Universities Set UTME Cut-Off to 150 for 2025/2026 Admissions

In a unanimous decision on July 8, 2025, Nigeria’s university Vice Chancellors approved a new minimum score of 150 on the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for all university admissions in the 2025/2026 academic session. The move aims to ensure that incoming students are better prepared for the rigours of higher education and to standardise admissions across the country.

Why Set the Cut-Off at 150?

For years, universities admitted students with UTME scores as low as 120 or 140, leading to wide variations in student readiness. By raising the bar to 150, academic leaders hope to:

• Boost Academic Quality: A higher threshold means students must demonstrate stronger mastery of core subjects before entry.
  
• Improve Student Success Rates: Better-prepared freshmen are more likely to keep up with coursework and graduate on time.
  
• Harmonise Standards Nationwide: One uniform cut-off helps eliminate discrepancies between institutions that previously set different marks.

How the Decision Was Reached

The change was finalised at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s annual policy meeting in Abuja, presided over by JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede. After reviewing data on student performance and resource capacity, the Vice Chancellors cast a voice vote in favour of the new cut-off.

The 150 benchmark now applies exclusively to federal and state universities; polytechnics and colleges of education will maintain a lower minimum of 100.

What This Means for Prospective Students

Revised Application Strategy: Students scoring between 140 and 149 must consider alternatives, such as polytechnics, colleges of education, or retaking the UTME, to secure admission.

Increased Competition: A higher threshold will intensify competition for limited university slots, pushing students to prepare more thoroughly.

Demand for Better Guidance: Secondary schools and exam-prep centres must adapt curricula and coaching methods to help pupils clear the new benchmark.

Next Steps and Monitoring

Education stakeholders have signalled that these cut-off marks will be reviewed annually. JAMB and university authorities plan to track enrollment figures, first-year performance, and graduation rates to assess whether the 150 mark successfully enhances academic outcomes. If necessary, further adjustments may be made before the 2026/2027 admission cycle.