State Universities in Nigeria That Accept Low JAMB Score for Nursing 2026/2027
Nursing is one of the most competitive courses in Nigeria, and if you have been searching for state universities that accept a lower JAMB score for it, you have probably already noticed something frustrating: most articles either give you outdated figures, repeat the same five university names without any real detail, or quietly skip the part where they explain how state university Nursing admission actually works differently from federal universities.
This guide fixes that. Before anything else, there is something important you need to understand clearly, because it will save you from chasing the wrong number this admission cycle.
At the 2026 JAMB Policy Meeting held in May 2026, JAMB and the heads of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions confirmed the national minimum cut-off mark for university admission at 150 for the 2026/2027 session. This is the absolute floor — no university in Nigeria, federal, state, or private, can legally admit any candidate below this figure, for any course, including Nursing. However, Nursing as a course does not operate at that minimum at all. It sits in its own, much more competitive category, with departmental cut-off marks that are typically set significantly above the general university minimum because of strict accreditation standards enforced by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), limited clinical training slots, and intense demand from applicants.
This guide breaks down exactly where state universities sit within that reality, which ones genuinely offer the most accessible departmental cut-off marks for Nursing, and what you need to do beyond just hitting the minimum score to actually secure admission.
Why State Universities Are Often More Accessible Than Federal Universities for Nursing
Before the list, it helps to understand why this pattern exists, because it shapes how you should approach your own application strategy.
Federal universities offering Nursing — UNILAG, UI, ABU, UNIBEN, UNILORIN, and similar institutions — are subsidised by the federal government, charge comparatively low tuition, and as a result receive enormous application volumes every single year. With far more applicants than available clinical training slots, these universities can afford to set their departmental Nursing cut-off marks extremely high, often in the 230 to 280 range, and still fill every available seat several times over.
State universities operate differently. While still government-funded and generally more affordable than private institutions, they typically draw a smaller, more regionally concentrated applicant pool, and many state governments have been actively expanding Nursing programme capacity in response to the genuine national and international demand for nurses. This combination of factors means many state universities are able to set their departmental Nursing cut-off marks meaningfully lower than the major federal universities, while still maintaining full NMCN accreditation and producing graduates who go on to sit the same national licensing examination as everyone else.
This does not mean state university Nursing programmes are academically inferior. NMCN accreditation standards apply equally regardless of whether a university is federal or state-owned. What it means is that the admission competition is generally less intense, which translates into a more accessible departmental cut-off mark for candidates with moderate JAMB scores.
What “Low” Actually Means for Nursing in 2026/2027 — Set Your Expectations Correctly
This is the section most other guides skip, and it is the single most important thing for you to understand before you go any further.
For ordinary, less competitive courses — Arts, Social Sciences, Agriculture, some Education programmes — a JAMB score close to the new 150 national minimum can genuinely be enough to secure admission at many universities. Nursing does not work this way. Because of how heavily oversubscribed Nursing programmes are nationwide, even the most “accessible” universities for this course still typically set their departmental cut-off mark somewhere between 160 and 200 — not 150.
In practical terms, here is how to read the landscape honestly:
A JAMB score of 150 to 159 gives you almost no realistic options for Nursing anywhere in Nigeria this cycle, state or otherwise. At this range, your stronger near-term options are a Schools of Nursing and Midwifery pathway (explained further below), a related but less competitive health science course, or preparing seriously to re-sit JAMB.
A JAMB score of 160 to 179 opens real possibilities specifically at some of the more accessible state universities, several newer federal universities, and select private institutions — but your options narrow considerably and your Post-UTME performance becomes critical.
A JAMB score of 180 to 200 is genuinely competitive at a meaningful number of state universities and gives you a realistic, defensible shot at Nursing admission this cycle, provided your O’Level results and Post-UTME performance are strong.
A JAMB score of 200 and above puts you in a strong position at most state universities and gives you a realistic chance even at some of the more competitive federal institutions.
