UID DAT 2026 - Exam Dates, Eligibility Pattern, Syllabus

Reader’s Digest - Hey there, aspiring UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Design aspirants! Are you ready to know all the detail about the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT)? In this blog, you will get details about UID DAT 2026 syllabus, pattern, eligibility, preparation tips, etc. So, let's get started!

The United World Institute of Design every year conducts the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) or UID entrance examination for the admission of young and aspiring design students in the Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) and Master of Design (M.Des.) programs in the top design colleges of India. This is a national-level entrance examination conducted in online mode only.

The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is conducted for admissions to various top design colleges like Pearl Academy, Srishti Manipal - Art, Design, and Tech Institute, UPES, LPU, Arch College of Design and Business, MIT WPU, Indian Institute of Art and Design, KL University Guntur, etc.

The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is mainly conducted to get admission to the top UID campuses like NCR Campus or Ahmedabad campus.

There are 420 seats announced by the United World Institute of Design for the Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) course for 2026. And the exam is scheduled to take place on 11th January 2026.

Download Free Study Material for UID DAT 2026 by Creative Edge

UID DAT Exam Highlights 2026

Exam Name	UID Design Aptitude Test
Common Name	UID DAT
Other Name	UID Design Entrance Examination
Conducting Body	United World Institute of Design
Official Website	https://uid.edu.in
Frequency of Examination	Once a Year
Level of Exam	National Level Examination
Medium of Examination	English
Mode of Application	Online
Mode of Examination	Offline (pen-paper based)
Mode of Result	Online
Application fees	Rs. 2,000/- (for both unreserved and reserved category students)
Mode of Counselling	Online
Participating Colleges	UID Ahmedabad
Exam Duration	3 hours
Number of Seats	420 (Across 8 UG specializations)
Number of Exam Centers	23
Type of Questions Asked	Multiple Choice Questions & Subjective-type Questions

UID DAT Exam Important Dates 2026

• The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) 2026 official notifications of the B.Des., M.Des., and PhD design courses were out in November 2025 at the official website, i.e. https://uid.edu.in. 

• The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) 2026 application form for the B.Des., M.Des., and PhD design courses was released on August 2, 2025.
• The last date to submit the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) application form 2026 is January 2026
• The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) 2026 Admit card for the B.Des., M.Des., and PhD design courses will be released 10 days before the exam at the official website, i.e. https://uid.edu.in. and via email.
• The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) 2026 is scheduled to be conduvted on 11th January 2026

The table below shows the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Important exam dates for the B.Des., M.Des., and PhD design programs: -

UID DAT Application Form Dates 2026 For The B.Des. and M.Des. Level Courses
Events	Important Dates
Release Date of Online UID DAT Application Form 2026	2 August 2026
Last date to submit the online UID DAT Application Form 2026	December 2025
Release Date of UID DAT Admit Card 2026	10 Days before the exam
UID DAT 2026 Aptitude Test Date	11th January 2026
UID DAT 2026 Result Out Date	TBA
Situation Test (ST)/Portfolio Evaluation (PE) round date 2026	April 2026 (Tentative)
Situation Test (ST)/Portfolio Evaluation (PE) result date 2026	TBA

UID DAT Exam Eligibility Criteria 2026

To get admission in the undergraduate (B.Des.) and postgraduate (M.Des.). And Ph.D.-level design courses offered by various design colleges, the candidates have to pass the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT). So to be eligible for this Design Aptitude Test, you must meet the essential eligibility criteria set by the United World Institute of Design. 

The essential eligibility criteria set up by the United World Institute of Design, which the candidates have to follow and have to fulfil to be eligible, are as follows:

For Undergraduate Courses:

The candidates who want admission in an undergraduate designing course through UID Aptitude Test must have completed the following mentioned eligibility criteria:

• 10+2 pass/appearing (Any Stream) or 3 Years Diploma (Equivalent to 10 +2) with minimum of 50% aggregate score from any recognized higher secondary board/institute.
• The candidates must clear tier-1 & tier-2 stages of the Design Aptitude Analysis Examination for admission to the UG Programs.
• The Upper age limit to apply for the Undergraduate design courses (B.Des.) is 20 years.
• Candidates pursuing their 12th class can also apply for this entrance examination. Still, during counselling and the seat allotment process, they must submit certain relevant documents for admission.

