Design exam calendar 2027: all five exams, all key dates

Most design aspirants in India are preparing for two, three, or even four exams simultaneously. But the official dates for each exam are scattered across five different government websites, each updated on its own schedule. Students spend hours cross-checking dates, trying to figure out which exams clash, which application windows overlap, and which months are genuinely exam-free.

This guide consolidates all five exams into one master calendar. Whether you are targeting one exam or all five, you will find the critical dates, application windows, and result timelines in one place, verified against official sources as of March 2026.

The master calendar: August 2026 through July 2027

Here is the complete timeline for every design entrance exam in India over the next 12 months.

August 2026

• NID DAT application window opens (approximately August 15 - October 31, 2026). The National Institute of Design Ahmedabad opens the application portal. Registration at admissions.nid.edu.
• NATA Phase 2 applications may still be open early in August if you missed Phase 1. Check nata.in for exact dates.

September 2026

• NID DAT continues accepting applications (window remains open through October 31).
• This month is typically free of major exam deadlines. Use this time for focused drawing practice if you are preparing for NATA, NID DAT, or UCEED.

October 2026

• UCEED application window opens (approximately October 1-31, 2026). IIT Bombay opens registration at uceed.iitb.ac.in.
• NIFT application window opens (approximately October 1, 2026, for admissions counselling). Applications to both the General Aptitude Test (GAT) and CAT (Clothing and Textile) are submitted through nift.ac.in.
• NID DAT continues accepting applications through October 31.
• CEED application window opens (approximately October 1-31, 2026). IIT Bombay opens registration at ceed.iitb.ac.in. Note: CEED is for postgraduate M.Des programmes only. You must have completed a bachelor’s degree to be eligible.

November 2026

• UCEED application deadline (approximately November 30, 2026).
• NIFT application deadline (approximately November 30, 2026 for GAT and CAT).
• CEED application deadline (approximately November 30, 2026).
• NID DAT application deadline (October 31, 2026). By early November, NID publishes the admit cards.
• This is the final month for application filing across almost all design exams. If you have not registered, do so immediately.

December 2026

• NID DAT Preliminary exam (date typically announced by mid-November; usually early-to-mid December). This is the first stage. Details at admissions.nid.edu.
• UCEED admit cards released (usually by mid-December).
• NIFT exam date approaches (exam usually in January; exact date confirmed by December).
• CEED admit cards released (usually by mid-December).
• Last month of the calendar year is typically the quietest for design exams, but preparation intensity peaks as exam dates approach in January.

January 2027

• UCEED exam (third Sunday of January, typically January 17, 2027). Conducted by IIT Bombay. Exam portal: uceed.iitb.ac.in.
• CEED exam (same day or within one week of UCEED; typically January 17 or January 24, 2027). Both exams are conducted by IIT Bombay. Important note: you cannot appear for both on the same day. If both fall on the same date, you must choose one. Verify exact dates at ceed.iitb.ac.in.
• NIFT exam (usually third or fourth Sunday of January; typically January 24 or January 31, 2027). Written GAT and design-based CAT happen in one sitting. Exact date confirmed by December. Details at nift.ac.in.
• NID DAT Preliminary exam (if not held in December).

February 2027

• NID DAT Main exam (Studio Test, typically held 4-6 weeks after Preliminaries; usually mid-to-late February).
• NATA Phase 1 begins (applications open approximately mid-February 2027, window runs through April 15 approximately). Conducted by the Council of Architecture. Portal: nata.in.
• UCEED and CEED result announcements (typically mid-February or late February).

March 2027

• NID DAT results announced (typically March).
• NATA Phase 1 continues (applications and registrations open; exam dates typically mid-April).
• NIFT Situation Test (follow-up round for shortlisted candidates; typically held in March).

April 2027

• NATA Phase 1 exam (date typically mid-April 2027; exact date varies year to year). Portal: nata.in.
• NATA Phase 1 continues through approximately April 30.
• NID DAT counselling and seat allotment rounds begin (if all stages of NID DAT are complete).
• NIFT interview round (for shortlisted candidates).

