MBA Admission Without CAT 2027: Every Exam Still Open and Who Accepts It
CAT 2026 registration closed on 22 September 2026, but five MBA entrance routes are still open: NMAT by GMAC (registration extended from 10 to 25 October), SNAP (25 November), XAT 2027 (6 December), MAT’s December sessions (14 and 21 December) and IBSAT (rolling rounds to 22 December). CMAT 2027 registration is expected in October. Each is a real, scored test — none is a way around the admission process.
Deadlines still open today
| Exam | Registration closes | Exam date(s) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NMAT 2026 (GMAC) | 25 October 2026 (extended from 10 October) | 2 November – 20 December 2026 | Open |
| SNAP 2026 | 25 November 2026 | 13, 19 and 26 December 2026 | Open |
| XAT 2027 | 6 December 2026 | 3 January 2027 | Open |
| IBSAT 2026 | Rounds closing 1, 8, 15 and 22 December 2026 | 5–27 December 2026 (multiple dates) | Open |
| CMAT 2027 | Expected October 2026 (start) | 7 February 2027 | Exam date on NTA calendar (provisional); registration not yet open |
| MAT 2026 (December) | PBT closes 14 December; CBT closes 21 December 2026 | PBT 20 December; CBT 27 December 2026 | Open, confirm on AIMA |
Dates are as listed by MBAUniverse on 23 September 2026 and shift between cycles. Always confirm on the official exam website before you register.
Who accepts each exam (lowest fee first)
The lists below come from this site’s college directory. “CAT band” is the percentile range the college actually admits at, so you can judge whether a college is realistic. The last column shows every test the college accepts.
Colleges accepting NMAT (30 in our directory)
| College | City | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LLIMLala Lajpatrai Institute of Management | Mumbai | 50–60 %ile | ₹3.8 L | 5.5 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, NMAT, GMAT |
| LPULovely Professional University | Phagwara | 60–75 %ile | ₹5.8 L | 6 LPA | MAT, CMAT, XAT, NMAT |
| IBS DehradunICFAI Business School Dehradun | Dehradun | 50–65 %ile | ₹7 L | 6 LPA | IBSAT, NMAT, XAT, GMAT |
| Amity PatnaAmity University Patna | Patna | 50–60 %ile | ₹7.5 L | 4 LPA | NMAT, MAT |
| Doon Business SchoolDBS Global University Doon Business School | Dehradun | 50–65 %ile | ₹9.1 L | 8.2 LPA | CMAT, MAT, XAT, NMAT, GMAT |
| Amity LucknowAmity University Lucknow | Lucknow | 60–75 %ile | ₹9.4 L | 5.5 LPA | XAT, MAT, CMAT, NMAT |
| PDEUSchool of Management Pandit Deendayal Energy University | Gandhinagar | 45–55 %ile | ₹9.5 L | 9.2 LPA | XAT, NMAT, MAT |
| DSB DelhiDelhi School of Business VIPS-TC | New Delhi | 65–75 %ile | ₹11 L | 9.4 LPA | XAT, CMAT, MAT, NMAT, GMAT |
| GITAM VizagGITAM School of Business | Visakhapatnam | 50–60 %ile | ₹11.4 L | 5.4 LPA | GAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, NMAT, AP-ICET |
| ISBRISBR Business School | Bangalore | 50–70 %ile | ₹12 L | 8 LPA | XAT, CMAT, MAT, NMAT, ATMA, KMAT, PGCET |
| IIHMR JaipurIIHMR University Jaipur | Jaipur | 50–65 %ile | ₹12 L | 7.8 LPA | XAT, CMAT, MAT, NMAT, ATMA |
| Amity JaipurAmity University Rajasthan | Jaipur | 60–72 %ile | ₹12.1 L | 4 LPA | XAT, MAT, CMAT, NMAT |
Cheapest first. Showing up to 12 of 30. Confirm the current fee and cut-off with the institute.
