CLAT Eligibility Criteria 2027: Age Limit, Criteria & Key Rules Explained

CLAT Eligibility Criteria 2027 include the required qualifications, age limit, and nationality to appear for the exam. You can also check the eligibility criteria at consortiumofnlus.ac.in.

• Is 12th percentage required for CLAT? To appear for the CLAT exam, you must clear Class 12 with a minimum aggregate of 45%. No subject combination is required for eligibility.
• There is no upper age limit in CLAT eligibility criteria.
• You can apply if you are an Indian National, Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Overseas Citizen of India (OCI), Person of Indian Origin (PIO), or Foreign National with a valid passport.

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CLAT Eligibility Criteria 2027 Overview

You can check the overview of CLAT eligibility criteria in the table below.

Eligibility Factors	Criteria
Required Qualification	10+2 or equivalent
Minimum Marks	General/OBC/NRI/PIO/OCI: 45% SC/ST/PwD: 40%
Students of Final Year	Allowed
Age Limit	No upper age limit
Nationality	Indian/OCI/PIO/NRI

CLAT UG 2027 Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the CLAT UG 2027 exam, you must meet the eligibility criteria below.

Required Educational Qualification for CLAT UG

There are significant academic requirements for the CLAT entrance exam. You must fulfil those criteria before applying for the exam.

• You must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent exam.
• The minimum marks required in Class 12 are 45% for General/OBC/NRI/PIO/OCI and 40% for SC/ST/PwD.
• If you are a Class 12^th appearing candidate in 2027, then you are also eligible. However, you must submit your 12th-standard result at the time of admission.

Required Age Limit for CLAT UG 

As per the Consortium of NLUs, there is no upper age limit to appear for the CLAT UG exam. 

Nationality Requirement

You must meet the specific nationality conditions to appear in CLAT 2027. All Indian Nationals can appear for the CLAT exam. Other participants also include:

• Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
• Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs)
• Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)
• Foreign Nationals (must hold a valid passport)

CLAT PG 2027 Eligibility Criteria

To appear for the CLAT PG exam, you must score at least 50% in the LLB graduation exam. You can check the detailed CLAT PG eligibility criteria below. 

• 5-year or 3-year LLB from a Bar Council of India-recognised university.
• Students appearing in the final year LLB exam are also eligible.
• The minimum marks is 50% in LLB for the General/OBC/NRI/PIO/OCI category and 45% for SC/ST/PwD.
• No age limit for the CLAT PG 2027 exam. 

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CLAT Eligibility Criteria 2027 for NRI Students

If you are an NRI/NRI-sponsored student, you must meet the CLAT eligibility criteria for NRI students to appear for the exam. After qualifying for the exam, you can seek admission to separate NLUs. You can check the required NRI/NRI-sponsored status to be eligible for the CLAT exam.

What Documents Are Required for CLAT NRI Admission 2027? 

You must submit the following documents when applying for admission to NLUs. 

• NRI Status certificate (Annexure-I) or the NRI status of the person sponsoring the study, in case of the NRI Sponsored category (Annexure-II).

• Class 10/secondary mark sheet and the certificate. 

• Class 12/intermediate marksheet and certificate.

• Character certificate, transfer certificate/migration certificate from the last institution you attended.

• Recent colour photographs. 

• CLAT 2027 scorecard. 

• CLAT 2027 admit card. 

• Affidavit of the year gap (if any). 

• Prescribed application fee of the university, which will be adjusted later with the university fee.

Who is NOT Eligible for CLAT?

You must meet all the eligibility criteria mentioned above to be eligible for the CLAT 2027 exam. You are not eligible if you

• Fail to meet the minimum mark requirement; candidates from the general, OBC, PwD, NRI, PIO, and OCI categories must have at least 45% overall in their Class 12 examinations, while those from the SC and ST communities need a minimum of 40%.
• If you have not completed Class 12, you will not be taking the exam in 2027. The CLAT 2027 examination is open only to candidates who have passed Class 12 (or have an equivalent qualification) or who are currently in Class 12 with their results to be issued in 2027.
• If you do not submit your Class 12 results by the deadline for admission, all candidates will be given only provisional eligibility. You will lose your seat even if your CLAT score is high.
• If you provide documents that are wrong, incomplete, or invalid, then your application will be cancelled.
• You are not included in an eligible nationality category. The application is only open to Indian Nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and Foreign Nationals with a valid passport.

