- JAMB introduces strict new rules for admitting underage students
- Admission Minimum Age is 16
- underage candidates must meet high standards
For the 2025/2026 school year, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced tough new regulations for students under 16 who want to be admitted to a university. This new policy is consistent with the government’s rule that the minimum age for university entry is 16.
Eko Hot Blog reports that while the minimum age remains 16, JAMB Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede stated that students younger than that could be considered if they show outstanding academic ability and pass a rigorous screening process.
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These changes were put in place to address the issue of admitting students who are too young and may not be emotionally or psychologically mature enough for university.
To be considered for admission, these underage candidates must meet tough academic standards. This includes a minimum score of 320 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), a score of at least 80% in the post-UTME screening, and a minimum of 80% in a single sitting of their WAEC or NECO exams.
A special 23-member committee has been formed to screen candidates in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri. An additional layer of evaluation will be used to check for the students’ emotional and psychological maturity.
JAMB has also removed all under-16 candidates from its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) and requires institutions to get special approval before admitting them.
Some universities, such as the Air Force Institute of Technology and the University of Jos, have already stated they will not admit underage candidates under any circumstances.
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