JAMB sets 2025 admission cut-off at 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics and colleges; FG enforces 16-year minimum age, warns against non-compliance and illegal admissions.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), in collaboration with key stakeholders in tertiary education, has approved the National Minimum Tolerable Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) score—commonly referred to as the cut-off point—for admission into the nation’s universities for the 2025 academic year.

Additionally, the Federal Government has reaffirmed its position that the minimum age for admission into any tertiary institution in Nigeria remains 16 years.

These decisions were reached during this year’s annual policy meeting on admissions into tertiary institutions, which took place on Tuesday in Abuja. At the meeting, stakeholders agreed on a cut-off mark of 150 for admission into universities, while the minimum score for polytechnics and colleges of education was set at 100. For colleges of nursing across the country, the cut-off was pegged at 140.

This resolution means that no tertiary institution is allowed to admit candidates who score below the nationally approved minimum benchmarks. However, institutions still reserve the right to set higher cut-off marks if they choose to do so.

For comparison, the cut-off marks for the previous year stood at 140 for universities, and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education. The current benchmarks were adopted through a voting process involving the heads of the respective institutions.

Vice-Chancellors of universities voted on the minimum score for university admissions, Rectors voted on behalf of polytechnics, while Provosts voted for colleges of education.

Despite a push from JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, and the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to raise the minimum tolerable score to at least 160, the majority of institutional heads resisted the proposal. During the deliberation, Professor Ernest Izevbigie, Vice-Chancellor of Michael Lawrence University, Abuja, suggested a score of 140, while the Vice-Chancellor of Lighthouse University proposed 130. In contrast, Professor Ayodeji Agboola, Vice-Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, advocated for 160 but received minimal backing. Professor Owunari Georgewill, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, proposed a compromise of 150.

Professor Oloyede emphasized that all institutions that previously proposed lower scores must now align with the newly agreed national minimum benchmarks. “Every institution should maintain its own approved minimum,” he stated.

In another major announcement, the Federal Government reiterated that 16 years is now the official minimum age for gaining admission into any tertiary institution in Nigeria. While declaring the meeting open, Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa stressed that the age benchmark is both official and non-negotiable. He also issued a stern warning that any admission conducted outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) would be deemed illegal.

“The issue of age at entry into tertiary institutions has generated much debate, but our position is clear,” Alausa said. “The entry age for admission into tertiary institutions is now officially pegged at 16 years. It was reduced from 18, which was initially set to take effect from this year’s admission cycle. Therefore, compliance is mandatory.”

Dr. Alausa explained that this age requirement was instituted to strike a balance between students’ academic readiness and cognitive maturity. “Sixteen years of age for admission is non-negotiable. Institutions are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance,” he reiterated.

He further noted that although the policy will be strictly enforced, exceptions may be granted in rare and justifiable cases. “We understand there may be a few exceptional cases, and provisions have already been made for legitimate exceptions—especially for gifted children or those with accelerated educational progress. However, this must be demonstrated, documented, and justifiably proven,” Alausa added.

He concluded with a strong warning against any manipulation of age records in an attempt to circumvent the new directive.