JAMB Cut-Off Mark for Psychology: What Is Published
There is no single JAMB cut-off for Psychology. See the 2026/2027 national minimum, why school cut-offs differ, and UNILAG's published 2025/2026 figure.
ExamPadi Editorial · Updated · 6 min read
"What is the cut-off mark for Psychology?" has three layers: a national minimum, a school-level cut-off that is higher, and a ranking on the day that decides who is admitted. This page explains each with figures that can be traced to a source.
Layer one: the JAMB national minimum
At its policy meeting in Abuja on Monday, 11 May 2026, JAMB set the minimum UTME scores for the 2026/2027 admission session. According to Legit.ng:
| Type of institution | Minimum UTME score (2026/2027, reported) |
|---|---|
| Universities | 150 |
| Colleges of nursing | 150 |
| Polytechnics | 100 |
The Legit.ng report did not give a figure for colleges of education, so check JAMB's own announcement if that is your route. These are reported figures; the official notice is on jamb.gov.ng.
This is the lowest score at which a university may consider you. It says nothing about Psychology specifically, and a score at the national floor is not likely to be enough for a course that more candidates want than there are places for.
Layer two: each school's cut-off
Individual universities publish their own cut-offs for each programme, and these differ from school to school and from year to year. There is no single published "Psychology cut-off" for Nigeria.
One official example is the University of Lagos. In October 2025 it published its UTME merit admission cut-off marks for 2025/2026, by programme. Psychology is listed under the Faculty of Social Sciences. Alongside it we show three other programmes from the same page so you can see the spread.
| Programme (UNILAG, 2025/2026) | First figure listed (Merit) |
|---|---|
| Psychology (Faculty of Social Sciences) | 69.7 |
| English (Faculty of Arts) | 68.175 |
| Quantity Surveying | 64.3 |
| Estate Management | 57.325 |
Two cautions when reading this table. First, the UNILAG page does not state the scale of its figures. They look like aggregate scores rather than raw UTME marks out of 400, so do not compare them with your UTME score. Second, the page lists further columns (a catchment figure and several states) but does not explain how the figures map to them, so we quote only the first figure in each row, which sits under the Merit heading. The page also shows NIL in some cells, meaning no figure is given there.
Within this one table, Psychology's first figure (69.7) is higher than English's (68.175), Quantity Surveying's (64.3) and Estate Management's (57.325). That tells you how UNILAG ranked these programmes for 2025/2026. It does not tell you what another university did, or what UNILAG will do for 2027/2028.
Layer three: the ranking on the day
A school's published cut-off is a threshold, not a guarantee. Admission lists are built by ranking candidates who meet the threshold and filling the available places. In a course where more candidates qualify than there are places, meeting the cut-off exactly may not be enough. We cannot publish a national "safe score", and anyone who offers you one with total certainty is guessing.
How schools combine your scores
Many universities use an aggregate that combines your UTME score with a post-UTME screening score, and sometimes your O'level result. Formulas differ by school, which is why you should check your own target. The post-UTME aggregate calculator post explains how to work out an aggregate once you have your school's formula, and what JAMB score you need to get admission looks at the wider picture.
What the numbers mean for your plan
- Aim well above 150. Treat it as the entry ticket, not the target.
- Check the cut-offs of three or four schools you actually want, on their own websites, for the latest session.
- Prepare for the screening too. In many schools, the post-UTME can move you up or down.
- Have a backup. If your first choice is out of reach, a related course may be possible. Read about changing your course, and remember the subject combination must fit the new course.
Cut-offs for 2027/2028 have not been announced. JAMB decides the minimums at its annual policy meeting after the UTME, and the proposed 2027 UTME window is 15 to 25 March 2027 (see the JAMB 2027 UTME date and timetable page). Do not rely on any website that claims to know the 2027 figure.
Make sure you have the right subjects
None of this matters if your UTME subjects are wrong. The combination reported by two 2026 guides is Use of English plus any three Arts or Social Science subjects, while one guide lists a narrower set including Biology. Read the full explanation, including where sources disagree, in JAMB subject combination for Psychology.
No guarantees
We cannot promise any score will get you into this course. What you can control is your preparation: cover the syllabus, practise under time pressure and fix your weak topics.
A hypothetical aggregate, to show the arithmetic
Schools use different formulas, so this example is invented purely to show how aggregates work. Suppose a school gave 50 marks to the UTME and 50 to its screening. A candidate with a UTME score of 300 out of 400 would get 300 divided by 400 times 50, which is 37.5. If the same candidate scored 70 out of 100 in screening, that adds 35, for an aggregate of 72.5. Your school's weights, scales and extra components will differ, so always use its own formula before comparing yourself to a published cut-off.
Questions to put to a school's admissions office
- Which session does the published cut-off cover?
- Is the figure an aggregate or a raw UTME mark?
- Are there separate merit and catchment thresholds?
- Is there a post-UTME screening, and how much weight does it carry?
- Does the O'level result count towards the ranking, or only as a requirement?
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Practise JAMB Government freeFrequently asked questions
What is the JAMB cut-off mark for Psychology?
There is no single figure. JAMB sets a national minimum (reported as 150 for universities in 2026/2027) and each university sets its own programme cut-off.
Is 150 enough for Psychology?
150 is only the national floor to be considered for university admission. Schools rank candidates, so a score at the floor is unlikely to be enough where applicants outnumber places.
Do cut-offs change every year?
Yes. They depend on applicants, available places and each school's policy. Last year's figure is a guide, not a promise.
Where do I find a university's Psychology cut-off?
On the university's official website or admissions portal. Be careful with blogs that list figures without linking to the school's own notice.