IIAD DAT 2026: Registration (Open), Exam DATE (OUT), Syllabus, Admission Process, Seat Matrix

The IIAD 2026 entrance exam is conducted by the Indian Institute of Art and Design, which offers a globally recognized degree from Kingston University, London. The duration of the written exam is two hours & thirty minutes, and it will evaluate the candidate on parameters like their drawing and design skills, imaginative and creative expression, observation skills, as well as communication and visual strengths.

• The admission process for the IIAD entrance exam is such that after appearing for the written test, candidates have to appear for a studio simulation (for UG candidates) or a personal interview (for PG candidates) round.
• Students can either take the IIAD Entrance Exam in offline mode or from their homes as a computer-based test.
• IIAD admissions are done based on a candidate’s score in the IIAD entrance exam and performance in studio simulation/ personal interview rounds.

Higlights of the IIAD DAT 

The highlights for IIAD DAT 2026 are in the following table.

Also read:

• 50+ MCQs for Design Entrance Exams 2026: NIFT, NID, UCEED Practice Questions
• 25+ MSQs for Design Entrance Exam: Section-wise Multiple Select Questions

The application form for IIAD DAT is open for the academic year 2026-2027. The application fee is INR 2,500. The candidate has to apply for the exam following the steps given below. The last date to fill the application form has not been announced by the institute.

Check table below to know the IIAD DAT exam highlights, important dates for application form and IIAD DAT 2026 apply link below.

How to apply for the IIAD Exam 2026?

The application form for IIAD DAT had to be filled out online following the steps given below.

1. Get registered - The applicant had to first get registered and create an applicant account.
2. Fill in the form - Next, fill in personal, academic, and contact details.
3. Upload an SOP - The candidate had to upload a Statement of Purpose along with the application form.
4. Pay the application fee - The application fee is INR. 2,500 had to be paid online.

When filling out the form, use only verifiable information. Note that any candidate found using wrong or misleading information may be disqualified. 

IIAD DAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates are informed that the eligibility criteria for the IIAD entrance exam vary from one course to another.

Eligibility Criteria for UG Degree Course

• For the Undergraduate Programme, Candidates with 10+2 or equivalent in any stream (Science, Commerce, Humanities/Arts) with an aggregate of minimum 50% are eligible to apply. Or
• Candidates appearing for Class XII examination in the current academic year or awaiting results may also apply. Candidates are accepted from CBSE/ISC/State/IB or any other equivalent Indian or International Higher Secondary Board.
• All candidates who have passed 10+2 or an equivalent exam in any discipline (Science, Commerce, Humanities, or Arts) are eligible for admission. Candidates are accepted from the following boards. 

• Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
• Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE)
• Indian State Boards
• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• Or any other approved Indian or International Higher Secondary Board
• Candidates appearing in their Class 12 exam are also eligible to apply for the IIAD entrance exam.

IIAD Lateral Entry Admissions: Candidates can also secure direct admission in the second year of design programs on offer at IIAD. The eligibility criteria for IIAD lateral entry admissions are such that candidates need to complete the first year of their design diploma/ degree program from a national or internationally recognized design college. IIAD admissions 2026 under the lateral entry will be done on the basis of a candidate’s performance in the personal interview and portfolio assessment rounds only.

Eligibility Criteria for PG Degree Course

• For the Postgraduate Programme at IIAD, graduates in any stream or discipline from a recognised institute/university are eligible to apply. Final year graduate students or students awaiting results may also apply. 

IIAD Exam Centers 2026

IIAD entrance exam 2026 will be held in both online and offline modes. The IIAD offline exam will be held in the following cities:

• New Delhi
• Bengaluru
• Mumbai

Note: “IIAD reserves the right to cancel/ add/ change any entrance exam center (s) for administrative reasons”, informed the official website.

Undergraduate and postgraduate design programs on offer at the Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD) include:

Read More:

• IIAD Entrance Exam Dates

Candidates need to follow the steps below to take part in the IIAD 2026 admission process.

 Fill in the application form

To apply for IIAD 2026, you need to get registered first. Upon registration, the candidate will have to fill in the various sections in the form and pay the IIAD entrance exam application fee.

