JAMB Opens NCE Admission Registration Without UTME – Who Can Apply?

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has started registration for candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes in Colleges of Education and Non-Technological Agricultural Programmes offered by polytechnics across the country.

The registration follows a new admission process approved by the Federal Government, which removes the requirement for eligible candidates to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) before applying for the affected programmes.

The move is expected to make admission into teacher education and selected agricultural programmes more accessible while ensuring that only qualified candidates are admitted.

Who Can Apply?

The registration is open to candidates who have the required O’Level qualifications for admission into their preferred programme.

According to JAMB, applicants do not need to write UTME before they can be considered for admission into:

• Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes offered by Colleges of Education.
• Non-Technological Agricultural Programmes offered by polytechnics.

Instead, eligible candidates only need to present their O’Level results during registration.

Why UTME Is No Longer Required

The Federal Government recently approved a policy removing UTME as a requirement for admission into these programmes.

To support the new policy, JAMB introduced a dedicated admission process that allows eligible candidates to register directly using their O’Level results.

The Board explained that the arrangement is intended to expand access to teacher education and agricultural studies while maintaining the quality of admissions.

Where to Register

Eligible candidates can complete their registration at any of the following approved centres:

• Institutional Professional Registration Centres (IPRCs) located in Colleges of Education.
• JAMB Professional Registration Centres (PRCs) across the country.

Applicants are advised to visit only authorised registration centres to avoid mistakes during the application process.

What Documents Do You Need?

Before visiting a registration centre, candidates should have their required O’Level results available.

Applicants should also ensure that the personal information provided during registration matches the details on their academic records and other relevant documents.

Additional requirements may be communicated by the registration centre during the application process.

Already Wrote the 2026 UTME? Here’s Good News

JAMB also announced that candidates who participated in the 2026 UTME but have decided to study an NCE programme or a Non-Technological Agricultural Programme do not need to start a fresh application.

Such candidates can simply convert their existing application at any approved IPRC or JAMB Professional Registration Centre.

According to the Board, this conversion will be done at no additional cost.

Why This Matters

For many prospective students, sitting for UTME has traditionally been one of the major requirements for gaining admission into tertiary institutions.

The new arrangement removes that hurdle for candidates interested in the affected programmes, making the admission process more straightforward for those who already meet the required O’Level qualifications.

Education stakeholders also expect the policy to encourage more students to consider careers in teaching and agriculture, two sectors where trained professionals remain in high demand.

Important Things Applicants Should Know

Before beginning your registration, keep these points in mind:

• UTME is no longer required for admission into eligible NCE and Non-Technological Agricultural Programmes.
• You must possess the required O’Level credits for your chosen course.
• Registration should be completed only at approved JAMB Professional Registration Centres (PRCs) or Institutional Professional Registration Centres (IPRCs).
• Candidates who already wrote the 2026 UTME can convert their applications without paying an additional fee.
• Always rely on information released through JAMB and other official government channels.

Final Note

JAMB’s new registration process gives eligible candidates another route to secure admission into Colleges of Education and selected agricultural programmes without writing UTME.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit an approved registration centre, confirm the admission requirements for their preferred institution and complete the registration process using their O’Level results.

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