Students living outside India can apply for JEE Main through the NTA, and the application form lets them choose from a list of overseas exam cities where they are offered. Check the official information bulletin for the city list, eligibility and fees, because these can change from one session to the next.
Taking JEE Main From Outside India: Centres, Eligibility and Planning
Last checked: 15 October 2026. NTA has published the JEE Main 2027 Session 1 dates but has not yet released the information bulletin or opened registration. We will update this page as soon as it does.
| Students living outside India can apply for JEE Main through the NTA, and the application form lets them choose from a list of overseas exam cities where they are offered. Check the official information bulletin for the city list, eligibility and fees, because these can change from one session to the next. |
The short answer
Yes. Indian citizens living abroad, NRIs, OCI and PIO cardholders and foreign nationals can all apply for JEE Main. NTA runs the exam on computers at a limited number of centres outside India, and you choose your preferred cities in the application form. You do not have to fly to India for the exam. You do need to plan around three things: a short list of overseas cities, a higher fee, and extra paperwork if your Class 12 board is outside India.
JEE Main 2027 key dates at a glance
| Event | Date | Status |
| NTA 2027 exam calendar published | 16 September 2026 | Confirmed |
| Session 1 exam | 22, 23, 24, 28, 29 and 30 January 2027. 31 January is a buffer day. | Tentative, per NTA |
| Information bulletin and registration | Not announced. Expected in the last week of October 2026. Last year the form opened on 31 October 2025. | Awaited |
| Session 2 exam | April 2027. Dates not announced. In 2026 it ran from 2 to 9 April. | Awaited |
| Session 1 result | Usually February | Expected |
For the full India picture, see our [JEE Main 2027 dates, syllabus and pattern guide](/blog/jee-main-exam-2027/).
Who can apply from abroad
- Nationality. In 2026, Indian citizens, NRIs, OCI and PIO cardholders and foreign nationals were all eligible.
- Qualification. A pass in Class 12 or an equivalent exam. There was no minimum percentage to appear for JEE Main in 2026.
- Year of passing. In 2026, students who passed Class 12 in 2024 or 2025, or were appearing in 2026, could apply. Expect the same pattern moved forward one year for 2027, and confirm it in the bulletin. A student in Grade 11 today will generally sit JEE Main for the first time in January 2028, not 2027.
- Boards outside India. If your Class 12 or equivalent exam was taken outside India, you may need an equivalence certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), unless your qualification is specifically listed. Foreign nationals do not need one if the AIU already recognises their qualification. It is a separate application, so start early.
- Admission has its own rules. Taking JEE Main and getting a seat are different steps. Colleges and schemes set their own subject and marks conditions. The 2026 DASA rules, for example, asked for Physics, Maths and one more science subject, and reported a minimum of 75%.
Where you can sit the exam
In 2026, JEE Main was held in about 15 cities outside India, as reported by education sites quoting NTA’s bulletin. NTA opens an overseas centre only where enough candidates apply, so the list can change from year to year.
| Region | Cities on the 2026 list |
| Gulf and Middle East | Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Doha, Kuwait City, Manama, Muscat, Riyadh |
| Asia | Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, West Java (Indonesia), Kathmandu |
| Africa | Lagos |
| Europe | Munich |
| North America | Washington DC |
The 2026 list we checked had no centres in the UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Families there usually have to travel to the nearest listed city or sit the exam in India. Check the 2027 list before you book any travel.
In the form, you rank several preferred cities (four in 2026). Choose more than one where you can. NTA makes the final allotment, and your city appears on the city slip and admit card.
What it costs
NTA sets the fee again each year, and the 2027 table has not been published. For reference, the 2026 fee for one paper was ₹1,000 for a General male candidate with a centre in India, and ₹5,000 with a centre outside India. The fee is paid separately for each session, so applying for both sessions doubles the cost. Reserved categories and female candidates paid different amounts, so read the table in the bulletin for your own category.
How to apply, step by step
- Use only the official site. Applications are taken on jeemain.nta.nic.in. Ignore forms on any other website.
- Register and fill in the form. Choose the outside India category and, if it applies to you, DASA or CIWG. Your name must match your passport exactly.
- Pick your paper and exam cities. Paper 1 is for B.E. and B.Tech. Paper 2 is for architecture and planning.
- Upload documents and pay online. The bulletin lists the documents and payment modes.
- Save your confirmation page. You will need it later.
- Use the correction window. Fix any mistakes while it is open. It is usually a few weeks after registration closes.
- Download the city slip and admit card. Check the shift timings. NTA publishes them in Indian Standard Time, so convert them to your local time.
The exact steps and documents for 2027 will be in the information bulletin.
