CUET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit, Qualification, Course Wise Admission Criteria

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Assistant Manager- Editorial

Updated on Feb 23, 2026 14:52 IST

CUET eligibility criteria 2026 prescribes the academic qualification requirement, age limit and university and course-wise requirements. Check for detailed CUET UG eligibility criteria here. NTA has commenced the CUET registration 2026. Candidates must ensure to check the CUET 2026 eligibility to apply successfully.

University Wise Eligibility Criteria For CUET UG

CUET 2026 eligibility criteria mentions whether a candidate can apply for UG courses offered in all the CUET participating institutions. Candidates who wish to apply for CUET must meet the eligibility criteria prescribed by NTA. CUET UG eligibility criteria prescribe the age limit, academic qualifications, and nationality. CUET application form 2026 window has been reopened. Candidates can now fill the CUET form 2026 till February 26, 2026 and pay application fee till prescribed date. NTA will administer CUET UG 2026 exam tentatively between May 11 and May 31 in CBT mode.

LATEST: CUET UG 2026 Registration Last Date Live Updates

Table of contents

CUET Eligibility Criteria 2026
CUET UG Eligibility Criteria 2026: Central Universities
CUET UG Eligibility Criteria 2026: State Universities
CUET Reservation Policy 2026
CUET Application Form 2026

CUET Eligibility Criteria 2026

Students must fulfill the CUET eligibility requirements below to appear in the CUET for UG admissions.

CUET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Academic Qualification Requirement

Students must have passed Class 12 or appeared in Class 12 from a recognised board (any stream).
For the General category, the candidate needs to secure a minimum of 50% in Class 12;
SC/ST, candidates must have secured a minimum of 45% in Class 12.
For BTech programmes, the minimum aggregate for the General category candidates is 45%, and that of the reserved category candidates is 40%.

CUET Eligibility Criteria 2026: Age Limit

For Age Criteria the candidates will be required to fulfill the CUET age criteria (if any) of the Universities in which they are desirous of taking admission.
The admission to Universities through CUET (UG) the educational qualification is subjective to existing policies regarding quota, category, relaxation, reservations, qualification, subject combinations, preferences, etc. of the respective University shall be applicable.

CUET Eligibility Criteria 2026: Nationality

To be eligible for the CUET Exam, aspirants must abide by the following citizenship rules:

The candidate must be an Indian citizen.
A constituent subject of Nepal, Bhutan
A Tibetan refugee who landed in India before 1 January 1962 to make India their permanent home and reside there permanently.
Pakistanis, Burmese, Sri Lankans, Kenyans, Ugandans, Tanzanians, Zambians, Malawians, Zaireans, Ethiopians, and people from Vietnam who permanently moved to India.

Also Read: CUET UG 2026 Login

CUET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Reservations

Indian nationals belonging to the categories below are admitted under the seats reserved for them under the rules prescribed by the Government of India. However, in the case of the Central Universities, the reservation policy of the respective universities shall be applicable.

For GEN-EWS Category

GEN-EWS certificate needs to be uploaded in the Online Application Form of CUET UG 2026, which should have been issued on or after 01 January 2026 in regard with the latest guidelines of the Government of India. If any GEN-EWS candidate fails to submit the GEN-EWS certificate (issued on or after 01 January 2026) at the time of online registration, the candidate has to upload a declaration [Declaration in Lieu of Gen-EWS Certificate at Annexure-IB mentioned in the CUET Brochure 2026] to that effect.

For OBC-NCL Category

OBC-NCL certificate needs to be uploaded in the Online Application Form of CUET UG 2026, which should have been issued on or after 01 January 2026, in consonance with the latest guidelines of the Government of India. If any OBC-NCL candidate fails to upload the OBC- NCL certificate (issued on or after 01 January 2026) at the time of online registration, the candidate has to upload a declaration [Declaration in Lieu of OBC-NCL Certificate as per Annexure-IIB mentioned in the CUET Brochure 2026] to that effect.

For SC or ST Category

The caste (for SC) or tribe (for ST) certificate needs to be uploaded in the CUET online form 2026, as per the latest guidelines of the Government of India.

NOTE-

As the eligibility criteria for admission through CUET 2026 may be unique for every University, the candidates are advised to visit the University website to which they are applying for their respective programs.
Candidates are advised to satisfy themselves before applying that they possess the eligibility criteria laid down by the University they are applying.
Mere appearance in the Entrance Test or securing pass marks at the test does not entitle a candidate to be considered for admission to the Programme unless he/she fulfil the Programme-wise eligibility conditions of the University they are applying to.

Also Read:

Domain Subjects in CUET 2026; Check Complete List, Course Mapping Criteria

CUET Previous Year Question Papers PDF

CUET UG Eligibility Criteria 2026: Central Universities

To qualify for admission to the desired University/College, the Candidate must have passed class 12 or its equivalent examination from a single recognised board. As per the recent changes, candidate can now appear for CUET subjects irrespective of subjects studied in class 12th and as per the subject combination mentioned below for the applied program(s). Here is the eligibility criteria for some of the famous central, state, and deemed universities/ colleges under CUET 2026.

