As thousands of Nigerian students await clarity on their university admission prospects after the controversial 2025 UTME, attention is shifting to institutions that may accept candidates with low JAMB scores.

This year’s UTME, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), was marred by widespread dissatisfaction over unexpectedly low results. While nearly two million candidates sat for the exam, only 12,400 managed to score 300 or above.

The board has since admitted to technical glitches that may have contributed to the poor performance and has organised resit exams for affected students.

In light of the situation, students and parents have begun scouting for tertiary institutions willing to consider lower scores for admission.

The conventional benchmark of 200 has in recent years been adjusted by many universities, with some already moving their cut-off to 150 or even lower due to recurring underperformance.

Interviews conducted with staff from various institutions suggest that some universities and polytechnics are prepared to admit candidates who scored as low as 140 or 100.

Although many schools are yet to officially announce their 2025 cut-off marks—citing the ongoing exam process—past admission trends and internal sources offer insight into likely thresholds.

Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu – 140

Ebonyi State University – 140

Ekiti State University – 140

Delta State University – 140

Federal University Gashua, Yobe State – 140

Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Imo State – 140

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State – 150 (except for medicine and law)

Sokoto State University – 140 (pending official decision)

Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto – 140

Benue State University, Makurdi – 150

Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Ebonyi State – 100

Delta State Polytechnic – 100

Kano State Polytechnic – 100

Federal Polytechnic, Ede (Osun State) – 120

Federal Polytechnic, Ayede (Oyo State) – 120

The final decisions on admission thresholds will depend on internal policy reviews and JAMB’s official briefing, expected later in the year.

For now, students who scored below the traditional benchmark are encouraged to consider institutions with flexible cut-off policies.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that JAMB stressed that candidates whose biometric verification is unsuccessful on the examination day would not be permitted to sit the UTME or its mock version.

JAMB noted that no parent or proxy is allowed to make any transaction on candidates' profiles or interfere with the registration "to avoid alterations and data mismatch".

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Source: Legit.ng