NID Application 2026 (OPEN): B.Des/M.Des DAT Registration LINK, Fees, Apply Online Form

Q: What are the design courses that will be offered through NID DAT 2025 exam?

The NIDs offer a full-time B.Des programme of 4-year duration, and a full-time M.Des programme of two-and-half years duration. The institute, in addition, also offers a PhD program. The programme can be pursed full-time or part-time. Admission to the design courses at the NID is conducted through a Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The exam comprise DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The final result or merit list is prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

Q: How do I apply for NID 2025?

The application form for NID DAT 2025 will open tentatively in September 2024. The application will open online at the NID admission portal. The direct link to fill out the form will be provided on this page. To fill out the NID that 2025 application form, click on the application link. A registration form will open; get registered by entering your email id and mobile number. Then fill in all their details, upload documents, pay the application fee and submit the form. Make sure to enter only correct and verificable information, as all details will be checked during the NID counseling process. If a candidate is found to be using counterfeit data, he or she stands to be disqualified. The application fees for NID that is INR 3000. The fee has to be paid online. Exam officials will also allow candidates to edit the application form after the application window closed. The edit window will be available once application closes.

Q: What is the age limit to apply for BDes programme at the NIDs?

Indian nationals who belong to the General and General EWS categories need to be born on or after 1 July 2003 to apply for NID that 2024. In the case of candidates belonging to the OBC-NCL, SC, and ST categories, candidates born on or after 1 July 2000 may apply. Meanwhile, PwD candidates who are born on or after 1 July 1998 may apply for admission. The candidate needs to ensure that meets the age criteria before filling out the application form. It is because every detail entered by the candidate will be cross checked at the time of counselling, during the document verification process. Any candidate found to be faking their eligibility stands to be disqualified.

Q: How many candidates appear for NID DAT?

There is no official notification on the number of applicants for NID DAT 2024. However, as per unofficial sources, around 15,000 applicants appeared in the NID DAT 2024 (Prelims) exam. Note that only shortlisted candidates were eligible to appear in DAT Mains. The DAT Prelims was held on December 24, 2023. If the National Institute of Design releases the exam statistics for the NID DAT exam, the details will be updated here. Note that the current session of the NIFT exam is conducted by the NTA. Now considering the NTA releases the exam stats, including the number of applicants registered, appeared, qualified - it is likely the details will also be released for the NIFT 2024 exam.

Q: What happens if information furnished by the candidate is found to be incorrect during NID document verification process?

The candidate will be provisionally allowed to appear for the that Prelims and subsequent tests, if shortlisted, based on the information furnished by the candidate in the application form. Note that is the sole responsibility of the candidate to provide / upload valid information and certificates at the time of submitting the application form. The detail entered by the candidate will be verified during NID counseling. On verification, if the information furnished by the candidate is found to be incorrect or invalid, the candidate can be disqualified. Further, the decision of NID will be final and binding in this case.

Q: Can Diploma candidates apply for admission to the M.Des programme through NID DAT 2025?

Diploma candidates need to meet the following conditions for admission: Done full-time Diploma of 4-year duration after 10+2 Diploma in the following subjects is accepted - Design/ Fine Arts/ Applied Arts/ Architecture. The Diploma must be done from a university or institute recognised by law in India. Additionally, the candidate must have appeared in all the subjects and backlogs (if any) by June 30, 2025.

Q: I have passed senior secondary exam from NIOS. Am I eligible for NID DAT 2026?

If you have passed senior secondary exam from National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) with minimum five subjects, then you are eligible for NID DAT. The National Institute of Design recognizes boards like CBSE, IB, ICSE, or equivalent. The candidate must make sure that they meet the eligibility criteria before filling out the NID DAT 2026 application form. Note that all details entered by the candidate in the application form will be checked at the time of counseling. If there is any discrepancy, the candidate may be disqualified.

Q: Will my application fee be refunded if I do not appear in NID 2025 exam but submit the application form?

