CLAT, AILET, SLAT, LNAT UK: Registration Fees alone can cost a Whopping INR 23000+
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CLAT, AILET, SLAT, LNAT UK: Registration Fees alone can cost a Whopping INR 23000+

Sansar Singh ChhikaraUpdated on 26 Aug 2025, 04:31 PM IST

Legal education in India is on an upward trend with an increasing number of students enrolling for this promising career path each year. Talking of legal education in India, the National Law Universities (NLUs) take up the top spot in most charts, with NLSIU Bengaluru leading the way. After the NLUs come other private law schools like Symbiosis Law Schools, Jindal Law School etc. Just like engineering, medical and other education streams, law admissions also majorly come through entrance exams. CLAT, AILET, SLAT, LNAT UK - these are counted as some of the top law entrance exams in India. While there is so much to talk about these entrance exams, one thing that differentiates these LETs (Law Entrance Exams) from other entrance exams is the exorbitantly high registration fees.

CLAT, AILET, SLAT, LNAT UK: Registration Fees alone can cost a Whopping INR 23000+
CLAT, AILET, SLAT, LNAT UK: Registration Fees alone can cost a Whopping INR 23000+

Shockingly, just signing up for these top law entrance tests — CLAT, AILET, SLAT, and the UK’s LNAT can drain over ₹23,000 from a student’s pocket. This is just the application fee, expenses like coaching, study material, and other preparations come on top of this. It doesn’t end here, the tuition fee of NLUs, and private law schools like SLS and JGLS have been very high. In this article, we discuss in detail the high application fee for top law schools, comparison with other LETs, tuition fees and other details.

NLUs Student Bodies Demand Urgent CLAT Fee Reforms

Student Bar Associations and Marginalised Empowerment Clinics from National Law Universities (NLUs) across India recently started a petition demanding urgent reforms in CLAT fee structure. This pertained to the over the top counselling registration and application fee. These student bodies also started an e-petition to garner support from the student community. In 2024, avitribai Intersectional Study Circle at NALSAR (SISC), NALSAR Student Bar Council, NLS Savitri Phule Ambedkar Caravan (SPAC), NLS Student Bar Association, DSNLU Student Bar Association, DNLU Student Council Association, and NLIU Bhopal Savitri Phule Ambedkar Caravan (SPAC) had made a formal representation to the Consortium of NLUs regarding the unreasonable counselling registration fee. However, no action was taken by the Consortium in this matter.

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CLAT, AILET, SLAT, LNAT UK application fee vs OLETs

There is a stark difference between the application fees of these big four law entrance exams and state level and other law entrance exams. The below-given table shows a comparison between CLAT, AILET, SLAT, LNAT UK and other law entrance exams like MH CET Law, TS LAWCET, AP LAWCET

Comparison of fee - Big 4 vs OLETs

Big 4 Law Exams

OLETs

  • CLAT - General Category - Rs 4000, SC/ST/PwD - 3500
  • AILET - General Category - Rs 3000, SC/ST/PwD - Rs 1000
  • SLAT - Rs 2250 (Additional Rs 1000 for each programme)
  • LNAT UK - 120 GBP OR 14,200+ INR
  • MH CET Law - General Category - Rs 1000 SC/ST/PwD - Rs 800
  • AP LAWCET - General Category - Rs 900, BC - 850, SC/ST - Rs 800
  • TS LAWCET - General Category - Rs 900, SC/ST/PH - Rs 600
  • KLEE - General/SEBC Category - Rs 900, SC/ST - Rs 450
  • Lucknow University BA LLB - General Category - Rs 800, SC/ST/PwD - Rs 400

Law Entrance Exam Fees vs Other National Level Entrance Exams

To get a clearer picture of the high registration fee of law entrance exams it is important to pitch it against big national level entrance exams like JEE, NEET etc. The CLAT registration fee is four times that of JEE Main - the biggest engineering exam in the country. The registration fee of JEE Mains is Rs 1000 for General category, whereas the fee for CLAT exam for the same category is Rs 4000. Coming to NEET exam, the registration fee is 50% less than that of CLAT exam. The below-given table draws comparison between major law entrance exams and other national level entrance exams like JEE Main, NEET etc.

