The National Institute of Design conducts the NID DAT exam to offer admission to B.Des and M.Des courses offered by participating colleges. But do you know about other colleges that accept NID DAT scores? If you don't, this article is for you.
The National Institute of Design (NID) conducts the NID Design Aptitude Test. The entrance exam is conducted every year to shortlist candidates for admission to the various design courses offered by NID DAT participating colleges, including the B.Des courses and the M.Des course.
The National Institute of Design has announced the dates for NID DAT Mains for M.Des. The Studio Test was conducted on March 08, 2026. The NID Interview will be conducted from March 21, 2026, to April 01, 2026. NID Mains Admit cardwas released on February 24, 2026.
NID M.Des Prelims result were announced on February 12, 2026. NID DAT 2026 Exam was conducted on December 21, 2025, for B.Des and M.Des. The exam was conducted from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Latest Update:
- NID DAT M.Des Mains Schedule Out; Check Studio Test and Interview Dates Here
- NID DAT M.Des Prelims Result 2026 Declared; Check Now
The NID offers the BDes program at the five NID campuses. Meanwhile, the M.Des program is available at three NID institutes. Currently, there are 425 seats for the B.Des program, while there are 347 seats available for the M.Des program. Admission to the B.Des and M.Des programs will be based on NID DAT 2026 merit ranks.
- NID Admission Process 2026
- NID DAT 2026 Counselling and Seat Allotment
- NID Admission 2026 - Document Checklist
- NID DAT Admission Schedule 2026
- NID DAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria for B.Des
- NID DAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria for M.Des
- NID DAT 2026 Participating Institute - Seat Intake for B.Des program
NID Admission Process 2026
The NIDs offer B.Des and M.Des courses. Admission to these courses is conducted through the NID Entrance Test (DAT). The DAT has two parts:
- DAT Prelims
- DAT Mains
The NID DAT 2026 Final result will be prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The merit rank will be used to shortlist candidates for NID DAT 2026 counselling and seat allotment.
As part of the NID counselling process, eligible candidates must fill in their academic choices (campus + specialization). The NID DAT 2026 seat allotment will be based on:
- Merit rank of the candidate in the NID DAT 2026 exam
- Choices opted
- Available seats
Commonly asked questions
There are 128 seats available for BDes at NID Ahmedabad. Seat allocation is done based on performance in accepted exam and selection round. The seats are reserved discipline-wise as follows:
| Courses | Seats |
|---|---|
| BDes in Furniture and Interior Design | 13 |
| BDes in Graphic Design | 19 |
| BDes in Animation Film Design | 19 |
| BDes in Product Design | 19 |
| BDes in Film and Video Communication | 13 |
| BDes in Textile Design | 19 |
| BDes in Ceramic and Glass Design | 13 |
| BDes in Exhibition Design | 13 |
NOTE: The seat intake is as per the official website/ sanctioning body. It can still be revised and hence, is indicative.
The fee structure of NID, Bengaluru is expensive as compared to the other design Institutes. The fee ranges between 1,80,000- 2,00,000 for the 1st semester in undergraduate course. The approximate fees for the master's degree is around 11 lakh. You can visit the official website of NID for the latest fee structure. Students have to pay the security fees of 10,000 at the starting of the course. Some fees like the security fees is refundable but the tuition fees is non refundable. There are other charges as well like hostel, mess, transportation. The fees is but high but it is worth it.
NID Bangalore cutoff 2023 has been released for various categories, including Open, GEN -EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD and Overseas. Candidates can check the NID Bangalore cutoff for M.Des. in Universal Design for other than Open category in the below:
| Category | Last Round Percentile* |
|---|---|
| GEN | 83.87 |
| OBC | 48.39 |
| SC | 67.74 |
| ST | 77.42 |
| EWS | 83.87 |
*Note: The above-mentioned cut off data is based on previous years' trends.
NID DAT, along with NIFT and UCEED are among the most competitive national-level entrance exams in the country. The fact that there are only 425 seats for the B. Des and 347 seats for the M.Des programme makes it very competitive. But that being said, if the candidate prepares well and with the correct strategy, then the NID DAT exam can be cracked. Among the first things the candidate needs to do is prepare a efficient study timetable get familiar with the syllabus and pattern, and use good books as reference material.
