DOST replaces the older practice of applying separately to each degree college. A student creates a single registration using the intermediate hall ticket details, verifies identity, enters an ordered list of college and course combinations, and the system allots a seat by merit and preference. Several phases of allotment are held, unfilled seats are offered in later rounds and in a special phase, and an internal sliding facility lets an allotted student move to a higher preference. The portal covers only conventional degree programmes affiliated to Telangana's universities; professional courses such as engineering, pharmacy, law, education and management have their own entrance tests and separate counselling. Because the process is marks-based, the existing description of it as a science entrance test with physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics questions is incorrect and should not be relied on by an applicant.

A candidate must have passed the intermediate or equivalent class 12 examination recognised by the Telangana Board of Intermediate Education, and must choose degree course combinations for which the intermediate subjects studied are accepted. Admission is decided by merit in the qualifying examination and by the preferences entered, not by any test score. Reservation, local-area and special-category claims follow the state's admission rules and require supporting documents at the time of reporting. Fee reimbursement and scholarships are governed by separate state schemes. The list of eligible qualifications, the course combination table and the phase-wise schedule are published in the official notification issued by the Telangana Council of Higher Education.