Law Entrance Exams vs National Level Entrance Exams

Law Entrance Exams

National Level Entrance Exams

  • CLAT - General Category - Rs 4000, SC/ST/PwD - 3500
  • AILET - General Category - Rs 3000, SC/ST/PwD - Rs 1000
  • SLAT - Rs 2250 (Additional Rs 1000 for each programme)
  • LNAT UK - 120 GBP OR 14,200+ INR

  • JEE Main - General Category - Rs 1000, Female/OBC/EWS - 800, SC/ST/PwD/Transgender
  • NEET - General Category - Rs 1700, EWS/OBC-NCL - Rs 1600, SC/ST/PwD/Third-Gender - 1000
  • VITEEE - Rs 1350
  • NIFT - General/OBC/EWS - Rs 3000, SC/ST/PwD Rs 1500
  • CUET UG - General Category - Rs 1000, OBC-NCL/EWS - RS 900, SC/ST/PwD - Rs 800
  • NCHMCT JEE - General Category/OBC-NCL - Rs 1000, EWS - 700, SC/ST/PwD/Transgender - Rs 450

Is the CLAT counselling registration fee too high?

It is not just the high registration fee of CLAT that is bothering candidates. Once the CLAT exam is over, candidates who are invited for counselling must pay an extortionate registration fee of Rs 30,000 just to sit in the admission process. ST/SC/OBC/BC/EWS/PWD candidates also need to pay Rs 20,000. The amount candidates need to pay without even a guarantee of seat confirmation may end up being too hefty. Earlier this year, the Delhi High Court also noted, “We expect that the aforesaid observations would be sufficient for the Consortium to take heed of and take appropriate steps to avoid such excessive fee in the next examinations, scheduled for the following years.” The Consortium of NLUs, however, has not made any amendments in its registration or counselling fee structure.

If the Registration Fee Hurts, the NLU Tuition Might Break You

CLAT registration is just the step one towards getting closer to securing a seat at your preferred law school. Students who are surprised by the registration fee might get further shocked after seeing the tuition fees of top NLUs. The top ranked National Law University in India - NLSIU Bengaluru will cost an astronomical amount of approximately Rs 22.75 lakhs for a 5-year LLB. Similarly, pursuing BA LLB at SLS Pune will amount to Rs 23.65 lakhs just in tuition fees. The below-give table lists down the most expensive NLUs in India:

Most Expensive NLUs (UG – BA LLB) by Full 5-Year Cost

NLU Name

Annual Fee (₹ lakh)

Total 5-Year Fee (₹ lakh)

NLSIU Bengaluru

4.55

22.75

RPNLU Prayagraj

4.53

22.65

MNLU Nagpur

3.85

19.25

NLU Delhi

3.83

19.15

MNLU Mumbai (All India)

3.62

18.10

WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB)

3.55

17.75

DNLU Jabalpur

3.51

17.55

NUSRL Ranchi

3.39

16.95

MNLU Aurangabad (All India)

3.22

16.10




The Price of Prestige: Are NLUs, SLSs, and JGLS Worth the Cost?

The dream of studying at the top law schools in India comes at a high cost starting from the registration fee, subtly moving to the counselling fee and eventually ending at tuition fee. It is an undeniable fact that the above-discussed law schools come with great prestige and unmatched opportunities. For students coming from mediocre to weaker financial backgrounds, it is not just about clearing the entrance exams but also managing the significant financial cost incurred during the entire process. Eventually, cost becomes a barrier for many deserving students from weaker financial backgrounds. In the end, it all falls on the student to carefully weigh their options, get an idea of the financial after-effects and then choose a wise and well-suited option. It is indeed worth asking if these costs are truly justifiable or these law schools and exam-conducting bodies should slash down the costs to make legal education accessible in India.

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Questions related to CLAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CLAT ?

Hi, you can apply for admissions in Nirma University, NFSU Ahemdabad, Alliance, IPU University and affiliated instiutes (in case you are reserved category candidates), UPES Dehradun, BITS Law School etc.

Start preparing for CLAT by first understanding the exam pattern and syllabus, which includes English, Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques. Make a simple daily routine and begin with basics read newspapers regularly for current affairs, practice comprehension passages for English and legal sections, and solve basic

Hello,

With a CLAT AIR of 33599 and SC category rank of 2103, and being a Delhi domicile, your chances at IP University (GGSIPU) are moderate to good, especially in later counselling rounds.

Based on previous year trends, some IPU-affiliated law colleges have closed at higher SC category ranks, so

Hello

With an AIR of 9076 and EWS rank of 846 in CLAT 2026, getting a top NLUs is unlikely, which is why you didn’t get a seat in the first round. However, you still have some chances in lower-tier NLUs like NLU Odisha, NLU Assam, NLU Tripura, NLU Meghalaya,

Hello

With a CLAT 2026 score of 60.75, AIR 17,715, and OBC-NCL rank 3,347 as an out-of-Delhi candidate, getting a seat in the Faculty of Law, Delhi University is very unlikely. DU’s cut-offs for OBC candidates are usually much higher, even in later rounds. You should keep backup options like