CUSAT CAT 2026: Exam Date, Registration, Eligibility, Syllabus, and More

The Cochin University of Science and Technology (conducting body) will tentatively schedule the CUSAT CAT 2026 exam dates on 11th, 12th, and 13th May 2026. Students can start applying for the entrance exam probably from 6th February 2026 till the expected last date, i.e., 10th March 2026 (for all UG & PG courses) and 31st May 2026 (for MBA & M.Tech program).

Read this article to know the detailed information about CUSAT CAT exam 2026 including key highlights, important dates and schedules, registration, eligibility criteria, syllabus, exam pattern, and other relevant aspects of the exam.

The Cochin University of Science and Technology Common Admission Test is commonly known as CUSAT CAT. It is an entrance exam conducted by the Cochin University of Science and Technology for admission into various UG and PG courses in Engineering, Law, Science, Management, Computer Applications, Social Science & Humanities, and other streams.

The entrance exam is conducted annually in online CBT mode at various test centres across India. Students aiming to seek admission in the University through CUSAT CAT can register for the exam once it will be open. It is to be noted that aspirants need to pay the specified application fee to apply for the entrance exam.

Refer to the below-stated table to get the highlights of the CUSAT CAT 2026:

The below-given table specifies the important dates and schedule related to the CUSAT CAT exam 2026:

* The online registration on seats reserved for International candidates will begin from 17th January 2026 and will last upto 31st May 2026.

While filling the application form, students have to select test codes as per the course in which they are applying through the CUSAT CAT exam. Students can select multiple test codes as per their choice. According to the exam conducting authority, all the test codes represent specific courses and contain relevant information regarding the exam paper of the particular program.

Refer to the following table to know the test codes for the CUSAT CAT 2026 and their relevant courses:

It is necessary to meet the CUSAT CAT Eligibility Criteria 2026 before appearing for the entrance exam. As per the exam conducting authority, the eligibility criteria of CUSAT CAT varies in respect to different courses. Aspirants have to satisfy the course-specific requirements in order to become eligible for the test.

Refer to the following table to know eligibility criteria of some courses in which students can take admission through CUSAT CAT:

* To get admission into the M.Tech program, students must have qualified GATE; the admission preference will be given to students in this program on the basis of their valid GATE scores.

Check: CUSAT CAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The CUSAT CAT 2026 registration window will be open probably from 6th February 2026 till 10th March 2026 (For all UG & PG programs). However, the registration window for the M.Tech & MBA program will be closed by 31st May 2026 (tentative). The exam conducting body i.e., Cochin University of Science and Technology will release the application form on exams official website. Once the registration will be open, eligible students will be able to register / apply online for CUSAT CAT 2026 through the “doastage.cusat.ac.in”.

To register & apply for the exam, students will have to follow multiple steps including completing the CUSAT CAT Registration 2026, filling-in the personal details, uploading the photo and signature, selecting the appropriate program, paying the application fees, and selecting the test centre.

Check: CUSAT CAT Registration 2026

It is suggested to refer to the CUSAT CAT Syllabus 2026 in order to attain good marks in the final exam. Aspirants of CUSAT CAT have to prepare on the basis of the program they have chosen because the syllabus differs on the basis of different courses.

Consider the following CUSAT CAT syllabus for some of the courses:

For B.Tech

The syllabus for the B.Tech program in CUSAT CAT will be based on the curriculum of 11^th and 12^th class. Following subjects are covered under the exam syllabus for the B.Tech course:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Mathematics

For M.Sc in Computer Science

Below-mentioned are the topics included in the CUSAT CAT syllabus for the M.Sc program which is based on the level of Computer Science and Applications:

• C
• C++
• Data Base Management Systems
• Algorithms
• Data Structures
• Operating Systems

Check: CUSAT CAT 2026 Syllabus

The exam pattern of the CUSAT CAT 2026 is designed by the exam conducting authority and will be made available on the exam’s official website. Candidates aiming to be familiar with the online entrance exam are suggested to rely on the CUSAT CAT Exam Pattern 2026. The exam pattern of CUSAT CAT exam differs on the basis of multiple programs offered through the entrance test and the programs are segregated on the basis of different test codes.

