UNDERSTANDING CUT-OFF MARKS IN JAMB & NIGERIAN SCHOOLS

Many admission seekers get confused about cut-off marks, admissible marks, and departmental requirements. This guide breaks it down in a simple way. 1. What is a Cut-off Mark? A cut-off mark is the minimum score required to be considered for admission into a school or course. It acts as a basic eligibility filter. Scoring above it makes you eligible for screening or Post-UTME. Important: Meeting a cut-off mark does NOT guarantee admission. 2. JAMB Cut-off Mark (General Benchmark) This is the minimum score approved by JAMB for all institutions in Nigeria during the annual policy meeting. Typical ranges: • Universities: 140 – 150+ • Polytechnics: 100+ • Colleges of Education: 100+ Schools are NOT allowed to set cut-off marks below this benchmark. However, they can set higher requirements. 3. Admissible / Institutional Cut-off Mark This is the official cut-off mark set by individual schools for admission consideration. It is the minimum score required to be eligible for a particular institution’s screening exercise. Example: • University A: 180 • University B: 200 • Polytechnic: 120 – 160 This means even if JAMB allows 140, your chosen school may require higher. Departmental Cut-off Mark This is the most competitive cut-off mark. It determines the score needed to gain admission into a specific course or department after screening. Example: • Medicine: 280+ • Law: 250+ • Nursing: 220+ • Computer Science: 200+ • Education Courses: 150 – 180 Meeting school cut-off does NOT guarantee your course of choice. SIMPLE SUMMARY JAMB Cut-off → Minimum national benchmark Institutional Cut-off → School eligibility requirement Departmental Cut-off → Course admission requirement FINAL NOTE Admission is not only about passing JAMB cut-off marks. Your course choice, competition, and departmental requirements play a huge role in whether you are admitted. Stay updated on OGB Admission Hub for more admission guides, news, and updates.