Post-UTME 2026/27: How Screening Works, Requirements and Scams to Avoid

October 15, 2026

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Post-UTME 2026/27 guide: how screening works, requirements and scams to avoid

Last updated: 15 October 2026 · By Naijatipsland Editorial Team · Editorial policy

Post-UTME is the screening that many Nigerian universities run after JAMB. Your UTME score gets you in the door, but the school decides how it picks who gets admitted, and for most schools that means a registration, an online or physical test, and a document check. This guide explains how post-UTME works in 2026/27, what three real schools asked for this year, the documents you must have ready, and the traps that cost candidates money and admission.

One important point first: there is no single national post-UTME. After JAMB’s policy meeting on 11 May 2026, institutions were left to set their own screening dates, fees and requirements, according to reports. Always follow the notice on your own school’s official website.

What post-UTME is, and where it fits

The usual order is: you sit the UTME, get your score by SMS, print your result slip, meet the school’s UTME cut-off, register for the school’s screening, pass it, then see your offer on JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) and accept it. If you need a refresher on the first steps, read our guides on how to check your JAMB result and how to reprint your JAMB result slip.

Two cut-offs are in play. The national minimum admissible score for 2026/27 was set at 150 for universities and 100 for polytechnics. A school’s own cut-off, which is usually higher, decides who may register for screening.

How three schools did it in 2026

The best way to see how different the process can be is to compare real examples. These are the 2026/27 notices we could verify.

How UNILAG, UniAbuja and AAU Ekpoma handle post-UTME screening in 2026

University of Lagos (UNILAG)

UNILAG’s official notice set out these rules:

Eligibility: UNILAG as your first choice in the 2026/27 UTME with a score of 200 or above, five credits at one sitting in relevant O/Level subjects including English Language and Mathematics, and age 16 by 30 September 2026.
Dates: online registration from 15 June to 8 July 2026, mock examinations from 22 June to 26 July, and the online aptitude test from 27 to 31 July. O/Level results had to be uploaded on CAPS and the UNILAG application portal by 14 August.
Fees: ₦2,000 screening fee plus ₦3,500 application fee.
Process: start a new undergraduate application at applications.unilag.edu.ng, log in with your UTME application number and your lowercase surname, generate and print the payment advice, pay at a bank or online, complete the screening form and print your examination pass.
Warning: candidates who do not sit the online aptitude test will not be considered for admission.

UNILAG 2026/27 post-UTME screening timeline

Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja (formerly the University of Abuja)

Legit.ng reported that the portal opened on 13 August and closed on 26 August 2026, with a minimum UTME score of 180 and at least five O/Level credits including English and Mathematics for UTME candidates. Direct Entry candidates needed a recognised qualification such as an NCE, ND, first degree or HND. Applicants reported portal errors, including a “data is not found” message and missing O/Level results. The report did not give the screening fee.

Adekunle Ajasin University (AAU), Ekpoma

A SmartJamb report said AAU’s 2026 process had no physical or computer-based post-UTME exam, with admission decided from the JAMB score, a cut-off of about 152 and a ₦5,000 fee, with five credits in no more than two sittings. The report contradicted itself on the cut-off (150 and 152) and used a WhatsApp number as its contact, so treat it as unverified and check the school’s portal.

What every school will check

School as your choice. Most schools only screen candidates who chose them in the UTME, or who completed a change of institution.
O/Level results. Five credits, nearly always including English Language and Mathematics. Some schools want them in one sitting, others allow two. UNILAG demanded one.
CAPS upload. JAMB reportedly requires O/Level results to be uploaded on CAPS, and details must match your NIN. A mismatch can block an offer.
Age. UNILAG set a minimum age of 16 by 30 September 2026, and JAMB’s own minimum age was reported as 16.
Your name. Use the same full name everywhere. If your WAEC or NIN details differ from your JAMB profile, see our guides to WAEC date of birth change and WAEC vs NECO vs NABTEB before you register.

