Private Universities in Nigeria That Accept Low JAMB Scores for Admission 2026/2027

What Is the Minimum JAMB Cutoff for Private Universities in Nigeria?

For the 2026 admission exercise, the national minimum tolerable UTME score for universities is 150. This was approved at the 2026 JAMB Policy Meeting. JAMB’s official website currently lists 150 for universities and 100 for polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of agriculture, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Institutions.

But there is an important qualification.

150 is the national minimum benchmark, not a guarantee of admission.

Individual universities can prescribe higher scores for their institutions or individual programmes. JAMB explicitly states that institutions determine their admission criteria and that the minimum benchmark does not mean every candidate who reaches it will automatically be admitted.

So, when we describe a university as accepting a “low JAMB score,” we mean a university whose current published UTME entry threshold is relatively close to the national minimum, generally around 150–160 for eligible programmes.

Why Private Universities Accept Lower JAMB Scores

This is the part most guides skip, and it matters more than any list of institution names: private universities are not more lenient out of generosity. It comes down to supply and demand.

As Examsboard’s 2026 cut-off analysis puts it plainly: “Private universities keep their cut-off marks lower because fewer students compete for admission. The trade-off is higher tuition fees.”

Federal universities are heavily subsidised, extremely popular, and structurally oversubscribed — hundreds of thousands of qualified candidates compete for a limited number of government-funded seats, pushing cut-offs upward.

Private universities operate the opposite model. They have more available seats than applicants at any given moment, and they are funded by tuition rather than government subvention, so admitting a candidate at or near the national minimum of 150 is financially rational rather than academically permissive.

Understanding this distinction matters because it reframes the entire decision: a low JAMB score private university pathway is really a trade-off between academic score requirements and tuition affordability, not a shortcut around genuine admission standards.

List of Private Universities in Nigeria That Accept Low JAMB Score

Below are private universities with current published admission requirements that make them relevant to candidates with comparatively low UTME scores.

1. Adeleke University, Ede

Minimum JAMB score: 150 for most programmes

Adeleke University’s 2026/2027 admission notice states that applicants must score 150 or above in UTME for its programmes, with exceptions for:

• Nursing Science
• Medicine and Surgery
• Pharmacy
• Law
• Medical Laboratory Science

The university also states that applicants must upload their O’Level results to JAMB CAPS.

Suitable courses for lower UTME scores

Candidates with 150–160 should generally look toward programmes outside the specifically excluded professional courses.

Possible areas include:

• Accounting
• Business Administration
• Economics
• Political Science
• International Relations
• Sociology
• Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Education
• Other eligible programmes

Adeleke’s current 2026/2027 admission exercise shows that it is actively processing undergraduate applications, although individual programme requirements should be confirmed before making a final choice.

An alternative for candidates below 140

Atiba also states that candidates who scored below 150, or who did not sit for UTME, can pursue its one-year JUPEB/Basic Studies route, which can lead to 200-level admission through Direct Entry after meeting the relevant requirements.

That makes Adeleke University one of the more flexible options for candidates with weaker UTME results.

2. Anchor University, Lagos

General UTME score: 160

Anchor University currently requires a minimum JAMB score of 160 for undergraduate admission. The university’s general requirements also include five relevant O’Level credits, including English Language and Mathematics for most programmes, although certain humanities programmes have different requirements.

Courses candidates around 160 can consider

Anchor University offers programmes in several areas, including:

• Biochemistry
• Industrial Chemistry
• Biology Education
• Chemistry Education
• Computer-related programmes
• Social sciences
• Humanities
• Business-related disciplines

For example, Anchor’s published programme requirements for Biochemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Biology Education and Chemistry Education specify a 160 UTME threshold.

This makes Anchor particularly relevant to students who scored around 160 but may not have the scores required by more competitive universities.

3. Paul University, Awka

Minimum JAMB score: 150

Paul University currently lists 150 and above as its minimum UTME requirement for undergraduate admission. The university also requires five O’Level credits in relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, generally obtained in not more than two sittings.

This puts Paul University directly within the range of universities worth considering for candidates who scored around 150.

Courses suitable for low-score candidates

Paul University’s published undergraduate programmes include options such as:

• Economics
• Mass Communication
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Management Information Systems
• Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Physics
• Pure and Industrial Chemistry

The university also offers programmes in business, social sciences, sciences and other disciplines.

Candidates should check the departmental requirements before choosing a course because satisfying the university’s 150 UTME benchmark does not remove the need to meet the specific O’Level and subject-combination requirements of the chosen programme.

Another route: JUPEB

Paul University also offers a JUPEB pathway, through which students can gain Direct Entry admission to 200 level. This can be particularly useful for candidates who are not competitive through the regular UTME route.

4. Madonna University, Nigeria

Minimum JAMB score: 150 for most programmes

Madonna University’s current admission information states that candidates who scored 150 or above in the most recent JAMB UTME are qualified to apply for admission. However, some programmes have higher requirements.

The university currently lists:

• Law – 190
• Medicine – 180
• Pharmacy – 160
• Nursing – 170

This makes Madonna a useful example of why candidates must distinguish between a university-wide minimum and a course-specific cut-off.

