The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed 150 as the minimum UTME score for university admission in the 2026 academic session, reshaping entry rules for tertiary education across Nigeria.
Admission Benchmarks Announced in Abuja
JAMB and heads of tertiary institutions agreed on Monday in Abuja during the 2026 annual policy meeting on admissions. They reviewed entry requirements for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
However, the stakeholders described the new benchmarks as National Minimum Tolerable UTME Scores. They stressed that no institution should admit candidates below the approved cut-off marks. Meanwhile, schools still retain the power to set higher standards where necessary.
Cut-Off Marks for Universities and Polytechnics
Furthermore, JAMB clarified the agreed thresholds for different institutions under the new framework.
JAMB stated: “The Heads of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria had unanimously agreed that the Minimum Admissible Scores for admissions into Universities should be 150, Colleges of Nursing, 150, and Polytechnics, 100.”
This means universities and colleges of nursing will now operate on 150 as the baseline score. However, polytechnics and colleges of education will remain at 100, unchanged from the previous admission cycle.
Voting, Deliberations and Age Policy
Meanwhile, the resolution followed extensive deliberations and voting by vice-chancellors and other institutional leaders present at the policy meeting.
In response, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, confirmed that the federal government has maintained 16 years as the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions nationwide. Consequently, institutions must enforce both the age rule and the updated UTME cut-off structure.
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