FG sets 150 as university admission cut-off for 2026
The Federal Government has approved new minimum cut-off marks for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria for the 2026 academic session, setting 150 as the benchmark for universities across the country.
The decision was announced on Monday during the 2026 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), where education stakeholders reviewed admission guidelines for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
According to the new policy, candidates seeking admission into universities must score at least 150 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to be eligible for consideration by institutions.
The government also fixed the minimum cut-off mark for Colleges of Nursing at 150, aligning their entry requirement with that of universities due to the competitive nature of health-related programmes.
For polytechnics and similar technical institutions, the minimum benchmark has been pegged at 100, allowing broader access for candidates seeking admission into diploma and technical education programmes.
However, the policy provides that certain specialised courses, particularly in agriculture and selected non-technology programmes, may not require UTME scores under the revised admission framework.
In a significant reform, the Federal Government also announced that degree programmes will no longer be run in colleges of education, marking a major restructuring of teacher training institutions across the country.
Education authorities explained that the new measures are aimed at standardising admission processes, improving quality assurance in tertiary education, and ensuring that institutions admit candidates who meet minimum academic requirements aligned with their programmes.
