The ESUT Software Engineering cut off mark for 2026/2027 is 200 in the 2026 UTME. Enugu State University of Science and Technology named Software Engineering in the 200 band of its official Post-UTME advert of 4 July 2026, the same minimum it set for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Cyber Security. With 200 or more, ESUT as your institution and the right subjects, you were eligible for this year’s online screening.
2027/2028 update: ESUT 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.
Software Engineering is brand new at ESUT. The NUC approved it in July 2026 as one of five full-time B.Sc. programmes, so 2026/2027 is the first intake. That means one official figure, no history, no merit score and no accreditation result yet. This guide covers the 200 minimum, what the NUC approval does and does not mean, a safe target score marked as advice, the JAMB subject combination and O’level rules, the no-test screening with a worked example, the CAPS steps and what the course will teach you.
ESUT Software Engineering cut off mark 2027/2028 at a glance
| Item | 2026/2027 position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| JAMB national minimum for universities | 150 | Official (JAMB policy meeting, 11 May 2026) |
| ESUT minimum UTME for Software Engineering | 200 | Official (ESUT Post-UTME advert, 4 July 2026; named) |
| ESUT final admission (merit) score | Not published | ESUT does not release one |
| Programme status | New; NUC-approved, full-time only, first intake 2026/2027 | Premium Times press release via AllAfrica, July 2026 |
| Accreditation | Not yet accredited (too new) | No accreditation result exists yet |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering | ESUT 2026/2027 advert |
| Degree | B.Sc. Software Engineering | NUC approval as reported |
| Post-UTME test | None | Online screening only |
| Screening fee | ₦2,000 | Official |
| Admission list | On JAMB CAPS from 13 October 2026 | Myschool report |
Keep two numbers apart. The minimum UTME score (200) is the gate ESUT announces before screening; below it, the portal will not take your application for that course. The merit score is the lowest score actually admitted after ESUT ranks applicants against the places it has, and ESUT does not announce it for any course. Most of the confusion online about “ESUT departmental cut-off marks” comes from treating the first number as the second.
ESUT Software Engineering cut off mark history
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 200 | Minimum UTME to apply (Software Engineering named) | Official ESUT advert |
| 2025/2026 | None | Programme not offered | NUC approval took effect from 2026/2027 |
There is nothing earlier to compare, because 2026/2027 is the first intake. A “2025 ESUT Software Engineering cut-off” on any website is invented. Blogs that print high unofficial figures for other ESUT courses (Medicine at 314 on Legit.ng, for example) give none for Software Engineering.
ESUT reviews these minimums every session. The 200 band has held steady for Computer Science across the two years I could trace, which is a reasonable sign, but read the 2027/2028 advert before you rely on it.
What “new and NUC-approved” means for you
The NUC approved Software Engineering at ESUT for the 2026/2027 session together with Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Data Science, and Intelligence and Security Studies, according to a Premium Times press release republished by AllAfrica on 16 to 17 July 2026. The approval letter was signed for the NUC Executive Secretary by Abubakar M. Girei, Director of Academic Planning, after a resource verification visit.
- Approval is not accreditation: approval lets ESUT start the programme. Accreditation is a separate NUC visit that normally comes once the first students reach the later years. Until then there is no accreditation result, good or bad.
- Full-time only: ESUT needs further NUC approval before it runs part-time or postgraduate versions, so do not pay for a part-time Software Engineering programme at ESUT unless the NUC has approved one.
- B.Sc. inside Engineering: the advert places the course in the Faculty of Engineering, while Computer Science, AI, Data Science and Cyber Security sit in Physical Sciences. ESUT has not said whether it will seek COREN involvement for a B.Sc., so treat it as an NUC-regulated computing degree.
- Pioneer set: no senior students, new course files and possibly shifting timetables in the first years, balanced by closer attention from staff who want the programme to succeed.
Did 2026 candidates choose Software Engineering on JAMB?
The NUC approval came in July 2026, months after 2026 UTME registration closed, so most 2026 candidates could not have picked ESUT Software Engineering when they registered. ESUT listed the new programmes for screening anyway, which suggests candidates came in through another course choice or a JAMB change of course, but ESUT has not said how it handled this. If you are in that position, the offer on CAPS is what counts: make sure it reads Software Engineering before you accept and pay anything.
If you are registering for the 2027 UTME, look for Software Engineering under ESUT on JAMB’s list. If it is there, pick it directly. If not, pick ESUT Computer Science, which uses the same subjects, and ask the admissions office about a change of course before screening.
