Scholarship Tests
LPUNEST vs CUCET vs CGCUET: which scholarship test should you take?
Three Punjab universities run their own scholarship tests. Here is how their fees, exam modes and scholarships compare, and how to decide which one is worth your time.
By Rahul · Published 23 September 2026
If you are joining college in Punjab, three universities run their own entrance and scholarship tests: LPUNEST (Lovely Professional University), CUCET (Chandigarh University) and CGCUET (CGC University, Mohali). You can take more than one — they are separate exams with separate fees.
Quick comparison
LPUNEST
- Registration fee: ₹1,000 (soft copy kit) or ₹1,500 (printed kit) - Mode: online from home, or at one of 300+ test centres - Scholarship: up to ₹8.40 lakh, in categories A to D (60%, 50%, 40%, 30% off tuition on standard programmes)
CUCET
- Registration fee: ₹1,000, including the digital prospectus - Mode: online only - Scholarship: 10% to 100% off tuition, based on your marks. 90.01+ marks means full tuition - Pattern: 120 minutes, 100 questions, no negative marking
CGCUET
- Held in stages, each with its own last date - Scholarship: up to 100% for students who meet the criteria
How to decide
Start with the course, not the scholarship. A 100% waiver at a university that does not teach your course well is a bad deal. Shortlist by programme, placements and campus first, then compare scholarships.
Check the fee, not the percentage. A 40% waiver on a ₹1.6 lakh per semester course saves more than a 60% waiver on a ₹80,000 course. Our college fee pages have a calculator that shows your fee after scholarship.
Apply in the first phase. At both LPU and CU, scholarship slabs shrink in later phases. The same marks are worth more in phase one.
Read the renewal rules. CUCET needs a CGPA of 7.5 every year. If you lose the scholarship in year two, the total cost changes completely.
Remember government scholarships. State post-matric schemes and central schemes like AICTE Pragati can be added on top of a college waiver, depending on the rules. They are free to apply for.
Useful links in this post
Sources
Updated: 27 September 2026