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NIFT Lateral Entry Admission 2026: Dates, Registration, Eligibility, Fee Structure, Process
The National Institute of Fashion Technology offers a 'Lateral Entry Admission' scheme (NLEA) that allows candidates to get admitted to the third semester of UG programmes. Candidates have to appear for NIFT 2026 to obtain NIFT lateral entry admissions 2026. The NIFT 2026 schedule will be notified on the official website for the lateral admissions in NIFT 2026. NTA will conduct the NIFT entrance exam tentatively in February 2026 for NIFT lateral admissions 2026. In this article, get details of the NIFT 2026 lateral admissions, seats, fees and more.
This Story also Contains
- What is NIFT lateral entry admission 2026?
- NIFT lateral entry admission dates (Tentative)
- NIFT lateral entry admission eligibility
- NIFT lateral entry admission process
- How to apply for lateral entry admission
- Admit card for lateral entry admission - NIFT
- NIFT NLEA Test Weightage
- Results for lateral entry admission NIFT
- NIFT lateral entry admission seat allotment
- NIFT lateral entry seat matrix 2026
- NIFT NLEA fee structure 2026
Candidates have to appear for all the components of the NIFT 2026 and also register for the NIFT counselling process to obtain NIFT lateral entry admission. The lateral entry admission process in NIFT is similar to regular admissions.
What is NIFT lateral entry admission 2026?
NIFT lateral entry admission (NLEA) is the opportunity for the candidates provided by NIFT, who have completed their diploma in relevant fields of design and technology. Candidates will get direct admission to the third semester (second year) of UG programmes at any of the NIFT campuses.
Eligible candidates are required to take the All India entrance examination to get admission into NIFT campuses for lateral entry. NIFT lateral entry entrance examination includes a written examination, studio test/technology aptitude test, and a personal interview. The lateral entry NIFT admission scheme is strictly based on the merit achieved by the candidates.
NIFT lateral entry admission dates (Tentative)
Particulars | Dates (Tentative) |
Online registration start date | Fourth week of November 2025 |
Online registration end date | First week of January 2026 |
| Release date of NIFT city intimation slip | Fourth week of January 2026 |
Date for issuing NIFT admit card for the lateral entry exam | 4-5 days before the exam |
Lateral entry 2026 exam date | Second week of February 2026 |
Results of the entrance examination | Fourth week of April 2026 |
Studio test/technology aptitude test and personal interview along with document verification and eligibility | First week of June 2026 |
Result declaration of eligible and shortlisted candidates | Fourth week of June 2026 |
NIFT counselling registration | Fourth week of June 2026 |
NIFT lateral entry admission eligibility
The eligibility for NIFT admission - lateral entry is that the candidate must be 24 years of age as of August 1 of the year of admission. For Scheduled Castes/Schedule Tribe/Persons with Disabilities (PWD) candidates, the relaxation of 5 years is given for the upper age limit.
The eligibility criteria for BDes and B.FTech have a slight difference. Candidates are required to fulfill the eligibility criteria. Hence, the NIFT NLEA eligibility criteria for each course are as follows.
NIFT lateral entry admission requirements for BDes Course
The requirements for eligibility for the BDes course are as follows.
The candidate must have passed the 10th/secondary school examination (OR) must have passed the 12th/senior secondary examination recognized by the AIU (AND)
Must have passed 3 or 4 years of diploma course recognized by the AICTE/AIU/UGC or a state board of technical education in courses related to Fashion / Apparel / Textile and Accessories / Home Science/ Handloom Technology / Products / Visual Communication / Graphic Design / Industrial Design / Interior Design / Multimedia Design / Apparel Technology / Leather/ Fine arts. (OR)
Candidates must have passed their 12th/senior secondary examination NIFT recognized by AIU. (AND)
Students who have completed 2 year regular UG Diploma Programme at NIFT after passing Senior Secondary Examination/ 12th standard.
Nift lateral entry admission requirements for B. FTech Course
The eligibility requirements for the B.FTech course are mentioned below.
The candidate must have passed the 10th/secondary school examination (AND)
Must have passed 3 or 4 years diploma recognized by AICTE/ AIU/UGC or a State Board of Technical Education in courses related to Fashion/Apparel/Textile/ Home Science/Handloom Technology (OR)
Must have passed the senior secondary examination/12th recognized by the AIU with Mathematics. (AND)
Must have completed 2 years UG Diploma Programme at NIFT after passing Senior Secondary Examination/ 12th Standard.
NIFT 2026 Most Important Topics
Get ready for NIFT 2026 with this comprehensive eBook covering CAT & GAT, featuring key topics, tips, and sample questions.
Download EBookGeneral eligibility for lateral entry admission to NIFT/Who should apply?
