For the undergraduate engineering route, the paper is an objective, computer-based test drawn from the class 11 and class 12 syllabus, covering Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, and in some programme streams also assessing quantitative reasoning, logical reasoning and English language depending on the course applied for. The number of questions per section, the duration, the marking scheme and the number of attempts permitted in a cycle are announced by the university in its admission bulletin. The test is generally delivered in a proctored online format across a test window, with candidates booking a slot after registering on the university portal. Merit lists are drawn from the scores and admission follows through the university's own counselling, document verification and fee payment stages. Programme lists, campus-wise seats and reservation rules are published in the official NMIMS admission notification.

Candidates must have passed class 12 or an equivalent examination from a recognised board with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects, along with Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Computer Science or another subject accepted for the programme applied for, and must meet the minimum aggregate specified in the official admission bulletin. Candidates appearing in class 12 in the current year may apply provisionally and must produce the result before admission is confirmed. Any age condition, the number of test attempts allowed, category relaxations and the treatment of national entrance test scores are exactly as stated in the university's official notification.