NID DAT 2026 Counselling and Seat Allotment
The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the counseling-cum-seat allotment process for NID DAT 2026 in May 2026. B.Des candidates need to select campuses for NID counseling; however, M.Des candidates aren't required to select campuses. The seat allotment for the B.Des program will be declared on May 27, 2026. Allotment for the M.Des program will be announced on May 6, 2026. Candidates who are allotted seats will have to pay the seat-acceptance fee and confirm their seats. The Provisional Offer Letter for the B.Des program will be released on June 10; the letter for the M.Des program can be downloaded from May 20 (onward).
NID Admission 2026 - Document Checklist
The candidate will need the following documents during the NID Admission 2026
- Mark Sheet of Class 10
- Mark Sheet of Class 12
- Marksheet of Graduation (in case of M.Des Admission)
- Graduation Mark Sheet and Certificates
- Birth Certificate
- Category Certificate (if applicable)
- PwD Certificate (if applicable)
- Passport (for overseas candidates)
- A Bonafide Certificate from the Principal of the college last attended (to be submitted by candidates awaiting their results)
Note that the candidate will be considered for admission only upon verification of the above documents.
Commonly asked questions
Candidate seeking admission to NID Bangalore course can check the detailed NID MDes fee structure, as per the NID official website, below:
| Components | Total Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition Fee | INR 11.425 Lacs (INR 2.285 Lacs each semester) |
| Insurance | INR 400 |
| Student Activity Fund | INR 2,000 |
| Film Club | INR 400 |
| Alumni Fee | INR 5,000 |
| Mess Charges | Informed at the begining of each academic year |
| Student Refundable Deposit | INR 10,000 |
No, direct admission to the Bachelor of Design (B.Des) programme at NID Vijayawada, also known as the National Institute of Design, Andhra Pradesh, is not possible. Admission to the B.Des programme is based on the Design and Aptitude Test (DAT), and candidates have to appear for the NID DAT entrance exam to enroll in the B.Des program. There is no other way or any other entrance examination accepted by NID Vijayawada for admission to B.Des.
Unfortunately, no. NID Bangalore MDes admission are strictly entrance-based. Candidates need to appear for NID DAT to secure admission at NID Bangalore.
The NID DAT is conducted in two stages and they are:
- DAT Prelims
- DAT Mains
Interested candidates must begin the admission process by applying for NID DAT prelims. The application process is conducted online on the official website of NID. Aspirants can apply for maximum two disciplines.
Candidates need to pay an application fee for NID DAT for MDes programme. Aspirants can pay the fee via any of the online payment modes. There is a relaxation in the application fee for SC, ST and other categories. Below is the application fee for NID Gandhinagar MDes:
| Category | MDes Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General, Gen-EWS, OBC-NCL | INR 3,000 (1 discipline), INR 6,000 (2 discipline) |
| All other categories | INR 1,500 (1 discipline), INR 3,000 (2 discipline) |
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NID DAT Admission Schedule 2026
The dates for NID DAT Admission 2026 are:
| NID DAT B.Des Admission Stage | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Accepting Application Forms online begins | September 11, 2025 |
| Last date for submitting online applications | December, 01 2025 |
| Window to Edit the application forms | December 02, 2025 (till second week) |
| Download Admit Cards for DAT Prelims | December 04, 2025 |
| DAT Prelims Exam | December 21, 2025 |
| DAT Prelims Result | April 07, 2026 |
| Rechecking Request for DAT Prelims | April 07, 2026 to April 08, 2026 |
| Download Admit Card for DAT Mains | Second week of April 2026 |
| DAT Mains Exam | Last week of April 2026 – First week of May 2026 |
| DAT Mains Result | Third week of May 2026 |
| Window for submission of Campus Preference | Third week of May 2026 |
| Rechecking Request for DAT Mains | Third week of May 2026 |
| Seat Allotment, Payment of Token Fees & Uploading of Documents | Last week of May 2026 |
