Nigerian tertiary institutions approve 150 cut-off mark for universities and nursing colleges, 100 for polytechnics, while admission age remains 16.
Heads of tertiary institutions across Nigeria have unanimously agreed on new minimum admissible scores for candidates seeking admission into universities, colleges of nursing, and polytechnics across the country.
Under the new benchmark arrangement, candidates seeking admission into Nigerian universities are expected to score a minimum of 150 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Colleges of Nursing will also adopt 150 as their minimum admissible score, while polytechnics will accept candidates with scores from 100 and above.
The decision was reached during discussions involving stakeholders in the nation’s tertiary education sector as authorities continue efforts to streamline admission processes and improve access to higher education.
In addition to the approved admission scores, the minimum age requirement for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria remains fixed at 16 years. This means candidates below the approved age threshold will not be considered eligible for admission, regardless of their UTME performance.
Another major development announced is the exemption of candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and Agriculture non-engineering courses from writing the UTME. The policy is aimed at encouraging more students to enroll in these critical academic fields, which are considered important for national development and manpower growth.
Education stakeholders believe the move could help boost enrollment in teacher education and agricultural programmes while also addressing concerns about declining interest in some academic disciplines.
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The latest admission guidelines are expected to shape the 2026 admission exercise across universities, colleges, and other tertiary institutions nationwide.