Courses available at 150

Candidates around the 150 mark should focus on programmes outside the higher-cutoff professional courses.

Depending on the current admission cycle and programme requirements, students can consider areas such as:

• Accounting
• Business Administration
• Economics
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Mass Communication
• Computer Science
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Education
• Other eligible undergraduate programmes

Madonna also requires five O’Level credits, including English Language and Mathematics, plus three other relevant subjects.

5. Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene

UTME requirement: Meet the JAMB benchmark for the chosen course

Ritman University’s current admissions page requires candidates to meet the JAMB UTME cut-off mark for their chosen course, alongside five O’Level credits including English and Mathematics. It also requires candidates to go through the university’s screening and verification process.

Ritman is especially interesting for students who did not achieve a strong UTME result because the university also provides a JUPEB/Basic Studies route.

The university specifically states that students who did not write JAMB or did not score up to 140 can pursue its JUPEB-based route, which can lead to Direct Entry admission into 200-level programmes.

Courses to explore

Ritman’s undergraduate offering covers areas such as:

• Business
• Management
• Accounting
• Computer Science
• Social sciences
• Sciences
• Arts and humanities

The important point is that candidates should check the specific programme’s current UTME requirement rather than assuming every course carries the same threshold.

6. Atiba University, Oyo

Minimum JAMB score: 140

Atiba University is particularly notable because its official admission page currently states that UTME candidates with 140 and above can apply for admission. The university accepts candidates who selected it as a first or second choice, as well as candidates who want to change their institution.

However, there is an important 2026 admission issue: JAMB’s current national minimum for universities is 150.

Therefore, the university’s published 140 figure should not be interpreted as permitting admission below JAMB’s current national benchmark for the 2026 exercise. Candidates should confirm how the university is applying its published threshold in the current admission cycle.

Courses you can consider

Candidates with scores around the university’s lower threshold can look particularly toward non-professional programmes such as:

• Accounting
• Business Administration
• Economics
• Mass Communication
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Education-related programmes

The precise course requirements also depend on the O’Level subjects required by the programme. Atiba states that applicants must have five relevant O’Level credits, including English Language, with Mathematics also required for programmes where JAMB specifies it.

An alternative for candidates below 140

Atiba also states that candidates who scored below 140, or who did not sit for UTME, can pursue its one-year JUPEB/Basic Studies route, which can lead to 200-level admission through Direct Entry after meeting the relevant requirements.

That makes Atiba one of the more flexible options for candidates with weaker UTME results.

A Note About Other Private Universities

Numerous online lists contain dozens of private universities with figures such as 140, 150 or 160. However, these lists are often inconsistent, and some reproduce older admission thresholds without distinguishing between JAMB’s national benchmark, a university’s own minimum, and a department’s actual requirement.

For example, one widely circulated list places dozens of private universities at 140, while another gives significantly higher numbers for the same institutions.

Because JAMB’s current national university benchmark is 150 for the 2026 admission exercise, candidates should not rely on an old “140 cut-off” list without checking the university’s current admission notice.

This is particularly important for programmes such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Law and Medical Laboratory Science.

What Courses Can You Study With a Low JAMB Score?

If you scored between 150 and 160, you generally have more realistic options in programmes that are less competitive than professional courses.

Potential areas include:

Arts and Humanities

• English
• History
• Religious Studies
• Philosophy
• Languages

Social Sciences

• Economics
• Sociology
• Political Science
• Psychology
• International Relations
• Mass Communication

Business

• Accounting
• Business Administration
• Marketing
• Entrepreneurship
• Banking and Finance
• Management

Basic Sciences

• Mathematics
• Statistics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology

Computer and Technology

Depending on the university:

• Computer Science
• Information Technology
• Management Information Systems
• Software-related programmes

Education

Education programmes can also provide opportunities at some institutions, although the exact requirement depends on the university and course.

Courses You Should Be Careful About With a Low JAMB Score

A low score does not mean that every course is available.

Some programmes are highly competitive or have specific institutional requirements that exceed the university’s general minimum.

Examples include:

• Medicine and Surgery
• Dentistry
• Pharmacy
• Nursing Science
• Law
• Medical Laboratory Science

Madonna University’s current admission page is a good illustration: although its general UTME threshold is 150, it requires 190 for Law, 180 for Medicine, 160 for Pharmacy and 170 for Nursing.

Adeleke University similarly excludes several professional programmes from its general 150 requirement.

The lesson is simple: never use the university’s general cut-off as proof that your preferred professional course accepts the same score.

How to Secure Admission With a Low JAMB Score

Having a low UTME score does not mean you should apply randomly. You need a strategy.

1. Target Universities With Published Lower Thresholds

Start with universities that clearly publish minimum requirements close to your score.

For example, a candidate with 150 should prioritize universities whose current requirements are around 150 rather than spending the majority of applications on institutions requiring 180 or 200.

2. Choose Your Course Carefully

This may be the most important decision.

Suppose you scored 152 and want to study Business Administration.

Applying to a private university where the general requirement is 150 may be realistic.

Trying to use the same 152 for a programme with a published 180 or 190 requirement is not.

