- Examination dates have been set, with the 2026 UTME scheduled to begin Thursday, April 16, 2026
- For Direct Entry candidates, sales of application documents and E-PIN vending will commence on Monday, March 2, 2026
- According to the release, only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, are generally eligible to apply
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially opened the sale of application documents for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the announcement, shared via a photostatement on JAMB’s official X handle and signed by Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, emphasizes that candidates must meet age requirements and other eligibility criteria before applying for admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
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According to the release, only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, are generally eligible to apply. However, younger candidates can seek a waiver through a strict evaluation process, provided they have scored at least 80% in UTME/A-LEVEL, PUTME, SSCE, and exceptional candidate assessments.
JAMB stated that results for underage candidates will be released only after the evaluation process is complete.
The Board detailed registration timelines, noting that UTME candidates, including those from foreign countries, can register from Monday, January 26, 2026, to Saturday, February 28, 2026. E-PIN vending for UTME will run from Monday, January 19, 2026, to Thursday, February 26, 2026.
For Direct Entry candidates, sales of application documents and E-PIN vending will commence on Monday, March 2, 2026, and close on Saturday, April 25, 2026. Applications for DE will be available only at JAMB’s State and Zonal offices.
JAMB also shared the pricing structure for e-PINs: Direct Entry (₦5,700), UTME only without mock (₦7,200), and UTME with mock (₦8,700).
The breakdown includes the JAMB application fee (₦3,500), reading text (₦1,000), CBT centre registration service charge (₦700), CBT centre UTME service charge (₦1,500), bank charges (₦500), and optional CBT mock-UTME centre charge (₦1,500).
Examination dates have been set, with the 2026 UTME scheduled to begin Thursday, April 16, 2026, and end Saturday, April 25, 2026. The optional Mock-UTME will hold on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
This update aims to guide candidates in planning their registration and preparation for one of Nigeria’s most important university entrance examinations.
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