each year. The 2026-27 college-wise minimums sit in the portal’s college list, and each college page in this section carries the figures we could verify. At the top colleges Science generally asks for a GPA of 5.00; by contrast, Kabi Nazrul Govt. College’s Science minimum was 4.00 in 2025-26.
Yes — a student from any board can apply to any college. Bear in mind, though, that metropolitan colleges reserve a share of seats for their own and affiliated institutions’ students, so competition for the open seats is that much harder.
On cost, government colleges are far cheaper, and institutions like Dhaka College or Government Science College also produce strong results. Private and cantonment colleges tend to offer better facilities and closer supervision. Decide against your budget and how you actually study.
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