Safe target score for Software Engineering at ESUT (my advice)
This is my judgement, not an ESUT rule. Software Engineering sits in the most crowded corner of ESUT’s admissions. Computer Science has carried a 200 minimum for at least two years, and software jobs pull many strong science students. As a first-year programme it may be less known to candidates, but I would still prepare as though it is as competitive as Computer Science.
| Your UTME score | My read for ESUT Software Engineering |
|---|---|
| 200 to 214 | Eligible for screening. Uncertain; keep a backup in mind on CAPS. |
| 215 to 229 | Possible, especially with strong Mathematics and Physics grades. |
| 230 to 249 | A good chance. |
| 250 and above | Comfortable. This is the range I would aim for. |
For a 2027 attempt, my safe target for ESUT Software Engineering is 230 or more, with at least B grades in Mathematics and Physics.
Catchment and state of origin
ESUT does not publish a catchment list. It is owned by the Enugu State Government, so Enugu indigenes are its primary catchment, but it admits candidates from every state. The 45/35/20 merit, catchment and ELDS split you may have read about is federal university policy, and ESUT has not said it applies it. Plan to win on your score and your grades, wherever you come from.
JAMB subject combination and O’level requirements for ESUT Software Engineering
| Requirement | Software Engineering |
|---|---|
| UTME subjects | Use of English, Mathematics, Physics and one of Biology, Chemistry, Agricultural Science, Economics or Geography |
| O’level | Five credits including English Language, Mathematics and Physics, plus two other science subjects |
| Sittings | Not stated in ESUT’s advert; two sittings is the common ceiling |
| Direct Entry | Two A’level passes in science subjects including Mathematics, or NCE merit in Mathematics and one other Science or Social Science subject (general rule). ESUT has not published its own DE grades |
| Special requirements | None published by ESUT |
These come from the JAMB brochure entry for Software Engineering as reprinted by Myschool (checked 29 October 2026). Its special remarks name FUTA, AUN, FUTO, Bowen, BUK and Al-Hikmah, but not ESUT, so the general rule should apply. JAMB may not yet show an ESUT entry for a programme approved in July 2026, so confirm on JAMB’s e-brochure before you register.
My advice is to take Chemistry as the fourth UTME subject. It meets the Software Engineering rule and also keeps ESUT’s engineering courses, including Computer Engineering, open if CAPS offers you an alternative. FUTA, for instance, insists on Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics for this course.
ESUT’s advert says only that Direct Entry candidates are screened online and must be cleared on JAMB e-facility by their former institutions. If you hold an ND in Computer Science, confirm with the department whether it admits DE students into a programme that has no 200-level class yet.
How ESUT screening works for Software Engineering
These were ESUT’s 2026/2027 screening terms, taken from the official advert. The window has closed for this session, but they show you exactly what to prepare for the 2027/2028 round.
| Detail | ESUT 2026/2027 screening |
|---|---|
| Who could apply | Candidates who chose ESUT in the 2026 UTME, and candidates who did not choose ESUT but changed institution to ESUT through JAMB first |
| Score needed | The minimum UTME score ESUT set for the course (see the table above) |
| Direct Entry | Screened online too; former institutions must verify and clear DE candidates on JAMB e-facility |
| Registration window | Tuesday 7 July to Saturday 15 August 2026 (closed) |
| Fee | ₦2,000, paid at a bank through Enugu State IGR Pay Direct or online by debit card |
| Test | None. Screening is online only, with no physical screening and no aptitude test |
| Awaiting results | Allowed for May/June 2026 WAEC, NECO and NABTEB, but results released after 30 September 2026 are not accepted |
| O’level upload | Every candidate must upload O’level results on JAMB CAPS |
| Names | Must match on your O’level certificates, UTME result and other documents |
| Admission status | Published on the ESUT portal and JAMB CAPS |
ESUT has not published an aggregate formula. The 2026/2027 advert sets a minimum UTME score per course and an online screening with no test, and it says nothing about weights or O’level grade points. So the only arithmetic you can do with official figures is to check how far you are above your course’s minimum. Some blogs quote a Post-UTME percentage for ESUT; that cannot be right for 2026/2027, because there was no Post-UTME test to score.
Worked example for a Software Engineering candidate
Take Tobenna, who scored 238 in the 2026 UTME with B2, B3, B3, C4 and C5 in the five O’level subjects that count for Software Engineering.
