Every candidate who sits the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) needs one piece of information before choosing a course of action after results are released: the cut-off mark. This figure determines whether a candidate qualifies to proceed to the next stage of admission at a chosen institution. This article explains the 2026/2027 JAMB cut-off mark system in full, lists the approved minimum scores for a wide range of Nigerian universities, and explains what a candidate should do at each stage of the process.
What a JAMB Cut-Off Mark Means
A cut-off mark is the lowest UTME score a candidate must obtain to be considered for admission into a particular institution or course. Scoring below the required mark automatically removes a candidate from consideration for that school or course, regardless of other qualifications. Scoring at or above the mark does not guarantee admission on its own; it only qualifies the candidate to proceed to post-UTME screening, where the institution reviews the candidate’s O’Level results, UTME score, and, in many cases, a screening test or interview before a final decision is made.
There are three layers to how cut-off marks work in Nigeria, and understanding the difference between them prevents confusion during the admission season.
1. JAMB’s national minimum. This is the floor set by JAMB itself, below which no institution in the country is permitted to admit a candidate, no matter how many vacancies exist.
2. Institutional cut-off. Each university, polytechnic, or college sets its own minimum score, which sits at or above JAMB’s national floor. This is the figure most candidates actually need to check, because it is the real threshold for their chosen school.
3. Departmental or course cut-off. Within a single institution, individual courses often carry a higher requirement than the general institutional cut-off. Medicine, Law, Pharmacy, and Engineering typically demand markedly higher scores than courses in the Arts or Social Sciences at the same school.
JAMB National Minimum Cut-Off Mark for 2026/2027
JAMB, together with heads of tertiary institutions, ministers, and other stakeholders, fixes the national minimum cut-off marks at its annual Policy Meeting on Admissions. For the 2026/2027 admission cycle, the meeting held in Abuja on May 11, 2026, and the outcome is as follows:
| Institution Type | 2026/2027 National Minimum Cut-Off |
|---|---|
| Universities (federal, state, and private) | 150 |
| Colleges of Nursing Sciences | 150 |
| Polytechnics and Monotechnics | 100 |
| Colleges of Education | 100 |
These figures represent the absolute lowest scores any institution can legally use. Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede has stated that institutions retain the freedom to raise their own cut-off marks well above this floor, with some going as high as 220, but none may go below it.
Public universities are expected to conclude their admission exercise by October 31, 2026. Private universities have until November 30, 2026, while polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education have until December 31, 2026, to finish theirs.
JAMB 2026 Cut-Off Marks for Nigerian Universities
Below is a table of the institutional cut-off marks approved by a wide range of Nigerian universities for the 2026/2027 admission exercise, arranged from highest to lowest. These are the general institutional minimums; individual courses within each school may carry a higher requirement, particularly Medicine, Law, Pharmacy, and Engineering. Nigeria has well over 250 licensed universities (federal, state, and private combined), and not every institution has published a distinct figure separate from the 150 national floor at the time of writing — schools not listed here should be treated as operating at or close to the 150 baseline until they publish otherwise. Candidates should always confirm the specific figure for their institution and course through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
| University | 2026/2027 Cut-Off Mark |
|---|---|
| Pan-Atlantic University | 220 |
| Covenant University | 220 |
| Air Force Institute of Technology | 200 |
| Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Abeokuta | 200 |
| Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) | 200 |
| University of Benin (UNIBEN) | 200 |
| University of Ibadan (UI) | 200 |
| University of Lagos (UNILAG) | 200 |
| University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) | 200 |
| Lagos State University of Science and Technology | 195 |
| Lagos State University (LASU) | 195 |
| Lagos State University of Education | 185 |
| Afe Babalola University | 180 |
| Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) | 180 |
| Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila Orangun | 180 |
| Nigeria Police Academy | 180 |
| Nigerian University of Technology and Management | 180 |
| Shanahan University | 180 |
| University of Abuja | 180 |
| University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) | 180 |
| University of Jos (UNIJOS) | 170 |
| Augustine University | 170 |
| Babcock University | 170 |
| Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia | 170 |
| Federal University, Lafia | 170 |
| Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) | 170 |
| Nasarawa State University | 170 |
| BITS University, Bwari | 170 |
| Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University | 160 |
| Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) | 160 |
| Admiralty University of Nigeria | 160 |
| Ajayi Crowther University | 160 |
| Al-Hikmah University | 160 |
| Bayero University, Kano (BUK) | 160 |
| Bells University of Technology | 160 |
| Caleb University | 160 |
| Chrisland University | 160 |
| Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) | 160 |
| First Technical University | 160 |
| Imo State University | 160 |
| Kwara State University | 160 |
| Landmark University | 160 |
| Lead City University | 160 |
| Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) | 160 |
| Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) | 160 |
| Osun State University | 160 |
| Plateau State University | 160 |
| Redeemer’s University | 160 |
| Summit University | 160 |
| Tai Solarin University of Education | 160 |
| Adamawa State University | 150 |
| Adeleke University | 150 |
| All other universities not listed above | 150 (national minimum) |
Note that a small number of schools show slightly different figures across various reports for the same cycle — for example, some sources place Covenant University at 200 rather than 220. Where reports differ, treat the school’s own admissions portal and its CAPS listing as the final authority, since institutions occasionally revise a published figure shortly after the policy meeting.
