University of Ibadan (UI) is a federal university located in Ibadan, Oyo State. Founded in 1948, it is one of Nigeria's established public institutions and admits candidates through the JAMB UTME and its own post-UTME screening.
UI's general cut-off mark for 2026/2027 is 200, with course-specific cut-offs ranging from 221 (Agricultural Science) to 293 (Medicine and Surgery). Located in Ibadan, Oyo, University of Ibadan is a federal university with 11 faculties and was founded in 1948.
What changed in the 2026 cycle
The 2026 admission cycle saw UI field cut-off marks across 25 programmes, with an average of 249.6 UTME points.
The institution's most competitive programmes are Medicine and Surgery (293), Law (277) and Pharmacy (275). Medicine and Surgery sits at the ceiling for UI, with candidates scoring below 293 effectively shut out of that programme. On the other end, Agricultural Science (221), Physics (230) and Mathematics (232) remain the most reachable options.
Against 2025, the average rose by 5.2 points, consistent with the stronger pool of high-scoring candidates JAMB recorded nationally.
2026 cut off marks at UI
| Course | Category | 2026 UTME | 2025 UTME | Change | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting | Management | 246 | 240 | +6 | 72.8 |
| Agricultural Science | Sciences | 221 | 214 | +7 | 69.6 |
| Architecture | Sciences | 253 | 249 | +4 | 73.6 |
| Biochemistry | Sciences | 241 | 237 | +4 | 72.1 |
| Biotechnology | Sciences | 245 | 242 | +3 | 72.6 |
| Chemistry | Sciences | 232 | 226 | +6 | 71.0 |
| Civil Engineering | Engineering | 257 | 250 | +7 | 74.1 |
| Computer Science | Sciences | 247 | 241 | +6 | 72.9 |
| Economics | Social Sciences | 253 | 250 | +3 | 73.6 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | Engineering | 260 | 253 | +7 | 74.5 |
| English Language | Arts | 240 | 236 | +4 | 72.0 |
| Estate Management | Management | 242 | 236 | +6 | 72.3 |
| International Relations | Social Sciences | 250 | 243 | +7 | 73.3 |
| Law | Law | 277 | 270 | +7 | 76.6 |
| Mass Communication | Arts | 253 | 248 | +5 | 73.6 |
| Mathematics | Sciences | 232 | 227 | +5 | 71.0 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Engineering | 250 | 246 | +4 | 73.3 |
| Medicine and Surgery | Medical and Health | 293 | 287 | +6 | 78.6 |
| Microbiology | Sciences | 247 | 241 | +6 | 72.9 |
| Nursing Science | Medical and Health | 269 | 265 | +4 | 75.6 |
| Pharmacy | Medical and Health | 275 | 272 | +3 | 76.4 |
| Physics | Sciences | 230 | 224 | +6 | 70.8 |
| Political Science | Social Sciences | 245 | 240 | +5 | 72.6 |
| Public Administration | Social Sciences | 243 | 239 | +4 | 72.4 |
| Statistics | Sciences | 239 | 234 | +5 | 71.9 |
Faculties and academic structure
University of Ibadan organises its undergraduate programmes across 11 faculties and colleges, with a comprehensive academic portfolio that spans medicine, the sciences, the humanities and the professions.
Applications flow through individual departments inside each faculty. Each department sets its course-specific cut-off and screens its post-UTME pool, even when faculties share infrastructure.
The College of Medicine is the largest single unit by infrastructure footprint at most Nigerian universities that run it, with its own clinical postings, teaching hospital affiliation and admission requirements that sit above the institutional norm.
How admission works at UI
UTME requirements. Candidates must clear the JAMB national minimum of 150 and the UI institutional cut-off of 200 to be considered for any programme. Each course then sets its own threshold above the general cut-off, with competitive programmes such as Medicine and Surgery demanding 293 or higher. Candidates must also sit the correct UTME subject combination for their chosen course; a mismatch leads to disqualification regardless of how strong the score is.
Post-UTME screening. Candidates who clear the cut-off marks proceed to the institution's post-UTME, which combines a written screening test with documents verification. The screening result is folded into an aggregate score along with the UTME and O'level grades. Registration opens through the official portal once JAMB UTME results are released.
The CAPS process. Admission decisions are communicated through the JAMB Central Admissions Processing System rather than direct contact with candidates. UI pushes recommended candidates to CAPS, where each candidate logs in to accept or reject the offer. Multiple admission lists are usually released through the cycle, so candidates who are not on the first list should keep checking.
Acceptance and admission fees. After accepting on CAPS, the candidate has approximately four weeks to settle the acceptance fee through the UI portal. Missing this deadline forfeits the place. Acceptance and full session fees are billed separately, and federal institutions like UI have distinct fee structures that you should confirm on the official portal.
