JAMB Direct Entry
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In short
- Direct Entry (DE) lets you enter university at 200 level with a qualification such as an ND, NCE, IJMB, JUPEB or A'level. You do not write the UTME.
- You still register with JAMB, and your admission still goes through JAMB CAPS.
- In 2026 the DE e-PIN cost ₦5,700. Forms were sold from 2 March to 8 May 2026, only at JAMB offices and the centres JAMB named.
- JAMB has not announced the 2027 Direct Entry dates or fee yet.
On this page
Who Direct Entry is for
Direct Entry is for people who already hold a recognised qualification above secondary school. Instead of starting at 100 level with the UTME, you apply to start at 200 level. JAMB lists these qualifications:
- A first degree, from Nigeria or abroad
- Higher National Diploma (HND)
- National Diploma (ND)
- University Diploma
- Cambridge A'level
- IJMB
- JUPEB
- NABTEB advanced certificates (ANBC or ANTC)
- National Certificate in Education (NCE)
- International Baccalaureate, for foreign candidates only
Each university decides which of these it accepts for each course and the grades it wants. Check the school's requirements in the JAMB brochure before you register.
What you need
- Your NIN. JAMB uses your name and date of birth from NIMC and will not correct them. Fix any error with NIMC first.
- Your own phone number, not one someone else has used to register.
- Your Direct Entry qualification, and the registration or matriculation number from the school where you got it.
- Your O'level result. Schools still check your O'level credits, and JAMB will not consider you for admission without it on your profile.
- A working email address that belongs to you.
How to register for Direct Entry
These are the steps JAMB used in 2026. Check jamb.gov.ng for any change in 2027.
- Get your profile code. From your phone, send NIN, a space, then your 11-digit NIN to 55019 or 66019. A profile code comes back by SMS.
- Buy the Direct Entry e-PIN. In 2026, DE forms and e-PINs were sold only at JAMB zonal and state offices, and later at extra centres JAMB named. Make sure you buy the DE e-PIN, not the UTME one.
- Register. Give your choice of schools and courses, your qualification, and your O'level details. Declare your matriculation status if you have studied at a school before. JAMB asked for this in 2026.
- Check everything before you finish. Then keep your registration number and slip safe. You will need them for CAPS.
The 2026 dates and fee, as a guide
| DE forms on sale | 2 March 2026, first to 25 April, then extended to 8 May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Where | JAMB zonal and state offices, and extra centres JAMB added during the extension |
| DE e-PIN | ₦5,700 |
| 2027 dates and fee | Not announced yet |
JAMB checks every DE certificate
JAMB's rule for Direct Entry is "no verification, no admission". Your A'level or diploma result is checked with the body that issued it. JAMB has found many fake A'level results in past years, and in March 2026 it called in people whose Direct Entry certificates their schools had flagged as fake. Use only a real result from a recognised body. A fake one will cost you your admission.
Direct Entry or the UTME?
If you have an accepted qualification, Direct Entry saves you a year, because you start at 200 level. But it is not always the easier road:
- Some schools take only a few Direct Entry students for each course.
- Schools look at your grade in the qualification, not just that you have it.
- Your qualification must be in a field that fits the course you want.
If you are not sure, read the school's entry rules for your course, or ask its admissions office before you buy any e-PIN. You cannot use one e-PIN for both routes.
Common problems
- You bought the wrong e-PIN. A UTME e-PIN is not a DE e-PIN. Check the type before you pay.
- Your name or date of birth is wrong. JAMB copies them from NIMC. Correct your NIN record first.
- Your qualification is not on the school's list. Some schools do not accept every qualification for every course. Read the brochure before you choose.
- You lost your profile code. From the same phone, send RESEND to 55019 or 66019.
- You missed the DE window. JAMB has extended the window before, as in 2026, but do not count on it. Register early.
Related guides
- JAMB registration 2027Is the form out, what it costs, and the 2026 steps as a guide.
- JAMB CAPS: accept or reject admissionCheck your admission status, accept or reject an offer, and fix common problems.
- JAMB cut-off marks for 2026/2027The national minimums, admission deadlines and how schools set their own.
- JAMB subject combinationsThe UTME subjects for 50 popular courses, from JAMB's brochure.
- JAMB past questions and answersOver 9,000 questions in 25 UTME subjects, each with an explanation.
- JAMB change of course or schoolWhere to do it, what it costs and how to avoid the common mistakes.