The Federal Government has officially set 16 years as the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria. This was announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on Tuesday 8th July, during the opening session of the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions, organized by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.
Dr. Alausa stated that the decision reflects a deliberate balance between cognitive maturity and academic readiness. According to him, the age requirement is non-negotiable, and all institutions are mandated to ensure strict compliance. However, he clarified that there is room for exceptional cases, particularly for gifted students who have followed accelerated learning paths. Such cases must be clearly documented and verified. The Minister also warned against any attempt to manipulate age records, stressing that sanctions will be applied to those who violate the policy.
JAMB Announces 2025 Cut-Off Scores, New Ranking System, and Top University Choices
Meanwhile, JAMB has announced the minimum cut-off scores for the 2025/2026 academic session. Candidates seeking admission into Nigerian Universities will require a minimum score of 150. For Colleges of Nursing Sciences, the cut-off has been set at 140, while Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, and Colleges of Agriculture will admit candidates with a minimum of 100. This decision was reached in agreement with heads of various tertiary institutions during the meeting.
JAMB also introduced a new ranking system for UTME candidates. According to Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is now recognized as a ranking assessment rather than an achievement test. For the 2025 UTME, candidates’ Result Slips will include their National Rank among all candidates, providing a broader perspective on performance.
In terms of candidate preferences, Lagos State University (LASU) topped the 10 list of most sought-after institutions, with over 70,000 candidates selecting it as their First Choice. Followed by other top institutions which includes the University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), University of Ibadan (UI), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), University of Benin (UNIBEN), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), and Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), which received more than 42,900 applications.
JAMB also revealed that more female students participated in the 2025 UTME, indicating a positive trend toward gender inclusivity in tertiary education. However, competition remains steep in certain fields. According to 2024 data shared at the meeting, only 15% of applicants to Medicine and related Health Science programs were admitted, despite over 14,000 applications. This low admission rate is attributed to limited slots in these competitive disciplines. In contrast, fields like Agriculture and Education continue to see lower applicant turnout, prompting officials to encourage candidates to explore other vital but less competitive sectors.
JAMB Admission Procedures, CAPS Updates, and ASUU Strike Resolution for 2025
Regarding admission procedures, JAMB reaffirmed the role of its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), introduced in 2017, which allows candidates to accept or reject admission offers. For 2025, there are two methods to respond to admission offers: by sending an SMS with “ACCEPT” or “REJECT” to 55019 or 66019 using the phone number used for registration, or by verifying acceptance at a JAMB-accredited CBT center using Biometric Authentication.
To ensure prompt admission processing, a motion proposed by the Vice Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) was adopted: any candidate who fails to accept their admission offer within four weeks on notification will have their admissions REVOKED/FORFEITED. All public universities are expected to complete their admission processes by October 2025, while private institutions have until November 2025.
JAMB also issued an apology for the technical issues experienced during the conduct of this year’s UTME, reaffirming that all admission decisions for the 2025 cycle will be strictly based on merit.
As the admission season begins, candidates are advised to monitor announcements from their chosen institutions, as Post-UTME screening forms are expected to be released soon. In a related development, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has officially ended its strike action following the payment of June salaries by the Federal Government.
…by Chinedum Ezeani.
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