Candidates having mathematics background with a Diploma/ Degree in engineering may apply for Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.F.Tech) programme as well as the Bachelor of Design (BDes) Programme.
Candidates having aptitude for creativity/innovation/ fashion design may apply for Bachelor of Design programme.
Candidates who fulfil the age of 24 years as on August 1st of the year of Admission. The upper age limit may be relaxed by a period of 5 (five) years for the candidates of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribe/Persons With Disabilities (PWD).
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NIFT lateral entry admission process
The admission process for NIFT lateral entry includes the written examination online, a studio test or technical ability test, and a personal interview based on clearance of the first two rounds. The candidates must register themselves online and pay the registration fee as per the schedule. Candidates are required to go through the official website - nift.ac.in for regular updates and the NLEA admission process.
How to apply for lateral entry admission
NIFT lateral entry admission provides an opportunity to candidates directly to the 3rd semester who meet the eligibility criteria and are through in the exams conducted by the National Institute of Fashion Technology.
Candidates have to apply online to get admission for NIFT lateral entry. Here are the steps to apply for lateral entry admission into NIFT.
Log on to the official website - nift.ac.in
Check your eligibility criteria.
Click on the registration link
Enter your name, email ID, and date of birth
Update the details of the DD/cheque paid for the registration fee
Complete filling the NIFT application form
Upload your scanned photo and signature
Once you are done filling in all details, click submit.
Any further communication will be sent to your registered email ID. Candidates are required to use their registered email ID and password for future communication.
Admit card for lateral entry admission - NIFT
NIFT NTA will conduct the admission test for lateral entry. The candidates have to log in to the official website - nift.ac.in to download the NIFT lateral entry admission admit card. Registered candidates can download the NLEA NIFT admit cards from the official website - exams.nta.ac.in/NIFT. To download the admit card, the applicants had to use their login credentials such as the application number and date of birth.
Note: The admit cards for the lateral entry examination of NIFT will not be sent by post.
NIFT NLEA Test Weightage
Candidates had to appear for GAT test for NIFT NLEA admission. The NIFT NLEA weightage for BDes and BFTech is as follows.
Course | Test | Weightage |
BDes | GAT | 40 |
Studio test | 40 | |
Personal interview | 20 | |
Verification of documents/ eligibility | ||
BFTech | General Ability Test (GAT) | 40 |
Technical Ability Test (TAT) | 40 | |
Personal interview | 20 | |
Verification of documents/ eligibility | ||
Results for lateral entry admission NIFT
The NIFT results of the entrance examination will be published online on its official website - nift.ac.in. The NIFT NLEA merit list is prepared based on the marks obtained by the candidates in Entrance Exam, Studio Test/Technical Aptitude Test & Personal Interview. Hence, the candidates are advised to check the website regularly for updated information. No communication will be sent through post.
NIFT lateral entry admission seat allotment
Seat allotment for the lateral entry admission into NIFT is based on the candidate's performance in the entrance examination. Seats are allocated based on the merit of the candidate. Also, the seat allotment for NIFT lateral entry admission depends on the vacant seats course-wise, category-wise, and campus-wise. Candidates have to clear the NIFT cut off for latera entry to obtain admission. The allotted candidates should download their provisional allotment letters using their login credentials in the admission portal and pay the fees before the prescribed deadline.
NIFT lateral entry seat matrix 2026
The seat availability for NIFT lateral entry 2026 according to category is listed below.
Sl. No | Bachelor Programs - 2026 | Total number of seats as per category | Grand Total | |||
Open/OBC/EWS | SC | ST | NRI | |||
Bachelor of Design (B.Des) program | ||||||
1 | Accessory Design (AD) | 18 | 23 | 41 | 30 | 112 |
2 | Fashion Communication (FC) | 5 | 19 | 41 | 18 | 83 |
3 | Fashion Design (FD) | 11 | 20 | 26 | 16 | 73 |
4 | Fashion Interiors (FI) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 15 |
5 | Knitwear Design (KD) | 3 | 5 | 14 | 9 | 31 |
6 | Leather Design (LD) | 6 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 40 |
| 7 | Textile Design (TD) | 24 | 30 | 40 | 31 | 125 |
Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.F.Tech) | ||||||
8 | Apparel Production (AP) | 69 | 55 | 47 | 58 | 229 |
Total | 140 | 166 | 222 | 180 | 708 | |
NIFT NLEA fee structure 2026
The fee structure per semester for NIFT lateral entry selected candidates is as follows.