After JEE Main: JoSAA, DASA, CIWG and the IITs
Your JEE Main result leads to different counselling routes depending on your passport and category.
| Route | Who it is for | Based on | Institutes |
| JoSAA | Candidates using the regular Indian counselling | JEE Main rank, or JEE Advanced rank for the IITs | IITs, NITs, IIITs and other centrally funded institutes |
| DASA | NRIs, OCI and PIO cardholders and foreign nationals | JEE Main rank. Counselling through CSAB | NITs, IIITs, SPAs and other centrally funded institutes. Up to 15% extra (supernumerary) seats in 2026 |
| DASA-CIWG | NRIs whose parent works in a listed Gulf country | JEE Main rank | A reserved share of seats inside DASA, with lower tuition fees |
DASA does not cover the IITs. For the IITs you need JEE Advanced and JoSAA. Indian nationals have to qualify through JEE Main to sit JEE Advanced, while the 2026 JEE Advanced brochure let foreign nationals register directly. Which route fits you depends on your passport and category, so read the definitions in the DASA brochure. You can estimate where a rank might lead with our [DASA and CIWG rank predictor](/dasa-rank-prediction), and our guide to [JEE Main and JEE Advanced compared](/blog/jee-main-vs-jee-advanced-what-is-different-and-how-to-plan-for-both-ft-ozitutors/) explains the difference between the two exams.
A realistic plan for a Class 12 student abroad
| When | What to do |
| Now to late October | Check that your passport name matches your school records. Gather documents. If your board is outside India, start the AIU certificate. Decide which exam cities you could reach. |
| Late October to November (expected) | Register soon after the bulletin is out. Do not wait for the last day. |
| December (expected) | Use the correction window to fix any errors. |
| January 2027 | Download the city slip and admit card. Sit Session 1 on your allotted date between 22 and 30 January. |
| February 2027 | Session 1 result. Decide whether to attempt Session 2. |
| April 2027 | Optional Session 2. NTA counts your best score of the sessions you take. |
| After the results | DASA, CIWG or JoSAA counselling, depending on your route. |
For other Indian exam dates, see our [India exam calendar 2026–27](/blog/india-exam-calendar-2026-27/).
Preparing while following another curriculum
JEE Main questions are based on the Class 11 and 12 Physics, Chemistry and Maths syllabus followed in India. Students on IB, A-Levels, AP or IGCSE usually cover much of it, but not all of it, and the exam style is different: timed, mostly multiple choice, and with negative marking. A good first step is to put your school syllabus next to the JEE Main syllabus, chapter by chapter, and list the gaps. Then schedule those gaps before January, and practise full papers under timed conditions on a computer.
If you are in the Gulf and want a tutor who knows both your school curriculum and JEE, see our [online tutors in the UAE](/online-tutors/uae).
Mistakes to avoid
- Applying on an unofficial website instead of jeemain.nta.nic.in.
- Entering a name that does not match the passport.
- Choosing only one exam city, then finding it has no seats.
- Forgetting that the fee is paid for each session.
- Reading exam timings as local time when NTA publishes them in IST.
- Leaving the AIU equivalence certificate until after registration closes.
- Assuming DASA includes the IITs.
Frequently asked questions
Can NRI students appear for JEE Main?
Yes. In 2026, NRIs, OCI and PIO cardholders, foreign nationals and Indian citizens living abroad were all eligible to apply. Confirm the 2027 rules in the information bulletin once NTA releases it.
Which countries have JEE Main centres abroad?
In 2026, centres were reported in Bahrain, Germany, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UAE and the US. NTA opens an overseas centre only where enough candidates apply, so the 2027 list may differ.
Do students abroad have to travel to India for JEE Main?
Not if there is an overseas centre they can reach. If you live in a country with no centre, you will need to travel to the nearest listed city or sit the exam in India.
How much is the JEE Main fee for centres outside India?
For 2026, education sites reported ₹5,000 per paper, per session, for a centre outside India, against ₹1,000 for a General male candidate with a centre in India. NTA sets the fee again each year, so check the 2027 bulletin.
Is JEE Main compulsory for DASA?
For DASA 2026, admission was based on the JEE Main Common Rank List, so yes. DASA does not cover the IITs, which admit through JEE Advanced and JoSAA.
When does JEE Main 2027 registration open?
NTA has not announced it. As of 15 October 2026 the bulletin was not out, and registration is expected in late October. Last year the form opened on 31 October 2025.
Where to follow official updates
Check jeemain.nta.nic.in and nta.ac.in for the bulletin and registration, jeeadv.ac.in for JEE Advanced, and the DASA and CSAB sites for counselling. We will update this page when NTA releases the 2027 information bulletin.
Not sure how your school syllabus compares with JEE Main? OziTutors offers a free first lesson, where a tutor can map the gaps with you. See our [JEE courses](/courses/jee).
