​​NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026: Course-Wise Eligibility, Age Limit

NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026 will be released by the National Institute of Fashion Technology on its official website. Eligible candidates will be able to proceed with the NIFT registration 2026. Bachelor’s course applicants should have passed or be about to attempt their Class 12th examinations. Candidates must not be more than 24 years of age if applying for the NIFT 2026 UG course.

Master’s course applicants for M.Des. and MFM should hold a bachelor’s degree. M.F.Tech applicants must possess either a B.F.Tech degree from NIFT or B.E. or B.Tech. There is no age limit and no attempt limit. PhD applicants should have a master’s degree in a field related to the research, a CGPA of 6.0 or 55% marks, and 7 years of work experience.

The authority will release the NIFT 2026 application most probably in the last week of November 2025. Candidates can access the NIFT 2026 application form through the official website, nift.ac.in. Read here to know more about the NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026.

NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026 for UG Programmes

NIFT's eligibility criteria for 2026 undergraduate programs require candidates to have either completed their Class 12th exams or senior secondary exams from the National Open School or hold an AICTE-approved diploma. Here is the undergraduate course-wise eligibility criteria for NIFT 2026:

NIFT Eligibility 2026 for Bachelor of Design (B.Des.)

The Bachelor of Design course at NIFT accepts applicants who have completed or are about to complete their 12th-grade school-leaving examinations. The table below lists the complete set of eligibility criteria for the B.Des. program at NIFT 2026:

NIFT Eligibility 2026 for Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.F.Tech)

Bachelor of Fashion Technology course applicants should have completed their 12th grade with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as mandatory subjects. Other criteria to fulfil for NIFT 2026 are as follows:

Also read: NIFT 2026 Application

NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026 for Postgraduate Programmes

NIFT 2026 eligibility criteria for postgraduate courses require all applicants to possess a bachelor's degree. Here is the complete list of criteria for NIFT 2025 for all master’s courses:

NIFT Eligibility 2026 for Master of Design (M.Des.)

The Master of Design course accepts applicants with any bachelor’s degree or an NIFT or NID diploma. Other criteria for admission to NIFT 2026 were as follows:

NIFT Eligibility 2026 for Master of Fashion Management (MFM)

MFM applicants must either have a bachelor’s degree or an NIFT- or NID-issued diploma. Here are other criteria for NIFT 2026.

NIFT Eligibility 2026 for Master of Fashion Technology (M.F.Tech)

Unlike other PG courses, M.F.Tech. Applicants must have a B.F.Tech degree from NIFT or a B.E. or a B.Tech. A degree from a recognised university. The table below lists the full eligibility criteria for NIFT 2026.

NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026 for Artisans

Artisans or children of artisans can take admission at NIFT if they hold an artisan card and have completed their schooling from a recognised school board. Here are the eligibility criteria for this category of applicants for NIFT 2025.

• The applicant should have completed their class 12th qualifying examination from a recognised educational board, or,
• The candidate should possess a passing grade in the Senior Secondary Examination from the National Open School with at least five subjects, or,
• Applicants should possess a three or 4-year diploma which is recognised by AICTE or any State Board of Technical Education, or,
• The candidate has completed the qualifying examination from any public, state, or university in a national or international country, as recognised by the Association of Indian Universities.
• The artisan or ward of the artisan must possess a valid artisan card, which has been issued to the individual or any parent by the Development Commissioner of Handlooms, Development or Handicraft, or the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, or have applied for the card before the release of the latest NIFT prospectus.

NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026 for NLEA

The NLEA category refers to the NIFT Lateral Entry Admission, which allows candidates holding diplomas or degrees in relevant subject areas to take direct admission at NIFT from the second year. Here are the NLEA eligibility criteria for NIFT 2025 for different NIFT courses.

Bachelor of Design

• Passed the class 10th school leaving board examinations, and,
• Passed the class 12th school leaving board examinations, or,
• Holds a three or 4-year diploma course recognised by AICTE, UGC, or AIU in any stream related to fashion, textile, apparel, handloom tech, graphic design, home science, visual communication, interior design, multimedia design, leather or fine arts, and,
• Completed the two-year regular NIFT UG diploma course after class 12th.

Bachelor of Fashion Technology

• Passed the class 10th school leaving board examinations, and,
• Passed the class 12th school leaving board examinations with Mathematics, or,
• Holds a three or 4-year diploma course recognised by AICTE, UGC, or AIU in any stream related to fashion, textile, apparel, handloom tech, or home science, and,
• Completed the two-year regular NIFT UG diploma course after class 12th.

NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026 for PhD

PhD applicants to NIFT must hold a master’s degree with 5 to 7 years of work experience. Bachelor’s degree holders can also apply for the PhD course, but must have at least an 8.0 CGPA. Here was the complete list of eligibility criteria for NIFT 2026 PhD applicants:

NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026 Category-Wise

Reserved category applicants had additional eligibility criteria for NIFT 2025, including the requirement to provide reservation certification or disability certification for PwD categories. Here is the complete list of NIFT 2025 eligibility criteria for reserved categories.

• SC/ST candidates must present a caste or tribe certificate issued by a competent central, union territory, or state.
• OBC candidates must hold a recently issued OBC certificate in their name, specifying the caste, issued by a competent authority.
• PwD category applicants must present a medical certificate and a disability certificate. A mandatory counselling session is held to judge the applicant’s suitability for the course.

Read more on: NIFT 2026 Exam Pattern

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