JAMB Ends Admission Into Affiliated Degree Programmes in Colleges of Education

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has discontinued admissions into degree programmes run by colleges of education in affiliation with universities, beginning from the 2026/2027 academic session.
The decision was announced in newly issued admission guidelines for the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and agriculture-related National Diploma (ND) programmes.
Under the new policy, colleges of education will no longer admit candidates directly into 100-level or 200-level degree programmes. Instead, all new entrants into colleges of education must be admitted through the NCE route.
According to JAMB, “with effect from the 2026/2027 session, no admission into the 100 or 200 level is allowed into any college of education. All entrants are through NCE.”
To ease the transition, the board provided options for candidates who had already applied for affiliated degree programmes through Direct Entry (DE). Such candidates may switch institutions free of charge, transfer to the parent university affiliated with the programme, or elevate their second-choice institution to first choice for admission processing.
JAMB directed candidates wishing to change institutions to complete the process before June 22.
Candidates seeking admission into affiliated colleges of education through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) may also choose to migrate to the NCE programme. Those opting for this pathway will be required to obtain an O’Level verification code from the relevant examination body and pay a N700 registration fee through the JAMB portal.
The board explained that applicants who selected colleges of education had already indicated an interest in teacher education and could therefore be considered for NCE admission.
It added that any candidate who accepts and is recommended for NCE admission will have any ongoing UTME or Direct Entry admission process suspended.
JAMB further announced a mandatory O’Level verification process for all NCE applicants, with verification fees set at N1,500 for one sitting and N2,000 for two sittings.
The latest directive follows the Federal Government’s March 2026 decision exempting candidates seeking admission into colleges of education from writing the UTME.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, had stated that candidates with at least four credit passes in relevant subjects could gain admission into colleges of education without sitting for the UTME.