Delhi University CUET UG Eligibility Criteria

Course	CUET Course Criteria/ CUET Subject Mapping
BSc (Hons) Biological Science	Physics + Chemistry + Biology/Biological Studies/ Biotechnology/ Biochemistry. Candidates must have obtained a minimum of 30% score in any one language of List A in CUET. [Also Read: CUET Syllabus 2026 for Science Students]
BSc (Hons) Botany
BSc (Hons) Zoology
BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science
BSc (Hons) Chemistry	Physics + Chemistry + Mathematics. Candidates must have obtained a minimum of 30% score in any one language of List A in CUET.
BSc (Hons) Physics
BSc (Hons) Polymer Science
BSc (Hons) Mathematics	Any one language from List A + Mathematics + Any two subjects out of which one should be from List B1
B.Com (Hons.)	Combination I: Any one Language from List A + Mathematics/Applied Mathematics + Any two subjects out of which at least one should be from List B1 OR Combination II: Any one Language from List A + Accountancy/Book Keeping + Any two subjects out of which at least one should be from List B1 [Also Read: CUET Syllabus 2026 for Commerce Students]
Other UG Programmes	Click Here to check subject combinations for DU

University of Allahabad CUET UG Eligibility Criteria

Course Name	CUET Course Criteria/ CUET Subject Mapping
Bachelor of Science B.Sc. (Mathematics) (Physics/ Mathematics/ Chemistry/ Computer Science/ Defence Studies/ Psychology/Geology/Statistics/ Geography)	Section IA (Language) select a minimum 1 from either English or Hindi Section II (Domain subjects) i. Physics ii. Chemistry iii. Mathematics iv. Computer Science / Information Practices (Any TWO of the FOUR domain subjects are Compulsory) Section III (General Test) Compulsory for all
Bachelor of Science B.Sc. (Biology) (Zoology/ Botany/ Chemistry/Bio-Chemistry/ Geography/ Anthropology/Defence Studies)	Section IA (Language) Select minimum ONE from either English or Hindi Section II (Domain subjects) i. Biology (Compulsory) ii. Chemistry or Physics (Select any ONE) Section III (General Test) Compulsory for all
B.Com.	Section IA (Language) Select minimum ONE from either English or Hindi Section II (Domain subjects) Accountancy/Book Keeping (Compulsory) Section III (General Test) Compulsory for all
Other UG programs	Click Here to check subject combinations for AU

Also Read: CUET Syllabus for Arts Students

Banaras Hindu University CUET UG Eligibility Criteria

Course Name	CUET Course Criteria/ CUET Subject Mapping
B.Sc. (Hons.) Mathematics (Chemistry, Computer Science, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics)	Section II 1. Physics 2. Chemistry 3. Maths
B.Sc. (Hons.) Biology	Section II 1. Physics 2. Chemistry 3. Biology
B.A. (Hons.) in Arts (Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Persian, Pali, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Nepali, English, Japanese, Chinese, German, French, Russian, Ancient Indian History Culture & Archaeology, History of Art, Philosophy, Linguistics, Geography, Mathematics, Statistics, Tourism and Travel Management#, Economics, Home Science, Music (Instrumental/Vocal), Painting, Education, Dance (Kathak and Bharatnatyam) )	Section I A – Language Test - (Hindi or English) Section III – General Test
Other UG Programs	Click Here to check subject combinations for BHU

Jawaharlal Nehru University CUET UG Eligibility Criteria

Course Name	Subject Combination
B.A. (Hons.) Arabic	Section IA – English Test Section III – General Test
B.A. (Hons.) Korean
B.A. (Hons.) French
Other UG Programs	Click Here to check subject combinations for JNU

Also Read:

Jamia Milia Islamia University CUET UG Eligibility Criteria

Course Name	CUET Course Criteria/ CUET Subject Mapping
B.Sc.(Hons) Physics	Physics
B.A. (Hons.) Korean Language	General Test
B.A.( Hons) Economics	Economics
Other UG programs	Click Here to check subject combinations for JMI

Aligarh Muslim University CUET UG Eligibility Criteria

Course Name	CUET Course Criteria/ CUET Subject Mapping
B.Sc. (Hons.) Statistics	English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Mathematics Note: For admission to B.Sc. (Hons./Research) with Statistics as Major Subject, the candidate should have passed Mathematics at the qualifying examination.
B.A. (Hons.) Women Studies	English, General Test
B.A. (Hons.) Hindi	English, General Test
Other UG programs	Click Here to check subject combinations for AMU

Other Central Universities CUET UG Eligibility Criteria

Check the table below to check eligibility criteria and subject combinations for central universities:

