The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results of underage candidates for checking.

JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja.

Benjamin, however, clarified that the release of the results does not mean all underage candidates are eligible for admission.

According to him, only candidates who meet the board’s strict requirements for exceptional consideration will be allowed to proceed with admission.

He explained that an underage candidate for the 2026 admission exercise is anyone who will be below 16 years old as of September 30, 2026.

The board said the results were released mainly to allow candidates and their parents or guardians to know how they performed in the examination.

Benjamin stressed that the results cannot be used for admission or any other official purpose, except for candidates who meet the requirements for exceptional consideration.

Underage candidates can check their results by sending “RESULT” to 55019 or 66019 using the same SIM card they used to register for the UTME.

JAMB had earlier stated that only exceptionally performing underage candidates who satisfy its prescribed conditions would be considered for admission.

The board therefore advised candidates who do not meet the requirements not to present their results to institutions or individuals in an attempt to secure admission.

Benjamin said the exceptional admission process was deliberately designed to be rigorous, involving several stages of assessment to ensure that only candidates who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and maturity are considered.

One of the key requirements is a minimum UTME score of 320, as well as at least 80 per cent in relevant Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) subjects, where applicable.

“Such candidates are also required to meet the relevant Post-UTME requirements of their chosen institutions and undergo the prescribed final assessment by experts,” he said.

He explained that the process was designed to separate genuinely exceptional underage candidates from those who simply performed well in the UTME.

The spokesperson added that the assessment process is still ongoing, with some stages of verification yet to be completed.

He said it would be unfair to conclude the process before candidates awaiting their National Examinations Council (NECO) results have an opportunity to submit them for verification.

“The NECO results are yet to be released, and the Board would therefore await their release before proceeding to the final stage of the assessment process,” Benjamin said.

He added that JAMB would announce the date for the final assessment once the NECO results are released.

Benjamin emphasised that admission for underage candidates would not be based solely on UTME performance, but on a comprehensive assessment of their academic ability and compliance with all prescribed requirements.

He also warned parents, guardians and candidates against individuals who claim they can secure admission for underage candidates outside JAMB’s approved process.

The board reiterated that taking part in the UTME and receiving a result does not automatically guarantee admission, particularly for candidates who have not reached the prescribed admission age.

Benjamin assured the public that the process would remain transparent, rigorous and merit-based, adding that JAMB remains committed to protecting the integrity of the admission process.

JAMB Releases 2026 UTME Results for Underage Candidates

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