2025 JAMB Admission: 150 Cut-off Mark Set, Candidates Under 16 Banned

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and tertiary education stakeholders have approved the National Minimum Tolerable Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination score, also known as the cut-off point, for admission into the nation's universities in 2025.

Additionally, the Federal Government reiterated its stance on a minimum of 16 years for admission into tertiary institutions.

At this year's annual policy meeting on admissions into tertiary institutions held in Abuja on Tuesday, the meeting adopted 150 as the benchmark for university admission and 100 for education colleges and polytechnics.

The meeting adopted 140 for colleges of nursing across the country.

This means that while universities can still set higher cut-off scores for their candidates, no postsecondary institution should accept students who perform below the established criteria.

Universities received 140 last year, while polytechnics and education colleges received 100.

Following a vote by the leaders of the institutions, the decision was approved.

Provosts for education colleges, rectors for polytechnics, and vice-chancellors for universities all cast votes for the benchmarks.

Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa and JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede urged the schools to raise the acceptable mark to at least 160.

The majority of institution chiefs, however, were adamant about raising the minimum acceptable ratings.

During the discussion, Prof. Ernest Izevbigie, the vice chancellor of Michael Lawrence University in Abuja, suggested 140, while Lighthouse University's proposal was 130.

Proposing 160, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, the vice-chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, had little support.

Prof. Owunari Georgewill, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, suggested 150. According to Prof. Oloyede, all institutions that had previously suggested lower minimum scores are now required to raise their standards to at least the minimum points that were agreed upon. He stated that each institution needs to uphold its authorized minimum.

The Federal Government, meanwhile, reaffirmed that 16 is the minimum age required for admission to Nigeria's higher education institutions.

Alausa emphasized that the age criteria were now official and non-negotiable while announcing the meeting's openness.

Any admission made outside of the Central Admissions Processing System will be deemed unlawful, he warned.

Although there has been significant discussion about the age requirement for admission to postsecondary schools, our stance is unambiguous.

Currently, 16 is the official entry age for admission to postsecondary educational institutions.

"There is a need for this compliance because it was lowered from 18 and was supposed to take effect from this year's exercise," Alausa stated.

He clarified that the necessity to balance academic preparedness and cognitive development served as the basis for the choice.

The minimum age of sixteen for entry is set in stone. "Institutions are hereby instructed to guarantee rigorous adherence," he continued.

Alausa pointed out that although the rule would be rigorously followed, there might be certain exceptional circumstances.

"We acknowledge that there might be a few unusual circumstances, and provisions have already been established for justifiable exclusions, particularly for children who are brilliant or who have made academic progress more quickly than others.

However, this needs to be supported by evidence and documentation, according to Alausa.

Additionally, he cautioned against attempting to circumvent the new rule by manipulating age data.