JAMB has abolished degree admissions through Colleges of Education and their affiliated programmes from 2026/2027, making the NCE route the only entry path while introducing compulsory O’Level verification and new admission procedures.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced new admission guidelines that will take effect from the 2026/2027 academic session. Under the new policy, candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education must now enter through the National Certificate in Education (NCE) programme, as admissions into 100-level and 200-level degree programmes offered by Colleges of Education have been discontinued.
JAMB also announced the end of admissions into affiliated degree programmes run by Colleges of Education. According to the board, applicants can only be processed under one admission category at a time. Candidates who choose the NCE route will have any existing UTME or Direct Entry application automatically suspended once recommended for admission.
The new framework makes O’Level result verification compulsory before registration can be completed. Candidates must obtain verification codes from examination bodies such as WAEC, National Examinations Council (NECO), NABTEB, or NBAIS. The verification fee is ₦1,500 for one sitting and ₦2,000 for two sittings.
For the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 admission cycles, NCE applicants will pay a ₦3,500 application fee and a ₦700 registration fee through accredited CBT centres or Institutional Professional Registration Centres located in Colleges of Education.
Institutions are expected to assess candidates’ qualifications and recommend successful applicants through JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), after which final approval will be granted following verification of examination records.
JAMB also created a regularisation process for students admitted into Colleges of Education outside its admission system during the 2024 and 2025 academic sessions. Such candidates can validate their admissions after completing verification and paying the required fees.
Candidates who selected Colleges of Education as their first choice during the 2026 UTME will automatically be transferred to the NCE admission platform. They will only need to obtain the O’Level verification code and pay the ₦700 registration fee, as the ₦3,500 application fee has been waived for them.
Applicants who applied for degree programmes through affiliated Colleges of Education in 2026 will have options to transfer to the parent university, switch institutions without charge, or be considered by their second-choice institution if no preference is indicated.
Earlier in May, the Federal Government announced that candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education would no longer be required to sit for the UTME. According to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, applicants with at least four credit passes in relevant subjects can apply directly to Colleges of Education without taking the examination.
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