The ABSU Fine Art Education cut off mark, on paper, is the general 150 in the UTME that Abia State University (ABSU) set for all regular degree courses in 2026/2027. Before you choose this course, though, you need two facts. NUC’s latest accreditation result for ABSU’s Fine and Applied Arts Education programme is Denied, and the JAMB brochure carries a remark that reads “ABSU – Direct Entry only” for this course, which means a UTME candidate may not be admitted into it at all.
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.
Warning
NUC’s published accreditation results list ABSU’s Education Fine and Applied Arts programme as Denied in its latest entry, and the JAMB brochure says ABSU admits into this course by Direct Entry only. Do not pick it as a UTME course or pay any fee for it until ABSU’s admissions office confirms in writing that it is admitting and that accreditation has been restored.
I have written this page so you can make a safe decision: what the NUC record and the JAMB remark actually say, what “Denied” means for a student, the requirements if ABSU does confirm the course, and the better options at ABSU and elsewhere if you love art and want to teach it.
ABSU Fine Art Education cut off mark and status at a glance
| Item | Position | Source or status |
|---|---|---|
| ABSU minimum UTME score (all courses, 2026/2027) | 150, ABSU first or second choice | ABSU notice reprinted by Osilight and Myschool, June 2026 |
| Departmental cut-off | Not published | ABSU released no per-course figures |
| Course name on JAMB | Education / Fine Art | ABSU’s JAMB course list (Myschool reprint) |
| ABSU entry route | “ABSU – Direct Entry only” | JAMB brochure Direct Entry remark (Myschool reprint) |
| NUC status (latest) | Denied | NUC accreditation results, 1990 to 2025 |
| Earlier NUC results | Full, Full, Interim, then Denied | Same NUC publication |
| UTME subjects (general line) | Use of English, Fine Arts, one other Arts subject and any other subject | JAMB brochure (Myschool reprint) |
| O’level (ABSU remark) | Five SSCE credits including English, Fine Art and any three subjects | JAMB brochure (Myschool reprint) |
| My advice | Do not use your UTME choice on this course; consider the alternatives below | My judgement |
Is ABSU Fine Art Education accredited?
Not according to the latest NUC record I could find. In September 2026 NUC uploaded a publication of accreditation results for every Nigerian university from 1990 to 2025. Under Abia State University it lists two art programmes, and they are in very different positions:
| Programme in the NUC record | Results in order | Latest | On ABSU’s JAMB course list? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education Fine and Applied Arts | Full, Full, Interim, Denied | Denied (no maturity date) | Yes, as Education / Fine Art |
| Fine and Applied Arts (non-education degree) | Interim, Full, Interim, Full, Full | Full, maturity date 2026 | No |
The extracted NUC table does not line each result up with a year, so I cannot tell you which exercise produced the denial. What is clear is that the Education version’s most recent result is Denied and no later full or interim result follows it. The plain Fine and Applied Arts degree has a better record, but it does not appear on ABSU’s JAMB course list, so you cannot choose it through JAMB as things stand.
What “Denied” means for you
A denied programme failed NUC’s accreditation visit. Speaking to The ICIR in February 2024, NUC’s then Acting Executive Secretary, Chris Maiyaki, said such an outcome “can lead to suspending admission into the programme”. A university can stay fully approved while one of its programmes is denied. Until a later visit restores accreditation, a new intake into that programme carries real risk: the university may not admit at all, and if it does, you would be relying on accreditation being restored before you graduate. ABSU has not published anything about this programme that I could find, so the honest position is “denied, current intake unconfirmed”.
“ABSU – Direct Entry only”: what the JAMB remark means
JAMB’s brochure lists special remarks for individual universities under each course. For Education / Fine Art, the only ABSU remark under Direct Entry is the short line “ABSU – Direct Entry only”. Read plainly, ABSU takes this course only from Direct Entry candidates (NCE or A-level holders) and not from UTME candidates. ABSU’s 2026/2027 notice does not contradict it, because it gave one general rule for all courses.