| Academic Fee Semester Wise For Non-NRI Category (In Rupees) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sem 3 | Sem 4 | Sem 5 | Sem 6 | Sem 7 | Sem 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tuition fee (Non-refundable) | 150000 | 150000 | 158000 | 158000 | 166000 | 166000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Library fee (per year) (Non-refundable) | 10000 | 0 | 10500 | 0 | 11000 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mediclaim & student
development
Fee (per year) (non
refundable) | 4900 | 0 | 5100 | 0 | 5400 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Exam fee (per year) | 4900 | 0 | 5100 | 0 | 5400 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 169800 | 150000 | 178700 | 158000 | 187800 | 166000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| One time payments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Security deposit (one time) (refundable) | 12600 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alumni association membership fee (one time) (non-refundable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6200 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registration fee (one time) | 9300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 21900 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6200 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand total | 191700 | 150000 | 178700 | 158000 | 194000 | 166000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note: NIFT reserves the right to revise the above-mentioned fees for any academic year.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Is lateral entry possible in NIFT?
A:
Yes, the lateral entry scheme is applicable for NIFT.
Q: What is the age eligibility to get into NIFT lateral entry admission?
A:
The NIFT admission eligibility for lateral entry is the candidate’s age must be 24 years as of August 1st. There is a 5 years relaxation period for the candidates of Scheduled Castes/Schedule Tribe/Persons with Disabilities (PWD).
Q: What is the seat allocation process for NIFT admission as lateral entry?
A:
NIFT seat allocation for lateral entry admission depends on the candidate’s rank and merit achieved. Candidates are placed on the campuses according to seat availability.
Q: How many attempts can a candidate make to get admission into NIFT entry?
A:
Candidates can make several attempts until they reach the age of 24 years for NIFT admission.
Q: What is the meaning of lateral entry admission NIFT?
A:
NIFT lateral entry admission means that the candidates will get direct admission to the third semester which is the 2nd year of the program or course that they have chosen to pursue in the campus of NIFT. For this, the candidate should have completed their diploma in the concerned field of fashion technology and fashion design.
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Questions related to NIFT Entrance Exam
On Question asked by student community
Have a question related to NIFT Entrance Exam ?
Hello,
It’s completely understandable to feel disheartened after not getting a seat in the first and second rounds, especially when you’ve filled all the colleges and have your hopes set on a particular course like Fashion Communication . With an OBC rank of 1910 and CMR 7192, your chances can improve in the upcoming counselling rounds as more students withdraw or shift to other colleges.
So make sure to check the further rounds of counselling and don’t lose hope. Many students get seats in the 3rd, 4th, and mop-up rounds. You can also consider updating your preference list or keeping a wider range of courses and campuses open in case you're okay with related fields.
Keep checking the official NIFT website for updates on seat allotment and further counselling instructions.
Thank you
It’s completely understandable to feel disheartened after not getting a seat in the first and second rounds, especially when you’ve filled all the colleges and have your hopes set on a particular course like Fashion Communication . With an OBC rank of 1910 and CMR 7192, your chances can improve in the upcoming counselling rounds as more students withdraw or shift to other colleges.
So make sure to check the further rounds of counselling and don’t lose hope. Many students get seats in the 3rd, 4th, and mop-up rounds. You can also consider updating your preference list or keeping a wider range of courses and campuses open in case you're okay with related fields.
Keep checking the official NIFT website for updates on seat allotment and further counselling instructions.
Thank you
Dear Candidate ,
Yes , you are eligible for NIFT - UG 2026 . Based on your birthdate , you will be 19 years old as of August 1 , 2026 , which is well within the age limit .
NIFT requires applicants to be under 24 years of age on August 1 of the admission year , with a 5 year relaxation for SC/ST/PwD candidates .
Hello
The syllabus of NIFT 2026 will be released on October 2025 by Nift officials on their official website nift.ac.in . The syllabus comprises of topics General Ability Test (GAT) and Creative Ability Test (CAT). The syllabus is different for UG and PG programmes. The GAT syllabus consists of :
- Communication ability and English comprehension
- Quantitative ability
- Analytical and Reasoning
- Case study
- General knowledge and current affairs
The CAT syllabus consists important topics like
- Creative ability
- Observation power
- Discernment ability
- Design ability
- Colour combination ability
To download the complete syllabus kindly refer this
https://design.careers360.com/articles/nift-syllabus
Good luck !
Hello,
The Chennai NIFT entrance exam results for 2025 are usually declared a few weeks after the exam date. You can check the official NIFT website or trusted education portals like Careers360 for the latest updates and result announcements.
Make sure to keep your application details handy to access your result easily.
Hope this helps!
Hii,
NIFTEE 2025 Result has been released by NTA on 24th April 2025. UG and PG aspirants can now check and download their scorecards through direct links given in this news. The NTA has declared the NIFT 2025 Result on its official website, exams.nta.ac.in/NIFT.
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