The PMA Long Course age limit is 17 to 22 years for candidates with Intermediate, and for 159 PMA Long Course the age is counted on 1 May 2027. Graduates of a 2-year degree and serving Pakistan Navy or PAF personnel can be up to 23, graduates of a 4-year degree up to 24, and serving Army soldiers up to 25. The Intermediate, 2-year graduate and serving Navy or PAF entries also get a 3-month relaxation at both ends; 4-year graduates and soldiers get none.
Choose the entry that matches your qualification or service and type your date of birth as it appears on your matric certificate. Keep the 3-month relaxation ticked only for the Intermediate, 2-year graduate and serving Navy or PAF entries. The result gives your age on 1 May 2027 and how much room you have, or how far you miss by.
159 PMA Long Course age limit by entry
Every entry is checked on the same date, 1 May 2027. Only one limit applies to you: the one for your qualification or service.
| Entry | Age on 1 May 2027 | Relaxation | Born between (both dates included, with any relaxation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intermediate, FA/FSc, A level or DAE | 17 to 22 | 3 months at both ends | 1 February 2005 and 1 August 2010 |
| Graduate, 2-year degree (BA, BSc) | 17 to 23 | 3 months at both ends | 1 February 2004 and 1 August 2010 |
| Serving Pakistan Navy or PAF personnel | 17 to 23 | 3 months at both ends | 1 February 2004 and 1 August 2010 |
| Graduate, 4-year degree (BS, BA Hons, BBA, BPA) | 17 to 24 | None | 1 May 2003 and 1 May 2010 |
| Serving Army soldier | 17 to 25 | None | 1 May 2002 and 1 May 2010 |
Without the relaxation, the Intermediate range is 1 May 2005 to 1 May 2010. Because 4-year graduates and soldiers get no relaxation, a BS graduate who is 24 years and one day old on 1 May 2027 is out.
Worked examples
Ali, FSc, born 10 June 2005. On 1 May 2027 he is 21 years, 10 months and 21 days old. That is under 22, so he fits even without the relaxation, with 1 month and 9 days to spare. With the 3-month relaxation he has 4 months and 9 days.
Bilal, born 15 March 2004. On 1 May 2027 he is 23 years, 1 month and 16 days old.
- On his FSc, the limit is 22 years 3 months with the relaxation. He is over by 10 months and 16 days.
- With a 2-year BA or BSc, the limit is 23, or 23 years 3 months with the relaxation. He fits only through the relaxation, with 1 month and 14 days to spare.
- With a 4-year BS, the limit is 24. He fits, with 10 months and 14 days to spare.
Hamza, born 15 June 2010. On 1 May 2027 he is 16 years, 10 months and 16 days old: 1 month and 14 days short of 17. The 3-month relaxation on the lower limit brings the minimum down to 16 years 9 months, so he can apply on his Intermediate. The calculator flags cases like this, because they depend on the relaxation.
How the PMA age is counted
Your age is counted on the date fixed for the course, not on the day you register, the day of the initial test or the day you appear at ISSB. For 159 PMA Long Course that date is 1 May 2027. A candidate who is 22 when registering in October 2026 may already be over the limit by May 2027.
The limit is read to the day. "17 to 22 years" means you may be 22 years and 0 days old on 1 May 2027, or 22 years 3 months and 0 days with the relaxation. One more day and you are out. Use the date of birth on your matric certificate and CNIC or B-form.
The next course will have its own date. When it is announced, change the date in the calculator to the one printed in that course's notice.
ISSB age limit
There is no separate ISSB age limit. The Inter Services Selection Board tests candidates for the entry they registered for, so the age rule is the one for that entry. For PMA Long Course it is the table above. Other Army entries have their own limits and dates: for example, the Army Medical Cadet entry is 17 to 21, also with 3 months' relaxation at both ends.
If you are over the limit for PMA Long Course, check entries with higher limits that suit your qualification. Each entry's age is checked on its own date, so run the calculator with the date in that entry's notice. Many candidates also apply to the other services, which send their officer candidates to ISSB too: see the Pak Navy PN Cadet age limit and the PAF age limit by branch.
Candidates must be unmarried; married serving personnel of the armed forces over 20 years of age are eligible. Registration for 159 PMA Long Course runs from 14 September to 23 October 2026, online only, with preliminary tests from 5 October to 15 December 2026. This calculator is not affiliated with the Pakistan Army.
PMA age questions
What is the age limit for PMA Long Course 159?
17 to 22 years on 1 May 2027 for Intermediate candidates, with 3 months' relaxation at both ends. Graduates of a 2-year degree and serving Pakistan Navy or PAF personnel can be up to 23 (also with 3 months' relaxation), 4-year graduates up to 24 and serving Army soldiers up to 25, with no relaxation. Only the limit for your own entry applies.
Can I apply for PMA at 23?
Yes, if you are a graduate. A 2-year graduate can be up to 23 on 1 May 2027, or 23 years 3 months with the relaxation, and a 4-year graduate up to 24. On an FSc alone, 23 is over the limit even with the 3-month relaxation, which stops at 22 years and 3 months.
On which date is the PMA age calculated?
On the date fixed in the course details. For 159 PMA Long Course it is 1 May 2027. Your age on the day you register, sit the initial test or report to ISSB does not decide it.
What is the age limit for serving soldiers in PMA Long Course?
Serving Army soldiers can apply up to 25 years of age on 1 May 2027, with no relaxation, so a soldier born on or after 1 May 2002 is within the limit. Serving Pakistan Navy and PAF personnel have a limit of 23, with 3 months' relaxation.
Is there age relaxation for PMA Long Course?
Yes, 3 months at both ends for the Intermediate entry, 2-year graduates and serving Navy or PAF personnel. For Intermediate candidates the range becomes 16 years 9 months to 22 years 3 months on 1 May 2027. 4-year graduates and serving soldiers get no relaxation. Confirm a case that depends on the relaxation with your selection centre.
What is the age limit to join Pak Army as an officer?
Through PMA Long Course it is 17 to 22 for Intermediate candidates, and up to 23, 24 or 25 for graduates and serving personnel. Other commissions, such as the medical and technical entries, have their own limits and dates, printed in each notice.
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Last reviewed 9 October 2026. Results are estimates; official notices always take precedence.