JAMB Decides Admission Benchmark, Others July 21

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), in conjunction with key stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector, has determined the minimum admission benchmark and other critical guidelines for the 2025/2026 academic session during its policy meeting held on July 21, 2025, in Abuja.

At the annual meeting — which brings together university vice‑chancellors, polytechnic rectors, provosts of colleges of education, regulatory agencies, and other education leaders — the Board set national minimum scores that institutions must use as the baseline for admitting students. This policy is part of JAMB’s coordinated approach to ensure a fair, transparent, and standardised admissions process across Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Under the approved guidelines:

• Universities will admit candidates who score at least 150 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
• Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, Colleges of Agriculture, and Innovation Enterprise Institutions will admit candidates with a minimum score of 100.

• Colleges of Nursing Sciences will accept candidates with a benchmark of 140.

JAMB emphasised that these figures represent minimum tolerable scores — institutions are free to adopt higher cut‑off marks based on competitiveness, available space, departmental considerations and their internal academic standards.

The July 21 policy meeting also reinforced that the admission process remains centralised through JAMB CAPS (Central Admissions Processing System), ensuring that no admission is processed outside the authorised platform.

In addition to cut‑off benchmarks, the Federal Government reaffirmed its policy on minimum entry age into tertiary education, setting it at 16 years for the 2025/2026 session, a reversal from the previously considered 18‑year standard.

Why This Matters

Every year, JAMB’s policy meeting sets the admission benchmark that guides institutions on the lowest UTME score they can consider during admissions. This benchmark ensures:

• Standardisation of minimum entry requirements across the country.
• Fairness and transparency in admissions, reducing arbitrary admissions practices.
• Flexibility for institutions to maintain higher standards where necessary.

Prospective applicants should note that meeting the national minimum score does not guarantee admission — particularly for competitive programmes like Medicine, Law, or Engineering — where institutions often set higher internal cut‑off marks.

FAQs: JAMB Admission Benchmark and July 21 Policy Meeting

What was decided at the July 21 JAMB policy meeting?

JAMB and stakeholders approved the minimum UTME scores for the 2025/2026 admission year — 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education/agriculture, and 140 for nursing sciences.

Does this mean all universities will admit at 150?

No. 150 is the national baseline — individual universities may set their own cut‑off marks above this figure for different courses.

Are there age limits for admission?

Yes. The Federal Government confirmed that the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions is now 16 years for the 2025/2026 session.

What happens if a candidate scores below the benchmark?

Candidates who score below the national minimum cannot be admitted by any institution under the centralised policy, though they may consider alternative pathways, diploma programmes, or retaking the UTME to improve their score.

Does JAMB allow exceptions for exceptionally brilliant candidates?

Yes. In special circumstances, underage but exceptionally scoring candidates may be considered through special screening committees set up to evaluate those cases.

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In Summary

The July 21 JAMB policy meeting set key benchmarks and rules for the 2025/2026 admissions cycle, specifying national minimum UTME scores for different categories of tertiary institutions and reinforcing age‑related entry standards. While these benchmarks provide a guideline, individual institutions still retain autonomy to raise cut‑off marks based on their academic policies and competition levels.