JAMB cut-off mark for 2026/2027
Skolra is not part of JAMB. For official news, see jamb.gov.ng.
In short
- Universities: at least 150 in the UTME. Polytechnics and colleges of education: at least 100.
- These are the lowest marks allowed. A school or a course can ask for more, never less.
- Public universities must finish their 2026/2027 admissions by 31 October 2026.
Looking for one school's cut-off marks, course by course? See cut-off marks by school.
On this page
The minimum marks for 2026/2027
| Universities | 150 |
|---|---|
| Colleges of Nursing (Sciences) | 150 |
| Polytechnics | 100 |
| Monotechnics | 100 |
| Colleges of Agriculture | 100 |
| Colleges of Education | 100 |
| Innovation Enterprise Institutions | 100 |
The UTME is scored out of 400. We found no official figure for colleges of health technology.
These minimums were agreed at the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions on Monday 11 May 2026 at the Body of Benchers, Abuja, with the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, presiding.
Your school's cut-off mark is usually higher
The national minimum is only the floor. JAMB's words: "Institutions may adopt higher marks, but under no circumstances would they be allowed to lower the score."
Each school sets its own rules for every course on JAMB's admission system (CAPS): the lowest UTME score, Post-UTME score, aggregate, catchment and educationally less developed states. Check the cut-off your school publishes for your course.
An admission given outside CAPS is "null and void". All admissions must come from JAMB.
Some universities set their own minimum at the national floor or close to it. See the universities that accept 150, 160, 170 and 180.
Cut-off marks by course
Each school sets its own mark for each course. Pick your course to compare the universities whose official lists we hold, or see every course.
- Cut-off mark for Medicine and Surgery13 universities; 9 give a UTME score, from 200 to 260.
- Cut-off mark for Nursing13 universities; 9 give a UTME score, from 190 to 240.
- Cut-off mark for Law11 universities; 9 give a UTME score, from 200 to 260.
- Cut-off mark for Pharmacy10 universities; 7 give a UTME score, from 200 to 240.
- Cut-off mark for Computer Science15 universities; 10 give a UTME score, from 170 to 220.
- Cut-off mark for Accounting12 universities; 7 give a UTME score, from 160 to 200.
- Cut-off mark for Mass Communication11 universities; 7 give a UTME score, from 180 to 200.
- Cut-off mark for Economics9 universities; 4 give a UTME score, from 152 to 200.
- Cut-off mark for Medical Laboratory Science12 universities; 8 give a UTME score, from 200 to 220.
- Cut-off mark for Software Engineering10 universities; 6 give a UTME score, from 170 to 200.
Polytechnics and colleges of education
For 2026/2027 the lowest mark is 100 for polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of agriculture and colleges of education. Each school can ask for more, and some publish a mark for each course.
Cut-off marks at polytechnics and colleges
For NCE courses you register for the UTME but do not sit it. See NCE and some OND courses.
Admission deadlines for 2026/2027
| Public universities | On or before 31 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Private universities | On or before 30 November 2026 |
| Other tertiary institutions | On or before 31 December 2026 |
JAMB called the October deadline "sacrosanct". If you are offered admission, accept it within four weeks or the offer is withdrawn.
If you are under 16
The minimum age for admission remains 16. A younger candidate can be admitted only as an exceptional candidate: at least 320 in the UTME, and at least 80% in the Post-UTME, in the SSCE and in an expert assessment interview.
NCE and some OND courses
Candidates with at least four credit passes who want NCE, or OND in non-technological agriculture, no longer have to sit the UTME. They must still register with JAMB, and their admission goes through CAPS.
Earlier years
| 2025/2026 | Universities 150. Polytechnics and colleges of education 100. Colleges of nursing 140. |
|---|---|
| 2024/2025 | Universities 140. Polytechnics and colleges of education 100. |
What about 2027/2028?
The minimum marks for the 2027/2028 session have not been announced. JAMB sets them at its policy meeting each year. The 2026 meeting was in May and the 2025 meeting was in July.
More guides
- Cut-off marks by school56 schools, with departmental cut-offs.
- JAMB aggregate calculatorWork out your aggregate with formulas schools have published.
- Post-UTME by schoolThe screening format at 17 schools.
- JAMB CAPS: accept or reject admissionCheck your admission status, accept or reject an offer, and fix common problems.
- JAMB subject combinationsThe UTME subjects for 50 popular courses, from JAMB's brochure.
- JAMB registration 2027Is the form out, what it costs, and the 2026 steps as a guide.
- JAMB past questions and answersOver 9,000 questions in 25 UTME subjects, each with an explanation.