May 2027

• NID DAT counselling and admission confirmation period.
• NATA Phase 1 results announced.
• NATA Phase 1 college counselling begins (online counselling managed by state boards for NATA colleges).

June 2027

• JoSAA counselling for UCEED and CEED (if you are entering postgraduate M.Des at IITs or IISc through CEED). Central seat allocation for CEED qualifiers. Portal: josaa.nic.in.
• NATA Phase 1 counselling continues (state-wise rounds for NATA-accepting colleges).
• NIFT counselling begins (merit-based shortlist published; candidates report to allotted campuses).

July 2027

• NATA Phase 2 begins (for students who did not appear in Phase 1, or for a second attempt). Applications open approximately July 1, 2027. Portal: nata.in.
• NATA Phase 1 counselling concludes.
• Most design entrance exam cycles conclude by July. Admissions and registrations are ongoing.

August 2027 onwards

• Academic year starts. Most B.Des and B.Arch programmes begin in July or August.
• NATA Phase 2 exam (typically August) for those who missed Phase 1 or want a second attempt.

Exam overlap analysis: which exams clash?

Many aspirants prepare for multiple exams. Here is which exams happen on the same dates and which can be taken together.

Exams on the same day (cannot do both)

UCEED and CEED are both conducted by IIT Bombay on the same day or within the same weekend in January. If both exams are scheduled for the same date, you must choose one. You cannot take both. However, CEED is a postgraduate exam requiring a bachelor’s degree, and UCEED is undergraduate. Most students do one or the other, not both in the same year.

Exams with separate dates (can take together)

UCEED and NIFT: Usually have different dates in January. You can register and appear for both. Both exams are in January, but they are unlikely to clash in 2027. Verify exact dates once released (typically November).

UCEED and NID DAT Preliminary: NID DAT Preliminary is usually December or early January. UCEED is typically mid-January. Both can be taken without rescheduling.

NID DAT and NIFT: NIFT is in January. NID DAT Preliminary is December-January and Mains is in February. No clash.

NATA and other January exams: NATA Phase 1 begins in February and runs through April. No clash with January exams.

Multi-exam strategy

The most common three-exam combination is UCEED, NIFT, and NID DAT. These three have overlapping but distinct exam dates in December-February and do not require you to cancel or reschedule any attempts. Most students who target B.Des (design) prepare for all three.

If you are targeting both B.Des and B.Arch, the path is different. NATA Phase 1 (architecture exams) begins in April. You can take January design exams (UCEED, NIFT, NID DAT) and then appear for NATA in April without any conflict.

CEED (postgraduate M.Des) requires a bachelor’s degree, so you would not typically appear for CEED in the same year as UCEED or NIFT (undergraduate). CEED is a separate cycle for students who have completed their undergraduate degree and want to pursue an IIT M.Des.

Month-by-month preparation timeline: multi-exam route

If you are preparing for UCEED, NIFT, and NID DAT (the most common undergraduate design exam combination), here is a realistic month-by-month timeline.

August-September 2026: Foundation and overlap phase

Focus on content common to all three exams. This includes spatial ability (2D-3D conversions), colour theory, design thinking, and design history. All three exams test these core concepts but with different emphasis. UCEED and NIFT have written multiple-choice sections. NID DAT is primarily a studio-based aptitude test.

In these two months, your goal is to identify which of the three exams best suits your strengths. If you are strong in technical drawing and spatial reasoning, NID DAT may be your best match. If you are stronger in design communication and written expression, NIFT may suit you better. UCEED sits in the middle, testing broad design understanding.

October 2026: Application filing and exam-specific focus

All three applications open in October. Submit applications to all three exams by the deadlines in November.

From October onward, begin exam-specific preparation. NIFT has a written General Aptitude Test (GAT) component and a Situation Test (design problem-solving under timed conditions). NID DAT has a Preliminary written exam and a Studio Test. UCEED has Part A (written) and Part B (design aptitude) both on the same day.

Allocate your study time based on exam dates. January exams (UCEED, NIFT, UCEED) need intensive focus. NID DAT Preliminary is December or early January, so it gets priority.