Cut-Off Marks for Competitive Courses
Passing the institutional cut-off does not automatically qualify a candidate for every course at that institution. Courses with limited slots and high demand carry their own, higher requirement:
- Medicine and Surgery is the most competitive course nationwide. At most federal universities that run this program, successful candidates typically score well above 250, with the strongest applicants at schools like UNILAG, UI, OAU, and UNN often placing among the highest scorers in the entire UTME.
- Law and Pharmacy follow a similar pattern, with departmental cut-offs usually 30 to 60 points above the institution’s general minimum.
- Engineering courses (Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Computer) also carry above-average requirements, though generally lower than Medicine or Law.
- Education, Arts, and less competitive Social Science courses are more likely to admit candidates close to the general institutional cut-off.
Because departmental requirements shift from year to year based on the number and strength of applicants, a candidate should check the specific course cut-off on the institution’s admission portal rather than relying only on the general institutional figure.
How Cut-Off Marks Are Used in the Admission Process
Scoring above the required mark for a chosen institution and course opens the door to the next stage, not an automatic offer. The typical sequence runs as follows:
- UTME results are released, and each candidate’s score becomes visible on the JAMB portal.
- Institutions publish or confirm their approved cut-off marks after the policy meeting.
- Candidates who meet or exceed both the institutional and departmental cut-off proceed to post-UTME screening, where the school evaluates O’Level results (WAEC, NECO, NABTEB) alongside the UTME score.
- Admission lists are compiled based on combined performance and are uploaded to CAPS for candidates to accept or reject.
A candidate’s UTME score alone rarely decides admission outcomes; it is a filter that determines eligibility for the screening stage, after which the institution makes its final selection.
Checking Your Cut-Off Mark on CAPS
The Central Admissions Processing System is the official platform for confirming institutional decisions. To check where a score stands:
- Log in to the JAMB portal using the registered UTME profile.
- Open the CAPS section from the candidate’s dashboard.
- Locate the chosen institution and course to view its current admission status.
- Compare the score against the published cut-off for that specific course, not just the general institutional figure.
What to Do If a Score Falls Below the Cut-Off
A score below the chosen institution’s cut-off does not end the admission process. JAMB permits candidates in this position to use the Change of Institution or Change of Course feature on the portal to switch to a school or program whose cut-off matches their score. Many candidates who fall short of a 200-mark institution, for instance, move successfully into a school with a 150 or 160 threshold. Polytechnics, colleges of education, and colleges of nursing also remain open options, given their lower national minimums of 100 and 150 respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the JAMB cut-off mark for universities in 2026/2027? The national minimum is 150 for all universities, whether federal, state, or private. Individual institutions may set their own cut-off above this figure.
Is 150 enough to gain admission into any university? A score of 150 satisfies the national minimum and permits an application, but most federal and state universities set their actual institutional cut-off higher, commonly between 160 and 200. A score of exactly 150 is more realistic for less competitive institutions or courses.
Do polytechnics and colleges of education use the same cut-off as universities? No. Polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education use a national minimum of 100, which is lower than the 150 set for universities and colleges of nursing.
Can a candidate change institution after failing to meet a school’s cut-off? Yes. JAMB’s Change of Institution and Change of Course options on the CAPS portal allow a candidate to move to a school or program whose cut-off matches their score.
Does meeting the cut-off mark guarantee admission? No. Meeting the cut-off only qualifies a candidate for post-UTME screening. Final admission also depends on O’Level results, available slots, and the institution’s own selection process.