CEPT Entrance Exam 2026: PG Result Out, UG Merit List Expected, Eligibility and Cutoff

The CEPT Entrance Exam 2026 is the admission test conducted by the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University, Ahmedabad, for entry into its undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Architecture, Design, Planning, Technology and Management. The latest update is that the CEPT PG Test 2026 result and programme-wise merit lists are out on the candidate dashboard at admissions.cept.ac.in for the test held on 11 April 2026. Right now the UG application window has just closed and the seat acceptance phase for PG offers is in progress.

• UG Merit List: The CEPT BArch and BUD merit list is expected in the last week of June 2026. The last date to apply with a valid NATA 2026 score was 10 June 2026, and CEPT normalises Class 12 marks and NATA scores in a 50:50 ratio before publishing the rank.
• Seat Acceptance & Fee Payment: PG offer-holders must complete seat acceptance and pay the first instalment by the end of June 2026. The MArch annual fee is around INR 5.35 lakh and the full 2-year MArch fee is INR 10.7 lakh.
• Academic Session Start: The 2026-27 monsoon semester at CEPT University begins in the second week of July 2026. Last year the academic calendar started on 8 July 2025.
• NATA Phase 2 for Late UG Applicants: NATA Phase 2 exams will be held on 7 and 8 August 2026. Candidates who could not score in Phase 1 still have a route to BArch and BUD admission at CEPT through this attempt.

What is the CEPT Entrance Exam 2026?

The CEPT Entrance Exam 2026 is the university-level test that CEPT University, Ahmedabad, uses to shortlist candidates for its postgraduate and undergraduate programs. CEPT was set up in 1962 and is one of India’s top universities for Architecture, Planning, Design and Habitat Studies. The university is known for its small-batch, studio-based teaching model.

The exam has two parts that run in parallel windows:

• The CEPT PG Test is a 3-hour online test taken from home. It is used for admission to MArch, MTech, MPlan and other 2-year postgraduate programs.
• The CEPT UG admission does not have a separate CEPT-conducted UG entrance test. Admission to BArch and BUD is based on a valid NATA 2026 score plus Class 12 marks. BDes admission uses UCEED 2026 scores.

More than 13 postgraduate programs are offered through this admission cycle. The university also accepts GATE 2026 scores for MTech, MArch and MPlan, so a CEPT PG Test score is not the only route in. Around 1,000 seats are filled every year across all programs combined.

CEPT Entrance Exam 2026 Highlights

You should be aware of the basic details before you apply. The table below has the key facts about the CEPT Entrance Exam 2026 at a glance.

CEPT 2026 Important Dates

The CEPT admission calendar runs from February through July every year. The dates table below lists the upcoming events first followed by past events. You should follow the official timeline carefully to avoid missing the seat acceptance and academic-session deadlines.

The PG result is already out. You should check your candidate dashboard at admissions.cept.ac.in for your programme-wise rank and complete seat acceptance before the offer lapses.

CEPT UG Admission 2026: BArch, BUD and BDes

The CEPT undergraduate admission 2026 covers three programs: Bachelor of Architecture (BArch), Bachelor of Urban Design (BUD) and Bachelor of Design (BDes). Each program has a different selection route.

BArch and BUD Admission 2026

Admission to BArch and BUD is based on a valid NATA 2026 score and Class 12 marks. The last date to apply was 10 June 2026. Around 80 seats are offered in BArch and 40 seats in BUD every year.

The merit rank is built as follows:

• Class 12 aggregate marks - 50% weightage.
• NATA 2026 score - 50% weightage.
• Both components are normalised before the final merit rank is prepared.

You must have cleared Class 12 from a recognised board in India with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects. The minimum requirement is 50% aggregate.

BDes Admission 2026

The Bachelor of Design admission is based only on a valid UCEED 2026 score. You also need 50% aggregate in the qualifying exam. The merit list is built only on the UCEED score - there is no separate weightage for Class 12 marks or for a portfolio at the admission stage.

CEPT 2026 Application Process

The CEPT 2026 application process is fully online. The university uses a single common portal at admissions.cept.ac.in for all UG and PG programs. You can apply to more than one program by paying a separate fee for each.

Step-by-Step Application Process

• Registration: Go to admissions.cept.ac.in and click on the Register button. Enter your name, email ID and mobile number. You will get a verification link on email.
• Login: Use your email and password to log in to your dashboard.
• Select Program: Pick the program you want to apply for. PG candidates also need to pick their admission route (CEPT PG Test, GATE or GRE).
• Fill Application: Enter your personal details, academic record, work experience (if any) and contact details.
• Upload Documents: Upload your passport-size photo, signature, Class 10 and 12 marksheets, degree marksheet (for PG), GATE/GRE scorecard (if relevant) and category certificate (if relevant).
• Pay Application Fee: Pay INR 3,500 per program online using a debit card, credit card, UPI or net banking.
• Submit and Save: Review the form and submit. Download the confirmation PDF for your records.

Documents Required

• Recent passport-size colour photograph.
• Scanned signature.
• Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets.
• Bachelor’s degree marksheet (for PG applicants).
• Valid score card - NATA, UCEED, JEE Main, GATE or GRE (as relevant).
• Category certificate (for SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwD candidates, if claiming reservation).
• Portfolio (for design and architecture programs that ask for one).

