Thousands of candidates across Nigeria are now adjusting their admission plans following the release of departmental cut-off marks by universities, polytechnics and colleges of education for the 2026 admission season.
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While some candidates comfortably met the requirements for their preferred programmes, many others scored below the benchmark for highly competitive courses such as Medicine and Surgery, Nursing, Pharmacy, Law, Computer Science and Mass Communication.
As admission screening exercises continue across institutions, one of the biggest opportunities available to affected candidates is the JAMB Change of Course or Institution process through the Central Admission Processing System, widely known as CAPS.
The process allows candidates to switch to another course or move to a different institution where their UTME score, O’level result or subject combination may give them a better chance of securing admission.
Although many students believe the process can be completed entirely online using a mobile phone, admission officials continue to insist that biometric verification at an accredited CBT centre remains compulsory before any change can reflect properly on CAPS.
Understanding how the process works has now become important for candidates hoping to avoid admission mistakes that could affect their chances later in the admission cycle.
What is JAMB Change of Course or Institution?
The Change of Course or Institution process is an official correction exercise organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board for candidates who want to adjust their admission choices after writing the UTME.
The process allows candidates to:
- change their course only
- change their institution only
- change both course and institution at the same time
Many candidates usually apply for the correction after institutions release departmental cut-off marks and admission requirements.
For example, a candidate who initially applied for Medicine but scored below the required departmental mark may decide to switch to Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology or another related programme where the score stands a better chance.
Some candidates also move from federal universities with high competition to state universities, polytechnics or colleges of education with more flexible admission requirements.
Why Many Candidates Change Their Course
The competition for admission into some departments remains extremely high every year because of limited admission slots and the large number of applicants seeking placement into those programmes.
Courses like:
- Medicine and Surgery
- Nursing
- Pharmacy
- Law
- Computer Science
- Medical Laboratory Science
- Mass Communication
usually attract very high cut-off marks.
Candidates who fail to meet the departmental benchmark are often advised to move to less competitive courses rather than risk losing admission entirely.
Apart from low UTME scores, some candidates also discover during screening that:
- their O’level subjects do not meet the requirements
- they selected the wrong UTME subject combination
- they uploaded incomplete O’level results
- their institution no longer accepts candidates for the programme
In such situations, changing course or institution becomes necessary.
Important Things Candidates Must Know Before Applying
Before rushing to apply for a course change, candidates are expected to properly study the admission requirements for the new programme they intend to select.
Many students make emotional decisions immediately after seeing departmental cut-off marks without checking whether they actually qualify for the new course.
This mistake has affected many admission seekers in previous years.
Candidates should first confirm:
- the UTME subject combination required
- the compulsory O’level credits needed
- whether the institution still accepts change applications
- whether the programme is still available
The official JAMB brochure remains one of the most important tools candidates should consult before making any decision.
Candidates should also understand that universities rely heavily on CAPS records during final admission processing.
If the details on CAPS conflict with what was submitted during screening, the institution may experience difficulties processing the admission successfully.
Official Fee for JAMB Change of Course
The official JAMB fee for Change of Course or Institution remains N2,500.
However, accredited CBT centres usually charge additional service fees for:
- registration
- biometric verification
- printing
- processing assistance
Candidates are advised to go with enough funds to avoid delays at the CBT centre.
Documents and Information Required at the CBT Centre
Candidates intending to apply for a Change of Course or Institution should go to the CBT centre with all necessary details required for the process.
The most important requirement is the JAMB registration number because it gives access to the candidate’s admission profile.
Candidates should also provide:
- the phone number linked to their JAMB profile
- the email address connected to the account
- O’level result details
- preferred new course or institution details
It is important for candidates to confirm that their O’level subjects satisfy the requirements of the new programme before processing the correction.
Candidates should also remember that biometric verification is compulsory.
This means:
- relatives cannot process it on their behalf
- friends cannot complete it for them
- unofficial cybercafes cannot bypass the biometric stage
Only accredited CBT centres approved by JAMB can process the correction successfully.
Step-by-Step Guide to Apply for JAMB Change of Course or Institution
Visit an Accredited CBT Centre
The first step is to visit a JAMB-approved accredited CBT centre.
Only authorised centres have access to the official correction portal required for CAPS modifications.
Candidates are advised to avoid roadside cybercafes claiming they can process CAPS changes without biometric verification.
Complete Biometric Verification
At the CBT centre, candidates will undergo biometric verification.
This stage confirms the identity of the applicant before any correction can be made on the admission profile.
Without successful biometric verification, the correction process cannot continue.
Access the JAMB eFacility Portal
After verification, the CBT operator logs into the candidate’s JAMB profile through the official eFacility portal.
The operator then opens the “Correction of Data” section where the modification process begins.
Select the Preferred Correction Type
Candidates will then choose the type of correction they want to make.
Options usually include:
- Change of Course only
- Change of Institution only
- Change of Course and Institution together
Candidates should think carefully before making a final selection.
Enter the New Course or Institution
The CBT operator inputs the candidate’s new preferred programme or institution based on:
- UTME score
- admission requirements
- O’level qualifications
- subject combination
Candidates are strongly advised to confirm the spelling and accuracy of all entries during this stage.
Crosscheck All Information Carefully
Before submission, candidates should carefully review:
- institution name
- course title
- programme code
- personal information
Mistakes at this stage may later affect admission processing.
Even minor errors involving course names or institution selections can create problems on CAPS.
Make Payment and Submit
After confirmation, payment is processed and the correction request is submitted officially on the portal.
Candidates should ensure the transaction is completed successfully before leaving the centre.
Collect the Printout
Immediately after submission, the CBT centre issues a printout showing the correction details.
Candidates are advised to keep the printout safely because it serves as evidence of the successful application.
Monitor CAPS Regularly
After processing the correction, candidates should regularly monitor their CAPS profile for updates.
For many applicants, the changes reflect almost immediately.
However, delays may sometimes occur depending on:
- system traffic
- portal congestion
- processing backlog
Candidates should continue checking their admission dashboard regularly.
Why CAPS Consistency Matters During Admission
Admission experts continue to warn candidates against having conflicting admission records across different platforms.
One of the common mistakes candidates make is updating their course on the school portal without reflecting the same change on JAMB CAPS.
This creates inconsistencies that may affect admission approval later.
Universities depend heavily on CAPS during:
- admission verification
- programme confirmation
- final admission upload
If the course displayed on CAPS differs from the programme submitted during institutional screening, the institution may be unable to complete the admission process successfully.
Candidates are therefore advised to ensure that:
- course details match across all platforms
- institution records remain consistent
- O’level information is properly uploaded
- screening details correspond correctly
Common Mistakes Candidates Should Avoid
Many admission officers continue to warn candidates against making rushed or emotional decisions during the correction exercise.
Some candidates switch to programmes they know nothing about simply because they believe admission chances may be easier there.
Others fail to verify whether their O’level subjects satisfy the requirements of the new programme before completing the correction.
There are also candidates who patronise unofficial cybercafes instead of accredited CBT centres.
JAMB has repeatedly warned that unofficial corrections may fail to reflect properly on CAPS, creating serious admission complications later.
Candidates are therefore advised to:
- verify all admission requirements first
- avoid random course changes
- use only accredited CBT centres
- monitor CAPS regularly after processing
- ensure consistency across all admission records
With admission screening already ongoing in many institutions, candidates hoping to secure admission this year are expected to make careful and informed decisions before processing any course or institution change on CAPS.
