The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has stopped affiliated degree admissions in colleges of education and the change will take effect from the 2026/2027 academic session.
The decision is stated in JAMB's NCE/ND Agric Registration Guidelines released by the Office of the Registrar in June 2026, with the Nigeria Certificate in Education now serving as the approved entry route for all entrants into colleges of education.
What has JAMB changed about affiliated degree programmes?
JAMB has ended admission into affiliated degree programmes operated by colleges of education through university partnerships.
According to the guideline quoted by the board, "With effect from 2026/7 session, no admission into 100 or 200 Level is allowed into any college of education. All entrants are through NCE."
This means colleges of education will no longer admit candidates directly into 100 level or 200 level for degree programmes tied to parent universities. The NCE route is now the approved route for entrants into colleges of education.
The change affects a long-standing model through which colleges of education partnered with conventional universities to run bachelor's degree programmes, while the parent universities awarded the degrees.
Why does the policy matter to candidates?
Many candidates used affiliated degree programmes as an alternative route to obtain a university degree, especially when admission into federal or state universities was unavailable or too costly.
That route will now close for new admissions from the 2026/2027 academic session and candidates who selected affiliated colleges of education for degree programmes will need to review their available options before processing continues.
The policy also places colleges of education more firmly within their NCE-awarding role, rather than allowing them to operate as mixed providers of NCE and affiliated degree programmes.
What will happen to Direct Entry candidates?
Direct Entry candidates who selected affiliated colleges of education for degree programmes have been given relief options by JAMB.
They may:
- Apply for a change of school at no cost
- Transfer to the parent university linked to the affiliated programme
- Have their second-choice school raised to first choice for admission processing
The board set June 22 as the deadline for change of school requests.
Candidates should treat the deadline as part of the admission process, since late action may affect how their applications are processed.
What will happen to UTME candidates seeking 100-level admission?
UTME candidates who sought 100-level admission into affiliated degree programmes in colleges of education also have transition options.
They may:
- Apply for a change of school at no cost
- Transfer to the parent university where the programme is affiliated
- Have their second-choice school raised to first choice
- Move to the NCE programme
The NCE option will be available for candidates who choose to remain within the college of education pathway under the new structure.
What does the NCE route require?
Candidates who choose the NCE route will need an O'Level verification code from the relevant examination body.
They will also pay a JAMB portal registration fee of N700. The fee is low and it appears to reduce the cost barrier for affected candidates who wish to move to NCE.
JAMB has also introduced compulsory O'Level result verification for all NCE applicants.
The approved verification fees are:
| Applicant category | O'Level verification fee |
|---|---|
| One sitting | N1,500 |
| Two sittings | N2,000 |
These payments are separate from the N700 JAMB portal registration fee for candidates moving into the NCE route.
What should affected candidates consider before choosing NCE?
Candidates who choose NCE should note that the decision may end other active admission processing under UTME or Direct Entry.
JAMB stated that any candidate who chooses the NCE route and later gets recommended for admission will have all ongoing UTME or Direct Entry processes suspended.
This makes the choice important. A candidate who still wants a degree route may prefer transfer to the parent university or change of school, while a candidate who accepts the NCE route should be ready for admission processing under that pathway.
Which offices must enforce the new rule?
JAMB directed all Professional Registration Centres, Institutional Professional Registration Centres and field officers to study and enforce the new guidelines without exception.
This means the change is not optional for centres handling candidate registration or admission-related processing.
What does this mean for colleges of education?
Colleges of education will now focus on NCE admission rather than admitting students directly into affiliated degree programmes.
The new structure changes the role these colleges have played for many years, especially for candidates who saw them as a lower-cost route into a university degree.
The wider effect will depend on how candidates, parent universities and the labour market respond to the new admission pathway.
Key points candidates should keep in view
- Affiliated degree admission through colleges of education has been stopped
- The change starts from the 2026/2027 academic session
- Colleges of education will admit entrants through NCE
- Direct Entry candidates have transfer and change options
- UTME candidates may move to NCE or choose another approved option
- June 22 is the deadline for change of school requests
- NCE applicants must complete O'Level verification
- NCE admission may suspend other active UTME or Direct Entry processes