For Postgraduate Courses:

• 10+2+3/4 Years degree or 5 years Diploma pass/appearing (Any Stream) with minimum of 50% aggregate score from any recognized institution or university.
• The undergraduate degree should be in the relative area of studies mentioned in each specialized subject as of the academic session starting in July.
• Candidates appearing for the final graduation year can also apply for this entrance examination. Still, during counselling and the seat allotment process, they must submit certain relevant documents for admission.
• The candidates must clear the Design Aptitude Analysis Examination for admission to the PG Programs.
• The students seeking admission to postgraduate courses must also show their creative portfolio and work to demonstrate their design skills. This will be required at the time of the interview.

The table below shows the minimum marks required in the qualifying examination of the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) for B.Des., M.Des. and PhD courses: -

Category	Minimum aggregate marks required in qualifying exam
General candidates	50%
SC/ST candidates	40%
OBC Category candidates	40%
PwD	35%

UID DAT Exam Application Form 2026

Candidates can download the application form from the official website of the United World Institute of Design. Candidates must fill out the form in their handwriting, supported by all the documents required by the institution to verify details. 

The UID Aptitude test application process for PG students is the same except for the documents. Candidates appearing for the final year of the graduation examination need to attach related evidence like admit card.

• The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) application form 2026 official notification for the undergraduate (B.Des.), postgraduate (M.Des.), and PhD level design courses was out on the official website in August 2025.
• The UID DAT online application form 2026 for the undergraduate (B.Des.), postgraduate (M.Des.), and PhD level design courses was out on August 2, 2025.
• The last date to submit the UID DAT online application form 2023 for the undergraduate (B.Des.), postgraduate (M.Des.), and PhD level design courses is in December 2025.
• The UID DAT 2026 entrance examination will be conducted on 11th January 2025.
• The students can only apply online for this design entrance examination.

The table below shows the UID DAT Application form dates for the undergraduate (B.Des.), postgraduate (M.Des.), and PhD level design courses: - 

How To Fill Online UID DAT Exam Application Form 2026?

The UID Design Aptitude Test application form 2026 for the undergraduate (B.Des.), postgraduate (M.Des.), and PhD level design courses were available at the official website of the UID, i.e. https://uid.edu.in. 

 Candidates are requested to collect their documents before starting with the UID DAT entrance examination registration process. 

The steps to be followed to fill out the form are given below:

• Visit the official website of the United World Institute of Design, i.e. https://uid.edu.in. 
• Click on the link ‘Apply online’ to fill out the application form.
• Enter the Candidate’s Name, Date of Birth, Email ID, Father's Name, Mother's Name, Permanent Address, Education Qualification, and Mobile Number.
• Enter the captcha and click on the "Submit" button. You will get your login details.
• Log in again using your login credentials, which you received in the first registration step.

UID DAT Exam Pattern 2026

Here is the detailed exam pattern of UID DAT.

UID DAT Paper Pattern

Particulars	Undergraduate	Postgraduate
UID DAT Exam timings	3 hours	3 hours
Mode of exam	Online	Online
Medium of the exam	English	English
Total number of questions	43	30
UID DAT Exam total marks	100	100

For Undergraduate Courses:

• The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is an objective and subjective question examination.
• The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a 2 tier Design entrance examination that consists of a Design Aptitude Test (DAT), and Situation Test and a Portfolio evaluation (ST - PE).
• Phase 1 of the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) comprises 100 marks. These 100 marks are divided into three subjects, i.e. 50 marks are allotted for the General IQ Test, 25 for the Critical Analysis Test, and 25 for the Creative Ability Test.
• Phase 2 of the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) comprises two tests, i.e. Creative Situation Test and Personal Interview and Portfolio.
• The students will get 180 minutes to attempt this Design entrance examination.
• There is no negative marking for the wrong answers.