Central Universities	CUET Course Criteria/ CUET Subject Mapping
1. Aligarh Muslim University	Click Here
2. Assam University	Click Here
3. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University	Click Here
4. Banaras Hindu University	Click Here
5. Central Sanskrit University	Click Here
6. Central Tribal University Of Andhra Pradesh	Click Here
7. Central University Of Andhra Pradesh	Click Here
8. Central University Of Gujarat	Click Here
9. Central University Of Haryana	Click Here
10. Central University Of Himachal Pradesh	Click Here
11. Central University Of Jammu	Click Here
12. Central University Of Jharkhand	Click Here
13. Central University Of Karnataka	Click Here
14. Central University Of Kashmir	Click Here
15. Central University Of Kerala	Click Here
16. Central University Of Odisha	Click Here
17. Central University Of Punjab	Click Here
18. Central University Of Rajasthan	Click Here
19. Central University Of South Bihar	Click Here
20. Central University Of Tamil Nadu	Click Here
21. Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya	Click Here
22. Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya	Click Here
23. Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University	Click Here
24. Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh	Click Here
25. Jamia Millia Islamia	Click Here
26. Jawaharlal Nehru University	Click Here
27. Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya	Click Here
28. Mahatma Gandhi Central University	Click Here
29. Manipur University	Click Here
30. Maulana Azad National Urdu University	Click Here
31. Mizoram University	Click Here
32. Nagaland University	Click Here
33. National Sanskrit University	Click Here
34. North-Eastern Hill University	Click Here
35. Pondicherry University	Click Here
36. Rajiv Gandhi University And Affiliated Colleges	Click Here
37. Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University	Click Here
38. Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University	Click Here
39. Sikkim University	Click Here
40. Tezpur University	Click Here
41. The English And Foreign Languages University	Click Here
42. Tripura University	Click Here
43. University Of Allahabad	Click Here
44. University Of Delhi	Click Here
45. University Of Hyderabad	Click Here
46. Visva-Bharati University	Click Here

CUET UG Eligibility Criteria 2026: State Universities

State Universities	CUET Course Criteria/ CUET Subject Mapping
1. Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University	Click Here
2. Barkatullah University	Click Here
3. Bhattadev University	Click Here
4. Cluster University Of Jammu	Click Here
5. Cluster University Of Srinagar	Click Here
6. Cotton Universtiy	Click Here
7. Delhi Technological University	Click Here
8. Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya	Click Here
9. Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam	Click Here
10. Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, Lucknow	Click Here
11. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University	Click Here
12. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School Of Economics University	Click Here
13. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi	Click Here
14. Dr. Rammanohar Lohia Avadh University, Ayodhya	Click Here
15. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University	Click Here
16. Furkating College(Autonomous) Golaghat,Assam	Click Here
17. Govt. Degree College (Autonomous), Baramulla	Click Here
18. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University	Click Here
19. Harcourt Butler Technical University, Kanpur	Click Here
20. Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University For Women	Click Here
21. Islamia College Of Science And Commerce	Click Here
22. Islamic University Of Science And Technology, Awantipora	Click Here
23. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University	Click Here
24. Kolhan University	Click Here
25. Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit And Ancient Studies University	Click Here
26. M.P. Bhoj (Open) University, Bhopal	Click Here
27. Madan Mohan Malaviya University Of Technology	Click Here
28. Madhabdev University, Narayanpur, Lakhimpur	Click Here
29. Maharashtra State Skills University	Click Here
30. Mankanlal Chaturvedi National University Of Journalism And Communication, Bhopal	Click Here
31. Netaji Subhas University Of Technology,New Delhi	Click Here
32. Netaji Subhas University, Jharkhand	Click Here
33. North Lakhimpur College	Click Here
34. Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh	Click Here
35. Sardar Patel University Of Police Security And Criminal Justice	Click Here
36. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University	Click Here
37. Shri Vishwakarma Skill University	Click Here
38. University Of Jammu	Click Here
39. University Of Kashmir	Click Here
40. Vikram University	Click Here
41. Vinoba Bhave University	Click Here

CUET UG Eligibility Criteria 2026: Deemed Universities

CUET UG 2026 deemed universities list will be updated on release of official website. Click here to check the complete list of CUET UG 2026 deemed universities

Candidates seeking admission at universities accepting CUET score can check the university-wise eligibility criteria at cuet.nta.nic.in under the "Universities" tab on the Main Menu or at specific university's admission brochure.

CUET Reservation Policy 2026

Candidates desiring admission to Universities offering UG programmes must ensure to check CUET reservation criteria. As per the reservation criteria, candidates belonging to reserved categories are exempted by 5% for each program. Universities follow the reservation policy as per the Government of India. Candidates failing to fulfill the procedure to claim reservations will be disqualified from the admission process to any university.

CUET Application Form 2026

Candidates meeting CUET UG eligibility criteria 2026 can fill the CUET application form online. Candidates can fill the online application form at cuet.nta.nic.in and create login credentials to fill the CUET application form. NTA has reopened the CUET application form 2026 for candidates who have earlier missed applying for exam. Candidates must make sure that they paid the CUET registration fee 2026, without which the registration process will not be considered complete and the candidate will not be able to appear for exam. Students must note that CUET correction 2026 window will not be reopened.

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About the Author

Shruti Garg

Assistant Manager- Editorial

Shruti Garg is a graduate in English and Education with over 7 years of experience in content writing/editing and education journalism. At Shiksha.com, Shruti covers UG and PG entrance exams like MBA entrance exams,

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