CEPT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The CEPT 2026 eligibility criteria differ across UG and PG programs. The basic requirement is a recognised qualifying degree with a minimum aggregate. You should check the program-specific page before you apply, since each program has its own list of accepted bachelor’s degrees.

UG Eligibility

PG Eligibility

• You must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university.
• The minimum aggregate is 55% for General category and 50% for reserved category.
• The bachelor’s degree must be in a related discipline. For example, MArch in Architectural Design needs a BArch degree. MTech in Construction Engineering and Management accepts BE/BTech in Civil Engineering or BArch.
• The final-year students of the qualifying exam can also apply, but they must show proof of completion before the academic session begins.
• Work experience is preferred for MBEP, MCEM and MRE, but it is not mandatory.

CEPT 2026 Syllabus

The CEPT 2026 syllabus is not published as a fixed document by the university. The skill-based pattern means the questions are generic-aptitude in nature. You should prepare around the three core sections of the PG Test.

Verbal English Syllabus

• Reading Comprehension passages of 200-400 words.
• Vocabulary - synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitutions.
• Grammar - tenses, prepositions, articles, subject-verb agreement.
• Sentence Correction and Sentence Completion.
• Para Jumbles and Para Completion.

Logical Reasoning Syllabus

• Verbal Reasoning - blood relations, coding-decoding, direction sense.
• Non-verbal Reasoning - figure series, mirror images, paper folding.
• Analytical Reasoning - puzzles, seating arrangement, ranking.
• Critical Reasoning - assumptions, inferences, syllogisms.

Mathematical Ability Syllabus

• Arithmetic - percentage, ratio and proportion, profit and loss, time-speed-distance.
• Algebra - linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, functions.
• Geometry and Mensuration - lines, angles, triangles, circles, area and volume.
• Modern Math - permutation and combination, probability, set theory.
• Data Interpretation - tables, bar graphs, line charts, pie charts.

For design-related programs like MArch, you should also build a portfolio of past work. The portfolio is checked at the interview stage, not in the PG Test.

CEPT 2026 Admit Card

The CEPT 2026 admit card for the PG Test was released in the first week of April 2026, around 4-5 days before the test. The admit card was sent to the registered email address and was also available for download on the candidate dashboard.

You should keep these things ready on the test day:

• Printed admit card with passport photo.
• Original photo ID - Aadhaar, PAN, passport, driving license or voter ID.
• Webcam-enabled laptop or desktop. Mobile phones and tablets are not allowed.
• Stable internet connection of at least 1 Mbps upload and download speed.
• A clean, well-lit room with no other person around during the test.

The PG Test admit card for April 2026 is no longer accessible since the test is over. The admit card for the next admission cycle will be available in March 2027 for the April 2027 test.

CEPT University Programs and Seats

The CEPT University 2026 admission is for more than 13 postgraduate programs and 4 undergraduate programs. The Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Planning, Faculty of Design, Faculty of Technology and Faculty of Management each run their own programs.

Undergraduate Programs

• Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) - 5 years - 80 seats - NATA based.
• Bachelor of Urban Design (BUD) - 5 years - 40 seats - NATA based.
• Bachelor of Design (BDes) - 4 years - 60 seats - UCEED based.
• Bachelor of Technology (BTech, Construction Technology) - 4 years - 30 seats - JEE Main based.

Postgraduate Programs

CEPT 2026 Fees Structure

The CEPT University fees for 2026 fall in the range of INR 1.8 lakh to INR 22.75 lakh across all programs. The PG programs are around INR 5.35 lakh per year. The UG programs cost less per year but run for 4-5 years, so the total fees end up higher.

Program Fees

Other Fees

• Application Fee: INR 3,500 per program.
• Caution Deposit: INR 25,000 (refundable).
• Hostel Fee: Around INR 1.2 lakh per year (twin-sharing).
• Mess Fee: Around INR 60,000 per year.

The CEPT University offers tuition fee waivers and need-based scholarships up to 100% of the fees for students from financially weaker backgrounds. You can apply for the scholarship after you accept the offer.

CEPT 2026 Preparation Tips

The CEPT PG Test is a generic aptitude test. The level is moderate. You do not need to study any new subject if you are already working on competitive exams. The trick is to balance speed and accuracy across all three sections.

Subject-wise Tips

• Verbal English: Read editorials from The Hindu and The Indian Express for 30 minutes a day. Build a vocabulary log of 5 new words a day. Solve 10 RC passages every week.
• Logical Reasoning: Practice from R.S. Aggarwal’s Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Solve one full set of puzzles every day. Use a stopwatch to track your time.
• Mathematical Ability: Revise NCERT Class 11 and 12 Math chapters on arithmetic and algebra. Solve 5 data interpretation sets a week.

Mock Tests

• Take at least 10 full-length mock tests before the actual exam.
• Analyse each mock - look at the time spent per section and the topics you got wrong.
• Do not jump between sections too often. Finish one section before you start the next.
• The CEPT PG Test has no negative marking, so attempt every question.

Interview Preparation

• Build a digital portfolio of 8-10 projects with a clear narrative.
• Be ready to talk about why you want to pursue this specific program at CEPT.
• Practice answers to common questions on your statement of purpose.
• Read up on current trends in your chosen field - sustainability, smart cities, parametric design, real estate cycles.

Source: CEPT University Admission Portal