JAMB announces cut-off for 2025 higher institution admission

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into Nigerian universities for the 2025/2026 academic session.

The decision was announced during the 2025 JAMB Policy Meeting on Admissions held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday, July 8.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders from federal and state education ministries, as well as vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, and other institutional leaders.

Beyond the university threshold, JAMB also approved 140 as the minimum cut-off for colleges of nursing, while colleges of education and agriculture will admit candidates who scored at least 100 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede reaffirmed the board’s commitment to upholding quality in the admission process while allowing institutions the flexibility to set higher benchmarks based on their specific requirements.

“These cut-off marks are the minimum; institutions are free to raise them, but no one should admit below these standards,” Oloyede noted.

During the meeting, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, also announced that 16 will be the minimum age requirement for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

He stated, “No candidate should be admitted into any higher institution in Nigeria if they have not attained the age of 16. This is not just about academic readiness but emotional and social maturity.”

The new guidelines, according to JAMB, are designed to streamline admissions, ensure fairness, and strengthen the quality of Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

Admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 session are expected to commence shortly after the meeting, based on these new directives.