JAMB Begins Screening Underage UTME Candidates With Over 320 Scores

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has begun sending messages to underage candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, inviting them to proceed to the next stage of assessment at their chosen institutions.

JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday in response to public enquiries.“The Board has sent messages to underage candidates who scored 320 and above.

They will be invited to the next level of assessment by their institution of choice,” he stated.In a message sent to a candidate and confirmed by Benjamin, the board said the qualified underage candidate’s details had been forwarded to the chosen institution for admission processing.

The message read, “JAMB hereby notifies you that you have crossed the 80% threshold in the UTME, which is one of the four categories for consideration.

“As a result, your details have been forwarded to your institution of choice, which will contact you for screening and return the result to the Board. You can contact your chosen institution regarding this. Kindly ensure that you upload your O-level results to the JAMB portal.

”The development implements JAMB’s exceptional candidate policy for highly gifted underage applicants who are below the minimum admission age of 16 years.

The board had earlier withheld the results of underage candidates, with affected candidates receiving “No Result Yet” notifications.Benjamin, in a statement last week, explained that only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, are eligible to sit for the UTME, stressing that any exception falls under the board’s special or exceptional candidate policy.

Under the provision, underage candidates are required to demonstrate exceptional academic ability by scoring a minimum of 320 in the UTME and obtaining at least 80 per cent in subsequent screening processes to be considered for admission.

He further stated that, based on prior agreements with parents, only candidates who meet the 320-mark benchmark will be shortlisted and invited for further assessments, effectively narrowing the pathway for exceptional consideration.

Benjamin maintained that until the screening process is concluded, results of underage candidates will remain unreleased, urging stakeholders to remain patient as the board enforces standards aimed at preserving the integrity of the nation’s admission system.

The policy, endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Education, is aimed at ensuring that students possess the necessary maturity to cope with the rigours of tertiary education.