Colleges accepting XAT (130 in our directory)
| College | City | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamia Millia IslamiaCentre for Management Studies Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | 65–80 %ile | ₹0.5 L | n/a | XAT, CMAT, MAT |
| DAIMSRDr. Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research | Nagpur | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.8 L | 2.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| SIOMSinhgad Institute of Management | Pune | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.5 L | 4.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| CSIBERChhatrapati Shahu Institute of Business Education and Research | Kolhapur | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.6 L | 3 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| MET NashikMET's Institute of Management Nashik | Nashik | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.8 L | n/a | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, GMAT |
| GalgotiasGalgotias University School of Business | Greater Noida | 45–55 %ile | ₹2.9 L | 5.3 LPA | XAT, UPTAC, CUET-PG |
| PUMBADepartment of Management Sciences Savitribai Phule Pune University | Pune | 60–80 %ile | ₹3 L | 9.4 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA |
| InvertisInvertis University | Bareilly | 40–55 %ile | ₹3 L | 7.3 LPA | MAT, CMAT, XAT, CUET-PG |
| AIM GuwahatiAssam Institute of Management | Guwahati | 50–65 %ile | ₹3.6 L | 7.4 LPA | MAT, CMAT, XAT, ATMA |
| LLIMLala Lajpatrai Institute of Management | Mumbai | 50–60 %ile | ₹3.8 L | 5.5 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, NMAT, GMAT |
| MET MumbaiMET Institute of Management | Mumbai | 55–70 %ile | ₹4.1 L | 7.5 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| OPJU RaigarhOP Jindal University | Raigarh | 50–60 %ile | ₹4.4 L | n/a | MAT, XAT, CMAT, GMAT |
Cheapest first. Showing up to 12 of 130. Confirm the current fee and cut-off with the institute.
Colleges accepting CMAT (131 in our directory)
| College | City | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamia Millia IslamiaCentre for Management Studies Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | 65–80 %ile | ₹0.5 L | n/a | XAT, CMAT, MAT |
| BK SchoolB. K. School of Professional and Management Studies | Ahmedabad | 40–55 %ile | ₹0.8 L | 5.1 LPA | CMAT, GCET |
| FMS MSU BarodaFaculty of Management Studies Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda | Vadodara | 40–55 %ile | ₹0.8 L | 7.3 LPA | CMAT, GCET |
| MLSU UdaipurFaculty of Management Studies Mohanlal Sukhadia University | Udaipur | 50–60 %ile | ₹1.2 L | n/a | CMAT, MAT, CUET-PG |
| KIMS DharwadKousali Institute of Management Studies Karnatak University | Hubli-Dharwad | 40–50 %ile | ₹1.5 L | n/a | PGCET, KMAT, CMAT |
| DIEMSDeogiri Institute of Engineering and Management Studies | Aurangabad | 40–50 %ile | ₹1.6 L | 4 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, ATMA |
| DAIMSRDr. Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research | Nagpur | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.8 L | 2.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| SRLIMS. R. Luthra Institute of Management | Surat | 40–50 %ile | ₹2 L | 3.4 LPA | CMAT, GCET |
| IMK TrivandrumInstitute of Management in Kerala University of Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.1 L | 3.5 LPA | KMAT, CMAT |
| SMS CUSATSchool of Management Studies CUSAT | Kochi | 70–85 %ile | ₹2.2 L | 8.6 LPA | CMAT, KMAT |
| CUSATCochin University of Science and Technology | Kochi | 70–85 %ile | ₹2.2 L | 8.6 LPA | CMAT, KMAT |
| SIOMSinhgad Institute of Management | Pune | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.5 L | 4.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
Cheapest first. Showing up to 12 of 131. Confirm the current fee and cut-off with the institute.
