The NEET (UG) application fee is modest, but the rules about it are strict: the bulletin's ordinary rule is that a paid fee is not refunded or carried forward. Specific later NTA notices must also be checked. The fee is set afresh in each year's Information Bulletin from the National Testing Agency (NTA). This page sets out the figures and rules from the latest bulletin, for NEET (UG)-2026, alongside the Myndaq NEET course. For what the exam covers, see the NEET UG syllabus and units.
Cycle-history note: NTA's July results release records the 2026 examination on 21 June, after the earlier May administration. Confirm future-cycle rules in the new bulletin; an original bulletin date is not the final cycle history.
The application fee by category
From the fee table in NTA's NEET (UG)-2026 Information Bulletin:
- General — ₹1,700
- General-EWS / OBC-NCL — ₹1,600
- SC / ST / PwBD / PwD / Third Gender — ₹1,000
- Exam centre outside India — ₹9,500 (the fee table prints this figure in its outside-India column against the General row; check the current table for other categories testing abroad)
OBC-NCL means Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) as listed in the Central List maintained by the National Commission for Backward Classes; the Bulletin points candidates there to check whether they qualify.
The next session's fee will be in the next bulletin. NTA had not published a NEET (UG) notice for the next session when this page was checked, so treat these as the latest confirmed figures, not the next year's.
What you pay on top
- Bank and gateway charges. The Bulletin states that processing charges and GST are charged by the bank or payment gateway in addition to the examination fee, with GST at 18% on those processing charges. The charges depend on the payment mode and bank, and for some modes are nil; the Bulletin lists them in an appendix.
How to pay
- Online only — by debit card, credit card, UPI or net banking.
- The Confirmation Page is your proof. A deduction from your bank account is not proof of payment; the Bulletin says the generated Confirmation Page is proof that your application was submitted. If it is not generated, the transaction is treated as cancelled and you must pay again.
- Duplicate payments made while sorting out a failed transaction are refunded after the result is declared and NTA reconciles fees, through the same payment mode.
- Fill only one application. The Bulletin says candidates may not fill more than one Application Form under any circumstances, and that doing so is treated as unfair means.
- Details are locked after payment, except the fields opened during the correction window NTA notifies.
Refunds
The Bulletin's rule is short: the examination fee once deposited will not be refunded, and it will not be carried forward to a future examination. Duplicate payments and failed transactions have their own reconciliation rules. NTA also published a separate refund notice for the 3 May administration. Check the applicable notice rather than treating the bulletin as a blanket denial of an exceptional refund.
Challenge charges after the exam
After the exam, NTA lets candidates challenge two things, each for a non-refundable processing fee of ₹200:
- OMR grading — ₹200 per question challenged, after NTA displays scanned OMR sheets and recorded responses.
- The provisional answer key — ₹200 per answer challenged, within the period NTA notifies.
If a challenge to the answer key is found correct, the key is revised and applied to all candidates. Challenge only where you are confident, and remember the fee is per question.
Who can apply
- Age: you must have completed 17 years on or before 31 December of the year in which you appear.
- No upper age limit.
- Indian citizens and OCI candidates intending to study undergraduate medicine abroad also need to qualify NEET (UG).
Before you pay
- Decide your category correctly. The fee differs by category, and your category also governs reservation later; claim only what your documents support.
- Choose your exam city with care. An outside-India centre costs more than five times the General fee in India.
- Wait for the Confirmation Page. Do not close the session on a bank debit alone.
- Keep the bank reference. If a payment fails or doubles, it is what the gateway and NTA will ask for.
A realistic budget
For a General-category candidate testing in India: ₹1,700 plus gateway charges and GST on them, if any. Add ₹200 for each OMR or answer-key challenge you file. Candidates who expect to sit more than once should budget the fee each year — nothing carries over.
Quick answers
What is the NEET application fee?
In the latest bulletin (NEET (UG)-2026): ₹1,700 General, ₹1,600 General-EWS/OBC-NCL, ₹1,000 SC/ST/PwBD/PwD/Third Gender, and ₹9,500 for a centre outside India.
Is the NEET fee refundable?
The bulletin's ordinary rule is no refund or carry-forward. However, separate NTA notices can govern a specific administration, including the May examination. Read the applicable notice and use NTA's own portal rather than assuming the ordinary rule settles every case.
How can I pay the NEET fee?
Online only, by debit card, credit card, UPI or net banking. Gateway processing charges and GST on them may apply.
What does it cost to challenge the NEET answer key?
₹200 per answer challenged, non-refundable. Challenging OMR grading is also ₹200 per question.
Is there an upper age limit for NEET?
No. You must have turned 17 on or before 31 December of the exam year.
