The ABSU Food Science and Technology cut off mark is 150 in the UTME. Abia State University (ABSU) gave 150 as the minimum for all regular degree courses in its 2026/2027 screening notice, for candidates with ABSU as first or second choice. ABSU did not publish a separate Food Science figure, and because the course attracts more science candidates than the other agriculture courses, I would plan for a higher score.
2027/2028 update: ABSU 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.
The JAMB subjects for this course are where most candidates go wrong. The brochure’s general UTME line names Agricultural Science, not Biology, and ABSU is not among the universities with a remark allowing Biology instead. ABSU does have its own O’level remark (Physics is compulsory) and a Direct Entry remark for ND holders in Food Science. All of that is below, with the screening steps and a safe target score.
ABSU Food Science and Technology cut off mark at a glance
| Item | 2026/2027 position | Source or status |
|---|---|---|
| ABSU minimum UTME score (all courses) | 150, ABSU first or second choice | ABSU notice reprinted by Osilight and Myschool, June 2026 |
| JAMB national minimum for universities | 150 | JAMB 2026 policy meeting, 11 May 2026 |
| Departmental cut-off | Not published | ABSU released no per-course figures |
| My safe target score | 180 or more | My advice, not an ABSU rule |
| UTME subjects (general line) | Use of English, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics, Agricultural Science | JAMB brochure (Myschool reprint) |
| O’level (ABSU remark) | Five credits: English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology or Agricultural Science, Physics | JAMB brochure (Myschool reprint) |
| Direct Entry (ABSU remark) | Accepts ND in Food Science and Technology | JAMB brochure (Myschool reprint) |
| Screening fee | ₦2,000 | Notice reprint |
ABSU Food Science and Technology cut-off mark history
| Session | Figure | What it means | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 150 | Lowest UTME score ABSU accepted for online screening in any regular degree course (ABSU as first or second choice) | ABSU notice, reprinted by Osilight and Myschool, 8 to 9 June 2026 |
| 2026 (national) | 150 | JAMB minimum for every Nigerian university | JAMB 2026 policy meeting, 11 May 2026 |
| 2025/2026 | Not confirmed | I could not open an ABSU notice for that session | Unverified |
| Food Science and Technology figure | None published | Blog “departmental cut-off” tables cite no ABSU document | Unofficial |
ABSU’s 2026/2027 notice gave one figure for all courses. Any page that prints an official ABSU cut-off for Food Science and Technology alone, for any year, is quoting a figure ABSU itself never released. The practical cut-off each year is the score of the last candidate admitted into the course, and ABSU does not publish it.
Safe target score for Food Science and Technology at ABSU (my advice)
Food Science draws candidates who like chemistry and industry jobs, and some who missed Medical Laboratory Science or Biochemistry. That makes it a little busier than Crop or Animal Science. ABSU publishes no last-admitted score, so this table is my advice, not an ABSU rule.
| Your UTME score | My read for ABSU Food Science and Technology |
|---|---|
| Below 150 | Not eligible for screening |
| 150 to 169 | Eligible, but you will need excellent O’level grades |
| 170 to 189 | A reasonable chance with clean credits |
| 190 and above | Strong |
I would aim for at least 180, with credits in all five of ABSU’s O’level subjects from one sitting if you can manage it.
JAMB subject combination for Food Science and Technology in ABSU
| Requirement | What the JAMB brochure says |
|---|---|
| UTME (general line) | Use of English, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics, and Agricultural Science |
| Biology in place of Agricultural Science | Allowed in remarks for FUOYE and UNN (and some others with their own lists); ABSU is not named |
| O’level (ABSU remark) | Five credits: English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology or Agricultural Science, and Physics |
| Direct Entry (ABSU remark) | ABSU accepts ND in Food Science and Technology |
| Exams accepted | WAEC, NECO, NABTEB |
UTME: why Agricultural Science matters
The general UTME line on the brochure entry reads Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics, and Agricultural Science. Several universities have remarks that change it: FUOYE and UNN let Biology replace Agricultural Science, FUNAAB asks for Chemistry, Biology and Physics or Mathematics, and so on. ABSU has no UTME remark on this entry, which means the general line is what ABSU follows.
So the combination that matches the brochure for ABSU is Use of English, Chemistry, Agricultural Science, and Mathematics or Physics. Many blogs and some school counsellors give Biology instead, because that is what other universities accept. If you have registered Biology, you may still be considered, but you are relying on something the brochure does not say for ABSU. I would ask the ABSU admissions office directly before screening, and if you are registering for a new UTME, pick Agricultural Science.
