Admissions: JAMB lists conditions for screening of under-16 UTME candidates

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Wednesday listed conditions for screening of exceptional Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates, who are still under the age of 16 years, for 2025/2026 admissions.

The board said that to qualify for consideration, under-16 candidates must have a minimum UTME score of 320 out of 400 (80%), a post-UTME score of at least 80%, and a minimum of 80% in a single sitting of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) or National Examinations Council (NECO), amounting to 24 points out of 30.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, rolled out the measures during a virtual meeting with Vice-Chancellors and Heads of Admissions on Wednesday in Abuja.

Oloyede said the Board would no longer tolerate the “academic abuse” of pushing psychologically and emotionally unprepared children into the rigours of university life.

The conditions followed the decision of the Federal Government to peg the official minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions at 16 years, with exceptions for high-performing candidates under 16. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who presented the policy at the 2025 policy meeting of JAMB, said it aims to balance cognitive maturity and academic preparedness and curb the growing trend of underage candidates in Nigerian universities.While reaffirming 16 years as the minimum entry age for tertiary education, Oloyede on Wednesday said underage candidates would only be considered on clearly proven grounds of exceptional academic brilliance.

“We are not saying no child under 16 will be admitted, but they must pass through a rigorous screening process that confirms they are truly gifted. This policy is not just about age; it’s about maturity, capacity, and long-term well-being,” he said.

Oloyede also ruled out the combination of results from two different exam bodies, such as mixing WAEC and NECO results for such a category of candidates, adding that science students must include mathematics in their top subjects, while arts students must include English.