CAT Application Form 2026 Out: Direct Apply Link & Important Dates

CAT 2026 Application Form is available online on the official IIM CAT website from August 3, 2026 (10:00 AM) to September 15, 2026 (5:00 PM). Candidates must complete the registration process, fill in their personal, academic, and work experience details (if applicable), upload the required documents, select their preferred test cities and IIM programme preferences, and pay the prescribed application fee before the deadline. Applicants are advised to verify all information carefully before submitting CAT 2026 application form, as incomplete or incorrect applications may be rejected.

Apply Online for CAT 2026 (Link Active)

CAT 2026 Application Highlights

CAT 2026 exam details have been officially announced by IIM Indore through the official notification. The table below provides the latest information on important dates, eligibility, application process, exam pattern, and other key highlights of CAT 2026. Detailed explanations of each section are provided below.

CAT 2026 Registration Dates and Notification Status

CAT Application Fee 2026

CAT 2026's application fee has stayed flat for the last two cycles, and it covers every IIM and B-school a candidate lists on the same form rather than charging separately per institute.

Payment is online only, through net banking, credit card, debit card, or UPI, with transaction charges added on top depending on the mode chosen. Once paid, the fee is not refunded under any circumstance, including if a candidate later decides not to sit the exam.

CAT 2026 Registration Process, Step by Step

CAT's registration runs as one continuous online sequence rather than a form you fill in stages over separate visits. The steps below follow the confirmed 2025 process, which the 2026 portal is expected to mirror closely once it opens.

• Visit iimcat.ac.in and select new candidate registration once the portal is live.
• Enter your name, email address, and mobile number, then verify using the OTP sent to you.
• Note your CAT ID and password generated for your account.
• Log back in and fill in personal, academic, and work experience details. Work experience is recorded but not mandatory.
• Select the IIMs and programmes you wish to apply to, along with your category if applicable.
• Choose up to six preferred test cities, in order of preference.
• Upload your photograph and signature in the format covered in the next section, along with a category or PwD certificate if applicable.
• Review the completed form carefully, since most fields cannot be touched again outside the correction facility.
• Pay the application fee online to complete the submission.
• Save or print the confirmation page for your records.

Documents and Photo Specifications for CAT Registration

CAT 2026's document list is shorter than most entrance exams, but the review afterward is strict, since a mismatched or unclear scan can hold up verification much later in the admissions process.

Unlike some state entrance exams, CAT does not publish an unusually strict file-size limit for its uploads; the portal itself states the accepted format and size when the upload screen opens. Keep clean, recent scans ready regardless, since a blurred or outdated photo is one of the more common reasons a profile gets flagged.

CAT Application Form Correction Facility 2026

CAT's correction facility is narrower than what most other entrance exams allow, and it is worth knowing this before submitting rather than after.

This facility typically opens for a short window after registration closes, in late September going by the 2025 pattern. Everything outside these three fields stays locked once submitted, which is why reviewing the form carefully before payment matters more for CAT than it does for exams with a broader correction option.

Test City and IIM Programme Preference in CAT 2026

CAT 2026 asks candidates to make two separate sets of choices inside the same form, and confusing the two is a common source of regret after results are out.

The first is a preferred list of up to six test cities, in order, used to assign an actual exam centre; allotment depends on availability, and a candidate's first choice is not guaranteed. The second, entirely separate, is the list of IIMs and other participating institutes a candidate wants their score sent to, which has no bearing on which city they are tested in. A candidate can select as many participating institutes as they want on one form and one fee, so there is little reason to under-select here even while keeping the test city list realistic and close to home.

Common CAT Registration Mistakes 2026

Most of the registration problems candidates run into with CAT come from treating it like a simpler form than it actually is. A few checks before submission avoid most of them.

• Selecting a category without the matching certificate ready, since it cannot be added or corrected after submission.
• Assuming test city and institute preferences are the same choice, when they serve entirely different purposes on the form.
• Leaving academic percentage or work experience fields blank by mistake rather than entering a genuine zero or marking them not applicable.
• Treating the correction facility as a general edit window, when it only ever covers the photograph, signature, and test city.
• Paying the fee before reviewing every section, when the form allows a full review first without penalty.

What Happens After Registering for CAT 2026

Once the fee is paid and the confirmation page saved, CAT 2026's timeline moves slowly for a while before picking up again close to the exam.

The correction facility, when it opens, is the only scheduled touchpoint before the admit card in November. Keep your CAT ID and password from registration, since the same login carries through to the admit card, the response sheet, and the final scorecard, with no separate account created at any later stage. Candidates who register earlier in the window tend to have more test city options still available, since city-wise capacity fills as more candidates lock in a choice.

Registering for CAT is the easier half of this cycle; the months of preparation still ahead matter more than the form itself. Once the notification lands, treat the dates above as a starting guide and confirm each one against the official release before acting on it.

CAT Application Form 2026 FAQs

Ques: Can I start filling CAT 2026's form before the official notification is released?

Ques: If I select the wrong category by mistake during CAT registration, can I fix it later?

Ques: Is work experience mandatory to register for CAT?

Ques: Once a test city is allotted, can it still change after the correction facility closes?

Ques: Is there a limit on how many times I can register for CAT?