The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially opened the window for the conversion of 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) applications to Direct Entry (DE) for candidates who have since obtained higher qualifications.
The announcement was made via the Board’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, August 7, 2025. According to JAMB, the service is now available at all Professional Registration Centres (PRCs) across Nigeria.
“This is to notify all interested candidates that the UTME to DE conversion has commenced. The service is available at our Professional Registration Centres nationwide. All 2025 UTME candidates with higher qualifications suitable for Direct Entry (DE) should please take note,” the statement read.
Who Can Apply for UTME to DE Conversion?
The conversion is designed for candidates who initially registered for UTME but later acquired qualifications such as:
- National Diploma (ND)
- Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE)
- A-Level results (IJMB, Cambridge, etc.)
These qualifications make them eligible to enter directly into 200 level in most Nigerian universities, bypassing the traditional 100-level entry point.
For instance, a candidate who wrote UTME earlier this year but completed an NCE programme before university resumption can now switch to DE without having to start from the first year.
Steps to Convert UTME to DE
Based on JAMB’s procedure and past admission cycles, here’s how to make the switch:
- Visit an Authorised Centre – Go to any JAMB office or an accredited Professional Registration Centre. Cybercafés and non-designated outlets are not allowed to process the conversion.
- Provide Required Documents – Typically, you’ll need your UTME result slip, higher qualification certificates (ND/NCE/A-Level), O’level results, and any other relevant documents.
- Complete the Conversion Process – JAMB officials will update your application details on the portal and generate a DE registration profile.
- Pay the Processing Fee – A conversion fee (amount to be confirmed for 2025) will be charged at the point of application.
Why This Matters for Candidates
Education analysts told The Cable that the conversion option helps bridge the gap for students who initially pursued other academic pathways but now wish to continue at university without losing years to start over.
It also benefits polytechnic and college of education graduates aiming to upgrade their qualifications through university degrees, especially those targeting competitive programmes like Law, Engineering, or Medicine (where applicable).
Other 2025 JAMB Admission Updates
As earlier reported by Nairametrics and confirmed by JAMB, the 2025 admission cycle comes with tighter eligibility requirements particularly for underage candidates.
The minimum age for university admission remains 16 years, but exceptions will now be made for a small pool of underage students who meet an intensive performance benchmark:
- UTME score of at least 320
- 80% or higher in post-UTME
- 80% in one sitting in WAEC or NECO (no mixing of results)
For science courses, outstanding performance in Mathematics is mandatory; for arts, English must be top-tier. Even in institutions without post-UTME, underage candidates will undergo a special screening process to assess emotional and psychological readiness.
To enforce this, JAMB has set up a 23-member National Committee on Underage Admission, chaired by former Sports Minister Professor Taoheed Adedoja. Screening centres will operate in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri.
Bottom Line
With UTME-to-DE conversion now open, eligible candidates have a chance to fast-track their university journey but they must follow the correct channels and meet the necessary requirements.
For details, visit any JAMB Professional Registration Centre or the official JAMB portal at www.jamb.gov.ng.
