The CLAT counselling registration window closed on May 21, 2025. The Consortium of NLUs restarted the CLAT counselling process after declaring the revised result on May 17. Shortlisted candidates had to pay the counselling registration fee which is Rs. 30,000 for general candidates and Rs, 20,000 for SC and ST Candidates. However, several candidates are now seeking a refund of the counselling fees they paid earlier in December when the counselling registration first started as per the old result. This is due to the fact that many have been disqualified from counselling provisions due to revisions in the CLAT merit list, whereas some have secured admission to non-NLUs through other entrance exams and no longer want to be part of the CLAT admission process. Additionally, there will be candidates, approximately 85% of those included in the current CLAT invite list; they received the invitation but may not be able to secure allotment due to a limited number of seats offered by NLUs.
Such candidates can secure a full refund of the counselling fees provided they meet the terms and conditions. In some cases, a refund is given after some deductions or even the confirmation fee is locked.
Let us try to understand in this article how CLAT counselling fee refund works, what are the rules for deduction if any, and what options are available to you if you participate in the admission process and still want a fee refund.
Candidates who have been disqualified in the revised merit list. Such candidates are eagerly waiting for refunds.
Those who are eligible for counselling and allotment, still want to opt out of the process and get the refunds
Refund for candidates who do not secure allotment in any of the NLU till the last round of counselling.
Those who exercise options such as freeze, and float but opt out later from the admission process.
In this case, a full refund will be given. The consortium has said that such candidates will get a refund very soon. Regarding these refunds, do check the CLAT 2025 login portal for more updates.
Candidates simply opting out of the counselling process are advised to not use the Freeze or Float options and instead simply exercise the Exit option when allotments are announced, the counselling fee will be refunded without any deductions.
If a candidate is not allotted a seat till the third round of counselling, the complete registration fee will be refunded.
The fourth and most tricky scenario is when candidates exercise the freeze, and float options after allotment; how much refund they will get in this case?
Keep in mind that exercising freeze and float options requires candidates to pay a non-refundable confirmation fee of Rs. 20,000.
Now, going forward, if the exit option is exercised in the counselling process, candidates may get a refund of the counselling registration fee but not the Rs. 20,000 they paid for confirming the seat.
Still, if they want to opt out of the counselling after exercising freeze and float, use the exit option before 1 pm on June 09 to get a full refund of the counselling registration fee.
After this, a deduction of Rs. 5,000 is applicable, and candidates will get Rs. 15,000 or Rs. 25,000 in refund, depending on their category.
Now, suppose a candidate secured the allotment and submitted the documents at the NLU, but the university found out that identified some incorrect information or invalid documents; in this case, Rs. 5000 will be deducted and the remaining registration fee will be refunded. Additionally, the seat confirmation fee is already forfeited.
Finally, there is a case of admission withdrawal;
If a candidate takes admission at the allocated NLU but withdraws after June 09, Rs. 5000 will be deducted from his counselling fee. Additionally, the confirmation fee paid at the time of counselling will be forfeited.
In both the cases mentioned above, the candidate will end up losing Rs. 25,000. Therefore, candidates are advised to use their options judiciously, especially the freeze and float options.
On Question asked by student community
If you have secured a CLAT 2026 rank of 13656 and are aiming for admission to LLM programmes in National Law Universities (NLUs), it’s important to understand how selection usually works. LLM admissions at most NLUs depend primarily on the candidate’s CLAT PG rank, but the level of competition is high because many applicants compete for a limited number of seats. With a rank around 13656, the chances of securing a seat in the most sought-after NLUs like NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata or National Law University Delhi are quite slim because these institutions tend to have much higher closing ranks for most specialisations in their LLM programmes.
However, your rank keeps you in a position to explore other good NLUs and national law schools where the closing ranks are relatively lower or have larger seat matrices. Institutions such as Hidayatullah National Law University Raipur, National Law University Odisha, Gujarat National Law University, Tamil Nadu National Law University, Chanakya National Law University Patna and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University Lucknow have historically had closing ranks beyond the top five NLUs. These universities often offer quality legal education, experienced faculty, moot court activities, internships and decent placement opportunities for LLM graduates. Many of them also have specialisations in areas like constitutional law, corporate law, human rights law and international law, giving you options to pursue your interests.
It is also essential to remember that CLAT PG counselling usually happens in multiple rounds, including mop-up and stray vacancy rounds, through which seats in various universities are reallocated as candidates make changes or withdraw. With a rank in the mid-range, participating in all counselling rounds will improve your chances because some seats open up later in the process. Apart from NLUs, some universities and law schools that accept CLAT PG scores may also offer admission based on home-state quotas or reserved category benefits if applicable to you. Evaluating all these options with an open mind will help you find a suitable law institute where you can pursue your LLM and build your legal career.
All the best.