The table below shows the UID Design Aptitude Test 2023 Exam Pattern for the UG Courses, i.e. Bachelor of Design in 8 specializations:

Subject	Number of Questions	Marks Allotted	Duration
Phase 1
General IQ Test	50	50	180 Minutes, i.e. 3 Hours
Critical Analysis Test	25	25
Creative Ability Test	25	25
Phase 2
Creative Situation Test	-	-
Personal Interview and Portfolio	-	-

For Postgraduate Courses:

• The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is an objective and subjective question examination.
• The UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a 2 tier Design entrance examination that consists of a Design Aptitude Test (DAT), and Situation Test, and a Portfolio evaluation (ST - PE).
• Phase 1 of the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) comprises two tests, i.e. Critical Analysis Test and the Creative Ability Test.
• Phase 2 of the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) comprises two tests, i.e. Creative Situation Test and Personal Interview and Portfolio.
• The students will get 180 minutes to attempt this Design entrance examination.
• There is no negative marking for the wrong answers.

UID DAT Exam Syllabus 2026

Subjects from which MCQs are typically asked in the exam include:

• General Knowledge & IQ Test
• Creative & Logical Reasoning
• Quantitative Ability/Numeracy Test
• Data Interpretation & Analytical Test

The descriptive-type questions in UID DAT aim to test the following abilities of candidates:

• Comprehension
• Creative Thought Process
• Sense of Composition
• Sketching & Rendering
• Originality of Ideas
• Hand Skills

1. General IQ Test

It tests your ability in the following fields:

• Verbal
• Mathematical
• Spatial
• Visualization
•  Classification
• Logic
• Pattern Recognition
• Aspirants are evaluated based on their aptitude regarding Current Affairs and General Affairs.

2. Critical Analysis Test

• The critical Analysis Test evaluates students based on their ability to analyze logical arguments.
• Aspirants are evaluated on their ability to identify problems and apply reasoning to solve the core issue. Knowledge of concepts and practice of creative and lateral thinking would be helpful.

3. Creative Ability Test

• The creative ability test evaluates the candidates based on conceptualizing an idea on paper.
• This test is administered to judge the candidate's intuitive ability, power of observation in concept development, and design ability. An essential aspect of the test is the creative and innovative use of colour and illustration skills. 
• It examines your skills in conceptualizing an idea on paper, sketching, illustrating, models, etc. 

4. Situation Test

• The creative situation test evaluates the candidates based on their ability to visualize the situations that are given to them candidates.
• Candidates are supposed to make models using their visual skills and the material provided by the university for the test.
• It tests your ability to visualize situations given to you and put them on paper using methods described in the test.

UID DAT Exam Preparation Tips

The candidates must prepare well to score well and ace the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) 2026 for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. They should follow the tips and tricks below to prepare for the UID DAT entrance examination.

• The first and essential step to start preparation for the UID DAT design entrance examination is that you should start the preparation in a way that you should prepare for the subjective type questions asked in the aptitude test. Then, you will automatically qualify for the objective-type questions asked in the Aptitude test.
• The candidate should prepare for the UID DAT design entrance examination on the basics of reverse engineering technique, i.e. start your preparation by solving MCQs (objective type questions) and shiftily move to solve Bare Act questions like the short answer questions. This technique can be used because you have already prepared a question bank of major and minor topics.
• THE UID DAT design entrance examination is one of the most critical for students who desire to pursue careers in design. 
• So you should give as many speed tests as possible from the test series and other such preparation books. This will help you to improve your speed and consistency in solving the UID DAT design entrance examination.
• Start attempting a comprehensive test series through which your capability to complete the exam and your speed will increase.
• The candidate must be thorough with the arrangement of the Bare Act.
• Prepare the index and structure of the UID DAT design entrance examination topics. 
• By preparing this index and structure of each chapter of the General IQ, critical analysis, and creative ability tests, the UID DAT entrance test syllabus makes it easier to identify the question's topic.
• You should practice the UID DAT design entrance examination question paper online to enhance your speed and accuracy.
• The candidate has to practice at least 10-speed tests daily to improve their speed of solving the MCQs. Or if they are solving normal sample tests, they should put a timer by their side. Setting a timer by your side will help you know how much time you take to solve one question.
• The candidate has to practice 2 to 3 answers daily from the question bank you have prepared for the practice.

Preparation Tips for General IQ Test:

• The General IQ test section includes Verbal Reasoning, Mathematical Ability, Logical Reasoning, Visualization, Pattern Recognition, Classification, etc., topics; you must take as many mock tests as possible.
• Since this segment comprises questions on various areas, you must work hard on your basics.
• You can also take up online quizzes to brush up on your skills.