Matriculation and resumption. Fresh intakes at UI typically resume between late September and mid-October for the academic session, with matriculation ceremonies held a few weeks after resumption. Course registration, hostel allocation where applicable, and faculty orientation all happen in the opening weeks. Candidates should plan to be on campus from the published resumption date to avoid late registration penalties.
Campus facilities
UI runs the typical mix of campus facilities Nigerian undergraduates rely on across the academic week, from library and ICT services to sports, worship and welfare.
UI's teaching hospital is the institution's most distinctive infrastructure, used for clinical postings by Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy students and for community medical service.
Student accommodation
Student accommodation at UI runs across three options that candidates and parents should plan for early: on-campus halls, off-campus lodges and short-stay places for visits.
On-campus housing
UI provides on-campus hostels but the capacity is limited compared to the annual intake. Allocation usually runs as a annual lottery, with fresh-year students given some priority for the first session.
On-campus hostel fees at federal and state universities like UI run in the ₦15,000 to ₦40,000 range per session, billed separately from tuition. Hostel quality varies across blocks, and students sometimes share rooms with two to six others depending on the building.
Because hostel demand exceeds supply at most federal universities, many students treat the application as a backup plan rather than the default option, with off-campus arrangements organised in parallel.
Off-campus housing
Students who cannot secure on-campus accommodation typically rent off-campus around Bodija, Mokola and Agbowo. The Nigerian student term for this is a "lodge", which can mean anything from a shared self-contained room to a small apartment.
Off-campus session prices at UI typically range from ₦80,000 - ₦250,000, with self-contained rooms at the upper end and shared rooms in older lodges at the lower. Power supply, water reliability and security vary widely from one street to the next, so visiting in person before paying a deposit is the standard precaution.
Fresh-year students often share rooms or apartments with course-mates as a first-year strategy, with many moving to smaller-group or single accommodation in later years as friend groups settle and budgets allow.
For visiting parents
Visiting parents typically book hotels near the main campus gate. Federal university towns generally have a mix of basic and mid-range hotels at ₦15,000 to ₦40,000 per night, with higher options in the major cities such as Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
Travel apps such as Booking.com and Hotels.ng list current options and rates, which we deliberately do not republish here because they change frequently.
School fees and cost of attendance
Tuition and session fees at UI, a federal university, sit broadly in the ₦40,000 - ₦200,000 per session band as of the 2026 cycle. The exact figure depends on the programme, with medical and engineering courses at the upper end and arts and education programmes at the lower.
Additional one-off costs
Beyond the headline session fee, fresh-intake students typically pay an acceptance fee in the ₦15,000 - ₦50,000 one-off range, an ID card and matriculation fee, faculty and departmental dues, and (for science and engineering programmes) laboratory or studio fees billed by the department.
Add a budget for course materials, transport, lodging deposit if going off-campus, and miscellaneous administrative payments through the first semester. Year-one costs are almost always the highest in a four-year cycle because so much of the spend is one-off.
Funding options
Eligible Nigerian undergraduates can apply to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides interest-free loans repayable after graduation and a grace period. UI also publishes its own scholarship schemes from time to time for high-performing intakes, and several state governments offer indigene-specific scholarships through the state scholarship board.
Watch the institution's scholarship page and your state's ministry of education portal during the admission window for current funding announcements - new schemes appear cycle to cycle.
About the campus
University of Ibadan sits in Ibadan, Oyo State. The campus is in Ibadan, the largest city in southwestern Nigeria. Founded in 1948, the institution has matured into a recognised federal university serving its catchment region and drawing candidates from across the country.
UI is organised into faculties or colleges that house related departments. The faculty structure is the route an undergraduate progresses through, and each faculty has its own administrative office to handle course registration, level coordination and graduation clearance.
Students at UI typically budget for accommodation, food, transport and academic materials as the four main categories. Accommodation is the biggest variable: hostel allocations are competitive and the off-campus market in Ibadan ranges widely. Prospective candidates should investigate accommodation options as early as the acceptance fee stage.
Location and getting there
- 1-4 hours from Lagos and 7-10 hours from Abuja by road
- Inter-state coach services such as ABC Transport, GUO and the Young Shall Grow Motors operate routes to most state capitals. Flights are available to Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and a handful of state airports.
University of Ibadan is located in Ibadan, Oyo State, in the South-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
For inter-state travel, most students rely on a mix of buses and shared taxis, with occasional flights for the bigger inter-zone moves.
Application calendar
The 2026 admission window roughly follows the pattern below at UI. Treat these as planning ranges; the institution's official portal publishes the exact dates as the cycle progresses.
- JAMB UTMEApril to May 2026National examination window for the 2026 admission cycle.
- Post-UTME / screeningLate July to mid-August 2026UI announces its exact dates after JAMB UTME results are released.