Keep this framing in mind as you read the list below. “Low cut-off” for Nursing in Nigeria is a relative term — relative to the brutal competitiveness of top federal universities, not relative to the general 150 national floor.
State Universities With Relatively Accessible Nursing Cut-Off Marks for 2026/2027
These are state universities that have, across recent admission cycles, maintained Nursing departmental cut-off marks toward the lower end of the typical range compared to many of their state and federal peers.
Benue State University, Makurdi
Benue State University has consistently maintained one of the more accessible Nursing cut-off marks among state-owned institutions, with departmental requirements that, in recent cycles, have sat closer to the 160 to 170 range rather than the 200-plus figures common at more oversubscribed schools. The Nursing Science programme is NMCN accredited, and the university’s College of Health Sciences provides clinical training through affiliated teaching hospitals in the state.
Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State University runs an established and well-regarded Nursing programme, with departmental cut-off marks that have generally sat in a moderately accessible range compared to the most competitive federal institutions, though candidates should expect to be competitive in the 180-plus range given the programme’s growing reputation and demand from applicants across the South-East region.
Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State
As a state university, Niger Delta University has historically maintained a relatively moderate Nursing cut-off mark, generally positioned lower than many federal alternatives, even though local competition among Bayelsa and neighbouring state candidates remains genuinely strong. The university’s Nursing programme benefits from clinical placement arrangements within the Niger Delta region’s hospital network.
Lagos State University, Ojo (LASU)
Lagos State University’s general institutional cut-off mark has historically been positioned around the 160 range, though Nursing specifically — given Lagos State’s enormous population and applicant pool — runs considerably more competitively, typically in the 200 to 220 range. LASU indigenes (Lagos State residents) may have some processing advantage in the admission pathway, which is worth factoring into your strategy if you qualify for that status. While LASU’s Nursing cut-off is not among the lowest on this list, its scale, reputation, and the value of a Lagos-based clinical training environment make it worth including for candidates with stronger scores within the “moderate” range described above.
Federal University Lokoja and Federal University Kashere — A Note on State vs Federal Nuance
While technically federal rather than state institutions, it is worth noting here that several of the newer federal universities — including Federal University Lokoja and Federal University Kashere — have maintained Nursing departmental cut-off marks considerably lower than the older, more established federal universities, often in the 150 to 170 range. If your search for “state universities” is really a search for “any accessible government-funded university,” these newer federal institutions are genuinely worth including in your shortlist alongside the state universities above, since they share the same general accessibility advantage of being newer and less oversubscribed.
Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, Kogi State
PAAU has been identified among the more accessible state university options for Nursing in recent admission cycles, with departmental requirements that have historically sat toward the lower end of the typical state university range. As with every institution on this list, always verify the current cycle’s specific departmental figure directly with the university before applying, since these requirements are reviewed and can shift each year based on application volume.
Kogi State University (now Prince Abubakar Audu University) and Other Newer State Institutions
Several other relatively newer or less internationally prominent state universities across Nigeria — including institutions in states like Nasarawa, Taraba, and parts of the North-Central and North-East regions — have generally maintained more accessible Nursing cut-off marks than their counterparts in the South-West and South-East corridors, where competition for Nursing places is particularly intense due to higher applicant density and stronger name recognition. If your score sits in the 160 to 190 range, it is worth specifically researching state universities outside the most heavily subscribed regions, since geography genuinely affects competitiveness for this course in Nigeria.
A Genuinely Important Alternative Most Guides Underexplain: Schools of Nursing and Midwifery
This is one of the most useful pieces of information for any candidate whose JAMB score sits below the realistic range for university-level Nursing admission, and it deserves far more attention than most guides give it.
Nigeria operates over 100 state-government-owned Schools of Nursing and Midwifery, entirely separate from university Nursing Science degree programmes. These institutions run their own internal entrance examinations and admission processes, typically requiring JAMB scores in a considerably more accessible range — often between 140 and 180 depending on the specific school — alongside passing the school’s own entrance test.