- Eligibility check (official): 238 minus the 200 minimum = 38 marks above the line, so Tobenna could apply.
- UTME half (illustrative method): 238 ÷ 8 = 29.75 out of 50.
- O’level half (illustrative method): 9 + 8 + 8 + 7 + 6 = 38 out of 50.
- Illustrative total: 29.75 + 38 = 67.75 out of 100.
Now take Chiamaka, who scored 221 with A1, A1, B2, B3 and B3. On the same method that gives 27.62 + 45 = 72.62, ahead of Tobenna despite a 17-mark gap in JAMB. If ESUT ranks on UTME score alone, the higher JAMB score wins instead. ESUT has not said which approach it uses, so the safe plan is to raise both your score and your grades.
To see why your O’level grades can still matter, here is a method some other Nigerian universities use: half the aggregate from the UTME (your score divided by 8, out of 50) and half from five O’level subjects (A1 = 10, B2 = 9, B3 = 8, C4 = 7, C5 = 6, C6 = 5, out of 50). ESUT has not published this or any other formula. I use it only to compare two candidates, never to predict an ESUT cut-off.
How to apply for Software Engineering at ESUT, 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 with the right subjects: pick Use of English, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry (or another allowed fourth subject) and choose ESUT and Software Engineering. ESUT’s 2026 advert also let candidates who chose another school apply after a JAMB change of institution, but choosing ESUT from the start saves you that step and its cost.
- Upload your O’level to CAPS: once your WAEC, NECO or NABTEB result is out, have it uploaded to your JAMB profile at an accredited CBT centre or JAMB office. ESUT’s advert makes this compulsory for every candidate, and a result that is missing on CAPS can hold your admission back even after ESUT picks you.
- Open the ESUT screening form: go to portal.esut.edu.ng, select the session, and under Regular Students open the Admission Screening Registration for that session (Direct Entry has its own form). Enter your JAMB registration number and fill the details form to generate an invoice.
- Pay ₦2,000: pay at a commercial bank through Enugu State IGR Pay Direct with the printed invoice and its reference number, or pay online with a debit card.
- Finish and print: return to the portal, re-enter your JAMB registration number, complete the form, confirm and submit, then print the acknowledgement slip. ESUT warns that false information leads to disqualification.
- Check and accept on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng, choose Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS and Admission Status. If ESUT has offered you Software Engineering, accept it, then print your JAMB admission letter.
- Pay the acceptance fee on the ESUT portal: blogs report ESUT’s acceptance fee at about ₦26,000 (₦26,100 in some reports). ESUT’s 2026/2027 notices I checked do not state it, so confirm the amount on the portal before you pay, and keep the receipt for clearance.
Warning
Paying ESUT’s acceptance fee does not accept your JAMB offer. Accept the admission on JAMB CAPS first, because an offer left unaccepted on CAPS can be withdrawn, and ESUT cannot register you without it.
Myschool reported that ESUT’s 2026/2027 provisional admission list went up on JAMB CAPS on 13 October 2026. JAMB gives candidates four weeks to accept an offer and told public universities to finish admissions by 31 October 2026. If CAPS shows another course, such as Computer Science, Data Science or Computer Engineering, that is a separate offer: read the course name before you accept. Myschool also reported on 28 October 2026 that ESUT had released change of course and transfer forms for 2026/2027; I have not seen their terms, so ask the admissions office before you rely on them.
If a CAPS status confuses you, our JAMB CAPS guide explains each one. Candidates who chose another school can read the JAMB change of institution guide, and if you plan to sit the UTME again, start with when JAMB 2027 registration starts.
Studying Software Engineering at ESUT
Software Engineering is in ESUT’s Faculty of Engineering in the 2026/2027 advert. It is a full-time B.Sc. and, like other Nigerian computing degrees, should run for four years. ESUT’s main campus is at Agbani in Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu State; the notices I checked do not say where the new department is housed, so confirm at clearance.
Where Computer Science studies how computing works, Software Engineering is about building large software reliably in teams: gathering requirements, designing, testing and maintaining systems that real users depend on. ESUT has not published its course outline, so the list below is the usual shape of a Nigerian software engineering degree under the NUC’s computing standards, not ESUT’s official list:
- Computing base: programming, data structures and algorithms, discrete mathematics, computer architecture and operating systems.
- Software process: requirements engineering, software design and architecture, project management and agile methods.
