The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced 150 as the 2025 cut-off mark for Nigerian universities, 140 for nursing schools, and reaffirms 16 years as the minimum age for tertiary admission.
The Examination body said while institutions can choose to set their cut-off marks higher than the national minimum, they are not permitted to go lower.
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This decision came after votes were cast by vice-chancellors (for universities), rectors (for polytechnics), and provosts (for colleges of education) during the meeting. While some university representatives proposed lower thresholds—such as 130 and 140—others pushed for a higher benchmark of 160. In the end, a score of 150 was agreed upon as a middle ground.
Sharing the resolution on social media, JAMB posted via X (formerly Twitter):
The minimum admissible scores for admissions for the next academic session have been fixed at 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics, 100 for colleges of education and 140 for colleges of nursing sciences by the stakeholders (Heads of Tertiary Institutions).
The body also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s directive that the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions is now 16. JAMB described this age rule as non-negotiable and urged institutions to strictly comply, while noting that rare, documented exceptions may be made for exceptionally gifted or fast-tracked students.
It emphasised the need for honesty in admissions processes, especially concerning age documentation, warning institutions against sidestepping the official Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).