20 Proven Steps to Gain Admission with Low JAMB Score

To gain admission to study in any Nigeria university, polytechnic or college of education isn’t that hard if you know and understand the right things to do.

There are about 300 tertiary institutions in Nigeria, and yearly, over two million students are deprived of admission and forced to stay at home, get a job or apply again the next year.

This mostly happens because many aspirants didn’t meet the institution admission requirements, pass the entrance examination and some made costly mistakes along the line.

Before thinking of gaining admission into any Nigerian higher institution, you must have completed an O level or A level examination with a required subject combination of the chosen course of study.

O’Level (Ordinary Level) results are the common type of certificate used to gain admission to 100 level of any Nigeria universities, e.g., WAEC, NECO and GCE.

These certificates do not expire and you can use the combination of O level result to seek admission.

A’Level means an Advance level result e.g., Cambridge A Level, IJMB, JUPEB.

With A-level result, you can gain admission into 200 level of any Nigeria universities that accept such result.

In this post, I’ll to point out many helpful tips and means that will enable you to easily apply for admission and get accepted in your school of choice this year.

So, whether you are applying to study at IMSU, UNILAG, UNIZIK, UNIPORT, UNICAL, UNN, UI, OAU, FUTA, ABU Zaria, UNIBEN, LASU, DELSU, or FUTO, I will really advise you to take your time to carefully read this post till the end to be updated because information is power.

Meanwhile, before I discuss the admission tips and means, I would like to answer this important question.

Is Admission So Difficult in Nigeria?

Well…

Getting admission to study in your desired school is not that difficult in Nigeria.

3 Reasons Admission seems Hard to Get in Nigeria Universities

The three (3) major reasons admission may be hard to get in Nigeria include:

• Costly mistakes made by students in applying for JAMB, applying for Post UTME, mistakes with the name they use in their documents.
• The difficulty of passing qualifying exams such as JAMB, WAEC, NECO, and Post UTME.
• The population of students seeking admission.

Requirements for Gaining Admission into Nigerian Universities

The following requirements are very important if you are interested in gaining admission to Nigerian universities.

You must have:

• A minimum of 5 credits in the Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE/GCE) Ordinary Level Credits in a maximum of 2 sittings.
• A minimum mark of 200 in the Joint Tertiary Matriculation Examination (JTME) out of a maximum of 400 marks.
• A minimum of Merit Pass in the National Certificate of Education (NCE), National Diploma (ND) and other Advanced Level Certificates.

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) organizes the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for students seeking admission to Nigerian universities.

Candidates are required to choose two universities, two polytechnics and two colleges of education of their choice, with the first and second choice courses of the candidate’s choice.

This new procedure of admission applies to both public and private higher institutions in Nigeria.

There are many steps and protocols you need to complete ensuring a successful admission.

So, let’s dive right in.

Steps to Gaining Admission to Study at Nigeria University

Here are the ways you can gain admission even without writing JAMB or with a low score:

1. Understand the Admission Process of Your Desired School

One of the major reasons most Nigerian students gets denied admission to study their dream course is simply because they cannot know and understand the admission procedure of their school of choice.

As an aspirant, you must understand the exact system of admission that your school uses, if you are really ready and serious about getting admission this year.

Know about the school you want to apply to study in and the major criteria for gaining admission into your school of choice.

Ways to find information about your school of choice:

• Do your research on Google
• Visit the school official website
• Meet a student who is already admitted and get information
• Ask questions on any major forum like Nairaland, or Facebook Students Group

Some things that you should find out about your school of choice are:

• Admission cut off mark
• If they admit students using the direct entry qualification, you have (i.e., if you are a direct entry student).
• Post UTME grading if available
• Quota of admission allocated to your desired departments

2. Get Good Grades in Your O’Level Examinations

Most Nigerian tertiary institutions demand that you get your O’Level results at or above certain grades.

Your O’Level subject combination must be exactly what is requested by your school of choice.

For example, for you to secure admission in most universities like UNN, UI, OAU, UNIBEN, UNILAG, IMSU etc. you are required to pass your WAEC with at least five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects including Mathematics and English Language in not less than two sittings.

If you want to double your admission chances, clear your SSCE, GCE, NECO and/or NABTEB examinations.

A’s and B’s ought to be your target and straight A’s is your best bet if you want to gain admission faster.