With a CLAT PG rank of 1257 in the SC category and being a woman candidate with Rajasthan domicile, you do have a realistic chance of securing admission to several National Law Universities, though the top NLUs may be difficult at this rank. Admission chances depend heavily on category-wise cut-offs, domicile reservations, and how many seats are available in a given year. For top-tier NLUs like NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, or NLUD, the closing ranks for SC category usually fall much lower, so chances there are minimal. However, you should definitely consider mid- and lower-ranked NLUs where SC category cut-offs often extend beyond 1200–1500 ranks.
You should prioritise NLUs that offer domicile or state quota benefits, especially those closer to your home state or neighbouring regions. National Law University Jodhpur (if applicable under domicile or category movement), Hidayatullah National Law University Raipur, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University Lucknow, Gujarat National Law University Gandhinagar, Maharashtra National Law University (Nagpur or Aurangabad), National Law University Odisha, and Tamil Nadu National Law University are some options where candidates in the SC category with similar ranks have secured seats in previous counselling rounds. Lower-tier NLUs like Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University, Himachal Pradesh National Law University, and Dharmashastra National Law University can also be kept in your preference list as safer options.
Your strategy should be to keep a wide preference list during counselling, placing mid-ranked NLUs first and then moving to lower NLUs, rather than restricting yourself only to a few choices. Also, stay active during subsequent counselling rounds and vacancy rounds, as many seats in the SC category are filled later due to withdrawals. Overall, while top NLUs may be tough, you have a fair chance of getting into a decent NLU if you plan your preferences smartly and remain flexible.
With a CLAT PG rank of around 11,000, getting admission into the top National Law Universities (NLUs) is not likely, as their general category cut-offs usually close much earlier. However, you still have realistic chances in lower-ranked and newer NLUs, especially in the later rounds of CLAT counselling or through vacant seats.
At this rank, you may consider NLUs such as NLU Tripura, NLU Meghalaya, NLU Nagaland, NLU Sikkim, NLU Andhra Pradesh, NLU Odisha, NLU Jabalpur, and NLU Aurangabad, particularly if you belong to a reserved category like SC, ST, OBC, EWS, or have domicile or women reservation applicable. Cut-offs for these universities tend to go higher in rank compared to older NLUs, and seats often open up in subsequent counselling rounds due to withdrawals.
If you do not secure an NLU seat, you should also strongly consider reputed state and private law universities that accept CLAT PG scores or conduct their own entrance tests. Universities such as Faculty of Law, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Delhi University (DU – through CUET PG), Jamia Millia Islamia, Symbiosis Law School, Christ University, Jindal Global Law School, and Nirma University are good alternatives for LLM aspirants. Many of these institutions offer strong academic exposure, experienced faculty, and good research opportunities, sometimes even better than newer NLUs.
Overall, while a rank of 11,000 limits options in top NLUs, admission is still possible in newer NLUs or good non-NLU law universities, provided you actively participate in counselling rounds and keep backup options ready.
With a CLAT 2026 All India Rank around 2070, Telangana domicile, and holding an OBC certificate (girl candidate), your chances of getting admission into a top-tier NLU like NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, NUJS Kolkata or NLU Jodhpur are quite low, as their closing ranks are usually much higher. However, you still have realistic chances in several mid-tier and newer NLUs, especially if OBC reservation and domicile or women reservation is applicable.
Based on previous years’ counselling trends, you can reasonably expect chances in NLUs such as NLU Odisha (Cuttack), NLIU Bhopal (borderline, depending on category movement), NLU Assam (Guwahati), DSNLU Visakhapatnam, TNNLU Tiruchirappalli, HPNLU Shimla, NLU Tripura, NLU Meghalaya, NLU Sikkim, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar NLU Sonipat. Some of these universities see rank movement in later rounds and vacancies, particularly for reserved categories and women candidates.
Since you are from Telangana, you should definitely keep NALSAR Hyderabad in your preference list, but only after all higher NLUs, as the domicile quota is limited and usually closes at a much better rank. Still, it is worth trying because domicile and category together can sometimes help in spot or vacancy rounds.
Your best strategy would be to prepare a balanced preference list: first include all top NLUs, then mid-tier NLUs like NLU Odisha and NLIU Bhopal, followed by newer and lower-ranked NLUs where your rank has a stronger chance. Make sure you actively participate in all counselling rounds, including vacancies, as many seats open up after withdrawals.
Cut-offs vary every year depending on seat intake, category distribution, and counselling dynamics, so even if you miss out in early rounds, you should not lose hope. Keep your documents ready, track counselling updates closely, and stay flexible with preferences to maximize your chances of securing an NLU seat.
Hello there,
Here is a list of government and semi-government colleges that accept CLAT score:
However, these universities also carry out separate registration to apply using your CLAT Scorecard.
I hope this helps you.
Thankyou.
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