By Miracle Ogunde
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has confirmed that the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will take place on 8 March 2025.
The announcement was made by JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, during a meeting with media executives held in Lagos on Sunday.
As part of the board’s new initiatives, a mock UTME specifically designed for candidates below the age of 16 has been introduced.
Prof. Oloyede clarified that the purpose of the mock UTME is not for admission into tertiary institutions but rather to assess the capability of underage candidates.
“We are starting the sale of forms on the 31st of January till 5th of March. There will be a mock exam on the 23rd of February and on the 8th of March there will be UTME,” the JAMB Registrar stated.
He further explained that this mock exam is purely for trial-testing purposes and is targeted at candidates who do not meet the age requirement for admission into universities, polytechnics, or colleges of education.
To qualify for tertiary institution admission, Prof. Oloyede emphasised that candidates must be at least 16 years old by 30 September of the admission year. Candidates who wish to gain experience with the Computer-Based Test (CBT) system without seeking admission can also register for the mock UTME.
The sale of application documents for Direct Entry and the vending of e-PINs are scheduled to commence between 10 March and 7 April, respectively.
In terms of registration fees, candidates opting for the UTME with mock will pay ₦8,200, while those sitting for UTME only (without mock) will pay ₦7,200. The trial-testing mock for underage candidates or those seeking a test-only option costs ₦5,700. Direct Entry candidates are also required to pay ₦5,700.
Prof. Oloyede reiterated that the board would strictly enforce the 16-year age limit for the 2025 UTME. However, gifted candidates under 15 years of age may be permitted to register under specific conditions.
To be eligible for admission as an underage candidate, Prof. Oloyede highlighted that such individuals must score a minimum of 280 marks in the UTME and demonstrate exceptional performance in their senior secondary certificate and post-UTME examinations.
“The policy meeting on admission adopted 16 years as the minimum for 2024 admission. JAMB tried to assist by extending the date to accommodate more candidates, but we were taken to court to reverse the extension to 16 years,” he explained.
Meanwhile, he disclosed that 870 computer-based test centres had been screened and provisionally approved for the 2025 UTME, compared to 747 centres in the previous year.
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