Your course choice should fit both your score and your O’Level subjects.

3. Confirm the JAMB Subject Combination

Your UTME score is only one part of eligibility.

You must also have the correct subject combination for your intended course.

For example, science-based programmes may require combinations involving:

• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology

Social science programmes may require combinations involving:

• Mathematics
• Economics
• Government
• Literature
• Other relevant subjects

Always check the JAMB brochure and university-specific requirements.

4. Have the Required O’Level Credits

A low UTME score does not eliminate the need to meet O’Level requirements.

Many universities require five relevant O’Level credits, commonly including English Language and Mathematics.

Madonna, Paul University and Anchor University all publish O’Level requirements of this nature.

5. Apply for Post-UTME or Screening

Private universities may use:

• Post-UTME
• Computer-based screening
• Interviews
• Document verification
• Oral assessments

The exact process varies.

Paul University, for instance, requires candidates to complete the application and satisfy its academic and departmental requirements, while Ritman University requires candidates to undergo screening and verification.

6. Consider a Change of Institution

Don’t assume you must have initially selected the private university in JAMB.

Some private universities explicitly accept candidates who did not choose them as first choice.

Atiba University, for example, says candidates who scored at least 140 and want to change institution can apply. Adeleke University’s current admission notice also says it accepts both candidates who selected Adeleke and those who did not.

7. Use JUPEB or Another Alternative Route When Necessary

This is one of the most useful alternatives for candidates with very low scores.

Universities such as Atiba University, Paul University and Ritman University provide JUPEB-related pathways that can lead to Direct Entry admission into 200 level after successful completion.

This can be particularly useful if:

• Your UTME score is below the regular threshold.
• You want to avoid rewriting JAMB.
• You meet the required O’Level conditions.

The Real Trade-Off: Tuition Cost

Because private universities are tuition-funded rather than government-subsidised, this pathway is realistically about affordability as much as it is about JAMB scores.

Private university tuition in Nigeria commonly ranges from several hundred thousand naira to well over a million naira per session, depending on the institution and course, compared to considerably lower fees at federal and state universities.

Before choosing this pathway based on your JAMB score alone, have an honest conversation at home about whether the tuition cost is sustainable across the full duration of your programme, not just the first year.

How to Confirm the Current Cut-Off Mark Before You Apply

• Always check your intended university’s official admissions page directly, since cut-off marks are set independently by each institution every year
• Confirm your eligibility through JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) portal before assuming any score qualifies you
• Cross-reference against JAMB’s officially published cut-off list for the current admission cycle, rather than relying on a single blog post
• Call the university’s admissions office directly and ask specifically about your intended course, not just the general institutional cut-off

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is the lowest JAMB score a private university can legally accept?

For the 2026/2027 session, no university — private or federal — can legally admit a candidate scoring below 150, the national minimum set by JAMB.

• Can You Gain Admission With 140 in JAMB?

For the 2026 admission exercise, candidates should be careful with this question.

JAMB's approved national minimum benchmark for universities is 150. Therefore, a private university publishing an older or general 140 minimum does not automatically mean a candidate can be admitted below the current national benchmark.

For this reason, a candidate who scores 140 should contact the institution directly to confirm the applicable admission route for the current cycle.

Where regular UTME admission is unavailable, JUPEB or another approved alternative admission pathway may be the more appropriate option. Ritman and Atiba, for example, publicly advertise such routes.

• Can You Gain Admission With 150 in JAMB?

Yes, potentially.

A score of 150 meets the 2026 national university benchmark, and some private universities have current published thresholds at or around 150.

However, your chances depend on:

• University
• Course
• O'Level results
• UTME subject combination
• Screening performance
• Available admission capacity

So 150 should be viewed as a starting point, not an admission guarantee.

• Can You Gain Admission With 160 in JAMB?

Your options generally improve at 160 because some private universities that set their minimum at 160 become available.

Anchor University, for example, currently lists 160 as its general undergraduate threshold and also uses 160 for several programme-specific requirements.

Nevertheless, highly competitive professional programmes can still require more.

• Do private universities really have lower cut-off marks than federal universities?

Generally yes, particularly for less competitive courses, because private universities have more available capacity relative to demand than heavily oversubscribed federal institutions.

• Can I get into Medicine or Law with a low JAMB score at a private university?

It is considerably harder. Even accessible private universities typically maintain much higher internal cut-offs for Medicine, Law, Pharmacy, and Engineering than for other courses.

• Is a private university degree respected the same as a federal university degree?

Yes, provided the institution holds full NUC accreditation. Employers in Nigeria generally value accredited degrees based on course relevance and institutional reputation rather than ownership type alone.

Conclusion

A low JAMB score genuinely does not have to end your university ambitions. Private universities in Nigeria offer a realistic, legitimate pathway for a huge share of candidates — the same 70.7% who scored below 200 in the most recent UTME.

Approach this pathway with clear eyes: understand that accessibility is tied to tuition cost, verify current cut-off marks directly with your chosen institution, and be honest about which courses remain genuinely competitive even within accessible universities.

With the right information and realistic expectations, a disappointing JAMB score becomes a redirection, not a dead end.

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