The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially set 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admissions into Nigerian universities for the 2025/2026 academic session.

The decision was reached during the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions, held in Abuja, with representatives from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and regulatory bodies in attendance.

Speaking at the meeting, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said the 150 benchmark would serve as a general guide, noting that institutions retain the autonomy to set higher cut-off marks based on their admission policies and capacity.

“This is a minimum benchmark. Universities are not allowed to go below it but can set higher scores depending on their institutional requirements,” Prof. Oloyede clarified.

For polytechnics and colleges of education, the cut-off marks were fixed at 120 and 100 respectively, aligning with previous years’ standards. Oloyede emphasized that the policy is designed to ensure fairness and flexibility while maintaining quality in the admission process.

The Registrar also disclosed that over 1.9 million candidates sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with many recording scores above 150, making them eligible for university admission under the new guidelines.

While some education stakeholders welcomed the decision as inclusive, critics have expressed concern that the lower threshold may compromise academic standards. However, JAMB insists that admissions will still be subject to rigorous screening processes by individual institutions.

The Board also warned candidates against accepting admission offers from unaccredited institutions, reiterating its commitment to upholding integrity in the tertiary education system.

Admission processes for the 2025/2026 session are expected to commence fully by August, according to J