Top Design Entrance Exams 2026: Check Official Notification, Exam Date & Latest Updates
Check the list of top entrance exams conducted in India for admission to Design courses. Find out the important dates, patterns, and list of colleges accepting scores of the top design entrance exams conducted in the country.
While design is considered a niche academic program by many, it is slowly by surely gaining traction among the student community. These days, the NIFTs and NIDs are considered among the top colleges in the country, and this is not just limited to the design stream. The popularity of design can be attributed to a number of factors - high packages, more and diverse employment opportunities, the boom of social media celebrities, Bollywood, etc.
Experts share that to consider this as a course choice, one needs to possess the natural flair to assess trends and basic knowledge of design elements. Aspirants can consider pursuing different specializations in the design discipline to get professional guidance on how to explore and enhance their instincts.
Also read:
Some of the top design schools in the country include NIFT Delhi, NIFT Kolkata, NIFT Bangalore, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, etc. Admission to these institutes is done based on entrance exams like NIFT, NID DAT, UCEED, and CEED.
In this article, we discuss these entrance exams in detail, including their admission schedule.
Discover top B.Des colleges explored by similar minds
Students like you who showed interest in this article are also exploring the following colleges
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
Design as a course is offered at colleges like the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), National Institute of Design (NID), Pearl Academy, etc. However, to secure admission to these colleges, aspirants need to clear an entrance exam. Most of the design entrance tests conducted in India are at the college level, and candidates have to clear 2-3 rounds to be selected for admission.
This article will give you the following information about the top entrance exams in India:
- Application date
- Exam date
- The syllabus and pattern of each exam
- List of colleges that accept these design exam scores
Here are tips for NIFT exam preparation.
- Check NIFT exam pattern and syllabus.
- Check the topics and plan accordingly
- Ensure you follow only the updated syllabus.
- Stay updated with trends, fashion shows, exhibitions, etc.
- Make a timetable taking into account the difficulty level of each topic.
- Solve sample papers and previous years' question papers.
- Take mock tests.
The online application form for NIFT 2025 is closed.
With regular fees, the application was open from November 22-January 6, 2025. With late fees, applications were accepted from Janaury 7-9, 2025.
The application was available online at niftadmissions.in. The NTA also released the detailed admission notification, including the eligibility criteria and information brochure.
Candidates who met the precribed eligibility criteria for their programme could fill out the NIFT 2025 application form before the last date.
Note that NIFT application form will be for admission to the B. Des, M.Des B.FTech M.FTech and MFM courses offered by participating colleges.
This information will help you make an informed decision on the design entrance exams that you can take, as well as the colleges where you can apply for admission. The table below lists the application date and the exam date of the top 10 design exams in India.
Explore more Design exams with upcoming dates
18 Oct '25
1 Oct '25 - 31 Oct '25
1 Aug '25 - 30 Nov '25
11 Sep '25 - 1 Dec '25
1 Sep '25 - 7 Dec '25
1 Jan '26
22 Nov '25 - 6 Jan '26
28 Feb '26
15 Dec '25 - 15 Mar '26
1 Sep '25 - 15 Jan '26
- List of Top Design Entrance Exams in India 2026
- Top Design Entrance Exams in India 2026
- Top Design Entrance Exams 2025 - FAQs
List of Top Design Entrance Exams in India 2026
The design exams listed below are not mentioned in any particular order.
| Design Exams |
Exam Date (Expected) |
Declaration of Results (Expected) |
|---|---|---|
| Second week of February 2026 |
Written Exam Result - Second week of April FINAL results: Last week of June 2026 |
|
| January 18, 2026 |
First week of March 2026 |
|
| January 18, 2026 |
First week of March 2026 |
|
| First week of January 2026 |
DAT Prelims:
DAT Mains:
|
|
| To be notified |
To be notified |
|
| To be notified |
To be notified |
|
| To be notified |
To be notified |
|
| To be notified |
To be notified |
|
| To be notified |
To be notified |
|
| To be notified |
To be notified |
Most of the design entrance exams conducted in India are held in January/ February. One of the most common questions among candidates applying for design course admissions is regarding important dates, exam patterns, syllabi, etc., of one or multiple exams. Since students have so many options at hand, there is bound to be confusion. Further in this article, aspirants can check out important details regarding the top design entrance exams in India.
Top Design Entrance Exams in India 2026
Aspirants can get an idea of the most popular design entrance exams conducted in India below:
1. NIFT Entrance Exam: One of the most popular design entrance exams conducted in India, the NIFT entrance exam is usually conducted in January/ February by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). Based on the NIFT exam, aspirants can secure admission in design courses such as Bachelor of Design (BDes), Bachelor of Fashion Technology (BFTech), Master of Design (MDes), Master of Fashion Management (MFM) and Master of Fashion Technology (MFTech).
2. UCEED: Conducted by IIT Bombay, UCEED is the means through which aspirants can secure admission in the BDes course offered at IITs. UCEED 2026 is of three hours duration and is usually conducted in January.
3. CEED: A popular MDes entrance exam, CEED is usually conducted by IIT Bombay in January every year. CEED exam comprises two parts, that is, Part A and Part B. CEED Part A exam comprises multiple-choice questions, whereas Part B of the exam consists of subjective, drawing-related questions.
The National Institute of Design (NID) is expected to conduct the DAT Prelims exam in the first week of January 2026.