November-December 2026: Exam-specific preparation

Solve past papers from each exam in exam-like conditions (timed, full duration). UCEED past papers are available at uceed.iitb.ac.in. NIFT past papers are available at nift.ac.in. NID DAT past papers and mock studios are available at admissions.nid.edu.

This is the critical phase. You are narrowing your approach to what each exam uniquely tests.

January-February 2027: Exam months and immediate aftermath

January is exam month for UCEED, NIFT, and NID DAT Preliminary. You may give three exams across three different weeks in January. Pace yourself. After each exam, do not dissect what you got wrong. Move to the next exam prep immediately.

In late February, NID DAT Main exam (Studio Test) happens. This is a 6-hour day-long exam testing your ability to ideate and execute design solutions under pressure. Prepare for this through studio practice mock tests.

March-April 2027: Waiting and parallel preparation

By March, UCEED and NIFT results are out. NID DAT results are announced by March end. You will know which exams you cleared.

If you are also planning to take NATA (for B.Arch), April is when NATA Phase 1 exams happen. You can prepare for NATA in March while awaiting design exam results, then appear in April if desired.

May onwards: Counselling and admissions

By May, results are finalized and counselling rounds begin. Different exams have different counselling processes. UCEED uses JoSAA central counselling. NID DAT has institute-specific counselling. NIFT has merit-based shortlists and interviews. Attend counselling for exams you cleared, report to your allotted college, and complete admission formalities.

Key dates to bookmark (2027)

Here are the absolute dates you must not miss.

Application deadlines (November 2026):

• UCEED: November 30, 2026 (approximately)
• NIFT: November 30, 2026 (approximately)
• CEED: November 30, 2026 (approximately)
• NID DAT: October 31, 2026 (approximately)

Exam dates (January 2027):

• UCEED: January 17, 2027 (third Sunday)
• CEED: January 17 or January 24, 2027
• NIFT: January 24 or January 31, 2027
• NID DAT Preliminary: December 2026 or January 2027

Result dates (February-March 2027):

• UCEED: Mid-February 2027
• CEED: Mid-February 2027
• NIFT: Early March 2027
• NID DAT: March 2027

Counselling (March-June 2027):

• NID DAT: May onwards
• JoSAA (UCEED, CEED): June onwards
• NIFT: March onwards (merit list and interviews)
• NATA: May onwards

Always verify these dates at official portals as release dates vary by a few days year to year.

Exam eligibility: do you qualify?

Before filing applications, verify your eligibility for each exam.

UCEED: You must be a Class 12 pass from any stream (Science, Commerce, Arts). You do not need specific subjects. UCEED is conducted by IIT Bombay and is open to Indian nationals and SAARC nationals. No age limit.

NIFT: You must be a Class 12 pass from any stream. NIFT accepts all streams. Applications are through both GAT (written test for all streams) and CAT (Clothing and Textile stream-specific test). NIFT is open to Indian nationals.

NID DAT: You must be a Class 12 pass from any stream. NID DAT is open to Indian nationals and some categories of non-Indian nationals. Check admissions.nid.edu for international eligibility.

NATA: You must be a Class 12 pass from any stream. This is specifically for B.Arch programmes. Council of Architecture conducts NATA and is open to Indian nationals.

CEED: You must have completed a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a UGC-recognised university. CEED is for postgraduate M.Des programmes. If you are in your final year of bachelor’s degree, you can typically apply, and your eligibility is confirmed upon result. CEED is open to Indian nationals and some non-Indian nationals. Check ceed.iitb.ac.in.

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria, you cannot appear. There is no appeal or exception process.

What to do right now if reading this in April 2026

If you are reading this in April 2026 (which you are), you have approximately 6 months to decide which exams to target.

Step 1: Choose your path. Do you want to study design (B.Des) or architecture (B.Arch), or both? If design, which of UCEED, NIFT, or NID DAT appeals to you most based on course content and college rankings? If architecture, are you targeting NITs and SPA Delhi (JEE Main Paper 2 route) or private architecture colleges (NATA route)?

