DASA and CIWG from the UAE: NIT and IIIT admission with a JEE Main rank
In short
Through DASA, NRIs, OCI and PIO holders and foreign nationals are admitted to NITs and IIITs on their JEE (Main) rank, with no SAT.
- CIWG reserves one third of DASA seats for NRIs whose parent works in a Gulf country.
- In 2026, Indian nationals needed to study and pass Classes 11 and 12 abroad.
- DASA 2026 charged CIWG candidates US$300 to register plus ₹62,500 first-semester tuition.
DASA, the Direct Admission of Students Abroad scheme, admits foreign nationals, OCI and PIO card holders and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to NITs, IIITs and other technical institutes in India on their JEE (Main) rank. For Indian families in Dubai or Sharjah the key part of the DASA quota is CIWG, Children of Indian Workers in Gulf: one third of DASA seats are reserved for NRIs whose parent works in a Gulf country, the UAE included.
The DASA scheme is an initiative of India's Ministry of Education. The rules below come from the DASA 2026 UG Information Brochure, read on 6 November 2026. DASA 2027 has not been announced; when it is, check the current notice against these rules.
Who runs DASA UG now
DASA UG 2026 ran on CSAB's portal at csab.nic.in, coordinated by IIEST Shibpur. dasanit.org now carries DASA PG only and links to CSAB for UG.
DASA seats are supernumerary, on top of each institute's normal seats, and limited to "up to 15% of the total number of seats of the respective institutes, program-wise". The IITs are not part of DASA: foreign nationals reach them through JEE (Advanced), outlined in our JEE Main 2027 guide.
Which institutes take DASA students
Annexure 1 of the 2026 brochure lists 87 institutes:
| Group | Institutes listed |
|---|---|
| NITs | 30 |
| IIEST Shibpur | 1 |
| IIITs | 18 |
| Other GFTIs and technical institutes, including 3 SPAs (Bhopal, New Delhi, Vijayawada) | 38 |
| Total | 87 |
The seat matrix updated on 28 July 2026 has 88, adding Puducherry Technological University, so check the portal "for the final list of Participating Institutes".
Who is eligible for DASA
Section III.4 of the brochure sets four conditions:
- Nationality: "Foreign Nationals or Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) or Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) or Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)".
- Age: born on or after 1 October 2001.
- Exam: a valid JEE (Main) 2026 score card and rank: Paper 1 for B.E./B.Tech., Paper 2A for B.Arch., Paper 2B for B.Plan.
- Where you studied: foreign nationals studying in any country, India included, are eligible. Indian nationals and OCI/PIO (I) candidates need "at least two years of education, inclusive of 11th and 12th or equivalent (not beyond), in a foreign country during the last 8 years and must pass the same from abroad".
That last rule decides most UAE cases. An Indian passport holder who studies and passes Grade 11 and 12 in the UAE meets it; one who moves to India for Grade 11 does not.
Each candidate gets a tag (§IV.7): DASA (SAARC) for SAARC nationals other than Indians, DASA (Non-SAARC) for other foreign nationals, OCI and PIO holders and NRIs, and DASA-CIWG, below.
The CIWG quota for UAE families
The brochure's §IV.5 to §IV.7 and Annexure 5 set the CIWG rules:
- Seats: 5% of seats, within DASA's 15%, so "one-third of DASA seats are reserved for CIWG". In Round II, vacant CIWG seats are converted to Non-CIWG seats.
- Countries: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
- Who: NRIs only. The 2026 DASA FAQ says OCI and PIO holders with cards issued before 4 March 2021 are not eligible: "only NRIs whose either or both parents working in specified Gulf countries are eligible for DASA CIWG".
- The parent's job: "either of the parents of the candidate must be working or have worked in a Gulf country till any date of the year 2026". No length of service, type of job or salary is stated.
- Documents, on top of the general list: a copy of the working parent's passport; the parent's visa and work permit, each "with a validity on any date in the year 2026"; and an employer's certificate in the Annexure 12 format, stating that the parent "was/is working in" the organisation, from and to which dates.
A CIWG-eligible NRI can also compete for Non-CIWG seats by paying the DASA (Non-SAARC) fee of US$4,300; if the final seat is a CIWG seat, the balance is refunded.
Ask the employer for the Annexure 12 certificate early. In 2026, registration and document upload were open for six days.
Admission is on the JEE (Main) rank, not SAT
DASA 2026 allotted seats using the JEE (Main) 2026 Common Rank List, the candidate's category tag and their order of choices, and "will NOT apply any tie-breaking norms". CIWG seats are filled the same way. SAT is not mentioned anywhere in the 2026 UG brochure or FAQ: JEE (Main) Paper 1, 2A or 2B is the qualifying examination.
