The UNN cut off mark for Nursing Science for 2026/2027 has not been released as a separate figure. The official figure is UNN’s general minimum: 160 in the 2026 UTME, with UNN as your first choice, to register for the 2026/2027 screening. At JAMB’s policy meeting in May 2026, the minimum UNN declared was reported as 200. Nursing at UNN is one of the most contested courses in the university, so the score that actually wins a place is well above both.
2027/2028 update: UNN cut-off marks usually stay the same from one year to the next, so the figures on this page are what 2027/2028 candidates should plan with. They come from the latest official notice (2026/2027). If the 2027/2028 notice changes anything, we will update this page.
This guide sets out the official numbers, a safe target score for Nursing (marked as my advice), the O’level rules from UNN’s JAMB brochure entry, how the screening works, a worked aggregate example, the CAPS steps, and what the five-year B.N.Sc. at the Enugu campus covers.
UNN cut off mark for Nursing Science 2027/2028 at a glance
| Item | 2026/2027 position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| JAMB national minimum for universities | 150 | Official (JAMB, 11 May 2026) |
| UNN minimum to apply for screening | 160 (UNN first choice) | Official (UNN Registrar, 13 July 2026) |
| UNN minimum declared at the JAMB policy meeting | 200 | Reported by Vanguard, 11 May 2026 |
| UNN departmental cut-off for Nursing | Not published | No official figure for 2025/2026 or 2026/2027 |
| UTME subjects | English, Chemistry, Biology, Physics | JAMB brochure |
| O’level | Five credits, not more than two sittings | JAMB brochure, UNN remark |
| Faculty and campus | Health Sciences and Technology, Enugu campus (UNEC) | UNN |
| Degree and length | B.N.Sc., five years | UNN |
UNN accepts screening applications from 160, but UNN’s declared institutional benchmark at the 2026 JAMB policy meeting was 200, and competitive courses admit far above both. For Nursing, think of 160 as the ticket that gets your name onto the screening list. The ranking that follows decides who is admitted.
UNN Nursing cut-off history
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 160 | UNN general screening minimum (UTME) | Official |
| 2026/2027 | 200 | UNN minimum declared at JAMB policy meeting | News report |
| 2025/2026 | 160 | UNN general minimum in the advert notice, UTME and screening | Official notice, seen via reprint |
| 2025/2026 | 270 to 285 | Blog estimate for Nursing “based on trends” | Unofficial estimate; scale unclear |
UNN has not published a departmental list for either session. The 270 to 285 range is from an education blog that calls its own figures estimates and does not say whether they are UTME scores or aggregates. Cut-offs change every year with the number of applicants, so use it only as a rough sense of how hard Nursing is.
Safe target score for Nursing at UNN (my advice)
This is my reading as an admissions adviser, not a UNN rule. Nursing places are limited by training capacity and clinical placements, and the course draws many candidates who also considered Medicine. That pushes the admitted scores up.
| Your 2026 UTME score | My read for UNN Nursing |
|---|---|
| 160 to 219 | You can be screened, but Nursing on merit is out of reach. Look at less crowded courses. |
| 220 to 249 | Unlikely on merit. Possible only with top O’level grades and catchment or ELDS help. |
| 250 to 269 | Borderline. Strong O’level grades are what would carry you. |
| 270 and above | Competitive. This is the range I would aim for. |
For a 2027 attempt, I would aim for 270 or more in the UTME and A1 or B2 in English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics.
Merit, catchment and ELDS
Federal universities are widely reported to fill places under a national guideline of 45% merit, 35% catchment and 20% for educationally less developed states (ELDS). UNN has not published its own split for any course, so treat this as the national policy, not a UNN figure.
- Merit: the top scorers in the course, whatever their state of origin. This is the list to aim for.
- Catchment: UNN has not published a catchment list online. It is generally understood to be the South-East states; confirm on JAMB CAPS or with UNN admissions before you rely on it.
- ELDS: a federal designation. UNN does not publish its own list, so don’t assume your state qualifies because a blog says so.
- State of origin: the state on your JAMB profile is the one that counts, and UNN asks for an LGA identification letter to prove it.
For a course as crowded as Nursing, I would plan to win on merit. Catchment and ELDS places can lower the score that gets in for some candidates, but you can’t see the numbers in advance.
