The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has formally announced the commencement of the 2026/2027 admission exercise into Nigerian tertiary institutions, including designated foreign centres. The exercise covers both the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) pathways.

Below is a comprehensive, formally reworked breakdown of the rules, timelines, costs, eligibility conditions, and registration procedures issued by the Board for the 2026 admission cycle.

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Eligibility Conditions For JAMB 2026

Age Requirement

Candidates must be at least 16 years old by 30 September 2026 to be eligible for admission.

Applicants below 16 years as of that date may only be considered under an exceptional waiver process, which requires a minimum score of 80% in UTME or A-LEVEL, PUTME, SSCE, and the special exceptional candidate assessment. Results for such candidates will only be released after full evaluation is completed.

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Biodata And NIMC Regulations

All biodata used for the 2026 registration will be sourced directly from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
    •    Once registration is completed, no biodata correction will be allowed by JAMB.
    •    Updates made by NIMC after registration will only reflect on JAMB records through a re-query process during the 2026 cycle.
    •    Any replaced data will appear as a footnote on the candidate’s profile and registration documents.

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JAMB 2026 Fees And e-PIN Categories

JAMB will continue its fully cashless registration system, with centralised collection of all third-party charges.

Approved e-PIN Categories
    •    Direct Entry (DE): ₦5,700
    •    UTME without Mock: ₦7,200
    •    UTME with Mock: ₦8,700

Official Fee Components
    •    Application fee: ₦3,500
    •    Compulsory reading text: ₦1,000
    •    CBT registration charge: ₦700
    •    CBT UTME service charge: ₦1,500
    •    Bank charges: ₦500
    •    Mock-UTME fee (where applicable): ₦1,500

Candidates must select the correct e-PIN category at purchase. Fees are non-refundable under any circumstance.

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Registration Timetable For 2026

UTME Registration
    •    Registration window: 26 January – 28 February 2026
    •    e-PIN sales: 19 January – 26 February 2026

All candidates must have a valid, accessible personal e-mail address before registering.

Direct Entry (DE) Registration
    •    Sale of DE forms and e-PINs: 2 March – 25 April 2026
    •    Submission: Strictly at JAMB State and Zonal Offices

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Biometrics, Image Capture, And Anti-Impersonation Measures
    •    Candidates must have all ten fingers captured correctly at the CBT centre.
    •    Use of multiple NINs, double registration, impersonation, or identity manipulation attracts severe sanctions.
    •    Only candidates who pass biometric verification will be allowed to sit for UTME or Mock examinations.

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IBASS E-Brochure And E-Syllabus

Candidates are required to access the Integrated Brochure and Syllabus System (IBASS) by scanning the official QR codes provided by JAMB for programme eligibility and subject combinations.

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Academic Entry Requirements

UTME
    •    Minimum of five O’Level credit passes, including English, in not more than two sittings.
    •    Mathematics is compulsory for Science, Technology, and Social Science programmes.
    •    ND/NCE holders require at least four credits relevant to the intended course.

Direct Entry (DE)
    •    Minimum of five O’Level credits, with at least two at Advanced or Principal level, in not more than two sittings.

Accepted DE qualifications include, but are not limited to:
NCE, ND, HND, IJMB, JUPEB, NABTEB (ANBC/ANTC), university diplomas, Nigerian and foreign first degrees, Cambridge A-Level, International Baccalaureate (foreign entries only), and approved trans-national foundation certificates.

Awarding institutions must forward verification directly to JAMB before registration can be completed.

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Critical Direct Entry Rules
    •    No DE registration or upgrade is permitted with awaiting result status, except where expressly allowed.
    •    Uploaded results must be verified by the awarding body before admission processing.
    •    Statements of result are accepted only within three years of award (one year for NCE).
    •    UTME-to-DE upgrade is allowed only where A-Level results were genuinely pending at UTME registration.
    •    DE admission clearance status will reflect as CLEARED or NOT CLEARED on the e-Facility portal.

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Key Registration Restrictions
    •    Multiple registrations are prohibited and invalidate all applications.
    •    Registration is valid only at JAMB-accredited CBT centres.
    •    Third-party or proxy access to candidate profiles is forbidden.
    •    All previous admissions must be disclosed; failure to do so nullifies the application.
    •    Candidates may choose any institution type as first choice, including universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, NDA, or Police Academy.

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How To Register For JAMB 2026

Step 1: Create A Profile Code
    •    Send your NIN via SMS to 55019 or 66019 in this format:
NIN 00123456789
    •    A 10-character Profile Code will be returned.
    •    The SIM number used becomes permanently linked to the profile.

Step 2: Purchase The e-PIN

Present your Profile Code at approved vendors (banks, NIPOST, MMOs, MFBs, USSD partners). The e-PIN will be sent directly to your phone.

Step 3: Register At A CBT Centre

Candidates must appear physically for:
    •    Ten-finger biometric capture
    •    Live photograph capture
    •    Completion and printing of registration slip

Group or school-based registration is not allowed.

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Support, Complaints, And Corrections

All complaints must be submitted through the JAMB Online Ticketing System on the official website. Third-party complaints are not entertained.

Profile code retrieval and password reset are done via SMS to 55019 or 66019 using official commands.

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Foreign UTME Centres

JAMB will conduct UTME in selected cities including London, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Accra, Abidjan, and others. The registration fee for foreign candidates is USD $30 or local equivalent.

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Candidates With Disabilities (PWDs)

Special provisions exist for blind, deaf, mute, wheelchair users, and other listed conditions. Qualified PWD candidates are entitled to full refund of registration fees. Candidates with biometric abnormalities will be handled exclusively at JAMB headquarters in Abuja.

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JAMB 2026 Examination Dates
    •    UTME: 16 – 25 April 2026
    •    Mock-UTME (optional): 28 March 2026

Candidates are examined strictly in their chosen examination towns.

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General Examination Rules
    •    Registration fees are non-refundable.
    •    Prescribed text: “The Lekki Headmaster” by Kabir Alabi Garba.
    •    Electronic devices, watches, and writing materials other than pencils are prohibited.
    •    Examination malpractice is a criminal offence.
    •    JAMB does not recognise illegal or non-CAPS admissions.

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Final Admission Warning

Only admissions processed through JAMB CAPS and printed on the e-Facility Admission Letter are valid. Any admission offered outside this system is illegal, null, and void, and accepted strictly at the candidate’s own risk.