JAMB clears 85 underage candidates for exceptional university admission after a rigorous multi-stage screening process across Nigeria

JAMB underage admission policy took a major step forward on Monday as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board announced that 85 exceptional candidates under the age of 16 have successfully completed its rigorous screening for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Also read: JAMB Screens 176 Brilliant Underage Candidates

The announcement, made in a statement by JAMB’s Head of Media, Dr Fabian Benjamin, revealed that the candidates were found qualified after a meticulous, multi-stage evaluation process designed to ensure only truly exceptional cases were approved.

“After meticulous evaluation, 85 candidates who are adjudged to be qualified have been duly notified to proceed to their respective institutions to complete the admission process and print their individual JAMB admission letters,” the statement read.

JAMB explained that the policy of exceptional admission aligns with global best practices, where underage admissions are treated as rare cases rather than the standard procedure.

Out of the 2,031,133 applicants who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), 41,027 sought special consideration as underage candidates.

From this number, 599 scored above the 80% threshold in the UTME, leading to further verification of their school certificates and post-UTME results.

Following additional interviews and scrutiny, 182 finalists were shortlisted. However, only 85 candidates ultimately met the full criteria and have now been cleared for admission.

JAMB also encouraged any of the 182 shortlisted candidates who missed their final interview to file a formal complaint through its official support platform, under the new category titled “2025 Underage Complaint.”

The Board further announced a two-day window for candidates who scored 320 and above but failed to upload their O-Level results to do so by Wednesday, 29 October 2025, to remain eligible for consideration.

Reaffirming its stance on fairness and transparency, the Board emphasised that the process was driven by academic merit, compliance with regulations, and inclusivity across Nigeria’s education system.

This development follows the Federal Ministry of Education’s controversial policy introducing 18 years as the minimum admission age, a move that sparked public outrage and led to legal challenges.

The Board subsequently created a pathway for underage candidates to undergo special screening for exceptional admission—a policy now validated through the latest approvals.

Also read: JAMB Uncovers Over 6,000 High-Tech Exam Fraud Cases

With this milestone, JAMB underage admission continues to balance educational excellence with regulatory compliance, ensuring that age does not unfairly limit access for academically gifted Nigerian students.