The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) has revised its stance on the admission of candidates below 16 years into tertiary institutions, extending the deadline for U-16 admissions to August 2025.
This decision comes after the initial directive prohibiting institutions from admitting candidates under 16 for the 2024/2025 academic session.
In a letter dated October 16, 2024, signed by Muhammed Babaji on behalf of JAMB Registrar Ishaq Oloyede, and addressed to vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts, JAMB now permits institutions to admit candidates aged 15, provided they turn 16 by August 31, 2025.
This adjustment allows universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education more flexibility in their admission processes while maintaining academic standards.
The previous directive, made during JAMB’s 2024 policy meeting, had set the minimum admission age at 16, with a cut-off date of December 31, 2024.
However, the board acknowledged that some institutions’ 2024/2025 admission processes might extend into mid-2025, leading to the reconsideration.
“Institutions are now free to admit candidates who will reach the age of 16 by August 31, 2025, as long as they meet all other admission criteria,” the letter stated, while also emphasizing that any institution choosing to maintain the 16-year minimum age requirement for the 2024 academic year is at liberty to do so.
This move by JAMB aims to ensure fairness in the admission process, preventing any undue advantage for candidates simply due to the timing of their birthdates.
Institutions are expected to submit their lists of eligible U-16 candidates by the end of this week to facilitate a final decision on their admissions.
JAMB reiterated that this policy adjustment ensures equitable opportunities for all candidates without compromising institutional standards.
