JEE Advanced 2026: Registration opens for foreign nationals, OCI/PIO candidates

The registration process for foreign nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)/ Person of Indian Origin (PIO) candidates for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced 2026 has begun. Eligible candidates can apply directly for the exam, with the registration window set to close on May 2.

Unlike Indian candidates, these applicants are not required to appear for JEE Main 2026 and can register directly for JEE Advanced, provided they meet the specified eligibility criteria.

JEE Advanced 2026 is scheduled to be held on May 18 (Sunday).

The exam will be conducted in two papers (Paper 1 and Paper 2), both of which are mandatory. Each paper will be of three hours duration, covering Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

Key eligibility criteria

Foreign nationals and OCI/PIO (F) candidates must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

• Age limit: Candidates should have been born on or after October 1, 2001. Relaxation is allowed in cases where compulsory military service is mandated in certain countries.

• Number of attempts: A candidate can attempt JEE Advanced a maximum of two times in two consecutive years.

• Class 12 eligibility: Candidates must have appeared for Class 12 (or equivalent) for the first time in 2025 or 2026, with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects. 

Candidates who first appeared in 2024 or earlier are not eligible, except in specific cases where board results were declared after June 18, 2024.

Seat allocation and reservation rules

Foreign nationals are not part of the 2.5 lakh JEE Main-qualified candidates pool. Seats allotted to them are supernumerary, capped at up to 10 per cent of total seats in each IIT programme.

These candidates are outside the reservation system (EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD).

There are no separate seats for female candidates within this category.

Admission will be based on the candidate’s Common Rank List (CRL) rank, which must be equal to or better than the closing rank for the OPEN category in the respective programme.

Registration fee details

The registration fee for JEE Advanced 2026 varies based on the candidate category and the location of the exam centre. 

For foreign nationals and OCI/PIO (F) candidates appearing at exam centres in India, the fee is $100 for those residing in SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries and $200 for those from non-SAARC countries. 

For candidates opting for exam centres in foreign countries, the fee is $ 200 for SAARC candidates and $300 for those from non-SAARC countries. The fee may also be paid in equivalent INR, wherever applicable.

What candidates should know

The admission process for foreign and OCI/PIO candidates will be governed by the JoSAA Business Rules 2026.

Candidates are advised to carefully review eligibility conditions and keep necessary documents ready, especially if claiming age or academic relaxations.

For further updates, interested candidates are advised to regularly visit the official website, jeeadv.ac.in.