Number of Attempts Allowed for CLAT 2027

There is no limit on the number of attempts for the CLAT exam. The Consortium of NLU allows students to appear for the CLAT exam as many times as they wish. If you meet the eligibility criteria, then you can apply for the exam. 

• You can appear for the CLAT 2027 exam even if you attended the CLAT 2026 exam.
• Since there is no upper age limit, you can attempt CLAT at any age.
• Each attempt of yours will be treated independently.

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CLAT Eligibility Criteria Changes Over Time

CLAT exam went through some big changes in 2018, 2019, and 2020. You can check the changes below.

• The governing body was shifted from rotating NLU administration to the CLAT Consortium permanently.
• UG carried an upper-age cap (20/22 years) until CLAT 2018; PG appears to have been age-neutral from its introduction.
• The noticeable eligibility change is the drop in required LLB marks from 55% to 50% for the CLAT PG exam. 

Changes in CLAT UG Eligibility Criteria

You can check the changes in CLAT UG eligibility criteria over the years in the table below. 

Period	Educational Qualification	Marks Required	Age Limit
2008 (Inception)	Class 12 pass (any stream)	45% general; 40% SC/ST	Upper age cap: below 20 (General/OBC/NRI); below 22 (SC/ST/OBC/PwD), as on 1 July of the exam year
2009–2018	Class 12 pass (any stream)	Largely unchanged: 45%/40%	Same upper-age-cap structure continued (20/22 years)
2018	No change	No change	No change
2019 (CLAT 2019 cycle)	No change	No change	Upper age limit abolished
2019 notification, effective CLAT 2020	No change to marks/age	No change	No change
2020–present	Class 12 pass or appearing (any stream); appearing candidates provisionally eligible pending final marksheet	45% General/OBC/PwD/NRI/OCI/PIO; 40% SC/ST	No upper or lower age limit
CLAT 2027	Same as above	45% / 40% (unchanged)	No age limit

Changes in CLAT PG Eligibility Criteria

You can check the changes in CLAT PG eligibility criteria over the years in the table below.

Period	Educational Qualification	Marks Required
2008-2010	LL.B. (3-year or 5-year) or equivalent, completed or final-year appearing	55% General/OBC; 50% SC/ST
Through 2010	No changes	55% / 50% (widely reported as consistent through this period)
2020 pattern overhaul	Same qualification requirement	No major reported change in marks at this point
2022 onward	LL.B. completed or final-year appearing, from a BCI-recognised institution	Reduced to 50% General/OBC/NRI/OCI/PIO; 45% SC/ST/PwD
CLAT PG 2027	No changes	50% / 45%

CLAT Registration 2027 

The Consortium of NLUs released the CLAT 2027 application form on August 3, 2026. You can check your eligibility and fill out the application form on the official website at consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The last date to complete the CLAT Registration 2027 is October 31, 2026. 

Conclusion

Key Takeaways are as follows:

• CLAT can be pursued after completing 12th or graduation. You can appear for CLAT UG after 12th and CLAT PG after LLB graduation.
• Foreign nationals can appear for CLAT but must have a valid passport.
• There is no minimum age requirement to apply for the exam.
• CLAT can be taken after completing B.Tech, but a minimum required mark is necessary.
• You can prepare for CLAT in Class 11, but you cannot take the exam.
• NRI candidates are eligible for CLAT 2027 but must follow the admission guidelines.
• CLAT eligibility is based on nationality, age limit, and educational qualification.
• Indian Nationals, NRIs, OCIs, and PIOs can apply for CLAT.
• Educational qualification requires completion of 10+2 or equivalent with minimum marks.
• NRI candidates must meet particular eligibility criteria and complete admission formalities.

Grasping the CLAT eligibility criteria 2027 before you begin preparing can help you plan your journey with transparency. If you meet the required conditions, you can focus on your preparation and work towards securing admission to an NLU and building a career in law.