- First CAPS admission listAugust to September 2026Initial admission recommendations appear on CAPS after screening.
- Acceptance fee deadline4 weeks from offerConfirmed window for the 2026 cycle. Missing it forfeits the place.
- Resumption for fresh intakeLate September to mid-October 2026Matriculation follows resumption by a few weeks.
How UI compares to similar universities
Among federal universities of similar size and region, UI's 2026 average cut-off of 249.6 sits between OAU (average 246.9) and UNILAG (average 251.2). This places UI in the competitive top tier of universities for the 2026 cycle.
Across the 25 programmes covered, UI maps to 25/146 of the courses tracked in this guide. Candidates choosing between UI and a peer institution should compare the specific course cut-off, not just the institutional average, because course-level differences often outweigh institution-level ones.
Notable alumni of UI
University of Ibadan's alumni include public figures who have shaped Nigerian and international life. The list below is a small selection of widely-documented graduates, drawn from public biographical sources.
- Wole SoyinkaartsNobel Prize in Literature (1986), playwright and novelist.
- Christopher OkigboartsPoet and author of 'Labyrinths', studied at the University College Ibadan.
- Akinwumi AdesinabusinessEconomist and President of the African Development Bank.
- J. F. Ade AjayiacademiaHistorian who shaped the modern study of African history.
Frequently asked questions
What JAMB UTME score do I need for UI?
To be considered for any programme at UI you need at least the institutional cut-off of 200, but a realistic target is higher: competitive courses such as Medicine and Surgery require 293 or above for 2026. Aim well clear of the general cut-off, because admission is ranked on the post-UTME aggregate, not the UTME score alone.
Has UI's cut-off gone up or down since 2025?
Compared with 2025, UI's average cut-off rose by about 5.2 points, moving from 244.4 to 249.6. A rising average usually reflects a stronger pool of high-scoring candidates. Course-level figures still move independently of the institutional average.
When does UI admission for 2026/2027 close?
UI does not publish a single fixed closing date far in advance; the admission window follows the national JAMB cycle, running from the release of UTME results through to the final admission list months later. Post-UTME registration closes much earlier, often within two to three weeks of opening. Treat the post-UTME deadline as the real cut-off and monitor the official UI portal for exact dates.
Can I change my course or institution to UI after JAMB?
Yes. JAMB runs a change-of-course and change-of-institution window each cycle through its portal, which lets candidates switch to UI, or to a different course at UI, after the UTME. A change is only useful if your UTME score meets UI's cut-off for the new course, and it attracts a JAMB fee. Confirm the current window on the official JAMB portal before paying.
What is UI known for academically?
Within this guide, UI's strongest-demand programmes are Medicine and Surgery, Law and Pharmacy, which carry its highest cut-off marks for 2026. High cut-offs reflect candidate demand rather than an official ranking, but they are a reasonable signal of where UI draws its most competitive applicants.
What courses does UI offer?
UI runs 25 of the 146 undergraduate programmes tracked in this guide, including Medicine and Surgery and Law and Agricultural Science. The institution's full programme list also includes diploma, postgraduate and certificate programmes not covered here.
How much is the acceptance fee at UI?
UI's acceptance fee for the 2026 cycle is announced on the official portal once admission offers go out. As a federal university, UI acceptance fees sit in the typical federal range and are payable once an offer is accepted on CAPS.
Does UI require a specific UTME subject combination?
Yes. The UTME subject combination is fixed by JAMB for each course and applies at UI the same as elsewhere — every candidate sits English plus three subjects relevant to the chosen programme. Choosing the wrong combination at JAMB registration effectively disqualifies you before screening, so confirm the correct four subjects for your course before registering.
Does UI have a teaching hospital?
Yes. University of Ibadan runs an affiliated teaching hospital used for clinical postings by Medicine, Nursing and allied-health students, and for community medical service. The teaching hospital is the largest single piece of infrastructure at the institution and a core part of its medical-school accreditation.
Who are some notable UI alumni?
University of Ibadan's widely documented alumni include Wole Soyinka (Nobel Prize in Literature (1986), playwright and novelist), Christopher Okigbo (Poet and author of 'Labyrinths', studied at the University College Ibadan), Akinwumi Adesina (Economist and President of the African Development Bank). The institution profile page lists the full set drawn from public biographical sources.
How much are school fees at UI?
UI session fees sit broadly in the ₦40,000 - ₦200,000 per session band as of the 2026 cycle, with medical and engineering programmes at the upper end. Additional one-off costs for matriculation, ID and faculty dues apply in the first session. Confirm exact figures on the official UI bursary page.
Where is UI located and how do I get there?
UI's main campus is in Ibadan, Oyo State. Travel by road from major cities runs 1-4 hours from lagos and 7-10 hours from abuja by road. Inter-state buses and shared taxis operate to most state capitals; flights serve Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and several state airports.