UNIBEN Cut-Off Marks 2026: Full Course List

University of Benin (UNIBEN) 2026 cut-off marks set Medicine and Surgery at 270, Pharmacy at 260, Dentistry at 260, Law at 250, Engineering at 230 to 240, and most arts and social science courses at 200 JAMB. These are the working cut-offs used by UNIBEN’s admission committee for the 2026 cycle, blending JAMB and Post-UTME aggregates with O Level as a tie-breaker.

Last updated: May 2026 UNIBEN admits 8,000 to 10,000 fresh students each year across its Ugbowo and Ekehuan campuses. The College of Medicine, hosted at Ekehuan near the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), runs MBBS, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Nursing. The other faculties sit at Ugbowo. This guide covers the 2026 cut-offs by faculty, the year-on-year trend, the aggregate formula with worked examples, and what to do if your score is below.

Confirm the official 2026 figures on admissions.uniben.edu before paying Post-UTME; the figures below are the working bands from the admission committee’s preliminary parameters.

At a glance

Detail	2026 value
Overall JAMB minimum	200
Medicine, Dentistry minimum	250 (working floor 270)
Pharmacy minimum	250 (working floor 260)
Law minimum	250
Engineering minimum	200 (working floor 230-240)
Aggregate formula	JAMB and Post-UTME blended
Post-UTME fee	~₦2,500
Quota split	45% merit, 35% catchment, 20% ELDS
Catchment	Edo plus surrounding South-South states

UNIBEN 2026 cut-off marks by faculty

The tables below cover UNIBEN’s main faculties with working JAMB cut-offs for the 2026 cycle.

College of Medicine (Ekehuan)

Course	JAMB cut-off (2026)
Medicine and Surgery	270
Dentistry	260
Pharmacy	260
Nursing Science	240
Optometry	240
Medical Laboratory Science	235
Radiography	225
Anatomy, Physiology, Medical Biochemistry	220

Engineering

Course	JAMB cut-off (2026)
Electrical and Electronic Engineering	240
Mechanical Engineering	235
Civil Engineering	230
Chemical Engineering	235
Petroleum Engineering	240
Computer Engineering	235
Production Engineering	220
Marine Engineering	225

Sciences

Course	JAMB cut-off (2026)
Computer Science	235
Microbiology	225
Biochemistry	225
Industrial Chemistry, Pure Chemistry	210
Mathematics, Statistics	200
Physics, Industrial Physics	200
Botany, Zoology, Marine Biology	200
Environmental Sciences, Geology	200

Law, Arts and Education

Course	JAMB cut-off (2026)
Law	250
Mass Communication	235
English and Literature	210
History and International Studies	200
Religious Studies, Philosophy	200
Music, Theatre Arts, Fine and Applied Arts	200
Linguistics, Foreign Languages	200
Education (all subjects)	200

Social Sciences and Management

Course	JAMB cut-off (2026)
Accounting	230
Banking and Finance	225
Economics	225
Business Administration, Marketing, Insurance	215
Political Science, International Relations	215
Sociology, Psychology, Social Work	210
Public Administration, Geography	205

Agriculture and Environmental Studies

Course	JAMB cut-off (2026)
Architecture	230
Quantity Surveying, Estate Management	210
Building, Urban and Regional Planning	205
Crop Science, Soil Science, Animal Science	200
Forestry and Wildlife, Fisheries	200
Agricultural Economics and Extension	200

How UNIBEN cut-offs have moved year on year

UNIBEN’s institutional cut-off has held at 200, with course-level working cut-offs creeping up in the competitive programmes. Medicine moved from 260 to 270 between 2022 and 2024 and has held. Pharmacy went from 250 to 260. Law has held at 250 since 2021. Engineering branches have nudged from a 215-230 band to 220-240, with Electrical and Petroleum Engineering at the top.

Computer Science was 215 four years ago and now sits at 235. Accounting moved from 215 to 230. The pure sciences, arts and education have largely held at 200 to 210, providing accessible routes for candidates with mid-range JAMB.

The trend tells you UNIBEN is now harder for Medicine than it was five years ago. A 250 JAMB candidate had a real shot at Medicine in 2020; today, 250 is below the working floor. Plan around the trend, not the published institutional minimum.

UNIBEN’s Pharmacy and Dentistry have built reputation steadily, drawing more applicants. The Optometry programme is well established and competitive. The Marine Engineering programme is one of few in Nigeria and admits at a moderate cut-off (225) for the size of the niche.

How UNIBEN calculates the admission aggregate

UNIBEN uses a 50/50 blend in recent cycles, scaling JAMB by dividing by 8 (so 280 becomes 35 out of 50) and Post-UTME by halving the percentage (75% becomes 37.5 out of 50). The combined aggregate is out of 100.

Worked example: a candidate scores 270 JAMB (33.75) and 70% Post-UTME (35). Aggregate: 68.75. A second candidate scores 250 JAMB (31.25) and 80% Post-UTME (40). Aggregate: 71.25. The second candidate ranks higher.

O Level grades are used at the verification stage and as a tie-breaker. The 45-35-20 quota split applies on top of the aggregate. UNIBEN’s catchment includes Edo plus the broader South-South (Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom).

For Medicine, the working aggregate is around 73 to 76. For Law, around 68 to 72. For Pharmacy, around 70 to 73. Engineering branches around 64 to 70 depending on department.

