JAMB Sets October Deadline for University Admissions for 2025/2026 Academic Session
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced fresh deadlines for the conclusion of admissions into tertiary institutions across Nigeria for the 2025/2026 academic session, warning institutions to strictly comply with the approved schedule or risk losing access to candidates on its admission platform.
The decision was reached during the 2026 Annual Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja on Monday, where key stakeholders in the education sector gathered to deliberate on admission procedures, timelines, and policies for the new academic session.
According to the resolutions adopted at the meeting, all public universities in the country are expected to complete their admission processes on or before October 31, 2026. Private universities were given an extended deadline of November 30, 2026, while polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education are to conclude their admissions no later than December 31, 2026.
JAMB stated that the move was aimed at ensuring a more coordinated and transparent admission process across all tertiary institutions in the country.
“All institutions are to conduct their 2026 admission exercise within the approved schedule,” the board announced during the meeting.
The examination body also issued a stern warning to institutions that may fail to comply with the timelines, noting that any school that does not conclude its admission process within the stipulated period would lose access to candidates through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
The CAPS platform, introduced by JAMB to streamline and monitor admissions into tertiary institutions, has become a critical tool in Nigeria’s higher education admission system. It allows candidates to track their admission status while ensuring that institutions follow approved admission guidelines.
Stakeholders at the meeting emphasized that adherence to the timelines would help reduce delays that often leave students uncertain about their academic future for several months. Education experts have long complained about prolonged admission processes in some institutions, arguing that they disrupt academic calendars and create unnecessary anxiety among candidates and parents.
The policy meeting also reaffirmed JAMB’s commitment to maintaining fairness, transparency, and accountability in the admission process. Officials stressed that institutions must strictly follow merit, catchment area considerations, and other approved admission criteria in line with national education policies.
Observers say the new deadlines may compel institutions to improve efficiency in screening and admission procedures. In previous years, some schools extended their admission exercises far beyond the academic calendar, leading to confusion and overlapping sessions.
For many candidates awaiting admission into universities and other tertiary institutions, the announcement provides a clearer timeline for the admission season. Students who sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are expected to closely monitor updates from their institutions of choice as screening and admission processes begin.
The annual JAMB policy meeting is regarded as one of the most important gatherings in Nigeria’s education sector, as it sets the framework for admissions into universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education nationwide. The meeting typically involves vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, education ministry officials, and other major stakeholders.
Education analysts believe the strict enforcement of admission deadlines could help stabilize academic calendars across institutions, many of which have faced disruptions in recent years due to strikes, administrative delays, and other challenges.
Parents and guardians have also welcomed the development, expressing hope that the policy would reduce the long waiting periods often experienced by students seeking admission.
Meanwhile, institutions are expected to immediately align their admission activities with the new directives to avoid sanctions from the board. With the deadlines now officially announced, attention is expected to shift toward post-UTME screenings and the release of admission lists in the coming months.
JAMB maintained that the timelines are binding on all tertiary institutions and reiterated its determination to ensure full compliance throughout the 2025/2026 admission exercise.
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