The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified that the general minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions for the 2026/2027 admission cycle remains 16 years by 30 September 2026, but confirmed that an exception exists for candidates below that age who are considered exceptionally qualified and seek a waiver.
In a post on its X handle on Friday, JAMB explained that any candidate who will not be 16 by 30 September 2026 falls into the “underage” category for the current admission exercise. Being under sixteen, however, does not automatically disqualify a candidate from admission, as such applicants may still be considered through an intensive evaluation process.
According to the board’s 2026 guidelines, an underage candidate seeking the exceptional waiver must score at least 80 per cent in each of four separate components: the UTME, A’Level or SSCE (O’Level) results, the Post-UTME, and the exceptional candidate assessment. JAMB stressed that the requirement was not simply to score 80 per cent in the UTME alone, but to meet that threshold in every applicable component.
The board said the UTME results of underage candidates would only be released after the completion of the wider evaluation process. It subsequently reported that underage candidates who met the relevant UTME threshold were being invited to the next stage of assessment by their chosen institutions, with their details forwarded for further screening. Such candidates were also instructed to upload their O’Level results to the JAMB portal, as those who fail to do so cannot be considered for admission recommendations.
JAMB clarified, however, that meeting the 80 per cent requirement does not guarantee admission. It merely makes a candidate eligible for consideration under the exceptional or waiver process, after which the candidate must still go through the required evaluation and institutional admission procedures, with the minimum admission age remaining 16 under current policy.
To illustrate, the board cited the example of a candidate aged fifteen by 30 September 2026 who scores 82 per cent in the UTME, 85 per cent in the O’Level, 81 per cent in the Post-UTME and 80 per cent in the exceptional assessment. Such a candidate, having met the 80 per cent threshold across all four areas, would qualify for consideration under the exceptional underage process, although this still would not guarantee admission.
JAMB advised underage candidates to first confirm their date of birth and whether they would turn sixteen by the deadline, and, if not, to understand that they were being considered under the exceptional candidate or waiver process.
It urged such candidates to prepare adequately for all required assessments rather than focusing solely on the UTME, and to aim for the 80 per cent threshold in each individual component rather than treating it as an overall average. Candidates were also advised to upload their O’Level results to the portal as soon as they became available and to check their chosen institution’s specific admission requirements using JAMB’s IBASS Eligibility Checker.
In summary, sixteen years by 30 September 2026 remains the standard minimum age for the 2026/2027 admission cycle, with candidates below that age eligible for consideration only through the exceptional route, which requires a minimum of 80 per cent in the UTME, A’Level or SSCE, Post-UTME and exceptional candidate assessment.