Graduates of these Schools of Nursing earn a Registered Nurse (RN) certificate after approximately three years of study and supervised clinical practice, which qualifies them to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and begin practising professionally. This is not a lesser or fallback qualification — it is the same fundamental professional licensing pathway that many practising nurses across Nigeria today actually came through.
Crucially, an RN certificate from a School of Nursing does not close the door to a full university degree. Many Schools of Nursing graduates later pursue a Direct Entry route into a university Nursing Science BNSc programme, entering directly at 200 Level using their RN certificate and relevant O’Level credits, without needing to rely on a fresh JAMB score at all.
Well-known Schools of Nursing across the country include the School of Nursing Eleta, Ibadan; School of Nursing, OAUTH Ile-Ife; School of Nursing, UCH Ibadan; School of Nursing, Anua Uyo; School of Nursing, ABSUTH Aba; School of Nursing, Abeokuta; and School of Nursing, Kaduna, among many others spread across virtually every state in the country. Tuition for these institutions is also generally significantly lower than university Nursing programmes, often falling between ₦60,000 and ₦250,000 per session, depending on the specific school and state.
If your JAMB score genuinely does not put you in a competitive position for university-level Nursing this cycle, seriously researching your state’s School of Nursing and Midwifery is a legitimate, professionally respected, and often faster route into the nursing profession — not a downgrade from the university pathway.
The Non-Negotiable O’Level and Subject Requirements That Apply Regardless of Cut-Off Mark
This applies to every single university and Nursing-related pathway covered in this guide, and getting it wrong disqualifies you regardless of how accessible your target school’s cut-off mark might be.
JAMB subject combination: English Language, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. This combination is required at essentially every Nigerian institution offering Nursing Science, with no substitutions accepted.
O’Level requirement: A minimum of five credit passes in WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings at most institutions, though some universities — particularly more competitive ones — require all five credits from a single sitting, so always verify this specific detail with your target school directly.
Minimum age requirement: Most Nigerian universities and Schools of Nursing require candidates to be at least 16 years old at the point of admission.
These requirements apply whether you are targeting a federal university with a 250 cut-off or a state university with a 165 cut-off, or a School of Nursing with an even more accessible benchmark. A strong JAMB subject combination and complete O’Level credits are the foundation everything else is built on.
How Admission Is Actually Decided — Why Hitting the Cut-Off Mark Is Only Step One
This is genuinely important and frequently misunderstood. Meeting a university’s published cut-off mark for Nursing makes you eligible to be considered — it does not guarantee admission. Most universities, state and federal alike, use a combined aggregate scoring system that factors in your JAMB score, your Post-UTME performance, and sometimes your O’Level grades, to rank candidates and fill the limited number of available Nursing slots.
A commonly used weighting structure across many Nigerian universities allocates JAMB score around 50 to 60 percent of the final aggregate, Post-UTME performance around 30 to 40 percent, and O’Level results the remaining percentage — though the exact formula differs meaningfully from school to school, and you should always confirm your specific target university’s actual published formula rather than assuming a standard structure applies everywhere.
This means a candidate who scored 175 in JAMB but performs exceptionally well in Post-UTME can realistically outrank a candidate who scored 195 in JAMB but performs poorly at the screening stage. Do not treat your JAMB score as the end of your effort — prepare seriously for Post-UTME with the same intensity you gave JAMB itself, focusing especially on Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and general English comprehension, since these are the subjects most commonly tested at the screening stage for Nursing candidates.
Practical Strategy for Candidates With a Moderate JAMB Score Targeting Nursing
Apply within your catchment area where it applies. Many Nigerian universities, including some state institutions with cross-state intake arrangements, give preferential consideration to candidates from their designated catchment states or, for state universities specifically, candidates who are indigenes of that state. If you are applying to a state university in your own state of origin or residence, this can meaningfully improve your competitive position.
Research the specific, current departmental cut-off mark directly from the university, not from generic blog lists. Departmental cut-off marks for Nursing shift from year to year based on application volume and available clinical training capacity. Always confirm the figure for the current 2026/2027 cycle directly through the university’s official admissions portal before investing time and money in a Post-UTME form.