- Building systems: object-oriented programming, databases, web and mobile development, cloud and distributed systems.
- Quality: software testing, verification, maintenance and secure coding.
- Human side: human-computer interaction, professional ethics and team projects.
- SIWES and a final-year project, often a full working application built to a specification.
Accreditation: Software Engineering has no accreditation result yet because it only started in 2026/2027. ESUT’s Faculty of Engineering was reported fully accredited after the NUC’s 2024 exercise (Enugu State Government, 21 May 2025), but that exercise came before this programme existed and does not cover it. Watch for the NUC’s first accreditation visit once the pioneer set reaches the later years.
Career paths after Software Engineering
- Software developer or engineer (backend, frontend, full-stack or mobile).
- Quality assurance and test automation engineer.
- DevOps and cloud engineer.
- Product and project roles in fintechs, telecoms and banks.
- Freelance and remote work for foreign companies, which many Nigerian developers already do.
- Postgraduate study in software engineering, computer science or related fields.
Employers in software look hard at what you can build. Plan to keep a portfolio of projects on GitHub from your first year, alongside your grades.
Related ESUT computing courses with similar UTME subjects:
- ESUT Computer Science cut-off mark
- ESUT Artificial Intelligence cut-off mark
- ESUT Data Science cut-off mark
- ESUT Cyber Security cut-off mark
Our UNICAL cut off mark guide is useful if you want to compare a federal university, and our guide to checking your JAMB result explains what to do with your score once it is out.
Mistakes Software Engineering applicants make
- Treating 200 as enough: it is the minimum to apply into one of ESUT’s most competitive groups.
- Paying for a part-time version: the NUC approval covers full-time study only.
- Accepting the wrong computing course on CAPS: Software Engineering, Computer Science and Data Science look alike on a phone screen; read the name.
- Paying acceptance before accepting on CAPS: the CAPS acceptance comes first.
- Ignoring O’level grades: as the worked example shows, they can outweigh a sizeable UTME gap under some ranking methods.
ESUT Software Engineering cut off mark: frequently asked questions
What is the cut off mark for Software Engineering in ESUT? ESUT set 200 as the minimum UTME score for Software Engineering in 2026/2027. It does not publish a final merit score, so I would aim for 230 or more.
Is 220 enough for Software Engineering in ESUT? 220 is 20 marks above the minimum, so you can apply and you have a real chance, but it is not safe. Strong Mathematics and Physics grades improve your position.
Is ESUT Software Engineering accredited? Not yet. The NUC approved it to start in 2026/2027, and accreditation normally follows once the first students reach the later years.
What subjects are needed for Software Engineering in ESUT? Use of English, Mathematics, Physics and one of Chemistry, Biology, Agricultural Science, Economics or Geography. Chemistry is the most flexible choice.
Sources and updates
The 2026/2027 minimum UTME scores per course, the screening rules (eligibility, change of institution, Direct Entry clearance, awaiting results up to 30 September 2026, compulsory O’level upload on CAPS, no test, ₦2,000 fee, 7 July to 15 August 2026 window, portal and payment steps) come from ESUT’s notice Post-UTME Screening for UTME/Direct Entry Candidates for 2026/2027 Admission, posted on 4 July 2026, and the full advert PDF signed by the Registrar, Ambrose G. Ugwu. The 2025/2026 per-course minimums are from DTW Tutorials’ summary of ESUT’s 2025/2026 screening notice (30 July 2025); I did not open the original notice. The national minimum of 150, the 31 October 2026 admission deadline and the four-week CAPS acceptance window come from the News Agency of Nigeria, 11 May 2026. The release of the 2026/2027 admission list on CAPS on 13 October 2026 is from a Myschool report. ESUT’s faculty-level NUC accreditation is from the Enugu State Government, 21 May 2025. The NUC approval and its full-time limit are from a Premium Times press release republished by AllAfrica on 16 to 17 July 2026. The UTME, O’level and Direct Entry requirements are the general JAMB brochure entry for Software Engineering as reprinted by Myschool, which has no ESUT remark. The course content is the usual shape of a software engineering degree, since ESUT has not published its outline. The acceptance fee of about ₦26,000 is from education blogs (Legit.ng, O3schools, Backtoschool) and is unofficial. ESUT has not published an aggregate formula, a catchment list or a post-screening departmental cut-off, so none appears here as fact. This page was checked on 29 October 2026 and will be updated if ESUT releases new figures.
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.
