There are three different “cut-off marks” for universities, and confusing them is how candidates with a passing UTME score end up not admitted. This article separates them, gives you the 2026 floor, and shows you how to find the number that actually decides your admission.
The three cut-offs, in order
1. JAMB’s minimum (the floor). JAMB, at its annual policy meeting with institutions, sets a minimum score below which no university may admit. For the 2026 cycle, as reported from that policy meeting, the university minimum was 150. Colleges of nursing were also set at 150. This is a floor, not a target and not a guarantee.
2. The institution’s cut-off. Each university then sets its own minimum for its Post-UTME or screening — often 160, 180, 200 or higher, depending on the university. If you score below your university’s own cut-off, you cannot take its Post-UTME, regardless of clearing JAMB’s floor.
3. The departmental cut-off. Within a university, each course has its own cut-off, set by demand and by aggregate scores. Competitive courses — Medicine, Law, Pharmacy, Engineering, Computer Science, Nursing — routinely close far above the university’s general cut-off. A course cut-off of 250, 270 or higher at a popular university is normal, not exceptional.
So the question “what is the cut-off for universities?” has no single answer. The answer that matters for you is: your university’s cut-off for your course, in the current cycle.
How to find your real cut-off
- Check JAMB’s current minimum for the cycle — that tells you the floor.
- Check your university’s Post-UTME/screening notice for its general cut-off. That tells you whether you can even sit its screening.
- Check the departmental cut-off for your course, from the university’s admission notice or its previous cycle’s merit list — and treat last year’s departmental cut-off as a guide, not a promise. It moves every year with applicant numbers and scores.
- Calculate your aggregate — departmental cut-offs are usually aggregate cut-offs, not raw UTME scores. See How to Calculate JAMB Aggregate Score before comparing your UTME score directly with a departmental figure.
What a score actually gets you: a realistic map
These are guide ranges, not guarantees, and they shift by university and year:
- 150–179: you clear JAMB’s floor, but your university options are limited to less competitive universities and courses, unless your aggregate (with a strong Post-UTME) lifts you.
- 180–199: most universities’ general cut-offs are within reach; competitive courses at popular universities are usually still out of reach.
- 200–249: a wide range of universities and courses open up, subject to Post-UTME and aggregate.
- 250+: competitive courses at popular universities become realistic, subject to departmental cut-offs and aggregate ranking.
The commonest disappointment is a candidate with, say, 210 who assumes Medicine at a top university is open because 210 “passes”. It passes JAMB’s floor. It does not pass that course’s departmental cut-off.
If your score is below your course’s cut-off
You have real options, and none of them requires panic:
- Change course within the same university to a course whose cut-off your aggregate meets, through JAMB’s change-of-course service while the window is open.
- Change institution to a university whose cut-off for your course is within your range.
- Wait for supplementary lists, where some universities admit below the merit cut-off if slots remain — but do not count on this as a plan.
- Prepare for the next cycle with a realistic course and institution strategy, rather than repeating the same choices with the same scores.
What does not work: paying someone to “lower” a cut-off, or assuming a university will admit below its published cut-off because you know someone there.
Frequently asked questions
What was JAMB’s minimum cut-off for universities in 2026? 150, as reported from JAMB’s 2026 policy meeting. That is the floor for universities, not a guarantee of admission anywhere.
Does meeting JAMB’s minimum mean I will be admitted? No. You must also meet your university’s general cut-off, its departmental cut-off for your course, and its screening requirements.
Do cut-off marks change every year? Yes. JAMB’s minimum is set annually at the policy meeting, and institutions set their own cut-offs each cycle. Never rely on a previous year’s figures as if they were current.
Is the cut-off the same for all universities? No. Each university sets its own, and each course within it has its own departmental cut-off.
What is the difference between a general cut-off and a departmental cut-off? The general cut-off is the minimum to be eligible for a university’s Post-UTME/screening. The departmental cut-off is the minimum aggregate for admission into a specific course. You must clear both, in that order.
Sources and last update
- 2026 JAMB policy-meeting minimums (universities 150, nursing 150, polytechnics/monotechnics/agriculture/education/IEI 100, minimum age 16) as reported by LekkiHeadmaster, checked 11 October 2026, from jamb.gov.ng.
- Institution and departmental cut-off structure cross-checked across multiple independent JAMB guides. 2027 minimums have not been set — this article will be reviewed when JAMB announces them.
Last updated: 24 October 2026. Evergreen guide — review every 3–6 months and on every JAMB policy-meeting announcement.