JAMB Cut-off Marks 2026

The JAMB national minimum cut-off mark for federal universities is 160. However, most competitive federal universities set their own general institutional cut-off at 180–200. Individual departments set even higher departmental cut-offs. Always aim for 200+ to remain competitive for federal universities.

Meeting the general institutional cut-off is only the first step. Admission is competitive — universities rank all eligible candidates and select from the top down until their available spaces are filled. For competitive courses like Medicine or Law, even a score of 280 may not be enough if hundreds of candidates scored higher in the same year. Your O'Level results (WAEC/NECO grades) also contribute to your overall admission score.

Yes. JAMB sets a national minimum cut-off after each year's exam results are released, and individual universities then set their own institutional cut-offs. These vary from year to year based on the overall performance of candidates and the number of available spaces. The cut-offs shown here are based on 2024/2026 trends. Always verify directly with JAMB or your institution for the current year.

CAPS (Central Admissions Processing System) is the JAMB portal where universities submit admission offers and candidates accept or reject them. After your UTME, log in to jamb.org.ng, navigate to CAPS, and check if any institution has offered you admission. You must actively accept the offer before the deadline — otherwise it expires. Do not wait for someone to tell you — check CAPS regularly after results are released.

Officially, no. Institutions are not supposed to admit candidates who scored below the JAMB national minimum of 160. In practice, some private universities and lower-tier institutions have been known to accept lower scores through supplementary admissions. However, this is irregular and can create complications with your certificate. It is strongly advised to aim above the official cut-off.