NTS GAT and NAT Test Dates 2026: GAT Subject and NAT-XI on 15 November, GAT General on 13 December
GAT Subject schedule 2026: NTS lists GAT Subject and NAT-XI on 15 November and GAT General and NAT-XII on 13 December. See closing dates, fees and conflicts.
Short answer: NTS lists GAT Subject 2026-VI for Sunday 15 November 2026, and its open applications page now shows 30 October 2026 as the last date to apply. NAT-XI is also Sunday 15 November, with applications closing Monday 26 October. GAT General VIII and NAT-XII are on Sunday 13 December, and GAT General VIII closes on 30 November.
Correction, 25 October 2026: this page first gave 12 and 19 October as the GAT Subject VI dates and 19 October as the NAT-XI closing date. On 25 October the NTS open applications page showed 30 October for GAT Subject VI and 26 October for NAT-XI, and the NAT schedule now shows 26 October, so we have changed the dates below.
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 is open until 30 October
The NTS Open Applications page showed 30 October 2026 as the last date of form submission for GAT Subject 2026-VI when we checked on 25 October. The test is on Sunday 15 November. NTS's older GAT Subject schedule still prints Monday 12 October as the closing date.
The fee page of the same test shows two amounts: Rs 2,210, and Rs 3,010 "with late fee". NTS does not say which amount applies after 12 October, so read the fee on your own bank slip before you pay.
| Test | Test date | Announced | Closing date | Roll slip | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GAT Subject VI | Sun 15 Nov | Mon 14 Sep | Fri 30 Oct (open list) | Tue 27 Oct | Mon 23 Nov |
| NAT-XI | Sun 15 Nov | Mon 12 Oct | Mon 26 Oct | Tue 3 Nov | Mon 23 Nov |
| GAT General VIII | Sun 13 Dec | Mon 12 Oct | Mon 30 Nov | Tue 8 Dec | Mon 21 Dec |
| NAT-XII | Sun 13 Dec | Mon 16 Nov | Mon 7 Dec | Tue 15 Dec (see note) | Mon 21 Dec |
NAT-XI and GAT General VIII opened on Monday 12 October
Both announcement dates fell on Monday 12 October 2026. When we checked on 25 October, both were on the NTS Open Applications list, with last dates of 26 October for NAT-XI and 30 November for GAT General VIII.
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.
- Register (one time only) at nts.org.pk and complete your profile: personal, academic and, if relevant, employment details.
- Upload a recent photograph with a full face.
- Select the test from the list of announced projects and choose a primary and a secondary test city.
- Download the bank deposit slip from the portal only.
- Pay through 1Link 1Bill banks, ATMs, internet or mobile banking, or the wallet apps NTS lists.
- 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: 12 October on its schedule and 30 October on its open applications page. 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 NTS Open Applications page showed 30 October 2026 as the last date on 25 October. The older schedule still prints 12 October, so apply as soon as you can.
When is NAT-XI?
Sunday 15 November 2026. NTS lists the announcement as Monday 12 October and the closing date as Monday 26 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, and checked the Open Applications list and the NAT, GAT General and GAT Subject schedules again on 25 October 2026. Dates and fees change by notice. We did not apply or pay, and the candidate portal pages did not load as text.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
