How To Change Course or Institution on JAMB: Step-By-Step Guide

Be honest with yourself for a moment. Did you really choose your UTME course and school, or did a cyber cafe operator, an uncle or a parent choose them in a hurry?

Every year a large number of candidates discover, after the exam, that their first-choice course does not match their score, their subjects or their dreams. The good news is that JAMB allows changes.

The bad news is that changes come with rules, a small fee, and timing you need to understand.

This guide explains how change of institution or course works, what it costs, what to check before you pay, and how it differs from the transfer offers you may see on CAPS later.

Is the change window still open?

JAMB activated the change of institution and course service for 2026 UTME candidates on 15 May 2026, announced through its official channels. Reports at the time said candidates must use accredited JAMB CBT centres and did not name a closing date.

At the May policy meeting, the board had also said the change portal would activate after the mop-up examination.

I could not find a published closing date, so I cannot tell you whether the window is still open as you read this.

Admission season is also when schools finalise their lists, so a late change may not leave enough time for post-UTME screening.

Before you spend money, confirm the current status with JAMB through its official website or a JAMB office, and with an accredited CBT centre.

Two things people call "change of course"

These are not the same, and mixing them up leads to confusion:

• Changing your choice on your profile: You change the institution, the course, or both that you selected for UTME. This is done at a CBT centre and is what most of this guide covers.
• A transfer approval on CAPS: A school offers you a different course after reviewing your application, and you accept or reject it on CAPS. Read how JAMB CAPS transfer approval works.

These two things are handled differently, so be clear about which one you need before you go to the centre. Asking for the wrong service can waste a day and some money.

If you are not sure, ask the officer at the centre to explain the difference before you pay anything.

What to carry to the CBT centre

Go prepared so you do not make two trips. You will usually need your JAMB registration number, the phone number and email linked to your profile, your UTME result slip, and valid identification.

Decide your new choice before you arrive, including a backup, so you are not choosing on the spot.

How the process runs at the centre

The exact steps can vary by centre, but the flow usually looks like this:

1. Find an accredited JAMB CBT centre. The JAMB website lists approved centres, and an ordinary cyber cafe cannot do this for you.
2. Give the operator your registration number and ask to change your institution, your course, or both.
3. Look at the available options on the screen. The new school and course must be available on JAMB's system and must accept your subject combination.
4. Confirm your new selection carefully, then pay the fee and collect your confirmation slip.
5. Log in to your JAMB profile afterwards to confirm that the change has been recorded.

Go early, because queues can be long and the system can be slow. Take your time to read every screen before you click, and keep your receipt.

Do not let anyone else type your details for you. A small wrong entry can create a bigger problem later.

What it costs

Reports on the 2026 service put the official fee at ₦2,500, with the CBT centre adding its own service charge on top.

Different centres charge different amounts for that extra service, so if someone asks for several thousand naira, compare with another accredited centre. Never pay anyone to "process it from inside JAMB".

Check these four things before you pay

A change is only useful if the new choice can actually lead to admission. Confirm each of the following:

• Subject combination: Your UTME subjects must fit the new course. Some courses are strict about this.
• Cut-off: Your score must reach the new school's requirement. The national minimum for universities is 150 in 2026, but many courses ask for more. See our guide to the JAMB cut-off mark in 2026.
• Space: A course with a full quota will not admit more candidates just because you changed.
• Screening: You may still need to pass the new school's post-UTME screening. A change does not guarantee admission.

It takes about five minutes to check all four, and it can save you from paying twice. Do it at home before you leave for the centre.

If anything does not match, fix it first. A calm start makes the rest of the process easier.

Mistakes that cost candidates admission

These errors show up again and again:

• Changing to a "popular" school without checking its cut-off and whether its screening has already closed.
• Letting an agent pick the course for you and finding out later it does not match your subjects.
• Forgetting that Direct Entry candidates are not covered by the UTME change service.
• Paying through personal accounts instead of official channels at the centre.

Most of these mistakes are not about luck. They come from rushing, from trusting the wrong person, or from not reading a notice carefully.

Read this list again on the day you go to the centre. A short reminder can stop an expensive error.

If you are already waiting for an offer

If your name is not on any list and the deadlines are close, a change of choice may be one of several options rather than the only one.

Our guide for candidates who are not admitted as the deadline approaches compares the realistic routes, and our page on accepting a JAMB CAPS admission in time explains what happens once an offer does come.

Final word

A change of course or institution can rescue a poorly planned UTME choice, but only when it is done early, at an accredited centre, and with your score and subjects in mind.

Confirm that the service is still available, make your decision with facts, and keep your confirmation slip until you have been admitted and cleared.