2026 Policy Meeting: JAMB Set Cut Off Marks, Reveals Top Scores

September 16, 2026 ChinonsoIbeh Nigerian University News
Each May, a meeting in Abuja shapes the future of more than two million Nigerian students: the JAMB Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions.
If you took the 2026 UTME or are a parent trying to understand your child’s score, this guide explains what JAMB announced, what it means for your admission chances, and answers the practical questions that most reports miss.

Contents

What the 2026 JAMB Policy Meeting Actually Is

 

The Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions is JAMB’s yearly gathering of vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, registrars, and the Minister of Education.
They meet to set the rules for that year’s admission cycle.
Unlike a regular press briefing, this meeting decides the minimum score needed for admission and highlights the year’s top-performing candidates.
The 2026 edition was held on Monday, May 11, 2026, at the Body of Benchers Auditorium in Abuja, with Education Minister Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa in attendance alongside JAMB Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede.

The 2026 Cut-Off Marks: What JAMB Decided

 

At the meeting, JAMB confirmed the national minimum cut-off marks for the 2026/2027 admission cycle:
  • Universities: 150 out of 400
  • Colleges of Nursing: 150 out of 400
  • Polytechnics: 100 out of 400
  • Colleges of Education and Agriculture: no compulsory UTME score required, following a new exemption policy discussed at the meeting
It is important to understand what these numbers really mean, as they are often misunderstood.
They are not fixed admission scores but the lowest possible scores allowed.
No university, polytechnic, or nursing college in Nigeria can admit a candidate who scores below the minimum for their category.
Above this minimum, each institution can set its own, often higher, departmental cut-off.
In practice, this means:
  • Some federal universities set their internal cut-off between 180 and 200, while others sit lower.
  • Polytechnics have historically ranged from 130 to 170 for their most competitive departments, well above the 100 national floor.
  • A candidate who scores 155 has met the university minimum, but this does not guarantee admission into a competitive department at a particular institution. It only means they are eligible to be considered somewhere.
These figures are the same as last year: 150 for universities and nursing colleges, and 100 for polytechnics.
This decision sparked public debate, as some critics argue that these minimums are too low to maintain academic standards, especially for professional programs like teacher training in Colleges of Education.

The Controversial Exemption for Education and Agriculture

 

One of the most talked-about decisions from the 2026 meeting was to exempt candidates applying for National Certificate in Education (NCE) programs, and some agriculture-focused tracks, from taking the UTME.
Supporters say this helps address teacher shortages by making it easier to enter education courses.
Critics, including some educators who spoke out before the meeting, argue that removing the UTME requirement could lower the quality standards for teachers, who are responsible for the foundational learning of the next generation.

Admission Deadline for the 2026/2027 Cycle

 

In addition to setting the cut-off marks, JAMB set October 31, 2026, as the deadline for institutions to finish their admission process for this cycle.
Institutions were also warned not to admit more students than their approved quota, a recurring issue in past cycles when some schools exceeded their NBTE- or NUC-approved intake.

The 2026 UTME Top Scorers

 

Apart from policy decisions, the meeting is also when JAMB announces the year’s top-performing candidates, which draws as much attention as the cut-off marks.
The overall highest scorer for the 2026 UTME was Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin, who hails from Ekiti State but sat the examination in Ogun State.
She scored 372 out of 400 and applied to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as her first choice.
Her score came in three marks below the previous cycle’s highest score of 375, achieved by Chinedu Okeke of Anambra State.
Rounding out the top of the table:
  • 2nd place: Enwere Kingsley Ikenna (Imo State), 370 marks, applying to study Computer Science at Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja.
  • 3rd place: Bamisile Ayomide Emmanuel (Ondo State), 369 marks, applying to study Software Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).
The remaining top-10 scorers scored between about 352 and 367.
Most applied for Nigeria’s most competitive professional and technical courses, such as Medicine and Surgery, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, and Electrical/Electronics Engineering, at schools like UNILAG, FUTA, OAU, UI, UNIBEN, UNIPORT, Covenant University, and Pan-Atlantic University.

Registration Numbers Behind the 2026 UTME

 

This cycle was especially large, with about 2,243,816 candidates registering for the 2026 UTME, which is a 10.5% increase from last year.
Lagos State had the most registrations at 381,814, followed by Ogun State (137,156), Oyo State (122,662), Kaduna State (103,498), and the Federal Capital Territory (102,961).
The exam took place at about 966 Computer-Based Test centres across the country, with four sessions each day to reduce congestion.

What This Means If You Sat the 2026 UTME

 

If your score is above your target institution’s national minimum but you are not sure if it is competitive, consider these points:
  • Meeting the national cut-off does not guarantee admission. It only makes you eligible for consideration. Your real chance depends on your institution and department’s own, usually higher, cut-off.
  • Departmental cut-offs change each year. A score that was enough for admission last year may not be enough this year, since cut-offs depend on the number of applicants and competition.
  • Your course choice is as important as your score. Many candidates with scores between 250 and 320 still miss out on Medicine or Law at top federal universities because spaces are limited. However, the same score can easily get you into a less competitive program or institution.
  • Always check your chosen institution’s published cut-off, not just the national minimum, before assuming your score is enough.
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Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. If I scored exactly 150, can I get into any university I want?

