MAT Exam Dates: Next Session, Registration and Fees

MAT exam dates at a glance

How MAT sessions work

MAT runs four sessions a year: February, May, September and December. AIMA announces each session a few weeks ahead on mat.aima.in. Every session has two modes, the paper-based test (PBT) and the computer-based test (CBT), usually a week apart, and you can write one mode or both. The box above always shows the current session; we update it as soon as AIMA announces the next one. Below it you will find the fee, the registration steps and how to use the weeks before the exam.

One habit before anything else. Treat this page, and every page like it, as a summary. Dates can shift, and AIMA updates its portal first. The portal is the only final word.

How the deadlines work, mode by mode

The pattern is the same every session:

• PBT (paper mode): registration closes about six days before the test, and the admit card comes about three days before it.
• CBT (computer mode): the same gaps, about a week after the PBT.
• Fee: ₹2,300 for one mode, ₹4,000 if you register for PBT and CBT together (as per mat.aima.in, 23 October 2026).

Notice how tight the gaps are. The PBT form closes only six days before the paper, and the admit card comes three days before it. So do not plan to decide in the last week. Pick your mode now, register early, and keep the final weeks free for revision, not paperwork.

PBT, CBT or both: how to pick

The syllabus, the question count and the scoring are the same in both modes. The real differences are the date and the room. PBT is the familiar paper-and-OMR format and comes first. CBT runs on a computer at a test centre and gives you one extra week of preparation. If computers make you slow, take PBT. If you want the extra week and you are comfortable reading on a screen, take CBT.

Writing both is allowed, and AIMA prices the pair together. Whether a second sitting is worth your money and energy depends on how stable your mock scores are. Our guide on taking both MAT PBT and CBT walks through that decision step by step.

Already wrote MAT this year?

Every MAT session is a possible second attempt. If your earlier score came in below what your target colleges ask for, a retake can give you a better one to apply with. If the score is already good enough, another attempt mostly buys stress. Our post on whether to retake MAT walks through that call with your scorecard in hand. Read it before you pay another fee.

Who can apply

Any graduate, from any discipline, can apply. Final-year degree students can also apply, with admission subject to finishing the degree. Some colleges add their own conditions, like a minimum percentage in graduation, so check the admission page of each college you care about. The exact eligibility wording is on mat.aima.in.

How to register, step by step

The form is fully online, and it takes under an hour if your documents are ready. The flow is simple: create an account on mat.aima.in, fill in your personal and academic details, upload a photo and signature, choose your mode and preferred test cities, pay the fee online, and save the confirmation PDF. Keep the login details written down somewhere safe — you will need the same account for the admit card and, later, the scorecard.

Two small mistakes cost students real marks of stress every season. First, waiting for the last day — payment pages slow down when everyone pays together. Second, uploading a photo that does not match the specification on the form, which can hold your application. Register early and both problems disappear.

How many weeks do you need?

Count the weeks from today to your test date. Eight to eleven honest weeks is enough for most students. MAT gives you 150 questions across five sections, and speed decides more ranks than difficulty does. A clean plan for this window has three blocks. Weeks one to four: finish concepts section by section. Weeks five to eight: timed sectional practice, one section a day. The last three weeks: full mock tests on alternate days, with the off days spent only on analysing mistakes.

If you want structure and someone to answer to, our MAT online coaching for a 600+ score runs live classes three evenings a week — Monday, Wednesday and Friday — and every class is recorded, so a missed class is never a lost class. E-books, mock tests and mentorship are included, and you can join from anywhere in India. For what that produces, see our student results: a MAT high of 771 out of 800, with 9 of 10 students crossing 600.

One more thing about the calendar. As per mat.aima.in, MAT December 2026 results will be declared by the first week of January 2027; the scorecard comes through your MAT account. And remember that every college sets its own application deadline on its own admission page. Start listing those deadlines now, while you prepare, so the scorecard week is spent applying and not searching.

Where to go next

Do three things this week. Register on mat.aima.in and pick your mode. Write your week-by-week plan on one page. And start the first chapter today, not on Monday. The students who feel calm on exam day are the ones who treated the announcement week as the start of the exam.