JAMB, WAEC, and admissions guides for Nigerian students
What Is Post-UTME and How It Works
Post-UTME is the second-stage screening that Nigerian universities use to decide admission after the JAMB Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Every candidate who sits JAMB and meets a university’s institutional cut-off mark is invited to sit Post-UTME at the school. The Post-UTME score is then combined with the JAMB score to compute an admission aggregate. Most federal universities use a 50/50 blend of JAMB and Post-UTME; some use a different ratio. The aggregate determines whether the school admits you.
Last updated: May 2026 In plain English: Post-UTME is the second exam you take for university admission in Nigeria. You sit it at the school you applied to, on the same four subjects you sat in JAMB. The format is CBT, roughly 60 minutes, with around 50 multiple-choice questions. This guide covers what Post-UTME is, why universities run it, how it works step by step, what changed in recent years, and the common misconceptions.
If you are reading this before your JAMB exam, knowing how Post-UTME works helps you plan for the full admission pipeline. If you are reading after JAMB, Post-UTME is your next milestone.
The short answer
Post-UTME is a CBT screening run by each Nigerian university on the four subjects you sat in JAMB. You register on the school’s admission portal after JAMB releases results, pay the screening fee (around ₦2,500), and sit the screening at the school’s CBT centre on an assigned date in July or August. The school combines your JAMB and Post-UTME scores into an admission aggregate (typically 50/50). The aggregate, plus your O Level grades and the catchment quota, determines admission. Without Post-UTME, you cannot be admitted to most Nigerian universities.
How Post-UTME works in detail
1. JAMB releases UTME results
JAMB releases UTME results within 24 to 72 hours of your sitting. Once the school’s applicants have their results, the school opens its Post-UTME registration portal. UNILAG, UI, OAU and the other federal universities typically open in June or July.
2. You register for Post-UTME on the school portal
The school portal pulls your JAMB record automatically once you enter your registration number. You confirm details, pay the screening fee, upload required documents (O Level result, JAMB result slip, passport photograph), and print the screening slip. The slip carries your date, time, and venue.
3. You sit the screening at the school
On your assigned date, you travel to the school’s CBT centre and sit the screening. Biometric verification at the gate matches your fingerprint against JAMB registration data. Inside the hall, you log onto a CBT terminal that shows your name, registration number, and the four UTME subjects as tabs. About 50 multiple-choice questions total. Time is roughly 60 minutes.
4. The school computes your aggregate
The school combines your JAMB and Post-UTME scores using a published formula. Most federal universities use 50/50: JAMB scaled to 50 by dividing by 8, Post-UTME percentage scaled to 50 by halving. Sum gives an aggregate out of 100. O Level grades are used as a tie-breaker. The aggregate is published on your portal profile within 2 to 3 weeks of the last screening day.
5. Admission decisions upload to CAPS
Based on the aggregate ranking plus the 45-35-20 quota split (merit, catchment, ELDS), the school admission committee uploads offers to JAMB CAPS. Merit admissions go first, then catchment, then ELDS. You see your offer on CAPS and on the school portal. You accept on both portals, pay the school’s acceptance fee, and complete clearance.
Why Nigerian universities run Post-UTME
Post-UTME exists because JAMB alone has not been a strong enough filter for the most competitive Nigerian university programmes. JAMB tests four subjects in two hours at scale across the country; the test is necessarily broad and somewhat surface-level. Universities want a second screening that tests application-style understanding more sharply.
The Post-UTME also gives the school control over its admission decision. Without Post-UTME, the school would rely entirely on JAMB to differentiate among 10,000+ candidates for 250 Medicine slots; Post-UTME lets the school add its own filter.
The 50/50 blend means JAMB and Post-UTME carry equal weight in the admission decision. A strong JAMB score with a weak Post-UTME loses out to a moderate JAMB with a strong Post-UTME. Both screenings matter.
The Post-UTME also serves as a verification step. Candidates whose JAMB scores look suspiciously high relative to their O Level grades are caught by the Post-UTME, which is sat on the school’s campus under direct school supervision.
What changed about Post-UTME in recent years
Post-UTME has shifted to CBT format at most major schools over the past decade. The shift removed the older paper-based format and made screening more efficient. The interface is similar to the JAMB UTME terminal.
The number of questions has settled at around 50 per screening, with 60 minutes of time. This is a tighter pace than UTME (60 questions in 30 minutes for UoE, 40 questions in 40 minutes per subject for the three others) but on fewer questions overall.
The blend ratios have stabilised. Most federal universities have settled at 50/50 JAMB/Post-UTME. UI sometimes uses 60/40 or different ratios; check the school’s admission notice for the current cycle.
The threshold to register Post-UTME has risen for the most competitive courses. UI Medicine, UNILAG Medicine, ABU Medicine, UNN Medicine all require 250+ JAMB to register Post-UTME; below that, you cannot pay the screening fee for Medicine even if you meet the institutional 200 minimum.
