The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified its policy on underage candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions, confirming that applicants below 16 years can participate in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), but must satisfy additional conditions before they can qualify for admission.

The Board provided the clarification in a video shared on its X account on Thursday as part of its “JAMB Explained” series. The video, titled “5 Frequently Asked Questions About Underage Admission,” addressed key issues surrounding the participation and admission of candidates who have not reached the stipulated age.

JAMB defines an underage candidate as an applicant who has not attained the age of 16 by September 30 of the relevant admission year.

“An underage candidate is someone less than 16 years on or before 30th of September of an admission year,” JAMB stated.

For the 2026 admission exercise, this means candidates must be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, to meet the stipulated admission age.

However, JAMB made it clear that being below the required age does not prevent a candidate from sitting for the UTME.

“Can someone who is less than 16 participate in the UTME? Yes, but they’ll be regarded as underage,” the Board said.

While underage applicants can take the examination, JAMB stressed that participation in the UTME does not by itself make them eligible for admission into a tertiary institution.

According to the Board, an underage candidate seeking admission must qualify as an exceptional candidate by recording a minimum score of 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.

The requirement means candidates who are below 16 must demonstrate exceptional academic performance across the relevant examinations and screening stages before they can be considered for admission.

JAMB further explained that underage candidates would not ordinarily be considered for admission unless they satisfy the conditions required for classification as exceptional candidates.

The Board also warned that achieving the 80 per cent benchmark does not automatically guarantee an admission offer.

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

The clarification means candidates who will not have reached the age of 16 by September 30, 2026, may still participate in the 2026 UTME. However, they must fulfil the additional requirements before they can be considered for admission.

JAMB said the explanation forms part of its ongoing “JAMB Explained” series, which is intended to give candidates clearer information about the Board’s admission policies and procedures.

Source: leadership.ng