The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has extended the deadline for candidates with outstanding admission offers to November 30, 2026, to either accept or reject those offers on CAPS. The Board warned that outstanding offers that remain neither accepted nor rejected after the deadline will revert to “Not Admitted” on its records.
While meeting the required UTME score and institutional admission criteria is important, candidates can also encounter admission problems when important admission requirements or records are not properly handled.
Here are five important issues 2026 UTME candidates should pay attention to before the relevant deadlines.
1. Wrong or Inconsistent Biodata
Errors in a candidate’s personal information can create problems during the admission process.
Such information may include the candidate’s name, date of birth, gender, state or Local Government Area (LGA).
Candidates who notice discrepancies between their JAMB records and other official documents should take the necessary steps to correct eligible errors through the approved JAMB process.
JAMB currently lists correction of data such as name, date of birth, state/LGA and gender among its available services.
Candidates should not ignore seemingly minor differences, particularly where the information is required for verification by their institution.
2. Failure to Upload or Correct O’Level Results
O’Level results remain an important part of the admission process.
Candidates who have their WAEC, NECO or NABTEB results but have not properly uploaded them to JAMB should verify their records.
JAMB's support information specifically advises candidates whose admission has not reflected on CAPS to ensure that their O’Level results have been successfully uploaded and verified.
A candidate may therefore have a high UTME score and perform well in a post-UTME exercise but still encounter admission problems if the required O’Level information is missing, incorrect or not properly reflected.
Candidates should confirm that the result displayed on their JAMB profile corresponds with the result they actually obtained.
3. Applying for a Course Without Meeting the Required Score or Criteria
Another issue candidates should consider is whether their UTME score and other qualifications meet the requirements for their chosen programme.
JAMB's CAPS allows institutions to process admissions based on approved criteria, including available spaces and programme requirements.
Candidates should therefore avoid assuming that a high UTME score automatically guarantees admission into every course.
Departmental requirements, institutional admission criteria, available spaces and other approved conditions can affect the outcome.
Where necessary, candidates should consider an appropriate change of course or institution through the approved JAMB process rather than waiting until the admission window is nearly closed.
4. Failing to Accept or Reject an Admission Offer on CAPS
One of the most important actions for candidates who have already received admission offers is to check their CAPS dashboard and respond to the offer.
JAMB has given affected candidates until November 30, 2026, to accept or reject outstanding admission offers.
Candidates who fail to take action before the deadline risk having their outstanding offers reverted to “Not Admitted” on JAMB's records.
JAMB has repeatedly advised candidates with admission offers to log into their e-Facility accounts, access CAPS and take the required action instead of waiting until the final day.
Candidates should therefore check their CAPS status regularly and accept an offer once they have decided to take it.
5. Losing Access to Your JAMB Account, Phone Number or Email
Access to a candidate's JAMB e-Facility account is important throughout the admission process.
Candidates who lose access to the phone number or email associated with their JAMB profile may experience difficulties accessing their account, monitoring admission status or completing certain services.
This is particularly important because CAPS is used to monitor admission offers and allows candidates to confirm provisional admissions.
Candidates who are unable to access their JAMB account should take steps to recover their account through the approved JAMB support channels rather than waiting until an admission deadline approaches.
What Candidates Should Do Now
Candidates still waiting for admission or those who have already received offers should regularly monitor their JAMB CAPS accounts and school portals.
They should also:
Confirm that their O’Level result has been uploaded and properly reflected.
Check their JAMB admission status regularly.
Accept or reject any outstanding admission offer when required.
Correct eligible errors in their JAMB records.
Monitor their phone number and email for important admission information.
Confirm that their course and institution details are correct.
Keep copies of important JAMB and school admission documents.
JAMB has also confirmed that CAPS is the platform through which admissions are processed and that candidates can confirm provisional admissions through the system.
Don't Wait Until the Deadline
Admission problems are often easier to address when discovered early.
Candidates should not wait until the final days before checking their CAPS accounts, uploading O’Level results or resolving account and data issues.
For candidates affected by JAMB's latest extension, November 30, 2026, is an important deadline for accepting or rejecting outstanding admission offers. Failure to take action could result in the offer reverting to “Not Admitted” on JAMB's records.
Candidates should also note that the deadline for institutions to conclude the 2026/2027 admission exercise varies by institution type. JAMB has set October 31, 2026, for public universities, November 30, 2026, for private universities and December 31, 2026, for other tertiary institutions.
The key message for every 2026 UTME candidate is simple: check your CAPS, verify your records and take action before the applicable deadline.
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