JAMB Shakes Up 2025 Admissions
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has unveiled sweeping changes during its 2025 Policy Meeting, redefining how university admissions will work across Nigeria. From new ranking systems to admission deadlines and cut-off marks, these updates will significantly impact students, parents, and education stakeholders nationwide.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, emphasized a fundamental shift in how JAMB scores are interpreted. He stated, “JAMB is not an achievement test; it is a ranking exam.” This means admission chances now depend not just on a candidate’s score, but on how that score compares to others across the country. All 2025 UTME result slips will now show both the actual score and the national ranking. For instance, a student who scored 370 ranked only 16th nationwide, while a candidate with a score of 200 ranked 533,005th. A score of 140 could place a candidate over 1.5 millionth nationally. This new approach signals a major shift: students and parents are urged to focus less on the numerical score and more on their national rank.
JAMB also announced the top 10 UTME candidates for 2025, most of whom chose Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), indicating its growing competitiveness. The top scorer, Dzekwe Chinedu Chielotan, had 379 and chose Mechanical Engineering at UNILAG. He was closely followed by Ayuba Simon-Peter John with 378, also for Mechanical Engineering at UNILAG, and Jimoh Abdulmutalib Olayinka who scored 374, again choosing the same course and university. Others on the list include Roberts Daniels Ayiba and Ononogbu Chigozirim Chibuozor who both scored 373, the latter opting for Electrical/Electronic Engineering at UNILAG. Olawoye Garrudee Tumise scored 371, also choosing UNILAG’s Mechanical Engineering. Afiunu Ofeoritse Leslie and Azayiseme Samuel Chukwumeka both scored 369 and chose Covenant University, with the former in Computer Science and the latter in Mechanical Engineering. Oyelude Oluwapemisi Emmanuel, also with 369, selected Aerospace Engineering at OAU, while Omigie Osaiogho Cecil, who scored 367, chose Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ibadan.
Lagos State University (LASU) emerged as the most sought-after university in 2025 with 79,000 first-choice applications. It was followed by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) with 58,645, the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) with 56,734, and the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), which attracted 52,103 applicants. Others include Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), University of Ibadan (UI), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), University of Benin (UNIBEN), and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), all of which received over 40,000 applications each. The high number of applicants per institution highlights the intense competition, particularly for popular courses such as Medicine, Law, and Engineering.
Cut-off marks for admission into higher institutions were also announced. Federal and state universities will require a minimum of 150, while colleges of nursing must accept a minimum of 140. For polytechnics, and colleges of agriculture and education, the cut-off is 100.
The admission timeline was clearly stated. Public universities are expected to complete all admissions by October 2025, while private institutions have until November or December 2025. JAMB also clarified that admission offers now come with strict expiry periods. If JAMB recommends a student for admission, the institution must accept or reject the offer within two weeks. Conversely, if the school directly offers admission, the candidate must accept or reject it within four weeks. Delays in these processes may result in the loss of admission.
In a major crackdown on admission malpractices, JAMB now mandates that institutions admit at least 90% of candidates strictly on merit before using any form of discretionary admissions, popularly known as “connections” or exemptions. This merit-first policy is now official and will be strictly enforced.
JAMB reaffirmed that the minimum age for admission remains 16. No candidate below this age will be considered for admission, regardless of how high their UTME score is. The board also disclosed that medical courses remain the most competitive in the country. Over 570,000 candidates applied for medical-related programs, but only about 115,000 are likely to gain admission, meaning less than one in five applicants will be successful. Students are therefore advised to have strong backup plans.
The admission landscape has changed dramatically. A candidate scoring 300+ might not stand a chance if their national rank is too low. Focus on ranking. Stay informed. Act fast when admission offers come.