Spread your applications across a realistic tier strategy. Do not place two highly competitive federal universities as your first and second choices if your JAMB score sits in a moderate range. A smarter approach pairs one more ambitious target with at least one genuinely accessible state university or newer federal institution where your actual score gives you a realistic, defensible chance.
Take the School of Nursing route seriously as a parallel application, not a last resort. Submitting an application to a state-owned School of Nursing alongside your university applications costs relatively little and gives you a genuine fallback that still leads to full professional registration as a nurse, with the option to upgrade to a university degree later via Direct Entry.
Prepare for Post-UTME with real seriousness, starting immediately after JAMB. Given how heavily Post-UTME performance factors into final aggregate scores at most institutions, this preparation period is where candidates with moderate JAMB scores most often turn their admission chances around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is 150 enough to study Nursing at a state university in Nigeria for 2026/2027? A: Generally no. While 150 is the new national minimum university cut-off mark overall, Nursing departmental cut-off marks at virtually every Nigerian university, including state institutions, are set considerably higher — typically starting from around 160 and rising well beyond 200 at more competitive schools.
Q: Which state universities have the most accessible Nursing cut-off marks? A: Institutions like Benue State University, Niger Delta University, Ebonyi State University, and Prince Abubakar Audu University have historically maintained departmental cut-off marks toward the more accessible end of the typical state university range, though exact figures shift each cycle and should always be verified directly with the university.
Q: What is the difference between studying Nursing at a university and attending a School of Nursing? A: A university Nursing Science programme (BNSc) takes five years and produces a degree-holding graduate. A School of Nursing and Midwifery programme takes approximately three years and produces a Registered Nurse (RN) certificate holder. Both pathways lead to professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, and RN certificate holders can later pursue a university degree via Direct Entry.
Q: Do I need to write a separate entrance exam for Schools of Nursing? A: Yes. Schools of Nursing and Midwifery require both a JAMB score meeting their specific (generally more accessible) threshold and a pass in the individual school’s own internal entrance examination.
Q: How is final admission decided if I meet the departmental cut-off mark? A: Most universities combine your JAMB score, Post-UTME performance, and sometimes O’Level grades into an aggregate score to rank all eligible candidates, since available Nursing slots are limited. Meeting the cut-off mark only qualifies you for consideration, not automatic admission.
Q: Can I use a low JAMB score to gain admission into Nursing at a private university instead? A: Some private universities maintain Nursing cut-off marks in a similarly accessible range to the more flexible state universities, though private institutions charge considerably higher tuition. This can be a worthwhile parallel option if your budget allows.
Q: What O’Level subjects do I need for Nursing regardless of which university I choose? A: Five credit passes including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings at most institutions (though some require a single sitting — confirm this with your specific target school).
Conclusion
If you are searching for state universities in Nigeria that accept a low JAMB score for Nursing, the honest, complete picture is this: the national minimum for any university admission in 2026/2027 is 150, but Nursing departmental cut-off marks sit considerably above that floor almost everywhere, typically starting from around 160 even at the most accessible state institutions.
State universities like Benue State University, Niger Delta University, Ebonyi State University, and Prince Abubakar Audu University, alongside newer federal institutions like Federal University Lokoja and Federal University Kashere, represent some of the more genuinely accessible options for candidates with moderate scores. If your score sits below a realistic threshold for university-level admission this cycle, Nigeria’s network of state-owned Schools of Nursing and Midwifery offers a legitimate, respected, and often faster professional pathway into nursing — one that does not permanently close the door to a future university degree.
Whichever path fits your current score, the work does not stop once you confirm a school’s cut-off mark. Get your O’Level subject combination exactly right, prepare seriously for Post-UTME, and apply strategically across a realistic mix of institutions. Thousands of Nigerian students secure Nursing admission every single year through exactly this kind of careful, informed planning — and with the right approach, you can be one of them this cycle.
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