The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a minimum cut-off mark of 150 for university admissions and 100 for polytechnics nationwide for the 2026 academic year. These decisions were reached during the annual policy meeting held on Monday, May 11, 2026, where education stakeholders reviewed admission benchmarks and timelines.
Key Resolutions from the 2026 JAMB Policy Meeting
During the meeting, JAMB set the minimum entry score for universities and Colleges of Nursing at 150, while polytechnics and colleges of education will operate with a 100 cut-off mark. Institutions are prohibited from admitting students beyond their approved quotas, ensuring compliance with allocated capacities.
Admission Deadlines for Tertiary Institutions
Clear deadlines have been established for the 2026 admission exercise. Public universities must conclude admissions by October 31, 2026. Polytechnics have until November 30, 2026, while monotechnics and colleges of education must finalize their processes by December 31, 2026. Candidates offered admission have a maximum of four weeks to accept; failure to do so may result in withdrawal or reassignment of the offer.
Additional Guidelines
The board stated that the change of course and institution portal will only be activated after the mop-up examination. Institutions are required to continue uploading O'Level results within approved timelines to prevent delays. JAMB also directed universities and other tertiary institutions to commence announcements for Post-UTME and screening exercises immediately after the policy meeting.
Reactions and Related Developments
In a related development, a teacher wrote an open letter to JAMB and the Federal Ministry of Education, urging a review of cut-off marks. The educator argued that reduced entry scores could weaken academic standards, particularly in Colleges of Education where teachers are trained. He called for higher admission benchmarks to protect the integrity of Nigeria's tertiary education system.
Additionally, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has ordered the immediate discontinuation of all HND to BSc conversion and top-up degree programmes across Nigerian universities. Institutions like Kwara State University and Al-Hikmah University have confirmed compliance, suspending their top-up admissions and directing all future undergraduate entry processes through JAMB. The directive has left uncertainty for currently enrolled students as institutions await further guidelines from the NUC.