Below-mentioned is the CUSAT CAT 2026 exam pattern for 2 test codes i.e., Test Code 101 which is for B.Tech course and the Test Code 502 that is for M.Sc course:

Test Code 101: For B.Tech & other Specified Courses

The exam paper of CUSAT CAT 2026 for B.Tech will consist of a total of 225 MCQs - Multiple Choice Questions. In the exam paper, 90 questions will be from Mathematics, 75 from Physics, and 60 questions will be from Chemistry.

Students will have to attempt the questions within the duration of 3 hours. As per the marking scheme, for each correct answer, 3 marks will be awarded and -1 mark will be deducted for every wrong answer.  The question paper will be of overall 675 marks.

Test Code 502: For M.Sc (Data Science / Artificial Intelligence) course

The CUSAT CAT question paper for M.Sc in Computer Science (Data Science / Artificial Intelligence) comprises 150 MCQs, wherein 100 questions will be covered from Computer Science & Applications and other 50 questions will be related to the General Ability. The exam will be conducted for 2 hours only in which students will need to complete the test paper.

According to the marking scheme, 3 marks will be given for each right answer and the negative marking of -1 mark will be applicable for each incorrect answer. The CUSAT CAT 2026 exam paper for this program will be conducted for a maximum of 450 marks.

Check: CUSAT CAT 2026 Exam Pattern

The CUSAT CAT 2026 Exam will be conducted across different states and cities in India. The examination for various courses will be conducted in different CUSAT CAT Exam Centres 2026. The exam cities / centers for CUSAT CAT on the basis of different courses are mentioned below:

For B.Tech, M.Sc (Five year integrated) in Photonics, 5 year integrated M.Sc in Computer Science, 5 Year Integrated M.Sc (Biological Sciences / Chemistry / Mathematics / Statistics / Physics

The CUSAT CAT 2026 exam for the above-mentioned courses will be held in the following cities:

• New Delhi
• Kolkata
• Mumbai
• Chennai
• Coimbatore
• Bangalore
• Mangalore
• Lucknow
• Patna
• Ranchi
• Kota
• All District Headquarters of Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad, and Kasaragod).

Moreover, for PG Programs, BBA.LL.B (Hons.), B.Com.LL.B (Hons.), 5 Year B.Sc Computer Science, LL.B (Honours), LL.M (IP) Ph.D, LL.M (IPR) Ph.D, 3 Year LL.B and B.Voc, the CUSAT CAT exam 2026 will be conducted in all the district headquarters of Kerala and in exam centres outside the Kerala state such as New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, and Bangalore.

Students who are planning to appear in the CUSAT CAT are advised to follow the instructions on the exam day specified by the conducting authority. It is mandatory to behave in accordance with the instructions to maintain the decorum in the exam hall on the CUSAT CAT entrance test day.

Below-mentioned are the instructions to be followed on the CUSAT CAT 2026 exam day:

• Aspirants are advised to report the allotted exam centre on the stipulated time and date mentioned in the admit card.
• Students are not allowed to bring any personal belongings, electronic devices, communication gadgets, study material or stationery, in the exam hall.
• Candidates are advised to take their admit card along with a valid photo ID to the exam centre, students will not be allowed to enter the exam hall without their admit card.
• Talking to fellow candidates or any type of communication is strictly prohibited inside the exam hall.
• It is advised to read all the instructions carefully that are given on the screen in the exam room.

Students preparing for the CUSAT CAT exam are suggested to practise with the CUSAT CAT previous year Papers. Solving the past year exam papers of the CUSAT CAT will help to identify the difficulty level of the question paper. It will also help the students in making an excellent strategy to prepare effectively in order to secure good marks in the CUSAT Common Admission Test.

Studying on the basis of sample papers will help to get the insights of the exam pattern and important topics from the CUSAT CAT syllabus. Practising with the old question papers of the exam aids in boosting the confidence level of students and reduces their exam anxiety. Students need to know that they can access the previous year papers of CUSAT CAT on the exam’s official website “doastage.cusat.ac.in”.

Students have to qualify the CUSAT CAT 2026 exam to get admission into UG and PG courses offered by the campuses of Cochin University of Science and Technology for which the entrance test is conducted. There are mainly 3 CUSAT CAT Participating Colleges 2026 / Institutes which are as follows:        

• Cochin University of Science and Technology, Thrikkakara, Kochi (Main Campus)
• Cochin University College of Engineering, Kuttanad
• CUSAT Lakeside Campus