Download the admit card

Candidates who successfully register for the exam can download the IIAD 2026 admit card from the official website before the last date. On the day of the exam, the candidate must bring with them the admit card and a valid photo ID proof.

Appear in the IIAD Entrance Exam

Candidates need to appear for iDAT (IIAD Design Aptitude Test) for UG course admissions or iMAT (IIAD Management Aptitude Test) for PG course admissions. 

Appear for Studio Simulation/ Personal Interview Round

After taking the written design entrance exam, candidates need to appear for studio simulation (for UG candidates) or personal interview (for PG candidates) rounds.

Check the IIAD Entrance Exam Result

Candidates can secure a seat in design courses on offer at IIAD basis of their score in the written entrance exam as well as performance in studio simulation and portfolio assessment rounds. After all the rounds are conducted, the college declares the IIAD entrance exam result on its official website. 

IIAD Lateral Entry Admission

• Using the lateral admission scheme, the students can get direct admission to the second year of the design program offered at IIAD.

• To be eligible for admission under the lateral entry scheme, the candidates must complete their first-year diploma/ degree in the design program at a nationally or internationally recognized design college.

• The merit list for admission under the IIAD lateral entry scheme will be prepared based on a candidate’s performance in the PI and portfolio assessment rounds.

Fees for UG and PG Design for 2026

1. Fees for Undergraduate Design Programme for Communication design, Interior and Architecture Design, Fashion Design, Animation Film Design, Product Design and Fashion Communication. Year 2026-2027

• Admission Fee (One-time): INR 50,000; 
• Security Deposit and Alumni Fund (One-time): INR 30,000 

2. Fees of Postgraduate Design Programme for Communication design, Interior Design and Styling.

• Admission Fee (One-time): INR 50,000; 
• Security Deposit and Alumni Fund (One-time): INR 30,000 

IIAD DAT 2026 syllabus will be released by the institute soon. Syllabus will have topics and subjects from which questions can be asked. It will also contain weightage. Exam pattern will highlight details like the mode of the exam, marking scheme, types of questions asked, and exam duration. Candidate must make sure that their preparation is aligned with the prescribed exam pattern.

Total marks and duration of iDAT is as mentioned below.

To prepare for IIAD DAT 2026, it is not enough to simply go through the textbooks. The candidate must solve sample papers to improve their problem solving ability and to better understand the various concepts mentioned in a book. 

• The Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD) will send sample papers of IIAD DAT 2026 to all candidates who successfully complete the online registration process. Candidate must download sample papers and solve them as part of exam preparation process. 
• Candidate may solve sample papers for other popular entrance exams, like NID DAT, NIFT entrance exam, UCEED, and SEED. 
• By solving sample papers of IIAD, candidate will be able to develop their problem solving ability and time management skills. The candidate can start solving sample papers very early on in their exam preparation. For instance, the candidate can solve questions given in the sample papers after completing a topic; the only thing they need to do is find all the relevant questions.
• Along with sample papers, remember to take mock tests. 

Benefits of solving IIAD Sample Papers

Advantages of solving IIAD DAT question paper are:

1. Helps understand pattern and difficulty level.

2. Certain IIAD DAT topics are repeated each year. By solving IIAD DAT UG papers of previous years, students can know important topics

3. Helps improve management skills.

4. Helps analyse preparation level

Candidates seeking admission to design courses at the Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD) need to ensure that their IIAD DAT preparation is top-notch.

Follow these tips to prepare for the IIAD DAT 2026 exam:

1. Consult the IIAD exam pattern and syllabus
2. Make a study timetable
3. Buy the best books available for each subject; ensure that the books are as per the exam syllabus
4. Solve sample papers and previous years' question papers. Also, after the completion of each topic, solve the problems given at the end of the chapter.
5. Practice mock tests. The mock tests are usually taken closer to the exam and are meant to get an exam-like ambiance.  
6. Do a timely revision. To help in one's revision, the candidate must make it a point to take notes during the study. With notes in hand, one needn't go through huge blocks of text.