Not automatically.
150 only clears the national minimum floor, meaning a university is legally permitted to admit you.
However, admission still depends on whether your score meets the institution’s and department’s internal cut-off, which is often well above 150.

2. Why does JAMB set such a low national minimum if institutions rarely admit at that level anyway?

The national minimum functions as a safety floor rather than a target; it prevents any institution from admitting candidates below a baseline standard while still leaving room for schools to compete for stronger candidates by setting their own higher bars.

3. Does the NCE UTME exemption mean Colleges of Education can admit anyone regardless of academic ability?

No, the exemption removes the UTME requirement specifically, but candidates are still expected to meet other admission requirements, such as O’Level credit requirements; the debate is whether removing the UTME step alone weakens the overall screening process.

4. Is the top UTME scorer guaranteed admission into Medicine at UNILAG?

A top national score significantly strengthens an application.
However, final admission still runs through UNILAG’s own screening process, departmental capacity, and any additional requirements the university applies to Medicine and Surgery specifically.

5. Why did the highest score drop from 375 last cycle to 372 this cycle?

Year-to-year variation in top scores is normal and reflects differences in exam difficulty, the specific cohort of high-performing candidates, and natural statistical variation rather than any single, identifiable cause.

6. Do polytechnic cut-offs being lower than university cut-offs mean polytechnic admission is “easier” overall?

Not necessarily.
While the national minimum for polytechnics (100) is lower than for universities (150), competitive polytechnic departments often set their own internal cut-offs well above that floor, sometimes overlapping with university-level competitiveness for popular courses.

7. What happens to institutions that admit above their approved quota, as JAMB warned against?

JAMB and regulatory bodies like the NUC and NBTE can flag, sanction, or require institutions to correct excess admissions that exceed their approved carrying capacity.
However, enforcement actions vary by case and institution.

8. Can a candidate who didn’t make the 2026 top-10 list still have a genuinely excellent score?

Yes, scores in the 280-and-above range are considered strong by any national standard, and 300-plus places a candidate among the country’s top performers even without appearing on JAMB’s official top-10 announcement, since that list captures only the highest scorers nationwide.

Final Thoughts

 

The 2026 JAMB Policy Meeting kept the same national minimums as last year: 150 for universities and nursing colleges, and 100 for polytechnics.
It also introduced a debated change by exempting NCE-track candidates from the UTME requirement.
For the roughly 2.2 million candidates who took the exam, the focus now shifts from the national minimum to the specific, often higher, cut-off set by their chosen institution and department.
No matter your score, the best next step is to check your target school’s published cut-off, instead of relying on the national minimum.

84 Comments

  1. Pls I score 246 in jamb and I want to do change of course from computer science to mechanical engineering in fut Minna are my chances of admission slim

    Reply

  3. Someone who has not seen her jamb result till now…what do you think could be the problem, She’s also giving up. will be glad to get a reply ASAP on what to do..Thank you!

    Reply

  4. Plz I got 146, but i want Study Spychology in Coou Igbariam, but There cut off is 180, is there anything i can do about it

    Reply

  6. pls I got 179 and I heard on radio the cut off mark for universities are reduced….is there a chance futo can accept me?

    Reply

  12. Good morning, pls my younger brother scored 190 and intends changing his choice of institution to unizik but a Lecturer there said d cut off is 200 and nothing can be done. Wat do u suggest?

    Reply

  16. pls i score 196 in 2017/18 jamb for med/surgery in LASU and ABU with an o'level result of eng—-b3,maths—–b3,chemistry—-b3,biology—b3,physics—-a1 respectively….. what are my chances of getting admitted these year?

    Reply

  17. pls i score 196 in 2017/18 jamb for med/surgery in LASU and ABU with an o'level result of eng—-b3,maths—–b3,chemistry—-b3,biology—b3,physics—-a1 respectively….. what are my chances of getting admitted these year?

    Reply

  28. pls i scored 187 in my jamb, and i choose lasu for Insurance, is dere any possibility for admission

    Reply

  35. please i scored 191 and i choose university of ibadan AGRIC ECONOMICS CAN MY RESULT GAIN ME ADDMISSION

    Reply

  36. I appreciate this microcosm site in the field of information, it well furnished informative. I want to ask, A friend of mine scored 193 in her jamb, purposing to study medicine and surgery in UNICAL, but seeing this score she always gets discouraged! Based on this info. can she still gain admission in medicine and surgery department with 193 scores on jamb?

    Thanks for your anticipated response.

    Reply

  39. Please I score 175 which I choose Nuhu Bamalli polytechnic Kaduna State for (SLT) Science Laboratory technology, please can this my score 175 get me admission to the school???

    Reply

  40. Please I got 191 in jamb nd I chose futon as my first choice nd lautech as my second choice as an electrical/electronic engineer Pls which one will admit me in the two.

    Reply

  41. Good morning. Please i got 194in jamb and i choose uniben medicine/surgery, mu jamb form was one federal, one poly, one college of education and one computer school. Please which university will admit me.

    Reply

  42. Good evening.please i scored 194 in jamb and i choosed medicine/surgery in uniben. I don't just know what to do am so, so confused last year i got 238. Please what is the way forward.

    Reply

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