The B.Des exam will be held around 10 am - 1 pm; meanwhile, the M.Des exam will be held around 10 am - 12.30 am. The candidate needs to report for the exam at 8 am. Gates' closing time is 9.30 am.
The DAT Prelims for the B.Des programme will be conducted in a paper-and-pencil/pen mode. The question paper may include both textual and visual questions. Other details like duration of the exam, marking scheme, etc., will be published in the DAT Prelims admit card.
The DAT Prelims exam for the M.Des programme will be conducted offline and include a mix of objective and subjective questions. The paper will have a total of 100 questions.
Admission to the NIDs is conducted through the NID Entrance Examination. The NID exam has two stages - the candidate first appears in the that Prelims. Scores of the that Prelims are used to then shortlist candidates for that Mains. The final merit list for NID DAT 2026 will be prepared by giving weightage to that Prelims and that Mains. Note that the National Institute of Design hasn't yet released the weightage for the that Prelims and that Mains.
The NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) exam will be on December 21, 2025. Meanwhile, the DAT exams for the M.Des programme will be conducted tentatively in March, whereas DAT Mains for the B. Des programme will be conducted in April 2026.
NID application form 2025 opened on September 3, 2024. The application form is open online at the NID admission portal -admissions.nid.edu. Candidates who meet the program-specific eligibility criteria may apply before the last date.
The NID application form is for admission to the B. Des and M.Des courses offered by participating colleges.
The last date to apply for NID DAT 2025 is December 6, 2024 (extended from December 3). The candidate can also edit the submitted application from December 4-9, 2024.
The NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam will be conducted on January 5, 2025.
4. NID Entrance Exam: The admission process of the National Institute of Design (NID) is three-tiered. In order to secure admission in BDes, and MDes courses offered at NID, candidates need to appear for the NID Entrance Exam. This design entrance exam comprises both objective-type questions as well as subjective drawing questions.
5. Pearl Academy Entrance Exam: The Pearl Academy Entrance Exam is usually conducted in January and April every year. The exam pattern for this design entrance exam varies depending on the course for which aspirants have applied for admission. Pearl Academy Entrance Exam for design courses comprises of General Proficiency Test (GPT) as well as the Design Aptitude Test (DAT).
| List of Colleges Accepting Pearl Academy Entrance Exam Scores |
|
6. AIEED: Conducted by Arch College of Design and Business, AIEED is conducted to offer admission to aspirants in undergraduate and postgraduate design courses. AIEED exam comprises a Creative Aptitude Test (CAT) as well as a General Aptitude Test (GAT).
7. FDDI AIST: Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) conducts FDDI AIST to shortlist aspirants for admission in undergraduate and postgraduate design programs offered by it. FDDI AIST exam consists of four sections in the entrance test and is usually conducted in May every year.
8. SEED: conducted by Symbiosis International University, SEED is the means through which aspirants can secure admission in the BDes course offered at Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID). SEED exam comprises objective-type multiple-choice questions.
9. GD Goenka DAT: This design exam is conducted by GD Goenka University to shortlist aspirants for admission in design courses offered at the School of Fashion & Design (SOFD). GD Goenka DAT is of three hours duration, and its exam pattern is similar to the NIFT and NID entrance exam.
10. UID Aptitude Test: Conducted by Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID) in January, the UID Aptitude Test is the gateway to secure admission in BDes and MDes courses offered at this design school. UID admission process is two-tiered. Here, first candidates need to appear for UID Design Aptitude Test and thereafter appear for the Situation Test and Portfolio Evaluation round.
|
|
10. IIAD Entrance Exam: This Design entrance exam is conducted by the Indian Institute of Art and Design every year, and it typically has four to five admission cycles. Through this exam, candidates can secure admission in BA (Hons) courses (in Fashion Design, Communication Design, Interior Architecture & Design, and Fashion Business Management) and Master's courses (in Fashion Design and Fashion Business Management).
List of Other Popular Design Entrance Exams
Top Design Entrance Exams 2025 - FAQs
Q. When will the online application form open for NIFT 2025?
A. The application form for NIFT 2025 opened on November 22, 2025. Candidates who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria will be able to apply before the given deadline.
Q. When will the NIFT 2025 exam be conducted?
A. The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) will conduct the written exams for NIFT 2025 on February 9, 2025. The written exams for NIFT 2025 will include the CAT and GAT.
Q. When will the NID DAT 2025 application form open?
A. The National Institute of Design (NID) closed the online application form for NID DAT 2025 on December 6, 2024. The application form was for admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses.
Q. When will the NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam be conducted?
A. The NID DAT 2025 exam will be conducted in two stages. The 1st stage is DAT Prelims will be held on Janaury 5, 2024. Candidates who qualify in DAT Prelims can have to appear in DAT Mains.
Q. When will the UCEED 2025 exam be conducted?
A. IIT Bombay will conduct the UCEED 2025 exam on January 19, 2025. It is mandatory for candidates to qualify both Part A and Part B to be included in the merit list.
Comments
(1)
4 years ago
The written tests for the NIFT 2026 exam will be held in the second week of February 2026 (tentative). The detailed schedule will also be released soon by NTA. The written tests comprise a General Ability Test (GAT) and a Creative Ability Test (CAT). GAT is mandatory for all candidates, but CAT is only required for BDes and MDes candidates.
The GAT test is considered in a computer-based mode, whereas the CAT is offline based. Note that scores of the written exams will be used to shortlist candidates for a Situation Test/ Personal Interview.