2026 UTME registration has officially commenced following the announcement by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on the sale of application forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) admissions.
The registration exercise is for candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2026/2027 academic session.
JAMB Announces 2026 UTME, DE Forms Sale
In a photostatement released on Tuesday night and signed by the Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB invited suitably qualified candidates to apply for admission.
“Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria for the 2026/27 academic session,” the Board stated.
The announcement was shared via JAMB’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle.
Age Requirement and Underage Candidates
JAMB stated that eligibility for the 2026 UTME registration is age-based.
According to the Board, only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by 30 September 2026 are generally eligible to apply.
However, provisions have been made for underage candidates under strict conditions. JAMB explained that candidates below 16 years will be required to undergo an intensive evaluation to qualify for a waiver.
Such candidates must score not less than 80 percent in each of the following:
UTME or A-Level
Post-UTME
Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE)
Exceptional candidate assessment
The Board added that UTME results of underage candidates will only be released after the completion of the full evaluation process.
2026 UTME Registration Timeline
JAMB announced that the registration period for UTME candidates, including those from foreign countries, will run from:
Monday, 26 January 2026
Saturday, 28 February 2026
E-PIN vending for UTME candidates will begin on Monday, 19 January 2026 and end on Thursday, 26 February 2026, while registration officially closes on 28 February 2026.
Direct Entry (DE) Registration Dates
For Direct Entry applicants, JAMB disclosed that the sale of 2026 DE application documents and E-PIN vending will commence on:
Monday, 2 March 2026
Saturday, 25 April 2026
The Board noted that Direct Entry registration will be conducted only at JAMB State and Zonal Offices nationwide.
2026 UTME E-PIN Categories and Fees
JAMB announced three categories of E-PINs for the 2026 examination:
Direct Entry (DE): ₦5,700
UTME without Mock: ₦7,200
UTME with Mock: ₦8,700
The cost breakdown includes:
JAMB application fee – ₦3,500
Reading text – ₦1,000
CBT centre registration charge – ₦700
CBT UTME service charge – ₦1,500
Bank charges – ₦500
Mock-UTME CBT charge – ₦1,500
2026 UTME and Mock Examination Dates
JAMB announced that the 2026 UTME examination will take place from:
Thursday, 16 April 2026
Saturday, 25 April 2026
The optional Mock-UTME has been scheduled for Saturday, 28 March 2026.
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