UTME 2025: A few things to know before registration

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

Registration for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) commenced on Friday, January 31, 2025, and is ongoing nationwide for candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic year.

As a candidate, it is important to prepare adequately. Ask necessary questions on areas of confusion, especially from the right people or sources. Visit the JAMB website, study the JAMB brochure, and familiarise yourself with all the necessary information before proceeding with the registration process to avoid pitfalls.

Previously, thousands of candidates have vented on social media, lambasting JAMB for not “giving” them admission even when they had high UTME scores. However, in most cases, these candidates’ actions stem from ignorance due to poor knowledge of the factors that determine admission opportunities.

Now, another opportunity is here, and it’s essential to do things right to stand a chance of securing admission. While good grades are crucial for securing admission, candidates and guardians, including the Computer-Based Test (CBT) operators, must understand that a high score in the UTME, Post-UTME, or SSCE does not guarantee automatic admission into public tertiary institutions.

In fact, in 2017, the candidate with the highest score in the UTME could not secure admission into his choice institution (UniLag) because he was below the minimum age set by the school for fresh admission. Sadly, the candidate was unaware of this criteria and missed the opportunity.

As long as you desire admission into public-owned tertiary institutions and not private universities, you must understand the admission criteria, as well as the factors that determine who gets admission to study any course at any university in the country.

For candidates preparing to register for the 2025 UTME, it is advisable to choose institutions within your geopolitical zone or state of origin. If you registered early and made errors, correct them as soon as possible to maximise your chances in the 2025 window.

Below are practical things you must know and consider before clicking the Submit button. First, consider the catchment area. If you are from the southeast, for instance, choose institutions within the southeast geopolitical zone because of the catchment area.

You stand a higher chance of securing admission to study any course of your choice, especially professional courses like medicine, law, nursing, architecture, among others, if you choose an institution in your geopolitical zone.

Do not expect to secure an opportunity to study medicine or other professional courses at Ahmadu Bello University or Nasarawa State University if you are from the southeast. Your chances will be slim due to several considerations.

Another factor to note is the relevant subject combination. With your choice of course already decided, study the JAMB and your chosen university’s admission brochure to know the required subject combination for the examination. This will enable you to select the correct subjects to pass in order to stand a better chance for the Post-UTME and subsequent admission.

It is also important to note that some courses are strictly regulated by various councils. These professional bodies, such as MDCN, CLE, NSE, NNMC, among others, determine the number of students each school can admit. Violating these guidelines could result in severe sanctions, and in some cases, withdrawal of accreditation.

For example, a few weeks ago, JAMB announced that the Council for Legal Education (CLE) had sanctioned some universities for violating its guidelines, leading to the suspension of admissions into law programmes for a year, and in some cases, two years.

The affected institutions include Kwara State University, Ilorin; Bingham University, Karu; Redeemers University, Ede; Western Delta University, Oghara; and Taraba State University, Jalingo.

Other affected institutions are Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo; Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike; and the Nigerian Police Academy, Wudil. The suspension of the law programme at the Nigerian Police Academy will last for two academic sessions, specifically the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 sessions.

Another criterion to be aware of is the 60:40 ratio for science and arts. The admission policy favours science over arts. As a candidate, ensure you have a good understanding of the school’s requirements before applying.