3. Have High JAMB Score or a Solid Direct Entry Qualification

Another secret to gaining easy admission in Nigeria is to have a very good and high JAMB score.

For you to stand a chance of securing admission in Nigeria through JAMB, you need to score above the JAMB cut-off mark (usually 200+ depending on the institution’s admissions capacity).

Whether your course is not competitive or not, a good JAMB score can secure you a place in any admission list, preferably the merit list.

But if you are planning to use the direct entry, you need to have a very reasonable qualification.

If your school is to admit, despite the limited quota of admission, you would be considered base on how well you performed in JAMB or the Direct Entry qualification you are presenting.

4. Get a Good Post UTME Score

Post UTME is an examination conducted by most tertiary institution in Nigeria to select the most-deserving candidates for admission.

In most cases, Post UTME determines whether an aspirant will be offered admission and can augment the JAMB score for admission.

Many Universities use JAMB plus Post UTME to calculate the total score for admission.

Post UTME registrations usually takes off around the month of June/July for various institutions across the country and solves those who scored low in the JAMB examination.

How difficult the examination will be depends on each institution.

If the school you plan to gain admission in requires Post UTME, you need to prepare for the exam just the way you will prepare for JAMB.

If you can prepare well for Post UTME, your chances of gaining admission would be high provided you have the rest requirements.

5. Choose the Right Course of Study

In recent years, course competitiveness is another hindrance to most candidates’ admission in Nigeria.

Courses like Medicine, Law, Pharmacy, Accounting, Mechanical Engineering, Optometry are very competitive and thousands of aspirants apply for these courses yearly.

So, if you are choosing any of the stated courses, you should be ready to burn your midnight candle.

Don’t apply to study a particular course because everyone else is doing it or because your family and instructors expected you to.

This decision may end in premium tears.

Only study a course you’re interested in, matches your career objectives and you’re qualified for (i.e., fulfilled the course admission requirement).

Over 2 million candidates will sit for POST UTME in a particular tertiary institution, but only 5% will get admitted to study in that institution.

If you didn’t score high in JAMB, the best decision to take is to buy JAMB change-of-course form and change the course you initially applied for to a less competitive one.

This way, you will gain admission with your low JAMB score.

Less competitive courses to study in Nigerian universities include:

• Architecture
• Biochemistry
• English Language
• Fishery
• Geography
• History
• Igbo
• Microbiology
• Nutrition and Dietetics
• Political Science
• Radiography
• Religion Studies
• Sociology
• Veterinary Medicine
• Zoology

These are also honourable courses to study in Nigerian universities and can easily be monetized.

6. Apply for a Less Competitive Tertiary Institution

You can use JAMB statistics for the year and check the odds of you getting admission faster.

Federal Universities like UI, OAU, UNILAG, UNIBEN, UNILORIN, etc. are very strict with admission.

If you applied in any competitive schools and didn’t score high in JAMB, another wonderful decision to make is to buy a JAMB change of institution form and change the course you initially applied for to a less competitive one.

It is a waste of time to think that you can get admission to some schools with a low JAMB score.

Do not blind yourself with the mindset that you must attend a federal school.

The best decision will be for you to apply to a less competitive institution if you still want to study your dream course.

Just search for any good but less competitive university or polytechnic you like, and make it your first choice in the JAMB change of course and institution form.

Also, when choosing another institution, make sure that your low JAMB score will be accepted in the new university you chose.

7. Have a Good Connection

As absurd as it sounds, you might need strong connections in high places to get admission easily in Nigeria.

If you are applying for admission in any tertiary institution of your choice, and have or know any high-ranking staff working in that school, you can meet the person to help you in getting admission.

These connections give you backing when the admission list will be released.

Sometimes, this can also end in premium tears, especially if you pay money to secure your admission and it wasn’t done well.

You can become a walking dead student i.e., you’ll be coming to school and attending lectures thinking you’re really a student, only for you to discover maybe during your final year clearance that you weren’t really a student and unfortunately time and money would have been wasted.

8. Apply for Admission in Your Indigenous University (Catchment Area)

Most student prefers federal universities because their school fees are usually cheap compared to private or state universities.

If you have tried federal university and it is not working, try your state-of-origin university because you have a chief advantage there.

Applying to your home university gives you the edge over others if you have a good O’Level result, JAMB and POST UTME score.

Most university will consider their own indigenes first before people from other state.

9. Apply for Diploma/Pre-degree Programmes

Usually, Diploma runs within 1 – 3 years depending on the institution and course you applied.

