Understanding JoSAA Counselling Fees before you start the process can save you from a lot of confusion later. Unlike most competitive entrance processes, JoSAA 2026 has no registration fee, you pay nothing to register or fill choices. The fees only come into the picture when a seat is actually allotted to you.
There are two kinds of fees that come into the JoSAA 2026, Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF), required for all candidates accepting an allotted seat, and the Partial Admission Fee (PAF), which is levied on the NIT+ System candidates post Round 5. All the two are subjected to a deadline which, if missed, implies automatic seat cancellation, with no chance to revert.
This guide helps you by detailing every aspect that falls within the purview of JoSAA 2026 fees, be it the various amounts to be paid, their modes of payment, refund rules, and the pre-payment method.
JoSAA Counselling 2026 – Fee Structure at a Glance
| Fee Type | Category | Amount |
| Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) | SC, ST, GEN-PwD, GEN-EWS-PwD, OBC-NCL-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD | Rs.15,000 |
| Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) | All Other Candidates (GEN, GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL) | Rs.30,000 |
| Partial Admission Fee (PAF) – NIT+ Only | SC, ST, GEN-PwD, GEN-EWS-PwD, OBC-NCL-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD | Rs.20,000 |
| Partial Admission Fee (PAF) – NIT+ Only | All Other Candidates | Rs.45,000 |
| JoSAA Registration / Choice Filling | All Candidates | FREE |
Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) – Complete Details
What is the Seat Acceptance Fee?
Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) is the fee a candidate pays to confirm acceptance of an allotted seat in any JoSAA 2026 round. It must be paid in the same round where the seat is allotted for the first time. Candidates who are allotted seats in subsequent rounds through the Float or Slide option do not need to pay SAF again, it is a one-time payment.
How Much is the SAF?
| Category Tag | Seat Acceptance Fee | JoSAA Processing Charges (Included) | Adjusted Against Admission Fee |
| SC, ST, GEN-PwD, GEN-EWS-PwD, OBC-NCL-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD | Rs.15,000 | Rs.5,000 | Rs.10,000 |
| GEN, GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL (All Others) | Rs.30,000 | Rs.5,000 | Rs.25,000 |
The SAF includes Rs.5,000 as non-refundable JoSAA processing charges. The remaining amount (Rs.10,000 or Rs.25,000) is adjusted against the actual admission fee at the institute.
Pre-Payment Option
JoSAA 2026 offers a pre-payment facility for the SAF during the choice filling window (June 2 to June 11, 2026). This means you can pay the fee before any seat is allotted. Key points about pre-payment:
- Pre-payment is optional, but strongly recommended by JoSAA to avoid last-minute payment failures.
- If no seat is allotted to you in any round, the pre-paid amount is refunded in full.
- Payment link is enabled from June 2, 2026 till June 11, 2026 (choice locking deadline).
- A direct payment option is also available on the JoSAA portal without using login credentials.
SAF Payment Deadline – Round-Wise
| Round | SAF Payment Deadline |
| Round 1 | 26 June 2026 at 5:00 PM IST |
| Round 2 | 03 July 2026 at 5:00 PM IST |
| Round 3 | 08 July 2026 at 5:00 PM IST |
| Round 4 | 13 July 2026 at 5:00 PM IST |
| Round 5 (IITs/IISc Final Round) | 20 July 2026 at 5:00 PM IST |
Critical Rule: Documents are verified ONLY after the SAF is paid. JoSAA advises paying on the first day of each round, not the last day so there is sufficient time to respond to document verification queries.
Partial Admission Fee (PAF) – NIT+ System Only
What is the PAF?
Partial Admission Fee (PAF) is an additional fee applicable only to candidates allotted seats in NIT+ System institutes (NITs, IIEST, IIITs, Other GFTIs). It must be paid at the end of Round 5 of JoSAA. The PAF is paid through the JoSAA portal, with further details also available at csab.nic.in.
