How to pass JAMB
Skolra is not part of JAMB. For official news, see jamb.gov.ng.
In short
- Give yourself at least 12 weeks. The Federal Government has proposed 15 to 25 March 2027 for the UTME. If that holds, 12 weeks before is late December 2026.
- Learn the format: 180 questions in 2 hours, about 40 seconds a question.
- Study from the JAMB syllabus one topic at a time, and practise past questions on each topic.
- In the last four weeks, sit full timed mocks with all four subjects.
- Read the JAMB novel. Five Use of English questions are on it.
On this page
First, know what you are preparing for
- The paper. Use of English has 60 questions and each of your other three subjects has 40: 180 questions in 2 hours. See the full UTME format.
- Your subjects. Make sure your four subjects match the course you want before you register. Check your subject combination.
- Your target score. Find the cut-off mark for your course and school, then aim well above it. See cut-off marks by school.
The 12-week plan
| Weeks 1 and 2 | Get the syllabus for your four subjects. Sit one timed past paper in each subject to find your weak topics. Write a weekly timetable you can keep. |
|---|---|
| Weeks 3 to 8 | Study topic by topic, in the order of the syllabus. After each topic, practise past questions on it and read the explanation of every one you get wrong. Do some Use of English every day, and read a few chapters of the novel each week. |
| Weeks 9 and 10 | Sit two full timed mocks a week: four subjects, 2 hours, in one sitting. After each mock, go back to the topics you missed. |
| Week 11 | Revise your weak topics. Learn the CBT keys and the on-screen calculator. Sit one more full mock. |
| Week 12 | Revise lightly. Print your exam slip and find your centre. Rest well before the day. |
How to study each subject
- Use of English is the biggest paper, and everyone writes it. Practise comprehension and cloze passages, lexis and structure, and oral forms: vowels, consonants and stress. Five questions are on the JAMB novel. See the JAMB novel.
- Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. Practise your calculations with an on-screen calculator, because you cannot take your own calculator into the hall.
- Biology, Economics, Government, Literature and other subjects. Use the syllabus objectives ("candidates should be able to…") as your checklist, and practise questions on each one. See the JAMB syllabus.
Practise the way the exam works
- Time yourself. 180 questions in 120 minutes is about 40 seconds a question. Skip a hard question and come back to it.
- Answer every question. A blank earns nothing.
- Learn the CBT keys. A, B, C or D to answer, N and P to move, S then Y to submit. See how the JAMB CBT works.
- Sit full mocks. Four subjects, 2 hours, in one sitting. JAMB's own mock is optional. About the JAMB mock exam.
The last week and the exam day
- Print your exam slip when JAMB opens slip printing, and visit your centre before the day.
- Arrive at the time on your slip. For the first session of the 2027 UTME, that is 7:30 a.m.
- Take only your slip and an ordinary pencil. Phones, watches, calculators, pens and jewellery are banned.
- Sleep well the night before.
What to avoid
- Sellers of "questions" before the exam. JAMB does not release questions before an exam, so anyone selling them is lying. In 2026 JAMB cancelled the registrations of candidates who paid such sellers.
- Only reading summaries. Read your textbooks and the real novel. Use summaries to revise.
- Waiting for registration to start. You can study and practise long before the form is out.
Questions students ask about passing JAMB
How many weeks do I need to prepare for JAMB?
Twelve weeks of steady work is a good plan. Starting earlier gives you more time for your weak subjects.
How can I score 300 in JAMB?
300 out of 400 means about 75 in each subject. Before the exam, aim to get three of every four questions right in your timed practice, in every subject.
How many hours a day should I study?
Study a little every day. Two focused hours every day help more than one long session a week.
Is the JAMB mock exam necessary?
No, it is optional. It shows you a real CBT centre and screen before the UTME. Read about the JAMB mock exam.
More guides
- JAMB 2027 exam dateThe proposed UTME dates, what JAMB has said so far, and what is not known yet.
- How many questions are in JAMB?180 questions in 2 hours: the questions per subject, the Use of English sections and the score out of 400.
- JAMB syllabusAll 25 UTME subjects. Agricultural Science and Arabic topic by topic here, the rest on JAMB's own site.
- The JAMB novelNot named for UTME 2027 yet. Every JAMB novel since 2012.
- How the JAMB CBT exam worksThe format, the screen and keys, exam-day rules and what is new for 2027.
- JAMB past questions and answersOver 9,000 questions in 25 UTME subjects, each with an explanation.
- JAMB CBT practice test 2027Timed mock exams in the JAMB format: 4 subjects, 180 questions, 2 hours.