No, NID application fee once paid is not refunded under any circumstances. So, before filling out the form, the candidate must be sure whether they want to appear in the exam or not. NID Application Fee for B. Des programme General, General EWS, OBC NCL candidates need to pay INR 3,000 SC, ST, Open PwD, Open NCL PwD, SC PwD, ST PwD need to pay INR 1,500 NID Application Fee for M.Des Course Admissions (One Discipline) General, General EWS, OBC NCL has to pay INR 3,000 SC, ST, Open PwD, Open NCL PwD, SC PwD, ST PwD candidates must pay INR 1,500 NID Application Fee for M.Des Course Admissions (Two Disciplines) General, General EWS, OBC NCL candidates need to pay INR 6,000 SC, ST, Open PwD, Open NCL PwD, SC PwD, and ST PwD candidates need to pay INR 3,000.

Q: Can I fill NID application form offline in any way?

The application form for NID DAT 2025 has to be filled online. There is no way to fill the form in any other way. The application link is provided on the official admission portal of NIFT; alternately, the candidate could visit this page to fill the application form. The application fee for NID that will also have to be paid online using online payment gateway. Note that the National Institute of Design (NID) will invite NID that applications for admission to the B. Des and M.Des courses. Currently, there are 425 seats for the B. Des programme, while the M.Des programme has an intake of 347 seats.

Q: Can I change my date of birth when NID application form correction window opens?

No, the date of birth cannot be changed in the NID application correction window. The candidate will also not be able to edit their name, the programme applied for admission, registered email id, and phone number, in the application form. Note that these details are entered by the candidate at the time of registering for the NID DAT exam. Among the particulars that the candidate is allowed to edit in the NID DAT application form include the exam centre, address of communication, uploaded documents, category under which admission is sought, and any other details not covered in the paragraph above. The candidate needs to go through the list of items that can be edited and that can not be edited before filling out the NID DAT application form to avoid trouble afterwards. The application edit window for NID DAT will open within a few weeks of the closure of the application form.

559 Students Q&A

Registration - 11 Sep '25 - 1 Dec '25

This exam is conducted for courses given below:

BDes, GDPD MDes

Updated on Sep 18, 2025 18:49 IST

By Sayeba Naushad, Assistant Manager

The NID Application for B.Des and M.Des 2026 is out now. The last date to submit the application form is December 1, 2025. To apply for the NID DAT 2026, candidates had to register and create an applicant account. Next, they have to log in to the candidate account, fill in all required fields, upload documents, and pay the exam fee. The application fee for NID DAT 2026 is INR 3,000 for the General category. The Window to edit the Application form will open on December 02, 2025, till December 04, 2025, for B.Des and M.Des.

Apply Here: admissions.nid.edu

The application fee for NID DAT 2026 for B.Des and M.Des is:

General, Gen EWS and OBC: INR 3,000
Female Candidates (except ST, SC and PwD): INR 2,000
SC and ST Candidates: INR 1,500
PwD Candidates: INR 500
Third Gender: INR: 500
Overseas candidates: UD$125

The NID application form is for admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses offered by NID-participating colleges. The NID DAT 2026 exam will be conducted on December 21, 2025.

Latest updates:

NID DAT 2026 Application Form Released; Apply Now at admissions.nid.edu

Q: When will the NID DAT 2026 Prelims exam be conducted?

Q: When will the application forms for NID 2025 be released?

Q: What is the application fee for NID DAT?

Table of content

Document checklist for NID DAT 2026 application form
NID Entrance Exam 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
NID DAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Steps to Fill NID Entrance Exam Application Form 2026
NID DAT 2026 Application Form Filling Process - Watch VIDEO
NID DAT 2026 Application Correction
NID DAT Exam Centres 2026
NID DAT 2026 Application Form - FAQs

Document checklist for NID DAT 2026 application form

To fill out the NID DAT 2026 application form, the candidate will need the following documents.

