There is no UTME cut-off mark for Social Studies, Economics or Political Science (NCE) at African Thinkers Community of Inquiry (ATCOI) College of Education, Enugu, for 2027/2028 candidates who hold at least four O’level credits. Under the national admission policy of 11 May 2026, NCE candidates with four credits do not sit the UTME, but they must still register with JAMB and be admitted through CAPS. ATCOI has not published any cut-off of its own for these combinations.
2027/2028 update: ATCOI admission requirements and entry rules usually stay the same from one year to the next, so the rules on this page are what 2027/2028 candidates should plan with. They come from the latest official position (the 2026/2027 national admission policy and JAMB’s June 2026 NCE registration guide). If the 2027/2028 rules change anything, we will update this page.
This guide covers the social science side of ATCOI: Social Studies on its own or as a double major, and the pairings built on Economics and Political Science. You will find the combinations on JAMB’s list for the college, the O’level subjects each one needs, what JAMB charges for NCE registration, two worked examples, the application steps and where these courses lead.
ATCOI Social Studies and Economics cut-off mark at a glance
| Item | Position for 2027/2028 planning | Status |
|---|---|---|
| UTME score for these NCE combinations | Not required with four or more O’level credits | Official national policy, 11 May 2026 |
| JAMB registration | Required, through JAMB’s NCE registration route | JAMB NCE guide, June 2026 |
| ATCOI cut-off for these courses | Not published | No college figure found |
| College status | Private college of education, listed as open by NCCE | NCCE accredited colleges list, checked 29 October 2026 |
| Duration | Three years full time | Standard NCE length |
| 2026/2027 admission deadline for colleges of education | 31 December 2026 | Official, JAMB policy meeting |
ATCOI Social Studies and Economics cut-off mark history
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027/2028 | No UTME score needed for NCE | Planning position carried over from 2026/2027 | Holds unless JAMB changes the policy |
| 2026/2027 | No UTME score needed | Four-credit NCE candidates register with JAMB and are admitted on CAPS without sitting the UTME; no numeric minimum was set for colleges of education | Official national policy and JAMB’s June 2026 guide |
| 2025/2026 | 100 | JAMB national minimum UTME score for colleges of education | Official national figure (JAMB, July 2025) |
Reports differ on when the exemption started. Nairametrics (11 May 2026) wrote that it takes effect from the 2027 admission cycle, while JAMB’s June 2026 NCE registration guide and Legit (23 July 2026) show it already applied in 2026. Both readings lead to the same answer for a 2027/2028 candidate: with four or more credits, you do not need a UTME score for NCE.
Social Studies, Economics and Political Science combinations at ATCOI
Myschool’s reprint of JAMB’s course list for ATCOI shows 44 courses. These are the ones covered on this page. Pick the exact name when you register, because JAMB treats each pairing as a separate course.
| Course name on JAMB’s list | Type | Subjects you will teach |
|---|---|---|
| Social Studies | Single subject | Social Studies |
| Social Studies (Double Major) | Double major | Social Studies only, studied in more depth |
| Political Science / Social Studies | Pairing | Political Science and Social Studies |
| Economics / Social Studies | Pairing | Economics and Social Studies |
| Economics / Mathematics | Pairing | Economics and Mathematics |
| Integrated Science / Economics | Pairing | Integrated Science and Economics |
The same list also pairs Social Studies, Economics or Political Science with English, Igbo, Christian Religious Studies and Computer Education. Those are covered in our ATCOI English and Igbo, Christian Religious Studies and Computer Education guides linked further down. The list also shows Social Studies / Ecumenics and Ecumenics / Economics. Ecumenics is the study of relations between Christian churches; ask the college what the subject covers and whether it is admitting into it before you choose one of those.
JAMB’s list carries both “Social Studies” and “Social Studies (Double Major)”. ATCOI has not said whether both are admitting, so confirm which one it wants you to pick.
ATCOI Social Studies and Economics admission requirements
ATCOI has not published its own O’level list. The national rule is a minimum of four credits. Colleges of education in the South East usually ask for English Language and Mathematics among them, with two credits relevant to the course, from not more than two sittings. The entries in JAMB’s brochure show which subjects count as relevant for each teaching subject. Most are written for degree admission, but the Economics / Social Studies entry is for the pairing itself, and it asks for five credits. Four credits is the national floor; I would go in with five.