So even before the accreditation problem, a UTME candidate who picks Education / Fine Art at ABSU risks being left with no admission in that course. If you have already chosen it, use a JAMB change of course to move to a course ABSU admits UTME candidates into, or a change of institution if you want Fine Art somewhere else.
ABSU Fine Art Education cut-off mark history
| Session | Figure | What it means | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 150 | ABSU’s general minimum for online screening in regular degree courses | ABSU notice, reprinted 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 |
| Fine Art Education figure | None published | The brochure remark points to Direct Entry only, so a UTME figure may not apply | Unofficial |
Because of the Direct Entry remark, I am not giving a “safe UTME target” for this course. A high score does not help if ABSU does not take UTME candidates into it. Put that score to work in one of the alternatives further down.
JAMB requirements for Education / Fine Art (for reference)
These are the brochure rules, useful if ABSU confirms the course or if you apply for Fine Art Education at another university.
| Requirement | What the JAMB brochure says |
|---|---|
| UTME (general line) | Use of English, Fine Arts, one other Arts subject and any other subject |
| O’level (general line) | Five credits (or TC II or NTC/NBC merit) including Fine Art and English Language |
| O’level (ABSU remark) | “ABSU requires five SSCE credit passes including English Language, Fine Art and any three subjects.” |
| Direct Entry (general line) | NCE merit in Fine and Applied Arts double major, or A-level passes in Fine Arts and any other subject |
| Direct Entry (ABSU remark) | “ABSU – Direct Entry only.” |
Two things stand out. Fine Art is compulsory at both UTME and O’level, so a candidate without a Fine Art credit cannot qualify anywhere. ABSU’s O’level remark does not name Mathematics, which is unusual, but you should still have Mathematics among your credits because most alternatives need it.
The NCE route
The Direct Entry line asks for an NCE merit in Fine and Applied Arts double major. JAMB announced at its May 2026 policy meeting that NCE candidates no longer sit the UTME (Nairametrics read it as starting with the 2027 cycle; JAMB’s June 2026 NCE registration guide already applied it in 2026). NCE candidates register with JAMB, need at least four credits, and are admitted through CAPS. An NCE in Fine and Applied Arts at an accredited college of education is therefore a sensible first step, and it qualifies you to teach while you wait to see whether ABSU’s degree regains accreditation.
Better options than ABSU Fine Art Education
These ABSU courses show full status as their latest NUC result and appear on ABSU’s JAMB course list. Check each one’s own subject rules before you switch.
| ABSU course | Latest NUC result | Why it might suit an art student |
|---|---|---|
| Home Economics Education | Full, maturity 2028 | Clothing, textiles and design work; needs Chemistry and Biology or Agric in the UTME |
| Social Studies Education | Full, maturity 2029 | Arts and social science subjects; only an O’level pass in Mathematics at ABSU |
| Architecture | Full, maturity 2026 | Drawing and design; needs Mathematics and Physics |
| Business Education | Full, maturity 2027 | A teaching degree with a strong record |
| Library and Information Science | Full, maturity 2029 | Listed among education courses on ABSU’s JAMB list; check its own subject rules |
If Fine Art itself is what you want, pick a university whose Fine and Applied Arts or Fine Art Education programme shows full or interim status in the same NUC publication, and confirm it is on that university’s JAMB course list. The JAMB brochure page for each course lists the universities that offer it.
If ABSU confirms the course: how to apply
- Get written confirmation first: ask ABSU’s admissions office whether Education / Fine Art is admitting in your session, through which route, and what its current NUC status is.
- 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.
- Register for Direct Entry: with your NCE or A-level result, choosing Education / Fine Art at Abia State University.
- Upload your results to CAPS: at an accredited JAMB centre, including your O’level with English and Fine Art.
- Register for ABSU screening: at www.abiastateuniversity.edu.ng; the 2026/2027 fee was ₦2,000, and the notice asked for UTME or Direct Entry results, O’level and certificates on the ABSU portal (www.portal.abiastateuniversity.edu.ng).