After the program, candidates will secure admission into 200 Level via Direct Entry into the same university.

The pre-degree program is a one-year A’level academic program that allows aspiring students to get easy admission in Nigeria without JAMB and takes a duration of 7 to 12 months for completion.

At the end of the program, top students get admission.

Admission through pre-degree is competitive depending on the institution.

Most of the time, aspirants end up getting a course that is not their choice e.g., you can apply for a pre-degree in UNIZIK for Medical Laboratory Science and at the end of the program, you will get admission to Agricultural Science.

It would be important to note that the certification awarded in the pre-degree programme cannot be used to equate with a university degree – BA or BSc.

While some universities will require that candidates must take JAMB examination before they run this program, some usually fix a particular score for candidates that wish to apply for it.

Thus, I employ you to do more research, particularly about the school you intend to attend before you apply for this program.

10. Take an Interim Joint Admission Matriculation Board (IJMB) Examination

Interim Joint Admission Matriculation Board (IJMB) is one of the best ways to get admitted into a Nigerian university without getting to write JAMB.

The IJMB is a pre-degree that was started by the Ahmadu Bello University and has a lot of centres that are scattered all across the nation in different states.

The original aim of the IJMB was to help northern students with low grades in JAMB to have an alternative way of being admitted into a university.

Recently, the programme has expanded their reach to almost all the universities, including polytechnics and colleges of education.

This entails that student that cannot get admission via JAMB have an alternative route.

The Nigerian University Commission (NUC) fully certified the Interim Joint Admission Matriculation Board (IJMB) as an alternative to ‘A’ Level Examination for candidates who may wish to seek for undergraduate admission into universities both in Nigeria and abroad.

The Interim Joint Admission Matriculation Board (IJMB) programme runs for twelve (12) calendar months, which is divided into two (2) semesters.

Within this time, candidates would be lectured at their respective study centers and thereafter sit for the final examination.

When the program is eventually over, successful candidates (that is, candidates that performed very well) will secure admission into 200 Level in any Nigeria tertiary institution via Direct Entry.

So, instead of wasting one entire year waiting for JAMB to give you the score that you need to gain admission into your dream school, you can quickly apply for this program and be sure of gaining admission into your dream school the next year.

11. Apply for JUPEB Admission

Applying for JUPEB admission is another super easy way to gaining admission into some tertiary institutions in Nigeria without JAMB.

Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB) is actually an advanced level one-year program that allows you to gain admission into any JUPEB approved institution without writing JAMB UTME.

Meaning that, after the JUPEB program, you will be offered admission, directly to 200 level, in any institution of your choice without writing JAMB.

You don’t need to submit your JAMB registration number or result just to gain admission through JUPEB.

Although the program is competitive started in 2013, the number of applicants keeps increasing every year.

You need to get a high point score to qualify for admission into your desired course.

JUPEB Admission Requirements

• Candidates are expected to have a minimum of five (5) credit passes in at least 5 subjects (English language and Mathematics inclusive) in WAEC, NECO, GCE or NABTEC at not over 2 sittings.
• Candidate must also register, sit for JUPEB Examinations and pass excellently well in four subjects. One subject must apply to the proposed course which the candidate wants to study in the university.
• Each subject is to be broken into four courses to be taken, two per semester, by the candidate. The results in all the courses are to be merged at the end of the second semester to get the candidate’s grade on that subject.

Before applying for this form, make sure you do a little more research about it.

Also, be sure that your dream school actually accepts JUPEB direct entry before you apply for it.

Universities Offering JUPEB Program in Nigeria

• Delta State University, Abraka (DELSU)
• Federal University of Technology, Akure
• Federal University of Technology, Owerri
• Niger Delta University (NDU)
• Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)
• University of Benin (UNIBEN)
• University of Calabar (UNICAL)
• University of Ilorin, Ilorin (UNILORIN)
• University of Lagos (UNILAG)
• University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)
• University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT)

12. Apply for NOUN Admission

One of the surest ways of gaining admission in Nigeria without JAMB is to apply for NOUN admission.

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is a Federal Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institution in Nigeria and is the first of its kind in the whole of West Africa.

To gain admission into NOUN, you do not have to go through the stress of preparing for JAMB and passing with excellent scores on all your subjects.

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) does not require you to write JAMB or tender any JAMB result to be qualified for the entry into this school and they are currently accepting application from people.

