JAMB Sets 150 Cut-Off for Universities as Admission Deadlines, Low-Score Courses Emerge

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has approved 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into Nigerian universities for the 2026 academic session.

The decision was reached on Monday during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions held in Abuja, with the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, alongside vice chancellors, rectors, provosts, and heads of regulatory agencies in attendance.

According to resolutions reached at the meeting, polytechnics and monotechnics will admit candidates with a minimum score of 100, while colleges of nursing sciences are expected to maintain a benchmark of 150.

Stakeholders also approved deadlines for the completion of admissions across tertiary institutions. Public universities are expected to conclude admissions by October 31, 2026, while private universities have until November 30. Polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education are to complete their admission processes by December 31, 2026.

Meanwhile, several science-related courses have been identified as accessible options for candidates with JAMB scores between 140 and 180.

Among the programmes are Fisheries, which focuses on fish production and aquatic resource management, and Agricultural Science, which covers crop cultivation, livestock farming, and food production systems.

Other courses include Home Science and Nutrition, Animal Science, and Botany, all of which provide students with practical and scientific knowledge in health, agriculture, and environmental studies.

Health and biological science-related courses such as Anatomy, Marine Biology, Zoology, and Science Laboratory Technology were also listed as viable options for candidates seeking admission with moderate JAMB scores.

Education stakeholders say the courses remain important to national development and provide career opportunities across research, healthcare, agriculture, and environmental management sectors.