NTS Test Dates 2026: GAT Subject Closes 12 October, NAT-XI Closes 19 October

Short answer: NTS lists GAT Subject 2026-VI for Sunday 15 November 2026, with a closing date of Monday 12 October and a last date of 19 October on its open applications page. NAT-XI is also Sunday 15 November, announced Monday 12 October and closing Monday 19 October. GAT General VIII and NAT-XII are on Sunday 13 December.

Students plan a year around a single test date. A PhD applicant who misses the GAT Subject window in October may wait until 2027 for the next one that fits an admission deadline. So we read NTS's own pages for every date still ahead.

We opened the National Testing Service (NTS) pages for NAT, GAT General, GAT Subject and Open Applications on 11 October 2026. Two of the dates look odd, and we flag them below instead of choosing one quietly.

GAT Subject 2026-VI closes on 12 October, and 19 October is the last date

NTS's GAT Subject schedule gives Monday 12 October 2026 as the closing date for test VI, which is on Sunday 15 November. The Open Applications page shows 19 October as the last date of form submission. NTS does not explain the gap.

The fee page of the same test shows two amounts: Rs 2,210, and Rs 3,010 "with late fee". So 19 October is probably the late-fee window. Apply by 12 October if you can, and read the fee on your own bank slip.

NAT-XI and GAT General VIII open on Monday 12 October

Both announcement dates fall on Monday 12 October 2026. The NTS Open Applications list we read on 11 October did not show them yet. Wait for the notice on the NTS Open Applications page, then apply.

NAT is the National Aptitude Test, used for undergraduate admission at NTS associated universities. GAT General is for MS and MPhil admission, and GAT Subject is for PhD. A university decides which one it accepts, so read its own advertisement first.

The fees printed on the NTS test pages

NTS prints a normal fee and a late fee for each test: NAT Rs 1,510 and Rs 2,010; GAT General Rs 1,810 and Rs 2,510; GAT Subject Rs 2,210 and Rs 3,010. Pay through the bank slip the portal generates for you, and check the exact amount there.

The pages say bank service charges are shown on the deposit slip. Our earlier report on NTS test registration and results noted a small service charge on the open applications. Treat the slip as the final figure.

How to apply on the NTS portal

You register once on the NTS online registration portal, upload a recent photograph, choose the test, pick two test cities, download the bank slip and pay it. Then you watch the website for your roll number slip. Incomplete forms are not processed.

1. Register (one time only) at nts.org.pk and complete your profile: personal, academic and, if relevant, employment details.
2. Upload a recent photograph with a full face.
3. Select the test from the list of announced projects and choose a primary and a secondary test city.
4. Download the bank deposit slip from the portal only.
5. Pay through 1Link 1Bill banks, ATMs, internet or mobile banking, or the wallet apps NTS lists.
6. Check the website for the roll number slip, which NTS says goes up at least 7 days before the test.

Eligibility and how long the score lasts

GAT General asks for at least 16 years of education and GAT Subject for at least 18 years. A NAT score is valid for one year, and a GAT score for two years. Candidates may apply again to improve a previous GAT score.

Mobile phones are not allowed inside the test centre. Some test cities are optional and run only if at least 200 fee-paid candidates register, so choose a second city in case yours is cancelled. Our guide to the HEC Law GAT on 18 October covers a different test.

Two points on the NTS schedule do not add up

The NAT page lists the NAT-XII roll number slip as Tuesday 15 December, after the test on Sunday 13 December. That looks like a typing error. NTS also shows two closing dates for GAT Subject VI. Confirm both on the portal before you act.

NTS's own advice is to keep visiting its website for the test date and roll number slip. It sends an SMS too, but says delivery fails on ported numbers. Queries are entertained until 7 days before a project's first test day.

Common questions

What is the closing date for GAT Subject on 15 November 2026?

The GAT Subject schedule shows Monday 12 October 2026, and the Open Applications page shows 19 October as the last date. Apply by 12 October to avoid doubt.

When is NAT-XI?

Sunday 15 November 2026. NTS lists the announcement as Monday 12 October and the closing date as Monday 19 October.

What is the fee for the NAT?

NTS prints Rs 1,510, and Rs 2,010 with the late fee. The bank slip shows any service charge on top.

How long is a GAT score valid?

Two years for GAT General and GAT Subject, and one year for the NAT, according to the NTS test pages.

Where do I get my roll number slip?

On the NTS website and portal. NTS says slips are uploaded at least 7 days before the test.

Is the GAT accepted by every university?

No. Each university sets which test it accepts, so read its admission notice. HEC runs its own tests for some awards, such as the HEC HAT test, which is separate from NTS.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

We read the NTS pages for NAT, GAT General, GAT Subject and the Open Applications list on 11 October 2026. Dates and fees change by notice. We did not apply or pay, and the candidate portal pages did not load as text.