The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the 2025/2026 UTME cutoff marks for University, Polytechnics, and Colleges. The exam organizer sets 150 as minimum cut-off for universities, 100 for polytechnics, 140 for colleges of nursing sciences, and 100 for colleges of education.
The announcement was made on JAMB official X page today Tuesday, July 8 2025. Today also, JAMB released 2025 UTME Mop-up Results for for 11,161 candidates who did the computer-based test (CBT), and announced the higher scores in 2025.
The minimum admissible scores for admissions for the next academic session have been fixed at 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics, 100 for colleges of education and 140 for colleges of nursing sciences by the stakeholders (Heads of Tertiary Institutions).
— JAMB (@JAMBHQ) July 8, 2025
According to the statement, all stakeholders including the heads of tertiary institutions across the country supported newly released cutoff marks. However, it's important to note that these cutoff marks are higher than the ones set for 2024 admission.
The JAMB's minimum cut-off score for university admission in was set to 140 last year. For polytechnics and colleges of education, the benchmark remains at 100.
Meanwhile, between 2016 and 2022, university cut-off marks have fluctuated between 160 and 180 before stabilizing at 140 in 2023 and 2024. Anyways, JAMB said these changes were aimed at maintaining consistency in admission standards.
This year’s UTME results were the best in over a decade. Around 17,025 candidates—that's about 0.88%—scored 300 or higher. This is a noticeable jump from 0.46% in 2024 and 0.35% in 2023. The number of candidates scoring 250 and above also increased noticeably.
A total of 117,373 candidates achieved scores of 250 or more which is definitely an improvement from previous years. In 2024, 4.18% of candidates reached this mark, and in 2023, it was 3.73%. Additionally, nearly 30% of candidates scored above 200—up from 24% in the last exam cycle.
However, despite the improved performance, JAMB noted some issues. There were reports of exam malpractice and technical problems, which led to a nationwide resit called Mop-up exam. In the end, only about 21.5% of candidates scored over 200.
Low JAMB Cutoff Marks 2025
Candidates seeking admission into any University in Nigeria must meet 150 cutoff marks, College of Nursing Sciences must meet 140 cutoff marks, College of Education must meet 100 cutoff marks, and Polytechnics must meet 100 cutoff marks. These cutoff marks are low when compared to 2024 cutoff that was set to 180 for University candidates.
The decision to set minimum admissible scores as low as these—as agreed upon by JAMB and tertiary institutions—shows a balance of factors including candidates’ UTME performance trends, institutional capacity, and program-specific academic demands, with universities requiring higher rigor and nursing sciences needing elevated standards due to professional requirements.
This decision also considers socioeconomic challenges, such as economic recovery or educational disruptions. It'll help to ensure equitable access to education while aligning with national policies to maintain quality and fill available admission slots.
These low JAMB cutoff marks have sparked varied reactions on X, formerly Twitter. While some students are happy with the lower cut-off marks, others—like @Bluezblud—are worrying that scores as low as 150 for universities send the wrong message.
However, a Lecturer—@ShakoroAbbass—raise serious concerns about the quality of education in Nigeria. He argued that low cut-off marks devalue academic rigor and fail to prepare students for global competitiveness, especially when juxtaposed with issues like outdated curricula and poor infrastructure.
While some are criticizing the ideas of the lower cut off marks set by JAMB, stakeholders, and tertiary institutions representatives during the 2025 JAMB Policy Meeting held in Abuja, some argue the lower cutoff marks are needed to address Nigeria’s high out-of-school population.
What do you think? Is the lower cut-off marks good policy for 2025 UTME candidates or a bad idea. Let's know your opinions in the comments section. Cheers!