JAMB Explains 3 Major Criteria That Determine 2026 Admission Into Your Chosen Institution
- JAMB has released a new episode of its JAMB Explained series on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, covering the 2026 admission process
- The video broke down the 3 major criteria considered when candidates are being admitted into their preferred institution and course
- The post drew reactions from candidates raising concerns about O'level uploads, admission status delays, and name mismatches on JAMB profiles
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering basic and tertiary education in Nigeria and worldwide
FCT, Abuja - The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released a new video explaining the three key factors that determine whether a candidate gets admitted into their preferred institution and course of study.
The video, posted via JAMB's official X account on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, is part of an ongoing series called "JAMB Explained", which the board uses to guide candidates through the admission process.
Source: UGC
JAMB said the episode was designed to help candidates "make informed choices" as they navigate their admission journey for the 2026 cycle.
How JAMB's admission criteria work
The board gave a full breakdown of the three criteria for admission into tertiary institutions in the video as follows:
- Merit admission - It is a list of top scorers following the various components of UTME, Post-UTME and O-level scores when applicable. It consists of 45% of the total admissible candidates per program.
- Catchment area - it is a specific group of nearby states or local governments located within the locality of the institution. Catchment area consideration consists of 35% of the total admissible candidates per programme.
- Educationally less developed states - These are states with fewer educational resources and considered educationally backwards. This consists of 20% of the total admissible candidates per program.
JAMB framed the release as part of its broader effort to improve transparency around how admission decisions are made.
The board noted that many candidates are unaware of what actually counts when institutions review applications.
The post attracted significant attention from candidates who used the opportunity to raise unresolved issues with the board.
UTME candidates raise concerns over admission issues
Several candidates responded to the post with pressing questions.
@efeeose wrote that her daughter had not yet successfully uploaded her O-level result, yet her status already showed "Not Admitted" even though her chosen university had granted admission.
She asked whether the status would change once the upload was completed at a CBT centre.
@Nimi_Cakes said her sister's admission status had been showing "Admission in Progress" for three weeks without any change, and asked JAMB directly what was causing the delay.
@MarkOzil4532 questioned whether the O'level verification process was compulsory, saying many students were spending money on it without clarity on whether it applied to them.
@_bamlatron echoed the concern, asking JAMB to produce a dedicated video clarifying whether the O'level verification requirement applied to candidates who had already uploaded their results or only to those making fresh uploads.
@seifughapere reported an issue with uploading results from two sittings, saying only one year's result had gone through successfully.
@musamuhd_sp described a name arrangement mismatch between his WAEC certificate and his JAMB profile, saying he had already visited the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to correct the order but needed guidance on how to get the same update reflected on his 2026 JAMB profile.
Not all responses were measured. @AMYMasty expressed frustration directly at the board, writing:
"JAMB, you guys don't know what you're doing!!! This organisation should be dissolved. This JAMB is only out there to frustrate students."
Watch JAMB's full explanation of the 2026 admission criteria below:
JAMB: How to accept admission on CAPS portal
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that JAMB posted a step-by-step video on Friday, August 28, 2026, showing candidates how to accept or reject their admission on the CAPS portal.
The release came as several candidates reported issues with admission status delays, SMS failures, and payment problems ahead of the August 31 deadline.
Students flooded the JAMB post with complaints ranging from portals stuck on 'not admitted' to difficulties printing their admission letters.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
