The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has clarified its policy on underage candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions, stressing that candidates below the age of 16 may sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination but are not automatically eligible for admission.
JAMB provided the clarification in a video shared on its X account on Thursday as part of its “JAMB Explained” series, titled “5 Frequently Asked Questions About Underage Admission.”
Who is considered an underage candidate?
According to JAMB, a candidate is considered underage if they have not attained the age of 16 by September 30 of the admission year.
For the 2026 admission exercise, candidates must therefore be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, to avoid being classified as underage.
JAMB explained that the September 30 cut-off is based on a policy instituted by the Federal Ministry of Education.
Can under-16 candidates sit for UTME?
Yes.
JAMB said candidates below the age of 16 are permitted to participate in the UTME, although they will be classified as underage candidates.
However, sitting for the examination does not automatically make such candidates eligible for admission into a university, polytechnic, college of education or other tertiary institution.
What are the requirements for underage admission?
JAMB said underage candidates seeking exceptional consideration for admission must meet a higher performance threshold.
The board stated that an underage candidate must score at least 80 per cent in the UTME, post-UTME and O-Level screening to be eligible for consideration.
This means that being exceptionally young or academically advanced does not, on its own, guarantee admission.
Why are underage candidates generally not admitted?
JAMB explained that candidates who have not attained the stipulated minimum age are ordinarily excluded from admission unless they qualify as exceptional candidates under the board’s guidelines.
Therefore, a candidate can register for and perform well in the UTME but still be unable to secure admission if they do not satisfy the age and exceptional-candidate requirements.
Does scoring 80 per cent guarantee admission?
No.
JAMB stressed that meeting the 80 per cent benchmark does not constitute an automatic admission offer.
The board noted that admission ultimately depends on the institution selected by the candidate and the institution’s admission process.
The clarification is particularly important for parents, students and schools preparing candidates for the 2026 admission exercise, especially those who will still be below 16 by September 30, 2026.
Such candidates may participate in the UTME, but they should understand that UTME eligibility and admission eligibility are not the same.
Key takeaway: Under-16 candidates can write the 2026 UTME, but they will be classified as underage and must meet JAMB’s exceptional-candidate requirements before they can be considered for admission.
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