Document Type	Format	Size
Color scanned copy of a recent passport-size Photograph Note that the photo must be taken at a professional studio	JPG/JPEG	50 - 200 KB
Signature	JPG/JPEG	50 - 200 KB
Category certificate issued by a competent authority - GEN-EWS and OBC-NCL Note that the EWS and OBC-NCL certificates must be issued on or after April 1, 2025 (based on the gross annual income of the financial year 2024-25). Also, the certificate must be issued in the name of the candidate.	PDF	Up to 1 MB
Category certificate issued by a competent authority - SC, ST The certificate should be issued by a competent authority	PDF	Up to 1 MB
PwD certificate	PDF	Up to 1 MB
Overseas candidate: Image of *the first* and *the last* page of the Passport	JPG/JPEG	Up to 1 MB

Planning to study Design in India?Find useful insights on student preferences for Design colleges, locations and more.

Download All India Design Guide

Commonly asked questions

Q: How to apply differently for each campus of NID?

Q: What is the last date to apply for NID DAT 2025?

Q: What details and documents are required to fill the NID application form?

NID Entrance Exam 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of NID Entrance Exam 2026 exam

Dates	Upcoming Exam Dates
11 Sep ' 25 - 01 Dec ' 25	NID DAT 2026 Registration Date ONGOING
02 Dec ' 25 - 04 Dec ' 25	NID DAT 2026 Application Correction Window
11 Dec ' 25	NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) - Issue of Admit Cards
21 Dec ' 25	NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) Date: B.Des & M.Des
Feb ' 26	NID DAT 2026 (Mains) - Issue of Admit Cards for M.Des TENTATIVE
Apr ' 26	NID DAT 2026 (Mains) - Issue of Admit Cards for B.Des TENTATIVE
May ' 26	B.Des DAT Mains Studio Test TENTATIVE

NID DAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

NID applicants must carefully review the program-wise NID DAT eligibility criteria. The criteria cover requirements like academic qualification, minimum marks, age limit, number of attempts, etc. If the candidate fails to meet the prescribed criteria, he or she could be disqualified.

NID DAT 2026 eligibility criteria - B.Des, M.Des courses

The following table shows the eligibility criteria for NID B.Des and M.Des:

Parameters

B.Des

M.Des

Age Limit

General category candidates must be born on or after 1 July 2005.
Other Backward Class-Non Creamy Layer (OBCNCL), Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) - the candidate must be born on or after 1 July 2002.
PwD candidates need to be born on or after 1 July 2000.

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.

General category candidates must be born on or after 1 July 1993.
Other Backward Class-Non Creamy Layer (OBCNCL), Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) - the candidate must be born on or after 1 July 1990.
PwD candidates need to be born on or after 1 July 1988.

Note: In case of foreign nationals applying for admission under the Overseas (Supernumerary) Category, the candidate must be born on or after 1 July 1993.

Educational Qualification

10+2 in any discipline

Bachelor's degree of minimum four years duration OR its equivalent.

Commonly asked questions

Q: Can Diploma candidates apply for admission to the M.Des programme through NID DAT 2025?

Q: I have passed senior secondary exam from NIOS. Am I eligible for NID DAT 2026?

Steps to Fill NID Entrance Exam Application Form 2026

DeskCalendar Registration: 11 Sep ' 25 - 01 Dec ' 25

The step-wise process to fill out the NID application form 2026 is given below.

Registration: Click on the registration link given above. Select the program of study, and then fill in details like your name, email ID, mobile number, date of birth, etc. On successful registration, a unique applicant account will be created.
Log in to fill out the form: You can log in to the account using your email ID and date of birth. Fill in all the required fields in the application form, including educational qualifications, contact details, and personal information. Additionally, you will also have to select an NID 2026 exam center.
Upload documents: In the penultimate step, upload scanned copies of your signature, photograph, and category documents as per the specified format.
Pay the application fee: Check that the application is complete in all respects because once the application fee is paid, the application process will be completed and the application can’t be edited any further.