Step 2: If targeting design, begin foundation preparation immediately. Spend the next two months (April-May 2026) on common content: colour theory, spatial drawing, design history, and visual communication. This foundation applies to all three design exams.

Step 3: By June 2026, take one full mock test for each exam you are considering. Evaluate your performance honestly. If you score significantly higher on one exam’s mock test, that exam may be your strongest option.

Step 4: By July-August 2026, finalise which exams you will register for. Confirm application opening dates (October 2026) and create a calendar reminder.

Step 5: Begin exam-specific preparation by September 2026. By the time applications open in October, you should already be 2-3 weeks into exam-specific content (past papers, design practice, aptitude sections).

Frequently asked questions

Which design exams happen in January 2027?

UCEED, NIFT, and potentially CEED (if IIT Bombay schedules it for January). All three typically fall within the same month. NID DAT Preliminary may also be in January (exact date to be confirmed by October 2026).

Can I appear for UCEED and NIFT in the same year?

Yes. Both have applications in October-November 2026, exams in January 2027 (on different dates), and separate result processes. You can prepare for both and appear for both. Approximately 40-50% of serious design aspirants take both exams.

When does NATA 2027 registration open?

NATA Phase 1 applications typically open in mid-February 2027 and run through April 15 approximately. Phase 1 exams are in April 2027. If you miss Phase 1, NATA Phase 2 applications open in July 2027 for August exams. Check nata.in for exact dates once they are announced (usually by January 2027).

Is NID DAT the same day as UCEED?

No. NID DAT has two stages: Preliminary (usually December or early January) and Main/Studio Test (usually February). UCEED is one exam on one day in January. They do not clash and can be taken together.

What is the last design exam date in 2027?

NATA Phase 2 is in August 2027. If you want to take a design entrance exam in 2027, NATA Phase 2 (August) is the last window. After August 2027, you would need to wait for the 2028 exam cycle (UCEED and NIFT in January 2028, etc.).

Should I take multiple exams if I have weak drawing skills?

If your drawing ability is weak, NATA is likely not the right fit (drawing is 40% of NATA marks). Consider UCEED (which has a design aptitude component but is not purely drawing-based) or NIFT (which has a Situation Test that is design-based but does not require freehand drawing skill in the same way). NID DAT has a Studio Test that requires quick sketching ability. Assess your skill level honestly before choosing exams.

Can I appear for CEED if I have not finished my bachelor’s degree yet?

Yes, you can appear in your final year. Your eligibility is conditional on completing the degree. However, you must complete your degree before admission to the M.Des programme.

Which exam should I prioritise if I have limited time?

If you have less than 4 months to prepare, choose one exam only. UCEED is shorter to prepare for (Part A is 2 hours, Part B is 3 hours, total less than 5 hours of actual exam time). NIFT requires strong design thinking and Situation Test practice. NID DAT requires both conceptual thinking (Preliminary) and execution ability under time pressure (Main). NATA requires significant drawing practice. If short on time, UCEED is the most manageable single exam.

Summary: your action items by month

April 2026 (right now): Decide which exams you will target. Take one mock test per exam. Begin foundation preparation.

May-June 2026: Continue foundation preparation. Research colleges for each exam. Visit official websites.

July-August 2026: Increase intensity. Take more mock tests. Finalise which exams to apply for.

September 2026: Begin exam-specific preparation. Download past papers. Create a study schedule.

October 2026: File applications for all chosen exams.

November 2026: Complete all applications. Begin intensive exam-specific practice.

December 2026: Solve full past papers in timed conditions. Reduce new concept learning; focus on revision and practice.

January 2027: Take exams. Do not revise during exam month; just take the exams and move on.

February-March 2027: Await results. Begin counselling preparation if you cleared exams.

April-May 2027: Attend counselling rounds. Complete admission process.

June onwards: Join your chosen college and begin your design or architecture education.

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All exam dates and links verified as of March 2026. Official sources: UCEED at uceed.iitb.ac.in, NIFT at nift.ac.in, NID DAT at admissions.nid.edu, NATA at nata.in, CEED at ceed.iitb.ac.in. Always verify dates at official portals, as they are updated annually.