Preparation Tips for Critical Analysis Test:

• Critical thinking is not a task; it’s a process. This section presents a scenario or some information and asks questions about it, but the questions invite you to interpret or analyze the information presented.
• You should practice through the books available for this section to build strong critical thinking skills.
• Numerous books and guides can brush up your thinking ability.

Preparation Tips for Creative Ability Test:

• Since this section analyses your creative ability, you must be flawless in sketching and making models using various ideas and props.
• To get perfection in this area, you should go through various newspapers, magazines, online sites, etc., daily.
• You should also watch regular advertisements, posters, banners, etc., for creative ideas and concepts. 

Preparation Tips for Creative Situation Test:

• In this section, you will be given a random situation based on which you will need to make sketches in various scenarios.
• You should practice making sketches, visualization of alternative situations, and imagination.
• Try to master the skills of human illustration, concrete more in proportions, form, etc. 

UID DAT Exam Preparation Books

To obtain good marks in the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) for the undergraduate and postgraduate courses in design, the candidate has to prepare well for it and training from the best books is beneficial. So, below, we have mentioned some of the best preparation books for the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in a tabular form.

Best Preparation Books for UID Design Entrance Examination
Book Name	Author/Publisher Name	Book Price
Guide for NIFT/NID/IIFT	Arihant Experts	Rs. 399/-
NIFT CAT | NID DAT Entrance Exam Practice Set: Creative Ability | Design Aptitude Mock Test Practice Set For Design Aspirants [Print Replica] Kindle Edition	LWRN Studio, Vibhawari Srivastava, and Rikhil Nagpal	Rs. 199/-
Question Bank for NID, NIFT, CEED & UCEED Paperback	Ashok Goel and Arjun Kamal	Rs. 340/-
NIFT: NID/IIFT (Design/Technology/Management Courses) Exam Guide Paperback	Surendra Kavimandan and Shabina Kavimanadan	Rs. 464/-
SURA'S NIFT - NID - IIFT - Entrance Exam (GAT-CAT-Situation Test) Book	Ajay Takoor, Varun Malhotra, Jaswant Khanna, and D.Mittal	Rs. 780/-

UID DAT Exam Admit Card 2026

• The UID DAT entrance exam Admit Card 2026 for the B.Des. and M.Des.courses is one of the essential documents the candidate must bring on the exam day, along with a valid photo ID proof. 
• The UID DAT entrance exam 2026 admit card for the B.Des. and M.Des. courses are essential because the admit card there is much important detail mentioned on it, such as the roll number of the candidate, allotted UID DAT exam centre, date and time of the examination, and reporting time, etc.
• The candidate must arrive at the exam centre per the reporting time mentioned on the UID DAT entrance exam admit card 2026. And one more important thing is that latecomers will not be allowed to enter the exam centre.

How to Download UID DAT Exam Admit Card 2026?

The candidate has to follow the below-mentioned steps to know how they can download the UID DAT entrance exam 2026 admit card for the Bachelor of Design and Master of Design courses.

• Visit the official website of UID. i.e. https://uid.edu.in.
• Click on the program you want to apply for - Bachelor of Design or Master of Design.
• If the UID DAT admit card is available, the download link will be displayed on the screen.
• On clicking on the link, a login page will open
• Enter your registration id and password.
• The admit card will be available for download.
• Download and take a printout of the UID DAT entrance exam 2026 to admit card for future reference.

Precautions related to the UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Admit Card 2026

• The candidate must check that the details mentioned on the admit card, including the candidate's name, allotted exam centre, etc., are correctly cited.
• If there is any discrepancy, one must contact exam officials and rectify it immediately.

UID DAT Exam Result 2026

The United World Institute of Design will declare the result of the UID DAT 2026 entrance exam for the Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) and Master of Design (M.Des.) courses tentatively in February 2026. 

The UID DAT design entrance examination 2026 result will be released as individual scorecards containing the candidates' names, marks, and ranks.

How to Download UID DAT Exam 2026 Results?