The University has the following features:

• Four years course
• Get the Application Form and get admitted within 3 days
• No JAMB result needed
• No strike periods
• Over 32,000 students
• They are throughout Nigeria
• For undergraduate, Diploma, Certification, Postgraduate, Masters and Ph.D. Programmes

NOUN Admission Requirements for Undergraduates

Below are the requirements for gaining admission into NOUN for undergraduates.

• Candidates are expected to have at least five (5) credits in the SSCE/GCE O’Level/NECO/NABTEB in not over two sittings.
• Candidates should note that the “Teachers’ Grade II Certificate, with a minimum of five merits or its combination with any of the certificates listed above, to get the equivalent of five credits at ‘O’ levels.
• Candidates that wish to gain admission into the NOUN School of Law must have up to five (5) credits, which must include the following subjects: English Language, Mathematics and Literature in English at not over two (2) sittings.

13. Apply for Admission in a Private University

Although expensive, most private universities in Nigeria don’t require JAMB to gain admission into.

Even when they request for JAMB result, they won’t make it a must that you must reach up to a particular JAMB score.

So, if you want to study competitive courses like: Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, Accounting or Political Sciences and you only have 180 in JAMB, there is no problem with your score.

Your JAMB is not too relevant. Just ensure that you have enough money to apply in such schools.

14. Apply for Admission in Polytechnic

Admission into Polytechnics is less competitive than Universities and is another good option for aspirants with low JAMB scores as this is better than staying at home for one extra year.

You can also decide to take JAMB in your first year at the Polytechnic or apply for direct entry after your ND 1 or HND.

15. Apply for Admission in the School of Nursing

Schools of Nursing in Nigeria are institutions that train registered nurses.

There are many opportunities for Nurses in Nigeria and abroad and this option is for science students who are passionate about the Nursing profession.

The duration of the program is three years.

After graduation, you can go to the University via direct entry or practice nursing full time.

16. Apply for Admission to College of Health Technology

College of Health Technology are institutions that train science students on medical-related courses.

You can study some lucrative medical courses at the College of Health Technology.

Here are some courses that you can study at the College of Health Technology in Nigeria:

• Community Extension Workers
• Environmental Health Science
• Health Education
• Health Information Management
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Nutrition and Dietetics
• Optician
• Pharmacy Technician

17. Apply for Admission to College of Education

Admission to a College of Education is a good option for students with low JAMB scores.

Colleges of Education in Nigeria run two years’ program.

You can later use the result to gain admission into the University through direct entry.

18. Apply for Admission in Institute of Management Technology

Institute of Management Technology (IMT) accepts students with low JAMB scores.

You can check the Institute in your State and see if your O’Level result can get you admission.

Here are some courses offered at the Institute of Management Technology:

• Accountancy
• Agriculture
• Architecture
• Banking and Finance
• Business Administration and Management
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Estate Management
• Fine and Applied Arts
• Food Technology
• Hospitality Management
• Mass Communication
• Public Administration
• Quantity Surveying
• Science Laboratory Technology
• Statistics
• Urban and Regional Planning

19. Study Abroad

Studying abroad is also another way to gain admission to the university without JAMB.

If you will not be doing your undergraduate study in Nigeria, there is obviously no need to take JAMB because it is not a requirement to study outside the country.

International schools have their own basic requirements, which will be enlisted on their admission page.

You just have to visit the school website for more information on their admission process and requirements.

20. Be Prayerful

Last but not least, do not underestimate the power of your God.

No matter your religion, your faith and confidence count as key attributes of success, including university admission.

Believe in the God you serve and your admission will surely come.

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Aside JAMB, these approved Nigerian universities have other programs that can help you gain admission and graduate with a degree certificate.

