The TNEA 2026 counselling season is here. Here is the complete schedule in one place — bookmark this page and share it with anyone filling choices this year. All dates are from the official schedule but marked “subject to AICTE approval” — always confirm at tneaonline.org before acting.
Key dates at a glance
| Milestone | Dates | Who / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rank list | July 1 (released) | — |
| Special reservation counselling | July 13–18 | 7.5% government-school quota July 13–14; general special reservation July 15–18 |
| Round 1 — choice filling | July 20–22 (10 AM–5 PM) | Ranks 1–37,976 (aggregate 200–171.33). Up to 100 choices — use them all! |
| Round 1 — allotment | July 24–26 | joining July 26–30 |
| Round 2 — choice filling | August 3–5 | Ranks 37,977–1,31,093 (aggregate 171–135.75) |
| Round 2 — allotment | August 8–9 | joining August 9–13 |
| Round 3 — choice filling | August 17–19 | Ranks 1,31,094–2,33,812 (aggregate 135.5–77.5) |
| Round 3 — allotment | August 21–23 | joining August 23–27 |
| Supplementary / vacancy rounds | Not yet announced | watch the portal after August 31 |
What to do before your window opens
- Know your realistic list before July 20. The choice-filling window is barely 2.5 days — research now, not during it. Run your cutoff and community through the TNEAhelp College-Finder (updated with TNEA 2025 closing cutoffs) and build your shortlist.
- Check several years, not one. Cutoffs move — see our risers and fallers analysis before anchoring on last year’s number.
- Search districts smartly — “Chennai” district alone hides most metro colleges; see our district guide.
- Share your shortlist with your family — every College-Finder result now has a “Share on WhatsApp” button.
Sources: official TNEA 2026 schedule as republished by Careers360 and FacePrep (July 2026). Dates are provisional pending AICTE approval; TNEAhelp is not affiliated with Anna University or DoTE — verify all dates at tneaonline.org.