O’level: Physics is compulsory
ABSU has its own O’level remark, which it shares with UNICAL and FUOYE: five credits in English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology or Agricultural Science, and Physics. A pass in Physics is not enough. If you are taking Agricultural Science in the UTME, it helps to have it as an O’level credit too, but the remark is satisfied with either Biology or Agricultural Science.
Direct Entry
The general line asks for two A-level passes in Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, Agricultural Science, Botany or Zoology. ABSU’s own remark says it accepts an ND in Food Science and Technology. The remark gives no minimum grade or entry level, and the 2026/2027 notice adds only that Direct Entry candidates need the basic five O’level credits. Confirm the level and grade with the admissions office.
How ABSU screens applicants
The 2026/2027 notice was signed by the Registrar, Dr. Acho Elendu. I could not open the original on the ABSU website, so the details below come from two reprints that agree: Osilight (posted 9 June 2026) and Myschool (8 June 2026).
| Detail | What the 2026/2027 notice said |
|---|---|
| Who could apply | Candidates who chose ABSU as first or second choice, or who changed to ABSU, and scored 150 or more in the UTME |
| Direct Entry | Basic five O’level credit passes under ABSU’s entry requirements |
| Where to register | Online at www.abiastateuniversity.edu.ng |
| What to upload | UTME result, O’level result and degree certificate where applicable, on the ABSU portal (www.portal.abiastateuniversity.edu.ng) and the JAMB portal |
| Fee | ₦2,000 by e-payment through the banks named in the notice, or by debit card |
| Missing the screening | Candidates who do not register “will not be considered for admission” |
| Written test | Not mentioned; the notice describes online document screening |
| Closing date | Not stated in the reprints |
The bank names came out garbled in the reprint, so follow the payment options shown on the ABSU portal itself rather than a list copied from a blog.
Worked example for Food Science and Technology candidates
ABSU has not published an aggregate formula, and the 2026/2027 notice describes document screening without a test. To show how your O’level can change your position, I use an illustrative method common at Nigerian universities: UTME score divided by 8 (up to 50 points) plus O’level points for five relevant subjects, where A1 = 10, B2 = 9, B3 = 8, C4 = 7, C5 = 6 and C6 = 5 (up to 50 points). This is my example, not ABSU’s formula.
- Nneka scored 178 with B2 in English, B3 in Mathematics, B2 in Chemistry, B3 in Biology and C4 in Physics from one sitting. UTME points: 178 ÷ 8 = 22.25. O’level points: 9 + 8 + 9 + 8 + 7 = 41. Illustrative total: 63.25.
- Chidi scored 201 with C5 in English, C6 in Mathematics, C5 in Chemistry, C6 in Agricultural Science and C6 in Physics over two sittings. UTME points: 201 ÷ 8 = 25.13. O’level points: 6 + 5 + 6 + 5 + 5 = 27. Illustrative total: 52.13.
- The result: Nneka leads by about 11 points despite scoring 23 marks less in the UTME.
A third candidate with 210 but only a D7 in Physics would not meet ABSU’s O’level remark, and the score would not rescue the application.
How to apply for Food Science and Technology at ABSU, step by step
- Get a JAMB profile code: text NIN, a space and your 11-digit NIN to 55019 or 66019 from the SIM linked to that NIN. The code arrives by SMS.
- Register the UTME with the right subjects: choose Food Science and Technology at Abia State University with Use of English, Chemistry, Agricultural Science, and Mathematics or Physics. ABSU accepted first and second choice candidates in 2026/2027, but first choice is still the cleaner position. To move ABSU up later, use a JAMB change of institution.
- Upload your O’level to CAPS: at an accredited JAMB CBT centre, once your result is out. Make sure the upload includes credits in English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology or Agricultural Science, and Physics.
- Register for ABSU screening: when the notice is out, go to www.abiastateuniversity.edu.ng, pay the screening fee (₦2,000 in 2026/2027) and upload your UTME result and O’level on the ABSU portal.
- Keep your receipts: save the payment receipt and the printout of your completed screening form. You may need both at clearance.
- Check your status: watch the ABSU portal and your JAMB CAPS page. ABSU offers show on CAPS before anything else.
- Accept on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng, choose Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS, and accept. JAMB gives four weeks. Our JAMB CAPS guide explains each status.
- Pay acceptance and clear: ABSU’s acceptance and school fees were not in any source I reached. Pay only the amount on your ABSU portal invoice.
Warning
Every genuine ABSU offer appears on JAMB CAPS, and JAMB said in May 2026 that admission outside CAPS is illegal. Anyone who asks for money to “process” a Food Science and Technology place is not acting for ABSU. Pay only through the ABSU portal.
JAMB set 31 October 2026 as the 2026/2027 deadline for public universities; that date has now passed. If you applied this year, check CAPS rather than waiting for a printed list.