- Accept on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng and accept within JAMB’s four-week window. Our JAMB CAPS guide explains each status.
- Pay only on the portal: ABSU’s acceptance and school fees were not published in any source I reached.
JAMB said in May 2026 that any admission outside CAPS is illegal, so an offer that does not show on your CAPS page is not an ABSU offer. JAMB kept 31 October 2026 as the 2026/2027 admission deadline for public universities such as ABSU (Nairametrics, 28 September 2026).
Fine Art Education: the programme and careers
The course belongs to ABSU’s College of Education, on the main campus at Uturu, Isuikwuato LGA. ABSU’s outline and exact degree title were not available. Fine Art Education in Nigeria usually covers drawing and painting, sculpture, graphics, textiles and ceramics, art history, and art teaching methods, alongside general education courses, teaching practice and a project. It normally runs four years from UTME entry and three years from Direct Entry.
- Teaching Fine Art and Cultural and Creative Arts in secondary schools, after TRCN registration.
- Studio practice, illustration, graphic design and art direction.
- Museum, gallery and cultural agency work.
- Postgraduate study in art education or fine arts.
Related ABSU courses
- ABSU Home Economics Education cut-off mark
- ABSU Social Studies Education cut-off mark
- ABSU Architecture cut-off mark
- ABSU Business Education cut-off mark
Planning for 2027? Read when JAMB 2027 registration starts, and once results are out, how to check your JAMB result.
Mistakes to avoid with this course
- Using your UTME choice on it: the brochure says ABSU takes this course by Direct Entry only.
- Assuming every ABSU Education course is accredited: some show full status, while this one and several others show denied.
- Mixing up the two art programmes: the Fine and Applied Arts degree with full status is not on ABSU’s JAMB list.
- No Fine Art credit: it is compulsory at O’level.
- Paying an agent: admissions happen only on CAPS and the ABSU portal.
ABSU Fine Art Education: frequently asked questions
Is Fine Art Education in ABSU accredited by NUC? Its latest result in NUC’s 1990 to 2025 accreditation publication is Denied. Ask ABSU in writing whether a later visit has restored it before you apply.
Can I study Fine Art Education in ABSU with my JAMB score? Probably not. The JAMB brochure’s ABSU remark for this course reads “ABSU – Direct Entry only”, so UTME candidates should choose another course.
What subjects do I need for Fine Art Education in JAMB? Use of English, Fine Arts, one other Arts subject and any other subject. At O’level ABSU asks for five credits including English and Fine Art.
Does ABSU offer Fine and Applied Arts? NUC’s record lists a fully accredited Fine and Applied Arts programme at ABSU, but it is not on ABSU’s JAMB course list, so you cannot choose it through JAMB right now.
Sources and updates
The accreditation history of both art programmes comes from NUC’s accreditation results, 1990 to 2025 (uploaded September 2026). The quote on what denial can mean comes from The ICIR (17 February 2024). The UTME, O’level and Direct Entry rules and both ABSU remarks come from Myschool’s reprint of the JAMB brochure entry for Education / Fine Art, linked from ABSU’s JAMB course list. The 150 minimum, the ₦2,000 fee and the screening steps come from ABSU’s 2026/2027 notice signed by the Registrar, Dr. Acho Elendu, as reprinted by Osilight (9 June 2026) and Myschool (8 June 2026). The national minimum and the CAPS rules come from the News Agency of Nigeria (11 May 2026), the 31 October 2026 deadline from Nairametrics (28 September 2026), and the NCE exemption from JAMB’s 2026 policy meeting (Nairametrics, 11 May 2026) and JAMB’s June 2026 NCE registration guide. The list of alternatives is my own advice. ABSU has published nothing on this programme’s intake that I could find. Checked on 29 October 2026; this page will be updated if ABSU or NUC publishes a new status.
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.
