JAMB: Courses That Require High UTME Scores to Study in Nigerian Universities

• The 2025 UTME candidates are required to get higher scores in their recently concluded examination conducted by JAMB
• This is because certain courses require higher UTME scores for admission into Nigerian universities, regardless of the general cut-off marks set by JAMB
• The top seven of these courses have been outlined as JAMB wraps up the 2025 UTME exercise, and candidates are looking forward to securing admission this year

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has set the pace for the competition for admission into Nigerian universities, as the examination board sets the cut-off marks for courses in the universities.

Some courses have consistently maintained high cut-off marks, making it more challenging for candidates who sat the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to secure admission to study them.

In the 2025 UTME exercise, several courses are highly sought-after, with thousands of top-performing candidates. These courses require strong UTME scores and excellent results at the O'Level.

2025 UTME: Top seven courses

Surgery and Medicine

The Nation reported that this has always been the most competitive course in Nigeria. This is as many students dream of becoming doctors in the future. As a result of the quest for the course, there are always limited slots in the higher institutions, thus, it remains difficult to be admitted into.

In the 2025 UTME, students who want to study surgery and medicine are expected to score 280 and above in the exam. They are to have five credits in their WASSCE or GCE in subjects including English, Mathematics, Physics, Biology and Chemistry.

Law

The study of law in Nigerian universities remains competitive. Many students dream of becoming lawyers in the country because of the opportunities it attracts, respect and social status that come with it.

The cut-off mark to study law varies from one university to the other.

Pharmacy

This is another respected course in Nigeria, as there are job opportunities and financial rewards for anyone who studies the course. Pharmacists can work in any healthcare organisation with job security.

Getting admission to study Pharmacy in Nigeria requires 270 and above in the UTME and a minimum of five credits in the O'Level results, which include English, Mathematics, Physics, Biology and Chemistry.

Nursing Science

This is a fast-growing profession in Nigeria with global job opportunities and financial rewards, and job stability.

UTME candidates who have applied for this court are to score 260 and above. They are also required to have credits in English, Mathematics, Physics, Biology and Chemistry in their O'Level results.

Accounting

Accounting is another most sought-after course in Nigeria. It has career flexibility, job opportunities and professional certifications such as ICAN.

The 2025 UTME candidates are expected to score 250 and above to secure admission to study the course. They must have five credits in their O'Level results, including English Language, Mathematics, Financial Accounting, Economics and any other subjects.

Computer Science

The advent of technology made computer science one of the most sought-after courses in Nigerian universities.

Students interested in studying Computer Science are expected to score 250 and above in their UTME. They are also required to have a minimum of five credits in their O'Level results in English Language, Mathematics, Computer Studies and any other subjects.

Economics

This is another competitive course in higher institutions in Nigeria. This course is highly relevant in society and has strong job opportunities.

To qualify to study Economics in Nigeria, interested students are required to get 250 and above in their UTME. They are also required to get credits in subjects including English Language, Mathematics, Economics, Commerce and Government.

Lawyer calls for review of JAMB activities

Meanwhile, Oladotun Hassan, a legal practitioner, has called for a review of JAMB’s responsibilities, suggesting that the UTME should be a one-time exercise. According to him, once a student passes the examination, they should not be required to rewrite it if they fail to secure admission that year.

In an interview with Legit.ng, Hassan advocated for a decentralised entry process, proposing that students sit entrance examinations directly at the department of their choice.

For instance, he argued that the Accounting Department at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) should conduct its own entry exam for interested candidates, rather than the current system where all applicants are grouped together and administered a generalised test

He said:

"JAMB should not be @a yearly thing. The year you use your JAMB, you can still use your JAMB results like your WAEC. You can use your JAMB results at the following year at any time. If WAEC results were to be expiring on a yearly basis, do you know how many people would go back to rewrite WAEC?"

JAMB withholds results of WhatsApp group members

Legit.ng earlier reported that JAMB explained the reason it withheld the results of the 2025 UTME candidates who joined a particular WhatsApp group.

Fabian Benjamin, the spokesperson of the examination board, explained that the decision was taken after it was discovered that members of the group were asked to pay for their results to be inflated.

This was disclosed amid the controversies surrounding the 2025 UTME results and the rescheduling of the exercise for some UTME candidates.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng