The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that sales of application forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) will begin on Monday, January 26, 2026, with key registration and examination dates confirmed for the 2026/27 admission cycle.
In a public statement, the Board said, “Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria for the 2026/27 academic session.”
JAMB emphasized its age eligibility requirement, noting that “Only candidates who will not be less than 16 years old by 30th September, 2026 are generally eligible to apply/be considered.” However, the Board also introduced a waiver option for exceptional underage applicants, requiring an “intensive evaluation” and a minimum performance of “not less than 80% in each of UTME/ALEVEL, PUTME, SSCE and the exceptional candidate assessment.” It added that results for such candidates would be withheld until the assessment is concluded.
According to the schedule released, UTME registration, including for foreign candidates will run from January 26 to February 28, 2026, while the vending of E-PINs begins earlier on January 19 and ends on February 26, 2026. Registration closes on February 28, 2026.
For Direct Entry, sales of application documents and E-PINs will commence on March 2 and close on April 25, 2026, and will only be available at JAMB State and Zonal Offices.
The Board also unveiled three categories of e-PINs for applicants: Direct Entry (₦5,700); UTME without Mock (₦7,200); and UTME with Mock (₦8,700). The breakdown includes: Application Fee (₦3,500), Reading Text (₦1,000), CBT Centre Registration Service Charge (₦700), CBT Centre UTME Service Charge (₦1,500), Bank Charges (₦500), and optional Mock UTME Fee (₦1,500).
On examination timelines, JAMB announced that the 2026 UTME will hold from April 16 to April 25, 2026, while the optional Mock-UTME is scheduled for March 28, 2026.
The announcement officially opens the admission process for tertiary institutions nationwide for the 2026/27 academic year, as candidates prepare for another cycle of competitive entry examinations.
