The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued an official clarification to address growing confusion surrounding eligibility for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), following widespread claims that candidates already admitted into tertiary institutions are barred from registering.
In a statement released by the Office of the Registrar on January 30, 2026, JAMB described such claims as misleading and not necessarily true, emphasizing that the Board does not prohibit students already enrolled in higher institutions from registering for the UTME.
According to JAMB, candidates who are currently studying in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, or monotechnics can register for UTME or Direct Entry, provided they disclose their existing matriculation status during registration, as required in the 2026 UTME/DE guidelines.
The Board explained that the disclosure requirement is often misunderstood. Its purpose is strictly for record-keeping and regulatory control, especially to prevent the illegal practice of holding two admissions at the same time.
“Once a candidate secures admission through the UTME/DE process, any previous admission automatically ceases, as the law does not permit concurrent admissions,” JAMB stated.
JAMB stressed that it does not bar candidates from seeking a new admission simply because they were previously admitted or are currently studying. However, failure to declare an existing admission constitutes an offence, and candidates found to have deliberately concealed such information risk losing both admission opportunities.
The Board also noted that its systems are capable of detecting prior matriculation records, warning candidates against attempting to bypass the disclosure process. JAMB cautioned the public against distorted interpretations of its policies, urging candidates and parents to rely solely on official JAMB communications and publications.
This clarification counters the assumption that candidates must first formally withdraw from their current institutions before registering for UTME. JAMB made it clear that withdrawal is not a prerequisite for registration, but transparency during the registration process is mandatory.
Prospective candidates are therefore advised to:
Check their CAPS status carefully
Declare any existing admission during UTME registration
Follow only official JAMB guidelines
JAMB reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring fairness, transparency, and proper regulation of admissions, while warning that misinformation could lead to avoidable mistakes and loss of admission chances.