| Provisional Offer Letter | Second week of June 2026 |
| Payment of Remaining Semester Fees | Second week of June 2026 |
| Subsequent Round of Seat Allotment | To be announced later |
| Physical Verification of Documents at respective NIDs | To be announced later |
NID DAT 2026 Important Dates - M.Des
The tentative dates for NID DAT M.Des are:
| Admission Stage | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Accepting Application Forms online begins | September, 11, 2025 |
| Last date for submitting online applications | December 01, 2025 |
| Window to Edit the application forms | December 2- 4, 2025 |
| Download Admit Cards for DAT Prelims | December, 11 2025 |
| DAT Prelims Exam | December 21, 2025 |
| DAT Prelims Result | February 12, 2026 |
| Rechecking Request for DAT Prelims | February 12, 2026 to February 14, 2026 |
| Download Admit Card for DAT Mains | February 24, 2026 |
| DAT Mains Exam | March 08, 2026 for Studio Test March 21 to April 01, 2026 for Interview |
| DAT Mains Result | First week of May 2026 |
| Rechecking Request for DAT Mains | First week of May 2026 |
| Seat Allotment, Payment of Token Fees & Uploading of Documents | First week of May 2026 |
| Provisional Offer Letter | Third week of May 2026 |
| Payment of Remaining Semester Fees | Third–Fourth week of May 2026 |
| Subsequent Round of Seat Allotment | To be announced later |
NID DAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria for B.Des
The following table shows the eligibility criteria for NID B.Des.
| Parameters | B.Des |
|---|---|
| Age Limit |
Note: In case of foreign nationals applying for admission under the Overseas (Supernumerary) Category, the candidate must be born on or after 1 July 2005. |
| Educational Qualification | 10+2 in any discipline |
Commonly asked questions
Yes, all B.Des candidates who were shortlisted for NID DAT 2026 counselling had to submit their campus preferences within the allotted time. The preferences have to be entered in the order of priority.
The allotment of seats to the B.Des programme will be based on the campus option selected and merit rank of the candidate in NID DAT 2026 So, one must bear caution when entering their preferences.
Yes, NID Bangalore MDes offers 19 seats for each specialisation and out of the total seats, 15% seats are reserved for Overseas (supernumerary) category, 10% are reserved for Gen-EWS, 27% for OBC-NCL, 15% for SC, and 7.5% seats are reserved for ST category candidates.
The category wise distribution of seats is mentioned below:
| Category | Seats Available |
|---|---|
| Open | 5 |
| Gen EWS | 2 |
| OBC- NCL | 5 |
| SC | 3 |
| ST | 1 |
| Overseas (supernumerary) | 3 |
| Total Seats | 19 |
NID DAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria for M.Des
The following table shows the eligibility criteria for NID M.Des.
| Parameters | M.Des |
|---|---|
| Age Limit |
Note: In case of foreign nationals applying for admission under the Overseas (Supernumerary) Category, the candidate must be born on or after 1 July 1994. |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor's degree of minimum four years duration OR its equivalent. |
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NID DAT 2026 Participating Institute - Seat Intake for B.Des program
The B.Des program is offered at five institutes. Seat allotment will be merit-based.
| S. No |
NID 2026 Participating Institute |
Seat Intake 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
125 |
|
| 2 |
75 |
|
| 3 |
75 |
|
| 4 |
75 |
|
| 5 |
75 |
|
| Total |
425 |
NID DAT 2026 - Institute-wise Reservation of seats for B.Des
The expected NID DAT 2026 institute-wise reservation for B.Des is:
| Institute |
Total seats (expected) |
GEN-EWS (10% |
OBC-NCL (27%) |
Scheduled Caste (15%) |
Scheduled Tribe (7.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NID Ahmedabad |
125 |
13 |
34 |
19 |
9 |
| NID Andhra Pradesh |
75 |
8 |
20 |
11 |
6 |
| NID Haryana |
75 |
8 |
20 |
11 |
6 |
| NID Madhya Pradesh |
75 |
8 |
20 |
11 |
6 |
| NID Assam |
75 |
8 |
20 |
11 |
6 |
| Total (Expected Seats) |
425 |
45 |
114 |
63 |
33 |
Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) at NID Ahmedabad
The faculty-wise seat intake expected at NID participating colleges is also given below.