| Teaching subject | Relevant O’level credits (JAMB brochure) | What I would have for the NCE |
|---|---|---|
| Social Studies | English plus two Arts or Social Science subjects; the Social Studies (Double Major) page adds Mathematics and Government or History | English, Mathematics, Government or History, and one of Economics, Geography, CRS or Civic Education |
| Economics | English, Economics and Mathematics | English, Mathematics, Economics, plus one social science |
| Political Science | English and Government or History; some universities accept a Mathematics pass | English, Mathematics, Government, plus one social science |
| Economics / Social Studies (the pairing’s own brochure entry) | Five credits in English, Mathematics, Economics, Government or History, and one other social science | Exactly that list |
| Mathematics (in Economics / Mathematics) | English, Mathematics and a science | Strong Mathematics credit plus Economics |
| Integrated Science (in Integrated Science / Economics) | Biology, Chemistry, English and Mathematics | Biology and Chemistry or Physics, plus Economics |
The last column is my advice, not an ATCOI rule. A Government credit carries a lot of weight here: it counts towards Social Studies and is the core subject for Political Science. For any Economics pairing, I would not apply without an Economics credit.
If you are also sitting the UTME
Some candidates sit the UTME for a university degree and keep NCE as a backup. For Education and Social Studies, the brochure’s UTME line is any three of CRK, Economics, Geography or Physics, Government, History and Islamic Studies. For Education and Economics it is Economics, Mathematics and one of Geography, Physics, History, Government or Literature. For Political Science, it is Government or History plus two Arts or Social Science subjects. The Economics / Social Studies entry lists Economics, Government or History and one other social science. Keep in mind that once a college recommends you for NCE, JAMB suspends any UTME or Direct Entry process you have running.
Direct Entry and degree admission
You cannot enter ATCOI at degree level. From 2026/2027 JAMB stopped all 100 and 200 level degree admission into colleges of education, including affiliated degrees, so every entrant starts at NCE. The NCE then becomes your Direct Entry route later: the brochure lists an NCE in Social Studies as a general Direct Entry qualification for Education and Social Studies, and accepts NCE credit or merit in Economics for Education and Economics.
JAMB NCE registration costs and rules
| JAMB NCE item (2026) | What the guide says |
|---|---|
| O’level verification code | ₦1,500 for one sitting; ₦2,000 for two sittings |
| NCE application | ₦3,500 |
| CBT centre charge | ₦700 |
| Who puts you forward | The college proposes candidates on CAPS and the Provost recommends them |
| O’level result | Must be on CAPS; awaiting-result candidates cannot be proposed until they upload |
| 2026 UTME candidates with a college of education as first choice | Migrated to NCE for a ₦700 charge |
| Effect of an NCE recommendation | Any UTME or Direct Entry process is suspended |
| 2026 NCE registration opened | 23 July 2026 (Nairametrics) |
These are 2026 amounts and may change for 2027. ATCOI’s own form fee, acceptance fee and school fees are not published anywhere I could find, so ask the college directly.
ATCOI screening for Social Studies and Economics
ATCOI has not published a screening test, form price or portal for 2026/2027, and I found no admission notice from the college or a reprint of one. NCCE prints the website as www.atcoicoe.edu.ng, but I could not open it to check for a notice. What is certain is JAMB’s NCE flow: the college checks the O’level on your JAMB profile, proposes you on CAPS, and the Provost recommends you. Any extra form or interview the college runs sits on top of that.
Worked example (illustrative)
Chiamaka (an invented candidate) has WAEC in one sitting: English C6, Mathematics C5, Government B3, Economics C4, CRS B2, Biology D7. She wants Political Science / Social Studies.
- Credit count: five. Pass.
- English and Mathematics: both at credit. Pass.
- Relevant subjects: Government for Political Science; Government, Economics and CRS for Social Studies. Strong.
- Cost to JAMB: ₦1,500 for the verification code, ₦3,500 for the NCE application and ₦700 at the centre, on 2026 figures.
- Outcome: she meets every rule I can verify, so her file depends on ATCOI proposing her on CAPS before the deadline.
Emeka (also invented) has English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology at credit across two sittings and a pass in Economics. He meets the count, but I would steer him away from Economics / Social Studies and towards Integrated Science or a Computer Education pairing at ATCOI, where all his credits count.
How to apply to ATCOI for Social Studies or Economics
- Get your JAMB profile code: text NIN, a space and your 11-digit NIN to 55019 or 66019 from the phone line linked to your NIN.
- Buy the O’level verification code: ₦1,500 for one sitting or ₦2,000 for two (2026 figures).
- Register with JAMB for NCE: choose African Thinkers Community of Inquiry College of Education and the exact combination. If you registered for another school, use a JAMB change of institution.
- Upload your O’level to CAPS: the college cannot propose you until the result shows on your profile.
- Contact the college: ask ATCOI whether it runs its own form or interview, and pay only through an official channel the college gives you.
