Top UCEED Colleges in 2026 Beyond Big Names: Colleges Accepting UCEED 2026 Scores

Published by Shikha Kumari on Nov 28, 2025

The UCEED 2026 exam, conducted by IIT Bombay, opens doors to top design institutes in India. While IITs dominate the design landscape, several other reputed colleges now accept UCEED 2026 scores for admission to Bachelor of Design (B.Des) programs. This blog lists the top UCEED colleges in 2026 beyond IITs, seat intake, eligibility, syllabus coverage, and registration details, helping aspirants make informed choices for the 2026–2027 design admission cycle.

Colleges Accepting UCEED 2026 Scores (Beyond IITs)

Apart from the seven IITs and IIITDM Jabalpur, many renowned private universities use UCEED 2026 scores for 100% merit-based B.Des admissions. The list below includes six leading institutions with strong design curricula, modern labs, and industry-linked placements.

Total Seats: 280 across six colleges

These institutes accept UCEED 2026 scores as part of their admission process, with counseling expected between March 14 and April 10, 2026.

UCEED 2026 Eligibility Criteria for These Colleges

To apply for any of these design institutes using UCEED 2026 scores, candidates must meet the following eligibility conditions as outlined in the official brochure:

Most colleges conduct additional portfolio reviews or personal interviews after UCEED shortlisting to assess creativity and communication skills.

UCEED 2026 Registration Process

The UCEED 2026 registration process is fully online through its official site. It opens on August 25, 2025, and closes on October 5, 2025, with a late-fee window until October 10, 2025.

UCEED 2026 Registration Fee Structure

The registration fee is non-refundable. SC/ST/PwD candidates must upload valid category certificates during registration to avail concessions.

UCEED 2026 Syllabus for College Preparation

The UCEED 2026 syllabus tests visualization, logical reasoning, creativity, and design awareness through two parts — Part A (Objective, 240 marks) and Part B (Drawing, 60 marks).

The syllabus reflects fundamental skills required in professional B.Des programs, emphasizing creativity, visual thinking, and real-world design analysis.

UCEED 2026 Preparation Plan for Better Scores

A well-structured study plan helps improve your UCEED 2026 scores and secure admission to these design colleges.

• 
  Practice previous year question papers (2025, 2024, 2023) to identify repeating question trends.
  
• Attempt timed mock tests for Part A and Part B every week.
  
• Analyze CEED and UCEED 2025 answer keys for pattern familiarity.
  
• Focus on creative problem-solving and composition for drawing tasks.

UCEED 2026 Important Dates

Conclusion

The top UCEED colleges in 2026 beyond the IITs are Srishti Manipal, World University of Design, MIT Institute of Design, LPU, UPES Dehradun, and Pearl Academy and they collectively offer 280 seats across diverse specializations such as communication, industrial, fashion, product, and visual communication design. With UCEED 2026 registration from August 25 to October 5 and the exam on January 18, 2026, aspirants should start preparation early. Scoring well in Part A (analytical and visual reasoning) and Part B (creativity and drawing) can open multiple design pathways beyond IITs. Choose your UCEED college strategically, focus on creativity and concept clarity, and apply on time to secure a strong start in your design career.

FAQs

Q1. What is the UCEED cut off for 2026?
A: The UCEED 2026 cut-off will be released by IIT Bombay along with the results on March 6, 2026. It represents the minimum marks required to qualify Part A and be included in the rank list. Based on past trends, the Part A qualifying marks are usually around 60–70 out of 240 for General, 54 for OBC-NCL/EWS, and 30 for SC/ST/PwD. The final admission cut-offs vary across IITs and other colleges depending on seat availability, category, and program demand.

Q2. Which university accepts the UCEED score?
A: The UCEED 2026 score is accepted by all participating IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Roorkee, BHU, and IIITDM Jabalpur) for B.Des admissions. Apart from IITs, several result-sharing universities also accept UCEED scores, such as Srishti Manipal Institute, World University of Design, CEPT University, FLAME University, MIT Institute of Design, UPES Dehradun, and Pearl Academy. These institutes use UCEED scores for shortlisting candidates and may conduct additional portfolio or interview rounds for final admission.

Q3. Which IITs are participating in UCEED 2026?
A: A total of seven IITs are participating in UCEED 2026 for Bachelor of Design admissions. These are IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Roorkee, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, and IIITDM Jabalpur. All these institutes accept UCEED 2026 scores through a centralized counseling process managed by IIT Bombay. Each institute offers specialized design programs such as Product Design, Communication Design, and Industrial Design under their B.Des curriculum.

Q4. Does BITS Pilani accept UCEED score?
A: No, BITS Pilani does not currently accept UCEED 2026 scores for admission to its design or innovation programs. However, BITS Design School (Mumbai) has a separate institution under the BITS group which accepts UCEED scores for B.Des admissions starting from the 2025 academic year. It is important to differentiate between BITS Pilani (engineering-focused) and BITS Design School (design-focused), as their admission criteria and selection processes differ.

Q5. What is a good score in UCEED Part B?
A: A good score in UCEED Part B (Drawing section) generally falls between 45–55 out of 60. Part B evaluates creativity, visual communication, and the ability to represent ideas effectively through sketches. Since Part B marks are combined with Part A (240 marks) for the final score, scoring above 50 marks in Part B can significantly boost your rank. Successful candidates focus on clarity of concepts, proportion, storytelling, and innovative thinking rather than artistic perfection.

Q6. Does VIT accept UCEED score?
A: Yes, the VIT School of Design (V-SIGN) at Vellore Institute of Technology accepts UCEED 2026 scores for admission to its B.Des program in Industrial Design and UX Design. Candidates shortlisted through UCEED are invited for further evaluation, which may include a portfolio review or interview. VIT’s design program combines engineering and creativity, making it a strong alternative for candidates who want interdisciplinary exposure in product and experience design through their UCEED performance.