Federal Universities in Nigeria That Admit Without JAMB

• Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi
• Bayero University, Kano
• Federal University Gashau (FUGASHUA)
• Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
• Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun
• Federal University of Technology, Akure
• Federal University of Technology, Minna
• Federal University, Birnin Kebbi
• Federal University, Duste, Jigwa State
• Federal University, Dustin-Ma, Kastina
• Federal University, Gusua
• Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State
• Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State
• Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State
• Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa
• Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State
• Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State
• Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola
• Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK)
• Obafemi Awolowo University
• University of Abuja, Gwagwalada
• University of Agriculture, Makurdi
• University of Benin
• University of Calabar
• University of Ibadan
• University of Ilorin
• University of Jos
• University of Maiduguri
• University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)
• University of Port Harcourt
• University of Uyo
• Usman Danfodio University

State Universities in Nigeria That Admit Without JAMB

• Abia State University, Uturu
• Adamawa State University, Mubi
• Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba
• Akwa Ibom State University of Technology, Uyo
• Anambra State University of Science and Technolgy, Uli
• Bauchi State University, Gaudau
• Benue State University, Makurdi
• Bukar Abba Ibrahim University, Damaturu
• Cross River State University of Science and Technology, Calabar
• Delta State University, Abraka
• Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki
• Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti
• Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu
• Gombe State University, Gombe
• Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai
• Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni
• Imo State University, Owerri
• Kaduna State University, Kaduna
• Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil
• Kebbi State University, Kebbi
• Kogi State University, Anyigba
• Kwara State University, Ilorin
• Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso
• Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos
• Nasarawa State University, Keffi
• Niger Delta University, Amasoma
• Northwest University, Kano
• Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa
• Osun State University, Osogbo
• Plateau State University, Bokkos
• River State University of Science and Technology
• Sokoto State University, Sokoto
• Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu Ode
• Taraba State University, Jalingo
• Technical University, Ibadan
• Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina

Private Universities in Nigeria That Admit Without JAMB

• Achievers University, Owo
• Adeleke University, Ede
• Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State
• African University Science and Technology, Abuja
• Ajayi Crowther University, Ibadan
• Al Hikmah University, Ilorin
• American University of Nigerian, Yola
• Babcock University, Ilishn Remo
• Baze University
• Bells University of Technolgy, Otta
• Benson Idahosa University, Benin City
• Bingham University, New Karu
• Bowen University, Iwo
• Caleb University, Lagos
• Caritas University, Enugu
• CETEP City University, Lagos
• Covenant University, Ota
• Crawford University Igbesa
• Crescent University
• Elizade University, Ilara Mokin
• Evangel University, Akaeze Mountain University, Osogbo
• Godfrey Okoye University, Ugwuomu Nike, Enugu State
• Gregory University, Uturu
• Igbinedion University Okada
• Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji Arakeji
• Kastina University, Kastina
• Landmark University, Omu Aran
• Lead City University, Ibadan
• Macpherson University, Seriki Sotaya, Ajebo
• Madonna University, Okija
• Nigerian Turkish Nile University, Abuja
• Novena University, Ogume
• Obong University, Ipetumodu, Osun State
• Pan African University, Lagos
• Paul University Awka, Anambra State
• Redeemers Universiy, Mowe
• Renaissance University, Enugu
• Rhema University, Obeama Asa, Rivers State
• Salem University, Lokoja
• Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa
• Southwestern University, Oku Owa
• Tansian University, Umuya
• University Of Mkar, Mkar
• Veritas University
• Wellspring University, Evbuobanosa, Edo State
• Wesley University of Science and Technology, Ondo
• Western Delta University, Oghara
• Wukari Jubilee University, Wukari

How to Prepare and Excel in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions

• Be involved on campus
• Be prepared to feel overwhelmed and overstressed
• Become more acquainted with your academic adviser, roommates and others in your residential area
• Become more organized
• Do your best to get good grades from the start
• Don’t cut corners for any reasons
• Don’t feel compelled to make any hasty decision about a selective course
• Don’t procrastinate; prioritize your life and manage your time
• Eat right and stay healthy
• Endeavour to find a balance
• Exploit the study assets and resources available on campus
• Go to all introductory ceremonies and orientations organized by the school authorities
• Go to class and attend lectures
• Keep track of your money with as much discipline as possible
• Learn how to cope with homesickness
• Locate the perfect spots for you to study
• Make connections with your classmates
• Meet with your lecturers and get to know them
• Seek professional help when in need of it
• Set aside time for you
• Start preparing your career path on time
• Stay on campus as much as you can
• Take complete responsibility for everything you do
• Turn into a specialist in course necessities and deadlines

Conclusion

If all these tips and information are put in place, you won’t only be gaining admission into your university or polytechnic of your choice this year, but you’ll also get to graduate in flying colors.

Don’t dull this year for admission, fight your way in.

Hope you enjoyed and learnt from this article?

Do you still have questions as regards schools that can give you admission without going through JAMB?

Please share this post with your friends and don’t fail to leave a comment.

Best of luck to you all.

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