Colleges accepting MAT (113 in our directory)
| College | City | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamia Millia IslamiaCentre for Management Studies Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | 65–80 %ile | ₹0.5 L | n/a | XAT, CMAT, MAT |
| MLSU UdaipurFaculty of Management Studies Mohanlal Sukhadia University | Udaipur | 50–60 %ile | ₹1.2 L | n/a | CMAT, MAT, CUET-PG |
| CCSU MeerutChaudhary Charan Singh University | Meerut | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.3 L | n/a | CUET-PG, UPTAC, MAT |
| DoMS Anna UniversityDepartment of Management Studies Anna University | Chennai | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.4 L | 6 LPA | TANCET, MAT |
| DAIMSRDr. Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research | Nagpur | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.8 L | 2.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| SIOMSinhgad Institute of Management | Pune | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.5 L | 4.6 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| CSIBERChhatrapati Shahu Institute of Business Education and Research | Kolhapur | 40–55 %ile | ₹2.6 L | 3 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| MGMUMGM University Institute of Management | Aurangabad | 40–50 %ile | ₹2.7 L | n/a | MAT, CMAT |
| PUMBADepartment of Management Sciences Savitribai Phule Pune University | Pune | 60–80 %ile | ₹3 L | 9.4 LPA | MAH-CET, XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA |
| InvertisInvertis University | Bareilly | 40–55 %ile | ₹3 L | 7.3 LPA | MAT, CMAT, XAT, CUET-PG |
| AIM GuwahatiAssam Institute of Management | Guwahati | 50–65 %ile | ₹3.6 L | 7.4 LPA | MAT, CMAT, XAT, ATMA |
| LLIMLala Lajpatrai Institute of Management | Mumbai | 50–60 %ile | ₹3.8 L | 5.5 LPA | MAH-CET, CMAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, NMAT, GMAT |
Cheapest first. Showing up to 12 of 113. Confirm the current fee and cut-off with the institute.
State and university tests are not CAT substitutes
Many low-fee government and state-university MBAs admit through their own test. In our directory you will see MAH-CET (Maharashtra), CUET-PG and GCET named against specific colleges. These are separate tests with separate registration windows and, often, domicile rules — a CAT score does not replace them. The exams column names the actual test for every college.
Exam-by-exam guides
- NMAT 2026 registration and exam window
- CMAT 2027 dates (expected)
- XAT 2027 registration and exam date
- IBSAT 2026 dates
- MAT 2026 exam dates
Without CAT, by city
- MBA colleges in Pune without CAT
- MBA colleges in Mumbai without CAT
- MBA colleges in Noida without CAT
- MBA colleges in Lucknow without CAT
- MBA colleges in Jaipur without CAT
- MBA colleges in Delhi NCR without CAT
Frequently asked questions
Can I get MBA admission in 2027 without CAT?
Yes. Many institutes accept XAT, SNAP, NMAT, CMAT, MAT or a state test instead of CAT. Each has its own deadline and cut-off, so check the institute’s admission notice.
Which MBA entrance exams are still open after CAT 2026?
As of 9 October 2026: NMAT (extended from 10 to 25 October), SNAP (25 November), XAT 2027 (6 December), MAT December sessions (14 and 21 December) and IBSAT (rounds to 22 December). CMAT 2027 registration is expected in October.
What is the last date to register for NMAT 2026?
25 October 2026 after an extension from 10 October (press reports; confirm on mba.com), with the exam window running 2 November to 20 December 2026.
Is MBA admission without any entrance exam possible?
Legitimate AICTE-approved institutes admit through a named test and selection process. Offers of admission with no test for a fee are a red flag; verify approval on the AICTE website first.
Comparing fallback exams? See MAT vs CMAT vs ATMA or the full MBA admission 2027 deadline table.
Looking for a state route instead? The state test calendar covers eight states, and there are city guides for Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata. SNAP: closes 25 November.
Choosing between fallback tests? Colleges accepting XAT, state by state and colleges accepting CMAT show where each test opens doors.
Sources & methodology
Exam dates were checked on 24 September 2026 and change between cycles. College data is from this site’s directory (verified 4 September 2026).