The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a minimum cut-off mark of 150 for admissions to universities and colleges of nursing for the 2026 academic year.
Additionally, the board has maintained a cut-off score of 100 for entry into polytechnics and monotechnics nationwide.
These decisions were finalized during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja on Monday.
Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, who chaired the session, emphasized that these benchmarks represent the minimum acceptable requirements for admissions and that all institutions must comply.
Candidates aspiring for admission must meet the stipulated standards, as outlined by the board.
During the meeting, stakeholders also established critical deadlines for the completion of the 2026 admission process across tertiary institutions.
According to the agreed timeline, public universities are required to finalize their admissions by October 31, 2026. In comparison, private universities have until November 30, 2026, to complete their admissions.
Meanwhile, polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education must conclude their admission processes no later than December 31, 2026.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has urged institutions to adhere strictly to the approved schedule. He warned that once the deadlines expire, any institution that fails to complete its admission process will lose access to candidates for that academic session.
Moreover, it is now mandated that successful candidates must accept their admission offers within four weeks. Failure to do so will result in the withdrawal of the offer, making those candidates ineligible for further admission consideration in that session.
Prof. Oloyede highlighted that these policies are designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and timely completion of admissions across all tertiary institutions in the country.