UTME subject combination and O’level requirements for UNN Nursing
| Requirement | Nursing Science at UNN |
|---|---|
| UTME subjects | Use of English, Chemistry, Biology, Physics |
| O’level subjects | Five credits: English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics |
| Number of sittings | Not more than two sittings (UNN remark in the JAMB brochure) |
| Direct Entry | Registered nurses (Nursing and Midwifery Council) plus UTME O’level requirements; or three A’level passes in Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry at not more than two sittings; or a first degree in a related programme |
| Minimum age | 16 by 30 September of the admission year (UNN 2026/2027 notice) |
UNN’s Faculty of Health Sciences lists the same five O’level subjects on its admission requirements page, and shows Nursing Sciences as open to both UTME and Direct Entry candidates. Unlike Medicine, which UNN restricts to one sitting, Nursing allows WAEC and NECO results to be combined, up to two sittings.
Physics trips up some Nursing candidates who assume it is optional. It is part of both the UTME combination and the five O’level credits for UNN Nursing, so register for it and make sure the credit is there.
Direct Entry for nurses already in practice
UNN’s brochure remarks give registered nurses a route into the degree, alongside A’level holders and graduates of related programmes. If you are a registered nurse, you still need to meet the UTME O’level requirements. UNN’s 2026/2027 notice told DE candidates who chose UNN first to register for screening and said A’level results must be verified through NIPEDS.
How UNN screening and aggregate work for Nursing
The 2026/2027 screening notice was issued on 13 July 2026 and applied to Nursing like every other course.
| Detail | UNN 2026/2027 screening |
|---|---|
| Who could apply | Candidates who chose UNN as first choice in the 2026 UTME and scored 160 or more; Direct Entry candidates who chose UNN first |
| Registration window | Wednesday 15 July 2026 to midnight, Wednesday 5 August 2026 (closed) |
| Fees | ₦2,000 application plus ₦3,300 processing (₦5,300 in all), paid through Remita |
| O’level upload | On JAMB CAPS and on the UNN portal by 5 August 2026 |
| Results awaiting | Not accepted. Candidates waiting for Nov/Dec 2026 GCE or NECO results were not eligible |
| Age | Candidates under 16 by 30 September 2026 were told not to apply |
| Written test | None described in the notice; it is an online screening registration |
| Documents uploaded | Birth certificate, LGA identification, testimonial, First School Leaving Certificate, JAMB result slip, O’level result(s), each under 100KB |
UNN has not published a formula for ranking candidates. Its 2026/2027 notice describes no written test, and the 2025/2026 advert notice mentioned a separate “Screening” score with a 160 threshold without saying how that score is built. So any aggregate you see online, including the one below, is an estimate.
The method most UNN guides use is 60% of your UTME score plus 40% of your O’level score, with four O’level subjects graded A1 = 100, B2 = 90, B3 = 80, C4 = 70, C5 = 60 and C6 = 50. This is a commonly cited blog method, not an official UNN formula. It is still useful, because it shows how much your O’level grades can move you up or down against someone with the same JAMB score.
Worked example for a Nursing candidate
Take Adaeze, who scored 270 in the UTME and has A1, B2, B2 and B3 in four relevant O’level subjects.
- UTME part: 270 × 0.6 = 162.
- O’level points: 100 + 90 + 90 + 80 = 360.
- O’level part: 360 × 0.4 = 144.
- Estimated aggregate: 162 + 144 = 306 out of 400.
Compare Kelechi, who scored 285 in the UTME but has B3, C4, C4 and C5 (80 + 70 + 70 + 60 = 280). His estimate is 171 + 112 = 283. He beat Adaeze by 15 JAMB marks and still finishes 23 points behind her. If this method is close to what UNN does, your O’level sheet decides a lot in Nursing.
UNN has not confirmed these weights, so use the example for comparison only.
How to apply for Nursing at UNN, step by step
- Get your JAMB profile code: text NIN, a space and your 11-digit NIN (for example NIN 12345678901) to 55019 or 66019 from the phone number linked to your NIN. JAMB replies with the profile code you need to buy the UTME form.
- Register the UTME correctly: pick Use of English, Chemistry, Biology and Physics and make UNN your first choice. UNN’s 2026 screening was open only to first-choice candidates, so a second-choice UNN gets you nothing.
- Upload your O’level to CAPS: get your WAEC or NECO result onto your JAMB profile as soon as it is out. In 2026 UNN wanted it on JAMB CAPS and on its own portal by 5 August.
- Register for UNN screening: go to unn.edu.ng, click UNN Portal (top right), then Prospective Students and the screening form. Enter your JAMB registration number, generate the invoice and pay through Remita, then come back, re-enter the number and fill your personal and O’level details, including exam centre and exam numbers.
- Upload and submit: upload each document as a file under 100KB, review the form, confirm and print the acknowledgement slip. Check your date of birth before you submit, because UNN says it cannot be changed afterwards.
