By Enitan Abdultawab

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified that underage candidates who achieve the required 80 per cent benchmark are only eligible for consideration and are not automatically guaranteed admission into tertiary institutions.

JAMB made the clarification in its “JAMB Explained” series on Thursday while addressing frequently asked questions about admission for candidates below the required age.

Under the current policy, candidates who will be younger than 16 by September 30 of the admission year are classified as underage.

Although such candidates are permitted to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, JAMB said they are not ordinarily considered for admission unless they qualify under the exceptional-candidate provision.

For an underage candidate to qualify for consideration, JAMB said the candidate must score at least 80 per cent in the UTME, post-UTME and O-Level screening.

“An underage candidate must score 80 per cent in UTME, post-UTME and O-Level screening to be eligible for admission,” the board stated.

However, the board stressed that achieving the benchmark does not mean an admission offer is automatic.

“Please note that your admission is solely dependent on the choice of your institution,” JAMB added.

The clarification effectively separates eligibility from admission, meaning an underage candidate may meet the required academic threshold but still have to satisfy the admission requirements of the institution selected.

For the 2026 admission exercise, candidates are expected to be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, in line with the age policy instituted by the Federal Ministry of Education.

JAMB explained that underage candidates could still participate in the UTME but would only be considered for admission if they fall under the exceptional-candidate category and meet the required performance standards.

The board’s clarification is particularly relevant to exceptionally young candidates and their parents who may assume that a high UTME score automatically secures admission.

JAMB therefore advised candidates to understand that the 80 per cent benchmark only qualifies an underage candidate for consideration, while the final admission decision remains subject to the requirements and discretion of the chosen institution.