The ESUT cut off mark for Geology and Mining for 2026/2027 is 160 in the 2026 UTME. Enugu State University of Science and Technology did not name Geology and Mining in the higher bands of its official Post-UTME advert of 4 July 2026, so the general 160 minimum for “other courses” applies to it. With 160 or more, ESUT as your choice (or a JAMB change of institution to ESUT) and the right subjects, you were eligible for 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.
160 is only the entry gate. ESUT does not publish the final merit score for any course, and Geology and Mining has one detail many candidates miss: the JAMB brochure carries a special remark for ESUT that asks for Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics in the UTME, not the open “any three sciences” rule other schools use. This guide covers the official figure, a safe target score marked as advice, the subjects and O’level rules, how ESUT’s online screening works, the CAPS steps, and where a geology and mining degree can take you.
ESUT cut off mark for Geology and Mining 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 Geology and Mining | 160 | Official (ESUT Post-UTME advert, 4 July 2026; general band for courses not named) |
| ESUT final admission (merit) score for Geology and Mining | Not published | ESUT does not release one |
| Post-UTME test | None | Online screening only |
| Screening fee | ₦2,000 | Official |
| Faculty | Physical Sciences | ESUT 2026/2027 advert |
| UTME subjects for ESUT | English, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics | JAMB brochure remark for ESUT (Myschool reprint) |
| Admission list | On JAMB CAPS from 13 October 2026 | Myschool report |
Keep the two numbers apart. The minimum UTME score 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 that was actually admitted into the course after screening, and ESUT does not announce it. Most of the confusion online about “ESUT departmental cut-off marks” comes from treating the first as the second.
Geology and Mining cut-off history at ESUT
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 160 | Minimum UTME to apply (Geology and Mining not named, so the general band applies) | Official ESUT advert |
| 2025/2026 | 160 | Minimum UTME to apply (Geology and Mining not named, so “Others”) | Previous year, from a blog summary of ESUT’s notice |
| Any year | Not published | Final merit score for Geology and Mining | No ESUT list found |
ESUT kept the same band structure from 2025/2026 into 2026/2027 and raised several science courses by name (Biochemistry and Microbiology went to 180, Computer Science stayed at 200). Geology and Mining was not among them, so it has sat at the general minimum in both years I could trace. That can change from one session to the next, so treat the 2025/2026 row as history.
Some blogs quote much higher ESUT “cut-offs” for courses such as Medicine (314) and Nursing (290) without an ESUT document behind them. None of those lists gives an official figure for this course, so ignore any you see.
Safe target score for Geology and Mining at ESUT (my advice)
This is my advice, not an ESUT rule. Geology and Mining does not draw the crowd that Computer Science or the health courses do, and many of its students come in after missing a more popular science course. Still, a 160 leaves you no room if more people apply than the department can take, and you cannot make up marks in a test because ESUT held none.
| Your UTME score | My read for ESUT Geology and Mining |
|---|---|
| 160 to 179 | Eligible, but you are relying on few strong applicants. Good O’level grades help. |
| 180 to 199 | A fair chance. |
| 200 to 219 | A good chance. You would also meet ESUT’s 200 minimum for Computer Science. |
| 220 and above | Comfortable for Geology and Mining at ESUT. |
For a 2027 attempt, my safe target for ESUT Geology and Mining is 190 or more, with clean credits in English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics.
Catchment and state of origin
ESUT has not published 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 grades.
JAMB subject combination and O’level requirements for ESUT Geology and Mining
| Requirement | Geology and Mining |
|---|---|
| UTME subjects (ESUT) | Use of English, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics |
| UTME subjects (general brochure rule) | Use of English plus any three of Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Geography |
| O’level | Five credits: English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and one other subject (Physics is the sensible fifth because the UTME needs it) |
| Sittings | Not stated in ESUT’s advert; most universities allow up to two. Confirm on JAMB’s e-brochure |
| Direct Entry | Two A’level passes from Geology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Biology and Geography (general rule) |
| Special requirements | None published by ESUT (no interview or field test) |
These come from the JAMB brochure entry for Geology and Mining as reprinted by Myschool (checked 29 October 2026). The general rule lets you write any three of five sciences, but the page carries a remark for ESUT that requires Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. A candidate who wrote Biology, Chemistry and Geography could meet the general rule and still fall short at ESUT. Our shared fact sheet had listed Chemistry plus two of four subjects, which is looser than the brochure remark; I have gone with the remark.
The general O’level line names Biology among the five credits, not Physics. Since you need Physics for the UTME anyway, get a credit in it too. That gives you six relevant credits and keeps Geology and Mining open alongside ESUT’s engineering courses.
ESUT’s own advert only says Direct Entry candidates are screened online and must be cleared on JAMB e-facility by their former institutions. It does not list DE grades, so if you hold an ND in Mineral Resources Engineering, Geological Technology or Science Laboratory Technology, confirm with the department whether it is accepted.
How ESUT screening works for Geology and Mining
These were the 2026/2027 screening terms in ESUT’s advert. The window has closed for this session, but they show you what to prepare for 2027.
| 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 Geology and Mining candidate
Take Chidi, who scored 185 in the 2026 UTME with B3, C4, C4, C5 and C6 in English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics.
