The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the commencement of the sale of application forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the Registrar of the Board, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, and released through JAMB’s official communication channels. The Board invited suitably qualified candidates seeking admission into Nigeria’s universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and other tertiary institutions to apply.
JAMB stated that candidates must be at least 16 years old by 30 September 2026 to be eligible for admission. However, it made provisions for underage candidates, subject to strict conditions. According to the Board, candidates below the age threshold would be required to undergo an intensive evaluation to determine their eligibility for a waiver.
The Board explained that such underage candidates must score not less than 80 per cent in each of the UTME or A-Level examinations, Post-UTME, Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), and an exceptional candidates’ assessment. It added that the UTME results of underage candidates would only be released after the completion of the evaluation process.
On registration timelines, JAMB announced that UTME registration, including for candidates in foreign countries, will run from Monday, 26 January to Saturday, 28 February 2026. The sale of E-PINs for UTME candidates will begin on Monday, 19 January 2026, and end on Thursday, 26 February 2026, while registration will officially close on 28 February 2026.
For Direct Entry candidates, the Board disclosed that the sale of DE application forms and E-PIN vending will commence on Monday, 2 March 2026, and end on Saturday, 25 April 2026. JAMB noted that Direct Entry registration would be conducted only at its State and Zonal Offices across the country.
The Board announced three categories of E-PINs for the 2026 examination cycle. These include Direct Entry E-PIN priced at ₦5,700, UTME without Mock at ₦7,200, and UTME with Mock at ₦8,700.
A breakdown of the fees shows that the charges cover the JAMB application fee of ₦3,500, reading text of ₦1,000, CBT centre registration service charge of ₦700, CBT UTME service charge of ₦1,500, bank charges of ₦500, and an additional ₦1,500 for candidates opting to participate in the Mock-UTME.
JAMB also announced the examination dates, stating that the 2026 UTME will be conducted from Thursday, 16 April to Saturday, 25 April 2026, while the optional Mock-UTME is scheduled to hold on Saturday, 28 March 2026.
The Board advised prospective candidates to comply strictly with the registration guidelines and timelines, warning that late registration would not be accommodated.