The BITS Design School, under the management of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani comes into the number of potential institutes to pursue the subject of Design with candidates getting through the admission process via the BITSDAT Entrance Exam. The BITSDAT 2026 application form start date is October 16, 2025. Candidates to fill and submit the BITSDAT application form before the last date, i.e. February 1, 2026. The BITSDAT exam will be held from March 31 to April 5, 2026.
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The BITSDAT 2026 is a valid option for candidates seeking to initiate a prospective career in Design. The structure of BITSDAT 2026 is likely to remain similar to that of prior entrance exams, giving us reason to speculate on the possible schedule for the BDes admission process.
BITS Design School in Mumbai, currency offers a discipline of a B.Des. Hons, a four year full-time Bachelor of Design programme. As it stands, candidates who qualify the BITSDAT 2026 can apply for courses in Physical Product Design, Digital Product Design, UI/UX Design among others.
BITSDAT 2026 allows candidates to become a part of the BITS Design School and gain industry relevant experience and knowledge in courses such as Physical Product, and Digital Product Design (UI/UX), Design Research & Insights, Experience Design, and Visual Design.
The course is a four year B.Des. Honours programme backgrounds Fundamental study of Design, the specific Specialization chosen by the candidate, the Transversal study that involves community roles alongside technical skills and individual development.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
Conducting Authority | Birla Institute of Technology and Science Design School |
Full form of BITSDAT 2026 | BITS Design Aptitude Test |
BITSDAT 2026 Exam Frequency | Once a year |
BITSDAT 2026 Exam Level | National Level |
BITSDAT 2026 Application Mode | Online |
BITSDAT 2026 Exam mode | Online |
Application Fees | Rs. 2500/- |
| Total Seats | 180 |
The official BITSDAT 2026 schedule is out. Candidates planning for BDes admission can apply online. The BITSDAT 2026 Schedule needs to be observed with vigilance so that candidates do not miss out on important dates pertaining to the admission process. The BITSDAT 2026 involves an Entrance Exam and an Interview based on the candidates Portfolio. With numerous aspects of the admission process to be focused on, it is vital that candidates have an eye on the BITSDES Entrance Exam schedule to avoid missing out on important dates that may render the entire application void.
| Important Events | NIFT 2026 Dates |
|---|---|
Commencement of Online BITSDAT 2026 Application | October 16, 2025 |
Last Date to Submit the BITSDAT 2026 application | February 1, 2026 |
BITSDAT 2026 Exam Date | March 31 to April 5, 2026 |
| Upload the Score | April 8 to 12, 2026 (Only who submitted the applications by February 1, 2026) |
BITSDAT 2026 Shortlist Result Declaration | April 16, 2026 |
BITSDAT 2026 Portfolio Upload | April 16 to 20, 2026 |
BITSDAT 2026 Online Interviews | May 2 to 12, 2026 |
BITSDAT 2026 Final Results | May 18, 2026 |
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The BITSDAT 2026 Eligibility criteria has been released by the BITS Design School for their B.Des. Honours programme entailing the requirements that would qualify a candidate for the admission process. The eligibility criteria can be found on the official website of the BITS Design School. The criteria is as follows:
Candidates need to have cleared Class 12 with a minimum of 45%
Applicants should have taken at least one of these tests:
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National Institute of Design - Design Aptitude Test Prelims (NID‑DAT Prelims)
IIT Bombay Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED)
BITS Design Aptitude Test (BITSDAT)
The Institute also puts forth a few more criteria that goes into the selection process, particularly during the interview process where they assess the candidate in conjunction with their portfolio in a manner that is rather subjective.
Candidates are are fully committed to a career in design
They bear a creative inclination and have a sense of aesthetics
Applicants have an aptitude for design and problem solving
They are able to communicate clearly, verbally, in writing, and in other media
This constitutes the criteria that needs to be fulfilled by potential candidates when applying for the BITSDAT 2026 at the BITS Design School. Failure to fulfill the criteria can lead to the application being considered void.
The BITSDAT 2026 application form is opened on October 16, 2025 and is available on the official website of the BITS Design School. Candidates who are interested to apply to the B.Des. Honours four year programmes for a number of courses can find the link to the application by opening the drop down menu on the side of the website and selecting the Admissions option.
Candidates who require clarification regarding the application and admission process can rely on the details provided on the admissions page by scrolling down to the ”Admission Process” section of the webpage.
The BITSDAT 2026 exam pattern will be curated on the basis of the pattern followed in prior examinations conducted by the BITS Design School. As it stands the BITSDAT 2026 entrance exam will initially have a design aptitude test which will be for a period of one hour, followed by a portfolio submission and interview if they are shortlisted after the initial written round of the exam.
The BITSDAT 2026 syllabus (BITS Design Aptitude Test) is as follows:
Design concept aptitude
Logical reasoning ability
Nonverbal reasoning
English language skills
Furthermore, candidates applying for the B.Des course at BITS Design School can also apply by providing marks from other entrance exams such as the:
National Institute of Design - Design Aptitude Test Prelims (NID‑DAT Prelims) which an entrance exam for admission to design UG and PG programs by NID, evaluating candidates on aspects like mood, theme, colour inter-relationship, inspiration, design development, theory, and elements/principles of design, among others.
IIT Bombay Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) which is conducted by IIT for admission to B Des. programmes at IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, and IIITDM Jabalpur and assesses a candidates' aptitude for design, creativity, problem-solving skills, and visual perception ability.
