The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into Nigerian universities for the 2026 academic session.
The decision was announced at the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions held in Abuja on Monday, attended by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, heads of tertiary institutions, and other education stakeholders.
The meeting also approved key policy adjustments aimed at widening access to tertiary education while maintaining admission standards.
According to JAMB, candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and certain agriculture-related non-engineering courses in Colleges of Education and Polytechnics will now be exempted from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The Board stated: “Candidates seeking admission into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME.”
Speaking at the policy meeting, Minister Alausa explained that candidates applying for National Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes would also be exempted from UTME, provided they meet basic qualification requirements.
He said candidates must possess at least four credit passes to qualify for the exemption, but would still be required to register with JAMB for screening and admission processing through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
“However, such candidates shall mandatorily register with JAMB, and their credentials shall be duly screened, verified, and certified for the issuance of admission letters through CAPS,” Alausa said.
He added that the exemption would also apply to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma (ND) programmes in non-technology agricultural and related fields.
According to him, the policy is designed to expand access to higher education while ensuring transparency and integrity in the admission process.
“This approach strikes a necessary balance between widening access and preserving the integrity of our admission system,” he said.
Alausa noted that the reform would ease pressure on the UTME while encouraging more students to pursue careers in education and agriculture, which he described as critical sectors for national development.
The 150 cut-off mark now serves as the baseline for university admission, though individual institutions may still set higher requirements depending on their programmes.
