The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), alongside Vice-Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts, and regulatory bodies (NUC, NBTE, and NCCE), held the 2026 National Policy Meeting on Admissions on May 11, 2026 at the Body of Benchers Auditorium, Jabi, Abuja.
During the meeting, stakeholders approved the official Minimum Admissible Scores (cut-off marks) and policy updates for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Approved 2026/2027 JAMB Cut-Off Marks by Institution Tier
| Institution Category | 2026/2027 Minimum Admissible Score |
|---|---|
| Universities (Federal, State, and Private) | 150 |
| Colleges of Nursing Sciences | 150 |
| Polytechnics and Monotechnics | 100 |
| Colleges of Education (NCE) & Colleges of Agriculture (Non-Engineering) | Exempted from UTME requirement |
Key Takeaways from the 2026 Policy Meeting
- Institutional Autonomy Above Benchmark: While 150 is the national floor for universities (and 100 for polytechnics), individual institutions are permitted to set higher cut-off marks (such as 160, 170, 180, or 200) based on their approved senate benchmarks.
- NCE & Non-Engineering Agriculture Exemption: Candidates seeking admission into NCE programmes at Colleges of Education and non-engineering courses at Colleges of Agriculture are exempted from the UTME score requirement under the new policy framework.
- NATAP-M Awards: The meeting also featured the 6th edition of the National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Awards (NATAP-M), recognizing institutions that strictly adhere to national admission guidelines.
Now that cut-off marks are out, start preparing for your school's Post-UTME screening with the Mentra POST-UTME app or the Mentra JAMB CBT app, both available on Android and iOS.
Published by Mentra Academic Research
Every study guide, syllabus analysis, and timing breakdown is cross-checked against official examination criteria (JAMB UTME, POST-UTME, and WAEC) by subject matter specialists.