- Check and accept on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng, choose Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS and Admission Status. Accept the offer once you have read the course name, then print your JAMB admission letter.
- Pay UNN’s acceptance fee and clear: blogs report the acceptance fee as ₦25,000, but UNN’s 2026/2027 notices I read do not state it. Confirm the amount on the UNN portal before paying, then follow the clearance instructions there.
Deadline
JAMB told public universities to finish 2026 admissions on or before 31 October 2026, and candidates have four weeks to accept an offer on CAPS. If UNN has offered you a place, accept it on CAPS now.
If CAPS shows a status you don’t understand, our JAMB CAPS guide explains each one, and the CAPS SMS guide covers what to do when the 55019 text fails. If you plan to sit the UTME again, start with when JAMB 2027 registration starts.
Studying Nursing Science at UNN
Nursing Science at UNN leads to the Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.N.Sc.) and runs for five years. It sits in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology on the Enugu campus (UNEC), close to the College of Medicine, and clinical experience is gained in hospital settings.
- Early years: basic sciences, then anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and the foundations of nursing practice.
- Clinical years: medical and surgical nursing, maternal and child health, community and public health nursing, mental health nursing, with supervised ward placements.
- Professional exams: graduates take the professional examinations of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to be licensed.
- Careers: hospital nursing, public health programmes, nursing education, research, and specialist training such as midwifery, critical care or anaesthesia nursing.
Related UNN courses with similar subjects, if Nursing is not on the cards this year:
- UNN Medical Laboratory Science cut-off mark
- UNN Medical Rehabilitation cut-off mark
- UNN Medical Radiography cut-off mark
- UNN cut-off mark for Medicine and Surgery
For UTME revision, our JAMB Biology syllabus and JAMB Chemistry syllabus cover two of your three science papers.
Mistakes that cost Nursing applicants a UNN place
- No Physics credit: UNN Nursing lists Physics in both the UTME and O’level requirements.
- Three sittings: two is the limit for UNN Nursing.
- Treating 160 as a Nursing score: it gets you screened. Admitted candidates score far higher.
- Names that don’t match: UNN said names on WAEC or NECO results must match your JAMB names.
- Late O’level upload: in 2026 the upload had to be done on CAPS and the UNN portal by 5 August.
- Accepting on CAPS and stopping: the acceptance fee and clearance on the UNN portal are separate steps.
UNN cut off mark for Nursing: frequently asked questions
Is 230 enough for Nursing in UNN? 230 clears UNN’s 160 screening minimum, but it is unlikely to be enough for Nursing on merit. It could work only with very strong O’level grades and help from the catchment or ELDS list, which UNN does not publish in advance.
Does UNN accept two sittings for Nursing Science? Yes. The UNN remark in the JAMB brochure accepts O’level credits at not more than two sittings for Nursing.
Is Physics compulsory for Nursing in UNN? Yes. UNN Nursing asks for Physics in the UTME and a credit in Physics at O’level, along with English, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology.
Can a registered nurse get Direct Entry into UNN Nursing? Yes. UNN’s brochure remarks allow registered nurses to apply through Direct Entry, provided they also meet the UTME O’level requirements.
Sources and updates
The 160 screening minimum, the 15 July to 5 August 2026 window, the ₦5,300 fees, the age, document and O’level upload rules and the portal steps come from the UNN Registrar’s notice 2026/2027 Screening Exercise for Admission, dated 13 July 2026 and signed by Dr (Mrs) C. N. Nnebedum. The 200 figure UNN declared at the JAMB 2026 policy meeting was reported by Vanguard on 11 May 2026. The national minimum of 150, the 31 October 2026 admission deadline and the four-week acceptance window come from the News Agency of Nigeria’s report of the same meeting (NAN, 11 May 2026). The 2025/2026 figure of 160 comes from reprints of UNN’s October 2025 advert notice. The Nursing UTME subjects, O’level rules and Direct Entry remarks come from the JAMB brochure entry for Nursing Science as reprinted by Myschool (checked 29 October 2026), and the five O’level subjects are confirmed on the UNN Faculty of Health Sciences admission requirements page. The 270 to 285 estimate is from campuscybercafe and is not a UNN figure. The 60/40 aggregate method and grade points are from Studentship (May 2025) and are not a UNN publication; the ₦25,000 acceptance fee is from O3schools and is unofficial. The 45/35/20 quota is the national federal guideline. This page was checked on 29 October 2026. UNN has not released a departmental cut-off list for 2026/2027; if it does, this page will be updated.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