- Eligibility check (official): 185 minus the 160 minimum = 25 marks above the line.
- UTME half (illustrative method): 185 ÷ 8 = 23.13 out of 50.
- O’level half (illustrative method): 8 + 7 + 7 + 6 + 5 = 33 out of 50.
- Illustrative total: 23.13 + 33 = 56.13 out of 100.
Ngozi scored only 172, but her grades were B2, B2, B3, B3 and C4. Her illustrative total is 21.50 + 41 = 62.50, ahead of Chidi. If ESUT ranks on UTME alone, Chidi leads instead. ESUT has not said which approach it uses, so the safe move is to push 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 Geology and Mining 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, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics and choose ESUT and Geology and Mining. 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 Geology and Mining, 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.
ESUT’s 2026/2027 admission list appeared on JAMB CAPS on 13 October 2026, Myschool reported. JAMB gave candidates four weeks to accept an offer and set 31 October 2026 as the end of admissions for public universities. Myschool also reported on 28 October 2026 that ESUT had released change of course and transfer forms for 2026/2027. I have not read their terms, so check the portal if CAPS shows Geology and Mining when you applied for something else, or the other way round.
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 Geology and Mining at ESUT
Geology and Mining is in ESUT’s Faculty of Physical Sciences. ESUT’s main campus is at Agbani in Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu State, and the sciences are generally placed there, though the pages I checked do not confirm the building or campus for this department. Most Nigerian B.Sc. Geology programmes run for four years, and some combined geology and mining programmes run longer; ESUT has not stated the length of its programme on the pages I checked.
Geology and Mining joins the study of rocks and earth processes with the practical work of finding and extracting minerals. Enugu itself grew around coal mining, and the wider South East and Middle Belt hold limestone, lead, zinc and other deposits, so the course has a local context. Expect these areas:
- Mineralogy and petrology: identifying minerals and rocks in hand specimen and under the microscope.
- Structural geology and geological mapping: reading folds, faults and outcrops, then producing maps in the field.
- Sedimentology and stratigraphy: how sedimentary basins form, which matters for coal, oil and groundwater.
- Mining geology and mineral exploration: prospecting methods, ore deposits, reserve estimation and mine planning basics.
- Geophysics and hydrogeology: survey methods and groundwater exploration, a common source of work for graduates.
- Field trips, an industrial attachment and a final-year mapping or research project.
Accreditation: After the National Universities Commission’s 2024 exercise, ESUT reported full accreditation for programmes in its Faculties of Law, Engineering, Sciences, Environmental Science, Education and Administration (Enugu State Government, 21 May 2025). The report names faculties, not programmes, and the sciences have since been split into Biological and Physical Sciences in ESUT’s 2026/2027 advert. I found no programme-level result for Geology and Mining, so ask the department to confirm its NUC status before you accept.
Career paths after Geology and Mining
- Exploration and mine geologist roles with mining companies and quarry operators.
- Groundwater and borehole consulting, one of the steadiest private-sector routes for geology graduates.
- Oil and gas service companies, mostly in subsurface and well-site roles.
- Government work with the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, the Mining Cadastre Office and state ministries of solid minerals.
- Environmental impact and mine reclamation consulting.
- Postgraduate study in geology, mineral exploration or geophysics. Professional practice in Nigeria involves registration with the Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG); check its current requirements after you graduate.
Related ESUT courses that use similar UTME subjects:
- ESUT Industrial Chemistry cut-off mark
- ESUT Industrial Physics cut-off mark
- ESUT Metallurgical and Materials Engineering cut-off mark
- ESUT Civil Engineering cut-off mark
To compare with another university’s figures, read our UNICAL cut off mark guide. For UTME Chemistry, use our JAMB Chemistry syllabus.
Mistakes Geology and Mining applicants make
- Writing Biology and Geography instead of Mathematics and Physics: the brochure remark for ESUT asks for Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
- Skipping the Biology credit: the general O’level line names Biology, even though the UTME does not use it.
- Expecting a Post-UTME test to rescue a low score: ESUT’s 2026/2027 screening had no test.
- Forgetting the CAPS upload: ESUT’s advert makes it compulsory for every candidate.
- Late awaiting results: results released after 30 September 2026 were not accepted.
ESUT cut off mark for Geology and Mining: frequently asked questions
What is the cut off mark for Geology and Mining in ESUT? ESUT’s minimum UTME score for Geology and Mining in 2026/2027 is 160, the general band for courses its advert does not name. ESUT does not publish a final merit score, so aim for 190 or more.
What subjects are required for Geology and Mining in ESUT? The JAMB brochure remark for ESUT asks for Use of English, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics in the UTME. For O’level, get credits in English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics.
Is 170 enough for Geology and Mining in ESUT? 170 clears the 160 minimum, so you could apply. Whether it wins a place depends on how many stronger candidates apply in that session; good O’level grades improve your position.
Does ESUT write post-UTME for Geology and Mining? No. ESUT’s 2026/2027 screening was online only, with no physical screening and no aptitude test, and the fee was ₦2,000.
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 UTME, O’level and Direct Entry requirements, including the remark that ESUT requires Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics, are from the JAMB brochure entry for Geology and Mining as reprinted by Myschool. 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.