So DASA preparation is JEE (Main) preparation. Until the DASA 2027 brochure names its exam, a student finishing Grade 12 in 2027 should register for JEE Main 2027. Session 1 applications close on 22 November 2026 at 11:50 pm IST (NTA notice).
Class 12 requirements
For B.E./B.Tech. the brochure asks for Mathematics, Physics and one more subject, with "75% marks (CGPA of 7.5 out of 10) in aggregate in 5 subjects". It is not consistent about the third subject. §III.4 lists one of "(Chemistry, Biotechnology, Computer Science, Biology)". Annexure 2 lists one of Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology or a Technical Vocational subject, matching the JoSAA 2026 Business Rules that §III.4 refers to.
A student offering Computer Science rather than Chemistry should check with the brochure for their year, and ask CSAB in writing. The brochure gives only the 75% figure, not JoSAA's top 20 percentile alternative, so plan for 75%.
B.Arch. needs Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics at 10+2 (or a 10+3 diploma with Mathematics), B.Plan. Mathematics, both with 75% in five subjects. In 2026, students still in Class 12 could apply if results were expected "latest by September 30, 2026". Annexure 2's AIU-recognised qualifications include the UAE's "12 years General Secondary Education Certificate", the IB Diploma, and GCE, IGCSE and GCSE with stated A level conditions.
DASA fees in 2026
The DASA Enrolment Fee (DEF) is a non-refundable registration fee plus the first semester's tuition (§11):
| Tag | Registration (non-refundable) | Tuition, first semester | Total DEF |
|---|---|---|---|
| DASA (Non-SAARC) | US$300 | US$4,000 | US$4,300 |
| DASA (SAARC) | US$300 | US$2,000 | US$2,300 |
| DASA-CIWG | US$300 | ₹62,500 | US$300 + ₹62,500 |
| DASA-CIWG and DASA (Non-SAARC), double tag | US$300 | US$4,000 | US$4,300 |
- These are first-semester figures. The brochure states no yearly tuition, so do not double them to estimate a year.
- The SAARC 50% tuition waiver applies only to SAARC nationals who passed the qualifying exam in a SAARC country.
- Fees may be paid in rupees "at the existing exchange rate". Hostel and other fees are paid directly to the institute.
The 2026 timetable, as a guide to timing
| Step (IST) | DASA 2026 |
|---|---|
| Registration, fee payment, document upload and choice filling open | Tuesday 28 July, 10:00 |
| Registration, fee payment and upload close | Monday 3 August, 10:00 |
| Round I result | Thursday 6 August, 17:00 |
| Round II result | Wednesday 12 August, 17:00 |
| Reporting at institutes (tentative) | 13 to 18 August |
The 2026 schedule had two rounds, from late July to mid August. No DASA 2027 brochure, schedule or notice is on csab.nic.in or dasanit.org as of 6 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is DASA?
DASA, Direct Admission of Students Abroad, is a Ministry of Education scheme that admits foreign nationals, OCI and PIO card holders and NRIs to NITs, IIITs and other technical institutes in India on their JEE (Main) rank. The IITs are not part of it. The 2026 cycle ran on CSAB's portal, coordinated by IIEST Shibpur.
What is the CIWG quota in DASA?
CIWG, Children of Indian Workers in Gulf, is a DASA tag for NRIs whose parent works in the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar or Saudi Arabia. One third of DASA seats are reserved for it. In 2026 a parent had to be working, or have worked, in a Gulf country on any date of that year.
Can an Indian student in Dubai apply through DASA?
Yes, as an NRI, if they meet the residential rule: in 2026, at least two years of education, including Classes 11 and 12, in a foreign country in the last eight years, passed from abroad. Moving to India for Grade 11 breaks it.
Is SAT needed for DASA?
No. DASA 2026 admitted students on the JEE (Main) 2026 Common Rank List, and SAT is not mentioned anywhere in the 2026 UG brochure or FAQ. Check the DASA 2027 brochure when it is published.
How much are DASA fees for CIWG?
In 2026 a CIWG candidate paid a non-refundable US$300 registration fee plus first-semester tuition of ₹62,500. A DASA (Non-SAARC) candidate paid US$300 plus US$4,000. These are first-semester figures only.
When is DASA 2027?
It has not been announced. DASA 2026 opened registration on 28 July 2026 and published its Round II result on 12 August 2026, which suggests late July to mid August. Wait for the official 2027 schedule on csab.nic.in.
Career Launcher UAE coaches students for JEE at our centres in Bur Dubai and Al Nahda 2 in Dubai and Al Qasimia in Sharjah, and online, with mock tests set by our UAE team. For DASA and CIWG the JEE (Main) rank is what counts, and our JEE coaching in Dubai and Sharjah page explains how we prepare students for it.
Related reading: JEE Main 2027 from the UAE: dates, exam cities and fees, Preparing for NEET and JEE from the UAE and The CAET exam for IIT Delhi's Abu Dhabi campus.