The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the commencement of sales of application forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE).
The Board disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X handle on Tuesday night, noting that the registration exercise is for candidates seeking admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education for the 2026/2027 academic session.
According to JAMB, registration for the 2026 UTME will begin in January 2026 and end in March 2026, while the examination is scheduled to hold in April 2026.
Providing detailed timelines, the Board said UTME registration for candidates, including those from foreign countries, will run from Monday, January 26, 2026, to Saturday, February 28, 2026.
JAMB emphasised that possession of a valid National Identification Number (NIN) remains mandatory for all candidates before registration can be completed.
On age requirement, the Board stated that candidates must have attained 16 years by September 30, 2026, to be eligible for admission consideration.
However, it explained that candidates below 16 years may be granted a waiver after undergoing a rigorous evaluation process. Such candidates must score a minimum of 80 per cent in UTME or A-Level results, Post-UTME, Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), and the special assessment designed for exceptional candidates.
The Board added that results of underage candidates will only be released after the completion of the full evaluation process.
For Direct Entry applicants, JAMB announced that the sale of 2026 DE application documents and E-PIN vending will commence on Monday, March 2, 2026, and end on Saturday, April 25, 2026. It noted that DE registration will be conducted only at JAMB State and Zonal Offices nationwide.
The Board also confirmed that the 2026 UTME examination will hold from Thursday, April 16, 2026, to Saturday, April 25, 2026, while the optional Mock-UTME is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2026.