The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the commencement of the sale of registration forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session.
The announcement was made on Tuesday night via a post on JAMB’s official X handle.
“UTME is open to suitably qualified candidates for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2026/2027 academic session,” the photo statement signed by JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, read.
JAMB disclosed that registration would begin in January 2026 and close in March 2026, with the exact dates to be announced later. The board also confirmed that the UTME examination itself is scheduled to take place in April 2026.
“The period of registration for UTME candidates, including those from foreign countries, is from Monday, 26th January, 2026 to Saturday, 28th February, 2026,” the statement said.
According to the board, candidates must obtain their National Identification Number (NIN) before they can register for the examination.
JAMB further stated that “Only candidates who will not be less than 16 years old by 30th September, 2026 are generally eligible to apply/be considered.”
However, it clarified that underage candidates may still be considered under specific conditions.
“Candidates less than 16 years old by 30th September, 2026 will have to undergo an intensive evaluation to determine their eligibility for a waiver. Such must have scored not less than 80% in each of UTME/ALEVEL, PUTME, SSCE, and in the exceptional candidate assessment.”
The board added that “The UTME results of the underage candidates will be released only at the conclusion of the complete evaluation process.”
For Direct Entry applicants, JAMB announced that the “Sale of 2026 Direct Entry (DE) application documents and E-PIN vending would commence from Monday, 2nd March, 2026, and end by Saturday, 25th April, 2026, and would only be at the Board’s State and Zonal Offices.”
On the examination timeline, JAMB stated that “The 2026 UTME will commence on Thursday, 16th April, 2026 and end on Saturday, 25th April, 2026,” while noting that the optional Mock-UTME “shall hold on Saturday, March 28th, 2026.”
What you should know
The 2026 UTME and Direct Entry registration marks the first major step for candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2026/2027 academic session.
JAMB has maintained its age policy, with 16 years as the general minimum requirement, while allowing exceptional underage candidates to apply through a rigorous evaluation process. The National Identification Number remains compulsory for registration.
UTME registration runs from late January to February 2026, with the examination holding in April. Direct Entry registration starts in March and ends in April, with applications restricted to JAMB offices nationwide.