Common misconceptions about Post-UTME
“JAMB score alone gets you admission.” No. JAMB plus Post-UTME together decide most admissions. A strong JAMB with no Post-UTME means no admission at the schools that run Post-UTME.
“Post-UTME is harder than JAMB.” Not really. Same syllabus, sharper application focus, slightly tighter timing per question. With four weeks of focused drill, most candidates lift their aggregate substantially.
“Post-UTME past questions are leaked.” They are not. School CBT systems generate papers at exam time from large question pools. Anyone selling “leaked” questions is committing fraud.
“I can skip Post-UTME if my JAMB score is very high.” Wrong. Even a 350 JAMB candidate must sit Post-UTME at most Nigerian universities; without Post-UTME, no admission.
“All schools use the same Post-UTME paper.” No. Each school sets its own Post-UTME, with its own question pool. UNILAG’s Post-UTME is different from UI’s, which is different from OAU’s.
“Post-UTME replaces JAMB.” No. Both are required. JAMB qualifies you to register Post-UTME; Post-UTME plus JAMB decide admission.
Edge cases and recent policy changes
A handful of edge cases come up each cycle. The first is the candidate who sat JAMB but cannot sit Post-UTME because their JAMB score is below the school’s screening threshold for their course. In this case, the candidate must apply for a Change of Course on JAMB to a course where their score qualifies, or move to a less competitive school via Change of Institution.
The second edge case is the candidate whose Post-UTME score is published but lower than expected. This may trace to a CBT terminal issue (frozen screen, lost connection during the exam) or a content issue (an unfamiliar question pattern). If you suspect a system error, file a complaint with the school’s admission office within 48 hours; the school sometimes allows a re-sit.
Recent policy changes include JAMB’s pressure on schools to standardise the blend ratio (towards 50/50) and to publish aggregate calculations transparently. Some schools have also moved Post-UTME entirely online with proctoring tools; for now, most still require physical attendance at the school CBT centre.
For 2026, the major federal universities are running Post-UTME on the standard format: CBT, 50 questions, 60 minutes, 50/50 blend, screening between July and August.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Nigerian universities require Post-UTME?
Most federal and state universities require Post-UTME. The few that do not include some newer federal universities that admit purely on JAMB score, and a few smaller state universities. Private universities run their own internal entrance examinations (similar to Post-UTME but called by different names: CUES at Covenant, Babcock Entrance Exam, etc.). Almost every Nigerian university has some form of post-JAMB screening; the specific name varies.
Is Post-UTME the same as Post-JAMB?
Yes, the two names refer to the same thing. “Post-UTME” is the formal name (post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination); “Post-JAMB” is the informal name used in conversation. Some schools have called the same exam “Aptitude Test” or “Screening Exam” in different cycles. Whatever the name, the function is the same: a second-stage screening run by the school after the candidate has sat JAMB UTME.
How does the aggregate work?
Most federal universities use a 50/50 blend. Your JAMB score (out of 400) is scaled to 50 by dividing by 8 (a score of 280 becomes 35). Your Post-UTME percentage is scaled to 50 by halving (75% becomes 37.5). The two are added for an aggregate out of 100. The aggregate ranking determines admission within each quota pool (merit 45%, catchment 35%, ELDS 20%). UI and a few others sometimes use 60/40 or different ratios; check the school’s admission notice.
Can I be admitted without sitting Post-UTME?
At most Nigerian universities, no. JAMB plus Post-UTME together decide admission. A candidate who has a strong JAMB but does not sit Post-UTME is not admitted; the aggregate cannot be computed without both parts. Some smaller universities and a few state-owned schools admit on JAMB alone, but for the major federal universities (UNILAG, UI, OAU, UNN, ABU, UNIBEN, UNILORIN, LASU) Post-UTME is mandatory.
What if I have to sit Post-UTME at multiple schools?
You only sit Post-UTME at your first-choice school. JAMB allows two choices (first and second) on UTME registration; in practice, only the first-choice school invites you to Post-UTME. If your first-choice school rejects you, you may be considered by your second-choice school under the JAMB-mandated quota system, but this is not guaranteed and you do not sit a second Post-UTME. Many candidates use Change of Course or Change of Institution after Post-UTME to align with where they have a realistic admission chance.
How long after Post-UTME do I find out if I am admitted?
Post-UTME results are published on the school portal within 2 to 3 weeks of the last screening day. Admission decisions follow on JAMB CAPS from August through October. Most candidates know their admission status by mid-September. Late admissions and supplementary list offers continue into November or December in some cycles.
Lagos-based education writer covering JAMB, WAEC and NECO, and tertiary admissions across Nigeria. Chinedu tracks cut-off marks, admission lists, and school portal updates so students and parents do not have to.
