Nigerian Universities: An Overview of Admission Requirements

If you want to study in a Nigerian University, you need to meet quite a number of different admission requirements.

For most people the common route is through the Universities Matriculations Examination. This is a system that is administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board. Every year admission seekers buy the forms, get registered and write the exams in April or May of the admission year. The results are released by July or August and by October/November universities begin to admit students into their respective degree programs.

Apart from doing well in this examination, candidates for admission also have to write and pass the Post University Matriculations Examination (Post UME). This is organized by the universities themselves and candidates are required to score at least 50% out of 100%. Meanwhile, candidates for university admission must be at least 16 years old in the year of admission. They are also required to have at least five O’Level credits (including English language and Mathematics). These are the basic requirements for people want to get into the first year of the regular degree program in Nigerian universities.

Apart from the JAMB option, candidates can also get admission via Direct Entry. For this option, no entrance examination is written. The candidate buys the forms, fills and submits the form to the university of his or her choice. Those who get admitted into Direct Entry Program spend only three years for the average four year course. The requirements for Direct Entry admission include the following:

– The candidate may have the National Certificate of Education (NCE) in a related field.
– The candidate may have the ordinary National Diploma (OND) from a recognized Polytechnic in a related course.
– The candidate may also have three credits in the GCE A’Levels. The three credits will have to be in related courses.

Apart from the requirements above, candidates seeking admission into a Direct Entry Program must also fulfill the O’Level requirements. These include at least five credits in related subjects including Math and English Language.

In some cases, candidates who have some professional qualifications from recognized professional bodies may be considered for university admission as well. For instance, those who have attended the Nigerian Institute of Journalism in Lagos may be offered admission to study Mass Communication. Candidates who have passed certain stages of the ICAN Exams – Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria – may be considered for admission into the Accountancy Department in some universities.

However, these are not really guaranteed options. The most popular option for now is the University Matriculations Examinations.