The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has clarified its policy on underage candidates seeking admission into Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions.
JAMB said candidates who are below 16 years can still sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination but will be classified as underage candidates. For the 2026 admission exercise, applicants must be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, to avoid the underage classification.
However, sitting for UTME does not automatically make an underage candidate eligible for admission. JAMB explained that underage applicants must meet the requirements for exceptional admission.
According to the board, an underage candidate must achieve at least 80 per cent in UTME, post-UTME and O-level screening to qualify for consideration. Even meeting the benchmark does not guarantee admission, as the final decision remains dependent on the candidate’s chosen institution.
JAMB said the age policy was instituted by the Federal Ministry of Education and urged candidates and parents to understand the difference between eligibility to write UTME and eligibility for admission.
