Status right now: CAT 2026 registration has not opened yet. The official notification is expected in the last week of July 2026 (CAT 2025's came on 27 July), with registration expected to run from ~1 August to ~20 September 2026 and the exam expected on Sunday, 29 November 2026. All dates below are expected until the convening IIM publishes the notification on iimcat.ac.in — we update this page the day it drops.
CAT 2026 registration dates (expected)
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Official notification | Last week of Jul 2026 | Expected |
| Registration opens | ~01 Aug 2026 (typically 10 a.m.) | Expected |
| Registration closes | ~20 Sep 2026 (typically 5 p.m.) | Expected |
| Form correction window | ~Late Sep 2026 (select fields) | Expected |
| Admit card | Late Oct / early Nov 2026 | Expected |
| CAT 2026 exam | Sun, 29 Nov 2026 · 3 slots | Expected |
Fees and eligibility check
| Category | Fee (expected, unchanged from 2025) |
|---|---|
| General / EWS / NC-OBC | ₹2,600 |
| SC / ST / PwD | ₹1,300 |
- Paid once, regardless of how many IIM programmes you select. Non-refundable. Online payment only.
- Eligibility: bachelor's degree with 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD) or equivalent CGPA; final-year students eligible; CA/CS/ICWA accepted; no age or attempt limit.
- Category certificates (NC-OBC/EWS/SC/ST/PwD) must be in the prescribed format and validity — an invalid certificate at the admission stage moves you to General cutoffs.
Step-by-step: filling the CAT form correctly
- Register on iimcat.ac.in with name, DOB, email and mobile → you receive a User ID via email/SMS. Use an email you check daily; every official communication lands there.
- Personal details: enter exactly as per your ID and certificates — name spelling mismatches cause admission-stage headaches, not just test-day ones.
- Academics: X, XII and graduation details with percentages/CGPA per your board/university's conversion rule (the form provides the calculation method — follow it, don't self-round).
- Work experience: completed months only, per employer. IIMs verify this at interview with documents.
- Programme selection: tick every IIM programme you might want — there's no extra fee per programme, and you cannot add IIMs later.
- Test city preferences: select cities in true preference order (recently 5 choices). Allotment is preference + capacity based.
- Uploads: photograph and signature per spec (see below); PwD certificates and scribe details if applicable.
- Pay and download the confirmation PDF. Registration without payment = not registered.
Photo & signature specs (the #1 rejection cause)
- Photograph: recent (typically within 6 months), face centred against a light background, no caps/sunglasses — dimensions and file-size limits are specified in the notification (recent cycles: JPG within a defined KB band). Don't reuse an old selfie-crop; borderline images get flagged.
- Signature: black/blue ink on white paper, scanned inside the size limits. Must match the signature you'll produce on exam day.
- Keep both files ready before you start the form — sessions time out, and re-doing uploads is where most errors creep in.
Six mistakes that cost CAT aspirants every year
- Waiting until September: late registrants get worse city allotments and no buffer to fix upload rejections. Register in week one.
- Selecting few IIM programmes — selecting all costs nothing; skipping one locks you out of its shortlist forever this cycle.
- Wrong percentage conversion: use your university's official CGPA formula as the form instructs; discrepancies surface at document verification.
- Invalid NC-OBC/EWS certificates: these have financial-year validity rules. Get a fresh one issued for the current year before the deadline.
- Missing the correction window: only select fields are editable and only for a few days — calendar it when it's announced.
- Ignoring non-IIM applications: FMS, SPJIMR, MDI and others accept CAT but have separate application forms and deadlines — track them alongside.
Do this today (before registration opens): get your photo and signature scanned to spec, confirm your category certificate validity, list your IIM programmes and test-city order, and set an alert for the notification — we'll email subscribers the day it's out (form above).
Frequently asked questions
When will CAT 2026 registration start?
Expected around 1 August 2026, following the notification expected in the last week of July. Recent cycles opened registration within a week of the notification. The exact date will be on iimcat.ac.in — treat everything until then as expected.
What is the CAT 2026 registration fee?
Expected to remain ₹2,600 for General/EWS/NC-OBC and ₹1,300 for SC/ST/PwD, unchanged from CAT 2025. It's a one-time, non-refundable fee covering all IIM programmes you select.
Can final-year students register for CAT 2026?
Yes. Final-year bachelor's students can register and take CAT 2026; if admitted, they must produce proof of degree completion (with the required percentage) within the IIM's specified deadline.
Can I edit my CAT application after submitting?
Only partially. The IIMs typically open a short correction window (after registration closes) for select fields — recently photograph, signature and test-city preferences. Core details like name and category are effectively locked, so fill them carefully the first time.
Do I need separate forms for FMS, SPJIMR and MDI?
Yes. These institutes accept CAT scores but run their own application processes with separate fees and deadlines, usually between October and January. Selecting IIM programmes on the CAT form does nothing for non-IIM schools.
Sources & verification
This page was last verified on 2 July 2026 against:
- iimcat.ac.in — official CAT website (registration process, notification status)
- CAT 2025 official notification by IIM Kozhikode (fees ₹2,600/₹1,300, eligibility, form structure, correction-window precedent)
- CAT 2023–2025 schedule trends (basis for all dates marked expected)
Found an error? See our corrections policy.