Post-UTME checklist: documents and details to prepare

How post-UTME is scored

Each school publishes its own formula, and some do not hold a test at all. Where there is a test, schools commonly combine your UTME score, your O/Level grades and your screening score into one aggregate, with the weights set by the school. Do not trust a formula quoted on a blog. Look for the formula in your school’s admission notice, and ask the admissions office if it is missing.

How to prepare

Read the notice twice. Note the dates, fee, portal address and the type of test (online aptitude, physical, or none).
Fix your documents first. Upload O/Level results, check name and date of birth against your NIN and JAMB profile, and use a personal email address you will keep checking.
Take the mock seriously. UNILAG ran a mock examination period before the aptitude test, which is a chance to learn the format.
Practise the subjects JAMB tested. Aptitude tests usually revisit English, mathematics and your course subjects, though formats vary.
Print everything. Keep the payment advice, the receipt, your examination pass and your screening form.

Is post-UTME being scrapped?

Not as of the 2026 notices we reviewed. The debate is real, though. In September 2025, education stakeholders in Imo and Abia told the News Agency of Nigeria that computer-based UTME has made screening unnecessary, and that the fees burden parents and the travel and accommodation costs fall on candidates. Others argued that it still catches candidates who cheated in the UTME and improves admission credibility. In 2016 the federal government had retained post-UTME and pegged the fee at ₦2,500, according to ICIR, but the 2026 notices we saw, such as UNILAG’s ₦5,500 total, show schools set their own charges today. We found no official announcement scrapping or capping post-UTME in 2026.

If you missed your school’s window

Check for extensions or supplementary lists. Some schools reopen portals or publish later batches. Check the school’s official website and its admission notices, not social media.
Know the admission deadline. Reports from the 11 May 2026 policy meeting put the university admission deadline at 31 October 2026 and polytechnics and colleges of education at 31 December. Premium Times separately reported 30 November for private universities. JAMB has not confirmed these in a statement we could verify, so confirm on the JAMB portal.
Consider other options. Polytechnics, colleges of education and other schools with later timelines may still be open. Our JAMB 2026 admission updates page and the university admission guide for 2026/27 cover next steps.
Plan the next cycle. If admission does not work out, start preparing for the next UTME early. 2027 UTME fees and dates were not confirmed when we checked.

Scams to avoid

“Leaked post-UTME questions”. Selling questions is fraud. Candidates who rely on them risk disqualification.
Fake portals. Check that the address belongs to your school, usually ending in .edu.ng, before you enter your UTME number or pay.
Paid admission. JAMB says admissions outside CAPS are illegal. Do not pay anyone for a “guaranteed” place.
Extra payments. Pay only the fees in the notice, through the channel the school names, and keep receipts.
Handing over your password. Do not give your portal login to a cybercafe or agent unless you trust them completely.

Frequently asked questions

Is post-UTME compulsory?

Only if your school runs it. Some schools screen with a test, some use documents and the JAMB score. Follow your school’s notice.

What score do I need for post-UTME?

The national minimum is 150 for universities, but schools set their own, such as 200 at UNILAG and 180 at Yakubu Gowon University in 2026.

How much is post-UTME?

It varies. UNILAG charged ₦2,000 for screening plus ₦3,500 for the application. Another school was reported at ₦5,000. Check your school’s notice.

Do I need O/Level results before I register?

Many schools ask for them at registration or ask you to upload them to CAPS by a deadline. UNILAG set 14 August.

Can I use results from two sittings?

Some schools accept two sittings, and some demand one. UNILAG required one sitting in 2026.

Does passing post-UTME guarantee admission?

No. Admission depends on your aggregate, the course quota and the school’s merit list, and the offer must appear on CAPS.

Bottom line

Treat your school’s own notice as the only rulebook, fix your documents before you register, pay only through official portals, and never buy questions or places. If you missed this cycle’s window, check for extensions, confirm the admission deadlines on JAMB’s portal and prepare early for the next UTME.