PAF Amounts
| Category | Partial Admission Fee |
| SC, ST, GEN-PwD, GEN-EWS-PwD, OBC-NCL-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD | Rs.20,000 |
| All Other Candidates (GEN, GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL) | Rs.45,000 |
PAF Payment Deadline
| PAF Activity | Date | Time |
| PAF Payment Window Opens | 22 July 2026 | Morning |
| PAF Payment Deadline | 24 July 2026 | 5:00 PM IST |
- The PAF is adjusted against the institute’s total admission fee at the time of physical reporting.
- The PAF, once paid, is non-refundable.
- Non-payment of PAF within the deadline is treated as rejection of the allotted seat.
- If PAF is not paid, the seat is forfeited and the SAF is refunded after deducting Rs.7,000.
JoSAA 2026 Fee Refund Rules
JoSAA SAF is generally non-refundable once paid. However, specific scenarios allow partial or full refunds:
| Scenario | Refund Amount |
| Valid withdrawal from the process (Rounds 2–4 for IIT/IISc; till final round for NIT+) | SAF minus Rs.7,000 withdrawal processing charges |
| Seat cancelled due to ineligibility or invalid documents | SAF minus Rs.5,000 JoSAA processing charges |
| Pre-payment and no seat allotted in any round | Full SAF refunded |
| PAF paid but seat forfeited due to non-payment of remaining fee | PAF is non-refundable |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is there any registration fee for JoSAA 2026?
A. No, Registration and choice filling on JoSAA portal are free. Only Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) is charged afterseatallocationandchoice to accept it.
Q. What is the Seat Acceptance Fee for JoSAA 2026?
A. For SC/ST/PwD candidate, SAF is 15,000. For other category candidates, it is 30,000. This includes a JoSAA processing charge of 5,000 which is not refunded. The remaining will be deducted from the fee of the allotted institute.
Q. What is the Partial Admission Fee (PAF) for NIT+ System?
A. For SC/ST/PwD candidate, PAF is 20,000. For others it is 45,000. The candidate will have to pay between July 22 and July 24, 2026.This fee will be adjusted against the admission fee of the respective institutes.
Q. Is the SAF refundable when I withdraw from JoSAA?
A. Partially. When you withdraw the seat properly, the SAF is refunded after deducting Rs.7,000 for withdrawal processing charges. When the seat is cancelled on grounds of ineligibility/documents issues, the amount refunded will be after deducting Rs.5,000 for counseling processing charges. If you have pre-paid and no seat is allocated then the entire amount would be refunded.
Q. Can I make the SAF payment in cash?
A. Yes. Download an SBI e-Challan from the JoSAA website and make the cash payment at any SBI branch, provided it’s before the payment deadline.
Rajesh Mishra is an admission counsellor and the founder of GLN Admission Advice Pvt. Ltd. with more than 16 years of experience in student counselling and admission guidance. He has worked with thousands of students and parents seeking clarity in complex admission processes across India.
His guidance approach is practical, transparent, and strategy focused. Rajesh Mishra helps families understand counselling systems, admission rules, and college selection in simple language so they can make informed decisions.
Through GLN Admission Advice, he provides guidance for Medical, AYUSH, Engineering, MBA, PGDM, and Law admissions, and regularly shares content to help students understand counselling procedures, cutoff trends, and common mistakes during admission counselling.
Rajesh Mishra is an admission counsellor and the founder of GLN Admission Advice Pvt. Ltd. with more than 16 years of experience in student counselling and admission guidance. He has worked with thousands of students and parents seeking clarity in complex admission processes across India.
His guidance approach is practical, transparent, and strategy focused. Rajesh Mishra helps families understand counselling systems, admission rules, and college selection in simple language so they can make informed decisions.
Through GLN Admission Advice, he provides guidance for Medical, AYUSH, Engineering, MBA, PGDM, and Law admissions, and regularly shares content to help students understand counselling procedures, cutoff trends, and common mistakes during admission counselling.