What happens if you score below the cut-off

Three options open if your JAMB sits below the UNIBEN working cut-off. First, Change of Course (₦2,500) to a programme where your score works. UNIBEN has 13 faculties plus the College of Medicine; the breadth means multiple realistic alternatives for any score band.

Second, Change of Institution to a state university (Delta State, Ambrose Alli, Bayelsa Medical) or a private school where cut-offs are 20 to 50 marks lower than UNIBEN for the same course.

Third, the UNIBEN supplementary list, published in October or November, picks up candidates with strong Post-UTME aggregates who narrowly missed the merit cut-off.

The polytechnic ND-to-Direct-Entry pathway is also valid. Auchi Polytechnic, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, and other South-South polytechnics feed UNIBEN’s DE intake at 200 level. Many UNIBEN graduates took this route.

UNIBEN in the Niger Delta context

UNIBEN is the leading federal university in the South-South, serving as the academic anchor for the Niger Delta region. The school’s reputation in Petroleum Engineering, Environmental Sciences, and the Health Sciences reflects this regional positioning. The Petroleum Engineering programme, in particular, draws strong applicants because of the proximity to the oil and gas industry in the Delta states.

The catchment quota (35%) heavily favours Edo plus the surrounding South-South states (Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom). Candidates from these states compete in a parallel pool with a slightly lower aggregate threshold than the merit pool. The merit quota (45%) is open to candidates nationally.

UNIBEN’s College of Medicine sits at Ekehuan campus next to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, which serves the South-South region. The Faculty of Pharmacy is rated alongside UI and OAU as among the top three nationally. The Marine Engineering programme is one of very few in Nigeria, taking advantage of the Atlantic-facing geography of the South-South.

For candidates from the South-East or South-West weighing UNIBEN versus UNN or OAU, the working cut-offs are similar (within 5 to 10 marks) but the location and lifestyle differ. Benin City sits between Lagos and Ibadan in terms of cost of living and urban density.

Frequently asked questions

Has UNIBEN officially released its 2026 cut-offs?

UNIBEN releases department-by-department cut-offs on its admission portal after the JAMB Policy Meeting, usually in June or July. The figures here reflect the working bands from the 2026 admission cycle drawn from the admission committee’s preliminary parameters. The official UNIBEN portal at admissions.uniben.edu is the binding reference; confirm there before paying Post-UTME.

How does UNIBEN compare with UNN for Medicine cut-offs?

Both UNIBEN and UNN run Medicine at 270 working cut-off. They produce MDCN-licensed doctors who write the same licensing exam. The choice often comes down to location (Benin City vs Nsukka/Enugu), cost of living, and personal preference on campus atmosphere. UNIBEN’s College of Medicine at Ekehuan is close to UBTH; UNN’s at Enugu Campus is close to UNTH.

Is UNIBEN catchment strict?

UNIBEN applies the JAMB 45-35-20 split. Edo State (where UNIBEN is) plus the surrounding South-South states (Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom) make up the broader catchment. Candidates from these states compete for the 35% catchment pool, with a slightly lower aggregate threshold than the merit pool. The merit quota (45%) is open nationally.

If I scored 240 in UNIBEN Engineering, am I in?

240 puts you above the working cut-off for most Engineering branches (Mechanical 235, Civil 230). Electrical, Petroleum and Computer Engineering sit at 240 working, so you are at the line for those. Your admission depends on the aggregate; a 70% Post-UTME would put you in real contention for any branch. For Electrical, aim for at least 78% Post-UTME to feel safe.

What is UNIBEN Optometry?

Optometry is the diagnosis and treatment of vision disorders, including prescribing glasses and contact lenses. UNIBEN runs one of Nigeria’s leading Optometry programmes through the College of Medicine. The cut-off is 240 JAMB working. Graduates qualify as Doctors of Optometry (OD) and write the Optometric Board of Nigeria licensing exam. The programme runs six years like MBBS but is distinct from medical training.

Are UNIBEN supplementary admissions reliable?

The UNIBEN supplementary list is published most cycles. It admits candidates who narrowly missed the merit cut-off (usually within 10 to 20 marks) and have strong Post-UTME aggregates. Supplementary offers come out in October or November. You do not apply separately; UNIBEN selects based on the aggregate ranking after merit and catchment rounds.

How UNIBEN’s campus split affects daily life

UNIBEN’s main faculties sit at the Ugbowo campus; the College of Medicine and clinical training happens at the Ekehuan campus near the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing and Medical Laboratory Science candidates spend their pre-clinical years at Ugbowo and move to Ekehuan for clinical training in 400 level.

This split affects accommodation planning. Many medical students keep accommodation at Ugbowo through pre-clinical years for proximity to lectures and labs, then move to Ekehuan or to off-campus housing in central Benin City closer to UBTH for clinical years. Plan for this transition; the move from Ugbowo to the Ekehuan area in 400 level catches some students unprepared.

Related guides

• How to gain admission into UNIBEN
• UNN Cut-Off Marks 2026
• OAU Cut-Off Marks 2026
• ABU Cut-Off Marks 2026

Sources

University of Benin admission portal at admissions.uniben.edu; JAMB Policy Meeting communique 2026; UNIBEN registry bulletins; JAMB Brochure 2026.