The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially scheduled Monday, May 11, 2026, for the National Policy Meeting on Admissions. The session will determine the minimum tolerable cut-off marks for all Nigerian Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Key details: where and when
The meeting will be held at the Body of Benchers Auditorium in Jabi, Abuja. Dr Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, will chair the meeting and announce the final approved cut-off marks for all institutions on May 11. He will also outline the key policy directions governing this year's admission cycle.
Four things stakeholders will decide on May 11
The Policy Meeting is the most significant event in the Nigerian tertiary education calendar. Here is what will be decided:
- Minimum UTME cut-off marks: While 2025 saw a minimum of 150 for Universities and 100 for Polytechnics, these figures are subject to change based on the 2026 performance statistics. Stakeholders will vote on the minimum tolerable scores for Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education.
- Admission guidelines: New rules regarding the 2026/2027 session will be established to ensure all institutions follow a uniform process.
- Application statistics: A full review of how candidates performed in the 2026 UTME will be presented.
- The 6th NATAP-M Awards: The event will also feature the 6th edition of the National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Awards, where JAMB rewards schools that strictly adhered to admission rules last year.
Who will be attending?
The decisions are not made by JAMB alone. The room will be filled with Vice-Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts; Registrars and Admission Officers; regulatory bodies (NUC, NBTE, and NCCE); and representatives from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the NYSC.
Why this matters for candidates
Until this meeting is concluded, no tertiary institution in Nigeria, whether federal, state, or private, can officially announce its own departmental cut-off marks or begin the 2026/2027 admission exercise. In the previous 2025 session, the minimum benchmark was set at 150 for Universities, 140 for Colleges of Nursing, and 100 for Polytechnics. Whether these figures will stay the same or increase for 2026 depends entirely on the collective performance of students this year.
Important note: Candidates are advised to ignore any official cut-off marks currently circulating on social media. The only valid benchmarks will be those announced after the May 11 meeting.
What should you do while waiting?
- Upload O'Level Results: Ensure your WAEC/NECO results are correctly uploaded to the JAMB CAPS portal.
- Verify Profile: Check for any data inconsistencies in your JAMB profile to avoid delays once admissions begin.