• Go to the official website of UID. i.e. https://uid.edu.in.
• Click on the result link given in the notification section. 
• The UID DAT result 2026 will be displayed as a merit list.
• Download and check your name, roll number, and corresponding marks.

Besides a merit list, the United World Institute of Design also releases all candidates' UID DAT 2026 scorecards. 

The scorecards of UID Design Aptitude Test 2026 can be downloaded by logging into the United World Institute of Design admission portal using your registration ID and roll number. 

Based on the result or, more specifically, the UID DAT score, UID DAT 2026 merit lists will be prepared, which will be used to shortlist candidates for the counselling and seat allotment process.

Steps to Download the UID DAT Exam 2026 Scorecard?

• Visit the official website of the United World Institute of Design. I.e. https://uid.edu.in. 
• Select your course (Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) and Master of Design (M.Des.))
• Click on the result link.
• In the login window that opens, enter your registration ID and roll number
• On login, the result will be shown in downloadable PDF format.

UID DAT 2026 Result - Details

The result of the UID Design Aptitude Test 2026 will contain the following details:

• Name of the Candidate
• Roll Number and Application Number of the candidate
• Marks obtained by the candidate in the UID DAT 2026
• State Rank of the candidate
• All India Rank (AIR) acquired by the candidate.

UID DAT Exam 2026 Counseling & Seat Allotment Process

The counselling and the seat allotment process will be conducted online only by the United World Institute of Design for the Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) and Master of Design (M.Des.) courses.

• Issue of merit numbers: Candidates shortlisted for counselling will be issued merit numbers.
• Choice filling: Candidates who have been issued merit numbers will be invited for choice filling and locking. As part of the choice-filling process, candidates must choose institutions before CAP Round I and CAP Round II start. All entries should be in the order of priority.
• Options entered before CAP Round I will be the basis for seat allotment in CAP Rounds 1 and 2.
• Note that the choice-filling option will be activated again before CAP Round III, which will be the basis for seat allotment in the round.
• UID Design Aptitude Test seat allotment 2026: The allotment of seats will be made after each CAP Round taking into account the merit rank and choices entered by the candidate.
• Document verification: Upon allotment of seats, the candidate has to accept the seat and pay the acceptance fee through candidate log-in.
• Report at allotted college: Finally, the candidate has to report at the institute allotted to them on the designated day to complete the remaining admission formalities.

UID DAT Exam 2023 Participating Colleges

The table below shows the list of Participating colleges that accept the UID Design Entrance examination score for the Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) and Master of Design (M.Des.) courses:

Participating Colleges	Courses Offered
United World Institute of Design, Ahmedabad	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Product Designs Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Fashion Designs Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Interior and Furniture Designs Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Visual Communication Graphics Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Animation and Motion Graphics Hons
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Global Design Program Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Automobile and Transportation Design Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Game Design and Simulation Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Interaction Design Hons.
	Master of Design (M.Des.) in Industrial Design
	Master of Design (M.Des.) in Interior and Furniture Design
	Master of Design (M.Des.) in Fashion Design
	Master of Design (M.Des.) in Visual Experiential Design
	Master of Design (M.Des.) in Interior and Experience Design
	PhD in Fashion Design
	PhD in Product Design
	PhD in Interior Design
	PhD in Visual Communication
United World Institute of Design, Delhi NCR Campus, Gurgaon	Master of Design (M.Des.) in Visual Experiential Design
	Master of Design (M.Des.) in Fashion Design
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Global Design Program Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Automobile and Transportation Design Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Fashion Designs Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Product Designs Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Interior and Furniture Designs Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Visual Communication Graphics Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Animation and Motion Graphics Hons
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Interaction Design Hons.
	Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Game Design and Simulation Hons.

UID DAT Exam Centers 2026

The table below shows the list of the UID Design Aptitude Entrance examination exam centres for the Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) and Master of Design (M.Des.) courses.

UID Design Entrance Test Exam Centers
Ahmedabad	Aurangabad
Bangalore	Bhopal
Bhubaneshwar	Chandigarh
Chennai	Dehradun
Hyderabad	Indore
Jaipur	Kochi
Kolkata	Lucknow
Mumbai	Nagpur
Nashik	New Delhi
Patna	Pune
Raipur	Ranchi
Varanasi

Conclusion

We hope this blog solves all your doubts about the UID DAT. Happy Reading!