NID DAT 2026 Application Fee - B.Des program

The following table shows the fee for NID DAT BDes Application form:

Category	NID DAT application fee
General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL,	INR 3,000
SC, ST, PwD	INR 1,500
Overseas (supernumerary)	INR 5,000

NID DAT 2026 Application Fee - M.Des program

The following table shows the fee of NID DAT MDes Application form:

Category	Application Fee (1 discipline only)	Application Fee (2 disciplines)
General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL,	INR 3,000	INR 6,000
SC, ST, PwD	INR 1,500	INR 3,000
Overseas (supernumerary)	INR 5,000	INR 10,000

NID DAT 2026 Application - Submission of Application with Late Fees

The deadline to pay the NID DAT 2026 application with regular fees will be in the first week of December 2025 (Tentatively). For applications submitted after the deadline, a late fee amount will be levied. This amount will be in addition to the application fee. The late fee amount is equivalent to 50% of the application fee.

NID DAT 2026 Application and Late fees - B.Des

The following table shows the fee of NID DAT BDes Application form:

Category	Application Fee	Application + Late Fees
General, Gen-EWS, OBC-NCL	INR 3000	INR 3000 + INR 1500 = INR 4500
SC, ST, PwD	INR 1500	INR 1500 + INR 750 = INR 2250
Overseas (Supernumerary)	INR 5000	INR 5000 + INR 2500 = INR 7500

NID DAT 2026 Application and Late Fees - M.Des

1 Discipline

Category	Application Fee	Application + Late Fees
General, Gen-EWS, OBC-NCL	INR 3000	INR 3000 + INR 1500 = INR 4500
SC, ST, PwD	INR 1500	INR 1500 + INR 750 = INR 2250
Overseas (Supernumerary)	INR 5000	INR 5000 + INR 2500 = INR 7500

2 Disciplines

Category	Application Fee	Application + Late Fees
General, Gen-EWS, OBC-NCL	INR 6000	INR 3000 + INR 1500 = INR 9000
SC, ST, PwD	INR 3000	INR 1500 + INR 750 = INR 4500
Overseas (Supernumerary)	INR 10000	INR 5000 + INR 2500 = INR 15000

Also Read:

Commonly asked questions

Q: What happens if I use incorrect information when filling NID DAT 2025 application form?

Q: Is it necessary to upload the relevant category certificate for NID?

Q: Should I consult the admission handbook before submitting my NID DAT 2025 application form?

NID DAT 2026 Application Form Filling Process - Watch VIDEO

Watch the step-wise process to fill out the NID DAT 2026 Application Form.

Commonly asked questions

Q: Will my application fee be refunded if I do not appear in NID 2025 exam but submit the application form?

Q: Can I fill NID application form offline in any way?

Q: Can I change my date of birth when NID application form correction window opens?

NID DAT 2026 Application Correction

The window to edit the NID DAT 2026 application form closes after the application form closes. Candidates could make some corrections in the NID DAT 2026 application form by accessing the edit window. Only some information in the form can be edited; other details, like name, date of birth, etc., cannot be edited.

What details can or can't be edited in the NID DAT application form?

The list of details is:

Details that can be edited

Details that can’t be edited

The following details can be edited in the NID DAT 2026 application form:

Exam centre
Address details
Upload new documents.
Applied category
Any other details that are not covered under the “details that can’t be edited” group.

The following details can’t be edited:

Programme Applied in
Name of the Candidate
Date of Birth
Registered Mobile Number
Registered Email ID

How to Make Corrections in NID Application Form 2026?

Step 1: Visit the official website of the exam

Step 2: Log in to the application correction portal using your email ID and date of birth

Step 3: Click on any one of the given options:

Application Detail - To check the details filled up during Sign-Up
Upload Document - To upload a scanned photo and signature again
Print Application - To print the application form again

Step 4: Click on the Save button.

Commonly asked questions

Q: How many candidates appear for NID DAT?

Q: What happens if information furnished by the candidate is found to be incorrect during NID document verification process?

NID DAT Exam Centres 2026

The NID DAT Prelims 2026 will be conducted in the following cities across India:

Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jorhat, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi and Patna.

A city can have more than one NID DAT 2026 test centre. NID also reserves the right to add or remove any test centre and allot a test centre that may not be of the candidate’s choice. A city may have more than one test centre. The chosen test centre can be changed only during the ‘Window to Edit Application Form’. Any request for change of test centre will not be entertained once the ‘Window to Edit Application Form’ closes. The NID DAT admit card will have the details of the centre where the exam will be held.