You can take MAT as many times as you like. AIMA sets no limit on the number of attempts, and no age bar. Your MAT score stays valid for one year from the day the result is declared. Those two rules shape your whole MAT plan, so let us make them plain.
The quick facts
| Question | The real answer |
|---|---|
| How many attempts | No limit. You may sit every session in the same year. |
| Sessions in a year | Four — February, May, September and December. |
| Score | A composite score out of 800. |
| Validity | One year from the result date. |
| Which score a college sees | Only the scorecard you choose to send. |
The September 2026 session is expected around 13 September for the paper-based test and 20 September for the computer-based test, with registration closing near 7 September. These follow the usual AIMA schedule. Confirm the live dates on mat.aima.in before you plan.
What unlimited attempts really means
Unlimited sounds nice, but use it with a plan. Because MAT runs four times a year, a serious candidate can attempt it three or four times in twelve months. That is far more room than most other entrance tests give you.
You can also book the paper-based and computer-based test in the same session. Some candidates do this to get an extra day of real exam practice, or as a backup against a technical glitch. You then send the higher of the two scores.
The one-year validity, explained
The clock starts on the result date, not the exam date. Say your May 2026 result comes out on 18 June 2026. Colleges will accept that score until 17 June 2027. After that the score drops off the AIMA portal.
Keep one sheet with five columns: session, exam date, result date, valid-till, best sections. Update it after every attempt. This one habit stops last-minute panic during admissions.
Preparing for the next MAT session?
Learn Crew runs online-only live MAT classes four evenings a week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Every class is recorded, batches run for four months, and you can join from anywhere in India.
Which session should you target?
| Your situation | Good session | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Final-year student finishing exams by April | May | Your quant is fresh, and September or December are still open for a retake. |
| Working professional | December | Less crunch at work, and the score stays valid through the next admission cycle. |
| Repeater improving a profile | February, then May | Use February as a real-pressure mock, May as the main attempt after focused study. |
Is a retake worth the fee?
Look at your mocks. If your score is climbing steadily after a month of honest revision, another attempt is usually worth it. If your last score already clears the cut-offs your target colleges published, save the fee and put that time into your interview preparation instead.
Regular mock practice is what tells you which way your score is moving. You can buy MAT mocks and e-books on elearning.learncrew.org, and browse the full set on our Books and Mocks hub.
A short action plan
- Note each target college deadline against your score expiry date.
- Send scores to colleges directly through AIMA, not as a PDF upload.
- Save your scorecard in the cloud and keep a print, in case the portal is down.
- If you re-attempt, fix the exact sections that pulled your score down.
Unlimited attempts help only when each attempt is better than the last. If you want a structured plan and honest feedback, see our MAT coaching, and our past scores on the results page.
MAT books, e-books and mock tests
The MAT book set covers Logical, English, Mathematics and Data Interpretation, printed A4 and couriered across India. The e-book and the scored mock series are on the same store, so you can pick print, digital, or both.