Food Science and Technology at ABSU: the programme
Food Science and Technology sits in ABSU’s College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, which Wikipedia places on the Umuahia campus, not the main campus at Uturu. Check where your lectures will hold before you arrange accommodation. ABSU began in 1981 as Imo State University and took its present name after Abia State was created in 1991. The college name includes Veterinary Medicine, but no DVM course appears on ABSU’s JAMB course list, so do not expect to switch into it.
What you study
ABSU has not published a course outline that I could reach. Food Science and Technology degrees in Nigeria usually cover:
- Basic sciences first: chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics and introductory agriculture.
- Food chemistry and analysis: the composition of foods, food additives and laboratory analysis.
- Food microbiology: spoilage, food poisoning organisms, fermentation and hygiene.
- Processing and engineering: unit operations, drying, canning, milling, baking and beverage processing.
- Commodity technology: cereals, roots and tubers such as cassava and yam, fruits and vegetables, meat, fish and dairy.
- Quality and safety: quality control, packaging, food law and standards.
- Industrial training: placement in a food or beverage company, then a final-year project.
Accreditation, degree and duration
NUC’s published accreditation results (1990 to 2025) list ABSU Food Science and Technology as a programme of its own, with full accreditation as its latest result, valid to 2030. NUC groups it with engineering and technology programmes, not under Agriculture. The degree title and duration were not on any ABSU page I could reach; agriculture degrees in Nigeria commonly run for five years, including a farm practical year.
Careers
- Quality control and production roles in food, beverage and brewing companies.
- Product development in food manufacturing.
- Regulatory work with food safety and standards agencies.
- Running a food processing business, from cassava products to bakery and snacks.
- Nutrition and food security projects with NGOs.
- Postgraduate study in food science, food microbiology or nutrition.
Related ABSU courses
- ABSU Biochemistry cut-off mark
- ABSU Microbiology cut-off mark
- ABSU Crop Production and Protection cut-off mark
- ABSU Animal Science and Fisheries cut-off mark
For revision, use our JAMB Biology syllabus and JAMB Chemistry syllabus. If you are writing in 2027, read when JAMB 2027 registration starts, and when results are out, see how to check your JAMB result. If your score or subjects do not fit, our JAMB change of course guide shows how to switch before admission closes.
Mistakes that cost Food Science applicants an ABSU place
- Biology instead of Agricultural Science in the UTME: the brochure line ABSU follows names Agricultural Science.
- Only a pass in Physics: ABSU’s remark asks for a credit.
- No Mathematics credit: it is in ABSU’s remark even if you wrote Physics in the UTME.
- Not registering for screening: the notice says such candidates will not be considered.
- Missing the CAPS window: JAMB’s 2026 rule gives four weeks to accept.
ABSU Food Science and Technology: frequently asked questions
What is the JAMB subject combination for Food Science and Technology in ABSU? The brochure’s general line, which ABSU follows, is Use of English, Chemistry, Agricultural Science, and Mathematics or Physics. ABSU has no remark letting Biology replace Agricultural Science.
Can I use Biology instead of Agricultural Science for Food Science in ABSU? For O’level, yes: ABSU’s remark accepts Biology or Agricultural Science. For the UTME, the brochure names Biology as a substitute only for other universities, so ask ABSU before relying on it.
Is Physics compulsory for Food Science and Technology in ABSU? Yes. ABSU’s O’level remark lists a credit in Physics among the five subjects.
Does ABSU accept ND for Food Science and Technology? Yes. ABSU’s brochure remark says it accepts ND in Food Science and Technology. The minimum grade and entry level are not stated, so confirm them with the admissions office.
Sources and updates
The 150 minimum, the first and second choice rule, the Direct Entry line, the ₦2,000 fee, the registration and upload steps and the warning about candidates who fail to register come from ABSU’s 2026/2027 screening notice signed by the Registrar, Dr. Acho Elendu, as reprinted by Osilight (9 June 2026) and Myschool (8 June 2026); I could not open the original on the ABSU website. The national minimum of 150, the 31 October 2026 admission deadline, the four-week CAPS window and the warning on admissions outside CAPS come from the News Agency of Nigeria (11 May 2026). The UTME, O’level and Direct Entry rules come from Myschool’s reprint of the JAMB brochure entry for Food Science and Technology, which ABSU’s JAMB course list links to. Campus and history details come from Wikipedia. The safe target table and the worked example are my own advice and illustration. The accreditation status comes from NUC’s accreditation results, 1990 to 2025 publication. ABSU’s fees, the degree title and duration were not published in any source I reached. Checked on 29 October 2026; this page will be updated if ABSU publishes a departmental cut-off or new requirements.
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.
