JAMB Subject Combination for Optometry
The JAMB UTME subject combination for Optometry is Use of English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. See the sources, an O'level example and how to confirm.
ExamPadi Editorial · Updated · 6 min read
Optometry prepares you to examine eyes and correct vision, and it uses the same UTME set as several medical courses. The set listed for the 2026 UTME is:
Use of English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
Myschoolnews' list of JAMB's 2026 combinations gives these four. Its separate article for science students does not mention Optometry, and BusinessDay's 2026 article did not list it in the part we could read, so this course has thinner press coverage than most. We could not open the brochure, so confirm on IBASS.
The combination at a glance
| Slot | Subject | Why it matters for the course |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Use of English | Compulsory for every candidate |
| 2 | Biology | Eye anatomy and physiology |
| 3 | Chemistry | Chemistry of the body and of materials |
| 4 | Physics | Light, lenses and optics, which sit at the heart of vision correction |
What the sources say
Only one of the press lists we read names Optometry, and it gives the four subjects above. We found no list that contradicts it, but one source is thin for a decision as costly as a wrong registration. Check the brochure and the department page of each school that offers the course.
A school-level example
Bayelsa Medical University's Optometry page, which is a university source, lists the O'level subjects for UTME entry as English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, taken in no more than two sittings from WAEC, NECO or NABTEB. It adds that candidates must meet other departmental and faculty requirements. That is one school; others may differ. If you are weighing it against Dentistry, the UTME subjects in the lists we read are the same.
O'level requirements
Use the school example above as a pattern, not a rule. Each university sets its own O'level requirement, and we did not find a national list. Make sure you hold the credits your target schools ask for, in the sittings they accept.
Avoid the usual mistakes
A wrong combination can cost you a whole year, so protect yourself:
- Write down your subjects before you go to the registration centre, and read them back to the officer.
- Do not swap subjects because an agent or a friend says it is fine. Only JAMB's brochure and the institution can tell you what is allowed.
- Check your slip and keep a copy of it.
- Test every choice. If your second choice is a different course, check that the same four subjects satisfy it as well. Our JAMB subject combination guide explains how to compare choices, and changing your course explains what can be corrected later.
Confirm it before you pay
Before you register, run this short check:
- Open JAMB's brochure on jamb.gov.ng and find the entry for the exact course name your school uses.
- Open the admission page of each university on your list, and note any extra requirement, such as a particular O'level grade or a post-UTME screening.
- If a press list, a blog or an agent disagrees with either, follow the brochure and the school, and ask the school in writing if the difference matters.
- Keep a screenshot or copy of the entry you relied on.
This takes less than an hour and removes one of the most common avoidable errors in registration. When we call a list a press summary, we mean it: we are reporting what the outlet printed, not what we read in the brochure.
How to prepare
- Physics matters most to the course. Optics, waves and light are good places to build confidence early.
- Biology and Chemistry need steady practice from the official syllabus.
- Use of English is easy to neglect and easy to improve with daily reading.
- Timed practice: build up to full-length, four-subject papers.
If you are unsure whether you will meet the O'level requirement, plan any resits early rather than late.
What about the score?
The combination only gets you through the first door. For the score, read our cut-off mark for Optometry page, which separates JAMB's national minimum from each school's own figure, and the general guide to the JAMB score needed for admission. The UTME is computer-based, with four subjects, two hours and a score out of 400. The proposed 2027 dates are provisional, so follow the JAMB 2027 UTME date and timetable page.
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Practise JAMB Physics freeFrequently asked questions
What is the JAMB subject combination for Optometry?
Use of English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, per Myschoolnews' list of the 2026 combinations.
Does the second Myschoolnews article list Optometry?
No. The article for science students does not list it, so we rely on the all-courses article here.
What O'level subjects does Bayelsa Medical University ask for?
Its Optometry page lists English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, in no more than two sittings.
Where do I confirm the official combination?
In JAMB's brochure on jamb.gov.ng (IBASS) and on the admission page of the university you choose.