Faculty of Communication Design
The expected seat intake is:
| Discipline | Seat Intake (expected) |
|---|---|
| Animation Film Design | 19 |
| Exhibition Design | 13 |
| Film & Video Communication | 13 |
| Graphic Design | 19 |
Faculty of Industrial Design
The expected seat intake is:
| Discipline | Seat Intake (expected) |
|---|---|
| Ceramic & Glass Design | 13 |
| Furniture & Interior Design | 13 |
| Product Design | 19 |
Faculty of Textile, Apparel, Lifestyle, and Accessory Design
The expected seat intake is:
| Discipline | Seat Intake (expected) |
|---|---|
| Textile Design | 19 |
Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) at NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, NID Assam
The expected seat intake is:
| Discipline | Seat Intake in each NID (expected) |
|---|---|
| Communication Design | 25 |
| Industrial Design | 25 |
| Textile and Apparel Design | 25 |
Note:
- The number of seats reserved for Indian nationals is 125.
- Candidates selected for admission at NID Ahmedabad must attend a mandatory Design Foundation studies for 2 semesters.
Also Read:
The National Institute of Design (NID) offers a two-and-a-half-year years’ Master of Design (M.Des.) program at the following campuses:
- NID Ahmedabad
- NID Bengaluru
- NID Gandhinagar
NID DAT 2026- Institute-wise seat intake for M.Des
The expected seats at the NID for M.Des 2026 are:
| S.No |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake (Expected) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
NID Ahmedabad |
126 |
| 2 |
NID Gandhinagar |
126 |
| 3 |
NID Bengaluru |
95 |
| Total Intake |
347 |
NID DAT 2026 - M.Des programs, Program-wise Seat Intake
The National Institute of Design has five faculties:
- The Faculty of Communication Design
- The Faculty of Industrial Design
- Faculty of Information Technology-Integrated Programmes
- Faculty of Interdisciplinary Design Studies
- Faculty of Textile, Apparel, and Lifestyle Accessory Design
The various disciplines and the institute-wise seat intake can be checked from the tables below.
Faculty of Communication Design
The expected seats at the Faculty of Communication Design are:
| Discipline |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
| Animation Film Design |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
| Film & Video Communication |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
| Graphic Design |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
| Photography Design |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
Faculty of Industrial Design
The expected seats at the Faculty of Industrial Design
| Discipline |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic & Glass Design |
Ahmedabad |
12 |
| Furniture & Interior Design |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
| Product Design |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
| Toy & Game Design |
Gandhinagar |
12 |
| Transportation & Automobile Design |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
| Universal Design |
Bengaluru |
19 |
Faculty of Information Technology-Integrated Programmes
The expected seats at the Faculty of Information Technology-Integrated Programmes are:
| Discipline |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Game Design |
Bengaluru |
19 |
| Information Design |
Bengaluru |
19 |
| Interaction Design |
Bengaluru |
19 |
| New Media Design |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
Faculty of Interdisciplinary Design Studies
The expected seats at the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Design Studies are:
| Discipline |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
| Design for Retail Experience |
Bengaluru |
19 |
| Strategic Design Management |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
Faculty of Textile, Apparel, and Lifestyle Accessory Design
The expected seats at the Faculty of Textile, Apparel, and Lifestyle Accessory Design are:
| Discipline |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
| Apparel Design |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
| Lifestyle Accessory Design |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
| Textile Design |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a month ago
Yes, the Admit card for B.Des In Person Sensitivity Test for 2026 has been released. It was released on April 23, 2026.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, the NID B.Des 2026 Studio Sensitivity Test Admit Card is out. It was out April 09, 2026. The link is active now.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Sayeba Naushad is a commerce postgraduate from Banaras Hindu University. She has over five years of experience in content writing and editing. She has a nose for current events in design field. At Shiksha.com, she s
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