While candidates who have attempted the other exams can benefit from posting the scores of UCEED or NID-DAT prelims, candidates who are applying through the BITSDAT 2026 entrance exam need to excel as best they can. To achieve this end we have a few titles that would qualify as the best books for BITSDAT 2026 Preparation.
| Subject | Name of Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
Design concept aptitude | Design Drawing | Francis D.K. Ching |
Perspective Drawing Handbook | Joseph D'Amelio | |
Art Perception | David Cycleback | |
Analytical Ability and Logical Reasoning | Analytical Reasoning by Magical Book Series | Arihant NIFT Entrance Exam Self-Study Guide |
English Language | English for Competitive Exams | Wren and Martin |
Given below are a few BITS DAT 2026 preparation that candidates can make use of -
The BITSDAT 2026 admit card will be released on the official website of BITS Design School. Candidates can access the Admit Cards from the official website by logging in with their credentials obtained from their time when they first registered and applied for the entrance exam.
Candidates are advised to download and maintain a copy of the Admit Card once it is received.
There has been no prior records of answer keys being given in the case of the BITSDAT by the BITS Design School. The initial written test is solely to shortlist candidates who will be moving to the interview and portfolio round. Given the pattern that is followed in the entrance exam it is unlikely that there will be a BITSDAT 2026 Answer Key.
The BITSDAT 2026 result list will be released by the BITS Design School first for the written entrance exam with the list of shortlisted candidates being presented on April 16, 2026. Candidates are required to upload their portfolios from April 16 to 20, and attend the interview that will be held from May 2 to 12, 2026. The BITSDAT 2026 Final Results will be announced on May 18, 2026.
The BITSDAT 2026 Portfolio requires candidates to best represent themselves and their interests. Candidates are required to write 100-200 words and a few lines at the beginning and the end to let the faculty know about the works presented. Some of the collections that you can display are.
Small-scale models of furniture, buildings, automobiles, jewellery, etc.
Projects like electronics/science/robotics projects, for example, simple motors, mini cars, paper sakers, science exhibition projects explaining scientific principles, etc.
Visual Narratives or stories like comic strips, maps, artwork, photographs etc.
Apps or websites that were designed by the candidate
Videos or animations
Creative collaborations for theatre, event management, blogs among others.
The portfolio of the candidate will be evaluated on the following criteria:
| Criteria | Requirements |
|---|---|
Project Diversity and Relevance | Degree of project diversity and the skills depicted through them |
Project Depth and Quality | Engagement of the candidate in the project, and their roles |
Technical Competence | The candidate shows beginner level engagement in digital/hand skills. Sketching, Modelling, SQL, Photoshop etc. |
Portfolio text | A well explained note that fits the nature of the content in the portfolio and reveals the candidate’s interests |
The interview session that follows aims to examine interests and alignment with an education in courses offered in Design. The queries will be based on the portfolio and the rationale behind many of the projects involved. The interview criteria involves:
Knowledge/awareness/curiosity/hunger for the field
Explanation, reflection, and technical knowledge of one’s work
Communication skills
Social skills, aspiration, and fit
Also Read: How to Make a Portfolio for Admission into Design Colleges
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The BITSDAT 2026 application is opened on October 16, 2025 and remain open till February 1, 2026.
The BITS Design School curriculum has been co-designed and will be reviewed annually by Aalto University, Finland, ranked #6 globally in the field of Art & Design according to QS. The collaboration with Aalto University also covers a freemover student exchange.
The entrance exam for the BITS Design School goes by BITSDAT, or the BITS Design Aptitude Test.
The BITS Design School Fees for the first year commences with a one time admission fee of Rs. 40000/-, followed by a Tuition fee of Rs. 735,000/- and a Residence fee of Rs. 315,000/-. The one-time admission fee is payable at the time of accepting the offer for admission for 2026.
BITS Design School accepts the National Institute of Design - Design Aptitude Test Prelims (NID‑DAT Prelims) scores for their undergraduate design programmes of four years, the B.Des. Hons Programmes.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
Getting admission in IITs or NID for BDes depends on a few things: your entrance exam score, portfolio, and sometimes your interview performance.
IITs (for BDes) : Admission is mainly through UCEED . You need a good rank in UCEED to get in.
NID : Admission is through NID DAT (Design Aptitude Test) . Your portfolio and DAT score matter a lot.
If your preparation and scores are strong, you have a chance. You can check previous years’ cut-offs to see where you stand.
Hope it helps !
Here are top BDes (Fashion Design) colleges in Bangalore:
National Institute of Fashion Technology , Bangalore – Top choice
JD Institute of Fashion Technology
Vogue Institute of Art and Design
IIFA Multimedia
Army Institute of Fashion and Design
Taking a second drop is not an issue if you clear the required entrance exams or meet the eligibility criteria.
FLAME University Pune is a good option for B.Des if you’re looking for a creative and interdisciplinary learning environment . The university offers a well-structured design program combined with liberal arts, allowing students to explore multiple interests It has a beautiful and modern campus with strong academic support and personalized attention due to smaller batch sizes. However, it is more know liberal arts and business programs, so if you want a purely design-focused education, you might also consider institutes like MIT-WPU or Shiv Nadar University. Overall, FLAME is suitable for students who want a broad, flexible design education and can afford the higher fees.
CUET qualifies BDes Fashion Designing students.
The basis for admission is the CUET score.
Hello,
No, for B.Des Fashion Designing , CUET is not always needed.
Some colleges take admission through CUET, but many top fashion institutes like NIFT have their own entrance exam. So, it depends on the college you are applying to. Always check the admission process of that particular college.
Hope it helps !
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