- Accept the offer on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng, open Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS. JAMB allowed four weeks to accept in 2026/2027. Our JAMB CAPS guide shows each screen.
- Pay acceptance and register: confirm the acceptance fee with the college before you pay.
Warning
JAMB treats any admission outside CAPS as illegal. Nobody can sell you an ATCOI “slot” or a place straight into a degree. Because ATCOI has published no admission notice, confirm with the college that your combination is admitting before you pay anything.
Your chances and common mistakes
ATCOI has not published how many places it fills in each combination, so I cannot quote odds. With no UTME score involved, files usually stall for practical reasons:
- Picking a pairing your credits do not support: Economics / Mathematics needs real strength in both subjects; Political Science leans on Government.
- O’level not on CAPS: upload as soon as your result is out.
- Names that do not match: your NIN, JAMB profile and O’level certificate should carry the same name.
- Leaving it late: JAMB set 31 December 2026 as the 2026/2027 deadline for colleges of education, and each offer must be accepted within the window JAMB sets.
Studying Social Studies, Economics or Political Science at ATCOI
African Thinkers Community of Inquiry College of Education, Enugu is a private college listed as open on the NCCE accredited colleges list (checked 29 October 2026), which names Obozuhuike Ofoelue as its head. NCCE separately lists an Institute of Ecumenical Education (Thinkers Corner), Enugu, among other NCE-awarding institutions; that is a different listing, so make sure you register for the college you mean. The accreditation status of these individual combinations is not confirmed, so ask ATCOI for it before you pay.
What you study
- Social Studies: citizenship, Nigerian society and culture, the environment, and social problems such as population and drug abuse.
- Economics: micro and macroeconomics, money and banking, public finance and the Nigerian economy.
- Political Science: government, the constitution, political ideas and international relations.
- Education courses and teaching practice: taken by every NCE student, alongside general studies.
This follows the usual NCE pattern for these subjects. ATCOI’s own course outline is not online.
Careers and next steps
- Teaching: Social Studies in primary and junior secondary schools, or Economics and Government where schools accept NCE holders, after TRCN registration.
- Degree by Direct Entry: a good NCE in these subjects opens Education and Social Studies, Economics Education or Political Science Education at university.
- Other work: community, church and NGO roles that need someone who can teach and organise.
Related ATCOI programmes
- ATCOI cut-off mark for all NCE programmes
- ATCOI English and Igbo combinations (NCE)
- ATCOI Christian Religious Studies combinations (NCE)
- ATCOI Business Education (NCE)
For other Enugu colleges, see our Peaceland Social Studies and CRS and FCE Eha-Amufu Social Studies guides.
ATCOI Social Studies and Economics: frequently asked questions
What is the ATCOI cut-off mark for Social Studies in 2027/2028? There is none for candidates with four or more O’level credits, because NCE applicants are exempt from the UTME. ATCOI has not published a figure for any combination.
Can I study Economics at ATCOI without a credit in Mathematics? I would not try. JAMB’s degree-level entry for Economics requires Mathematics, and Economics / Mathematics obviously needs it, so a Social Studies pairing is the safer choice without it.
Do I need to write JAMB for NCE at ATCOI? You need to register with JAMB through its NCE route, but you do not sit the UTME if you have at least four credits. In 2026 that cost ₦3,500 plus ₦700, after the O’level verification code.
Can I use awaiting result for ATCOI NCE admission? You can register, but JAMB’s guide says the college cannot propose you on CAPS until your result is uploaded. Upload it the day it is released.
Sources and updates
The UTME exemption for four-credit NCE candidates, the CAPS rule, the 31 December 2026 deadline for colleges of education and the four-week acceptance window come from the policy meeting of 11 May 2026, reported by the News Agency of Nigeria, VON, ICIR and TheNigeriaLawyer. NCE costs, the Provost’s recommendation, the awaiting-result rule, the UTME suspension and the end of degree entry into colleges of education are from JAMB’s June 2026 NCE registration guide, also reported by BusinessDay. The 23 July 2026 opening is from Nairametrics and Legit, and the 2025/2026 minimum of 100 is from JAMB as reported by Nairametrics (8 July 2025). The course list is Myschool’s reprint of JAMB’s list for ATCOI. Subject rules are from Myschool’s reprints of the JAMB brochure entries for Education and Social Studies, Social Studies (Double Major), Economics / Social Studies, Education and Economics and Education and Political Science; all but the Economics / Social Studies entry describe degree admission. The college’s status, head and website are from the NCCE accredited colleges list. Checked on 29 October 2026; this page will be updated when ATCOI publishes a 2027/2028 notice.
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.
