The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned that meeting the 80 per cent benchmark for exceptional underage candidates does not guarantee admission to Nigerian tertiary institutions.

This means that even an underage candidate who meets the prescribed performance benchmark remains subject to the admission decisions and requirements of the institution they choose.

JAMB provided this clarification in a video posted on its X account on Thursday as part of its “JAMB Explained” series, titled “5 Frequently Asked Questions about Underage Admission.”

The board said candidates who are below 16 years by September 30 of the admission year are classified as underage.

Although such candidates are allowed to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), JAMB said it does not ordinarily consider them for admission unless they qualify as exceptional candidates.

According to the board, an underage candidate must score at least 80 per cent in the UTME, post-UTME and O-Level screening to qualify for consideration.

“An underage candidate must score 80 per cent in UTME, post-UTME and O-Level screening to be eligible for admission,” JAMB said.

However, the board emphasised that attaining the 80 per cent threshold should not be interpreted as an automatic ticket to admission.

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

The clarification means that even an underage candidate who meets the prescribed performance benchmark remains subject to the admission decisions and requirements of the institution the candidate chooses.

JAMB’s position also draws a clear distinction between being permitted to participate in the UTME and being eligible for admission.

For the 2026 admission exercise, candidates must be 16 by September 30, 2026, to avoid being classified as underage.

The board explained that the September 30 age cut-off was a policy instituted by the Federal Ministry of Education.

While underage candidates may write the UTME, JAMB said their admission is subject to the exceptional-candidate provision and the required performance in the relevant assessments.

The development is expected to serve as a caution to parents and exceptionally young candidates who may assume that securing a high UTME score automatically guarantees admission.

JAMB urged candidates to understand that meeting the benchmark only makes an underage candidate eligible for consideration, not an unconditional right to admission. (The Nation)