JAMB cut-off mark 2026: 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics, and what it really means

The 2026 national minimums

At its policy meeting in Abuja on 11 May 2026, JAMB and the heads of tertiary institutions set these minimum UTME scores (out of 400):

• Universities: 150
• Colleges of nursing: 150
• Polytechnics and monotechnics: 100

The meeting also kept the minimum admission age at 16, and reported that candidates for NCE programmes in colleges of education would not need to sit the UTME, though O'Level requirements still apply.

Three different numbers people call 'cut-off'

Students often mix these up, and it costs them admission: 1. The national minimum: the lowest score any university may consider (150 in 2026). It is a floor, not a target. 2. The institution threshold: the minimum a particular university sets for its own screening. Many federal universities set 180, 200 or more. 3. The course cut-off: the score that actually gets admitted into a course in a given year, after screening. For competitive courses such as Medicine, Law or Nursing it is usually far above the institution threshold, and it changes every year.

What this means for you

• A score of 150 makes you eligible to be considered by some universities. It does not guarantee admission anywhere.
• Check the screening notice of your chosen university for its own minimum before you choose it.
• For competitive courses, aim well above your school's threshold, and have a second-choice course in mind.
• Your O'Level grades and Post-UTME score can matter as much as your UTME score in the final ranking.

AdmitMe shows each supported university's published minimum with its source, so you can compare schools before you register.