The Common University Entrance Test for Undergraduates is a national-level entrance exam conducted to provide admission for undergraduate courses in the central university and its affiliated colleges of the country.
The National Testing Agency conducts the CUET UG once in a year, in which lakh of aspirants across the country participate. The application form for the year 2026 will be available, and now eligible aspirants can apply through the official website.
The CUET UG 2026 notification was highly anticipated by aspirants who are seeking admission for UG courses at the CUs. As it is released, you can get all details. Read this article to check the important dates, eligibility criteria, application fee, exam pattern and much more.
CUET UG 2025 Overview
The National Testing Agency will conduct the CUET UG 2026 across the country in May from 11th to 31st of the month. The exam date is officially announced with the release of the notification brochure. Refer to the table below for an overview.
| Exam Name | Common University Entrance Test (UG) |
| Conducting Authority | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Exam Level | National Level |
| Courses Offered | Undergraduate (UG) |
| Exam Frequency | Once a Year |
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Exam Languages | 13 Languages |
| Exam Duration | 60 Minutes per Section |
| Total Questions | 150 MCQs |
| Marking Scheme | +5 (Correct), −1 (Incorrect) |
| Exam Month | May 2026 |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Official Website | https://cuet.nta.nic.in/ |
Important Dates
The NTA has announced the important dates for the CUET UG 2026. The schedule is disclosed with the notification release. Refer to the table below for complete timeline.
| Event | Date |
| Notification Release | January 3, 2026 |
| Online Application Start | January 3, 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | January 30, 2026 |
| Last Date for Fee Payment | January 31, 2026 |
| Application Correction Window | 2 to 4 February 2026 |
| City Intimation Slip | April 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | May 2026 |
| CUET UG 2026 Exam Date | May 11 to 31, 2026 |
| Provisional Answer Key | June 2026 |
| Final Answer Key | June 2026 |
| Result Declaration | June / July 2026 |
| Counselling / Admission Process | July – August 2026 |
Eligibility Criteria
If you are interested in applying for the CUET UG 2026, it is mandatory that you meet eligibility requirements. Refer to the table below to check if you are eligible to participate in the entrance exam.
- You are an Indian citizen and you reside in any state or territory.
- You have passed the Class 12 Exam from a school recognised by a State Board, CBSE or CISCE.
Notes:
- There is no age limit to apply for the CUET UG 2026.
- If you are going to participate in the Class 12 Exam in 2026, you can apply for this entrance exam.
- You can apply for the Subject(s) in the CUET UG 2026, which you studied at +2 level.
Application Fee
In order to apply for the CUET UG 2026, the payment of the application fee, which can be paid using the debit card, credit card, NET banking or UPI. Refer to the table below to check what you are required to deposit to apply for it.
| Category | Up to 3 Subjects | Each Additional Subject |
| UR | ₹1,000 | ₹400 |
| OBC-NCL / EWS | ₹900 | ₹375 |
| SC / ST / PwD / Third Gender | ₹800 | ₹350 |
In case of applying for the CUET UG 2026, for the centre outside India, you need to deposit ₹4,500 for up to three subjects; for each additional subject, you need to deposit only ₹1,800.
Exam Pattern
The National Testing Agency will conduct the CUET UG 2026 in the computer-based test mode, which will take place across the country in 13 languages:
- English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
It includes three sections, which are Language Test, Domain Knowledge Test and General Aptitude Test. In each section, there will be 50 objective-type questions i.e. a total number of 150 MCQs will be asked in total.
Each question carries a weightage of 5 marks, and 1 mark is deducted for incorrect response. To touch all MCQs in each section, each candidate will have a time duration of 60 minutes.
How to Apply?
The procedure of applying for the CUET UG 2026 is quite easy. Go through the step-by-step instructions to apply.
- Go to the official website of the NTA Exams, by visiting at https://exams.nta.nic.in/.
- Find and click on the option that reads ‘CUET UG’ and get redirected to the next page.
- Click on the New Registration button and start the process to register yourself for this exam.
- Complete the registration procedure and then login to access the application form.
- Fill in the application form by providing all the details accurately, then upload documents with photograph and signature.
- Pay the application fee as per requirement, and then click on the Submit button to apply for the CUET UG 2026.
After applying for the CUET UG 2026, ensure to take printout of the confirmation page and filled-in application form.
Visit https://cuet.nta.nic.in/ for to download the notification brochure and/or submit an application form.