ABSU Religious Studies Cut-Off Mark 2027/2028 and Admission Requirements

The ABSU cut off mark for Religious Studies is 150 in the UTME. That is the minimum Abia State University (ABSU) set for every regular degree course in its 2026/2027 screening notice, for candidates who chose ABSU as first or second choice. ABSU did not publish a separate figure for Religious Studies, so 150 gets you into screening and your rank among the other Religious Studies applicants decides the rest.

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.

Religious Studies has one of the most open subject rules at ABSU. The UTME needs Christian Religious Studies (CRS) or Islamic Studies and any two other subjects, and the O’level line names only English Language and CRS or Islamic Studies. ABSU also has its own Direct Entry remark that accepts NCE, ND and HND holders. Below are the official figures, a safe target score, the exact subjects, the screening steps and what the B.A. leads to.

ABSU cut off mark for Religious Studies at a glance

ABSU Religious Studies cut-off mark history

ABSU’s 2026/2027 notice gave one figure for all courses. If a page prints an official ABSU Religious Studies cut-off for any year, it is quoting a number ABSU never released. The real cut-off each year is the score of the last candidate admitted into the department, and ABSU does not publish it.

Safe target score for Religious Studies at ABSU (my advice)

Religious Studies draws fewer applicants than Law, Mass Communication or the business courses, and many candidates land in it after missing their first course. That usually keeps the competition moderate. This table is my advice, not an ABSU rule.

I would aim for at least 165. If you are coming in with a lower score, make sure your CRS or Islamic Studies credit is a strong one; it is the subject the department will look at first.

JAMB subject combination and O’level for Religious Studies at ABSU

For the UTME, a natural combination is Use of English, CRS, Literature in English and Government. History, Igbo, Economics or any other subject you are strong in also fits, because the brochure says “any two” for the last two subjects. Some universities, such as AAU, OAU, EKSU and UNIBEN, attach their own UTME conditions, but none of those remarks name ABSU.

For O’level, the general line names English Language and CRS or Islamic Studies. It does not name Mathematics, and ABSU has no O’level remark for this course, so the brochure does not require a Mathematics credit here. Several other schools (AAUA, Adeleke, Godfrey Okoye, Paul University, DELSU and IAUE) add Mathematics through their own remarks. I would still carry at least a pass in Mathematics, because ABSU’s screening notice asks for “basic five” credits and admissions officers do not like surprises.

Which JAMB course name to pick

ABSU’s list on Myschool’s reprint of the JAMB brochure shows the course as “Religious Studies” in the arts and humanities group. Pick that name under Abia State University when you register. There is no separate “Christian Religious Studies” or “Religion” entry for ABSU, so do not search for one.

Direct Entry

The general Direct Entry line asks for two A-level passes, one of them in Religious Studies (CRS or Islamic Studies). ABSU has its own remark, remark (iii) on the brochure page: ABSU and DELSU accept an NCE, ND or HND in Religious or Social Studies, or A-level passes in three subjects including Religious Studies. That makes Religious Studies one of the easier ABSU courses to enter with a college of education certificate. The 2026/2027 notice adds that Direct Entry candidates need the basic five O’level credits.

How ABSU screens Religious Studies 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).

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. There was no post-UTME test in the 2026/2027 notice, so your UTME score and your O’level grades are what the university has in front of it.

Worked example for Religious Studies 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.

1. Chidinma scored 168 with B2 in CRS, B3 in English, C4 in Literature in English, B3 in Government, C5 in Mathematics from one sitting. UTME points: 168 ÷ 8 = 21. O’level points: 9 + 8 + 7 + 8 + 6 = 38. Illustrative total: 59.
2. Uchenna scored 184 with C6 in CRS, C5 in English, C6 in Literature in English, C6 in Government, C6 in Igbo across two sittings. UTME points: 184 ÷ 8 = 23. O’level points: 5 + 6 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 26. Illustrative total: 49.
3. The result: Chidinma leads by 10 points.

Uchenna’s UTME score is 16 marks higher, but the weak CRS and English grades pull him back. In a course where CRS is the core subject, a B2 in it is worth working for.

How to apply for Religious Studies at ABSU, step by step

1. 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.
2. Register the UTME with the right subjects: choose Religious Studies at Abia State University with Use of English, CRS (or Islamic Studies) and any two other subjects. 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.
3. Upload your O’level to CAPS: at an accredited JAMB CBT centre, once your result is out. Make sure the upload shows your credits in English Language and CRS or Islamic Studies.
4. 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.
5. Keep your receipts: save the payment receipt and the printout of your completed screening form. You may need both at clearance.
6. Check your status: watch the ABSU portal and your JAMB CAPS page. ABSU offers show on CAPS before anything else.
7. 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.
8. 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.

JAMB set 31 October 2026 as the 2026/2027 admission deadline for public universities such as ABSU (private universities had until 30 November and other institutions until 31 December 2026). If you applied this year, check CAPS every few days rather than waiting for a printed list.

Religious Studies at ABSU: the programme

ABSU’s main campus is at Uturu, in Isuikwuato LGA. The university began in 1981 as Imo State University and took its present name after Abia State was created in 1991. Religious Studies sits in the arts and humanities group of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, alongside English, French, History and International Studies, Igbo, Linguistics and Philosophy.

What you study

ABSU has not published a course outline that I could reach. Religious Studies degrees in Nigeria usually cover:

• Biblical studies: Old and New Testament texts, history and interpretation.
• Church history: the early church, missions and Christianity in Nigeria and West Africa.
• African traditional religion: beliefs, rituals and how they meet Christianity and Islam.
• Islamic studies: an introduction to Islam and its history.
• Philosophy and ethics of religion: religious thought, moral questions and religion in public life.
• Sociology and psychology of religion: how religion shapes communities and behaviour.
• Project: a final-year research essay.

Expect a lot of reading and essay writing. Students who do well treat it like a humanities degree, with steady note-taking and regular essay practice from the first semester.

Accreditation, degree and duration

NUC’s published accreditation results (1990 to 2025) list ABSU Religious Studies with full accreditation as its latest result, with maturity in 2026. The programme is therefore due for its next NUC visit around now. The degree is listed as a B.A.; ABSU did not state the duration on any page I could open, but B.A. programmes in Nigeria usually run four years for UTME entrants and three for Direct Entry.

Careers

• Teaching CRS in secondary schools, after a teaching qualification and TRCN registration.
• Pastoral and church administration roles.
• Civil service, social welfare and community development work.
• NGO and peacebuilding roles, especially interfaith programmes.
• Writing, publishing and media work on faith and society.
• Postgraduate study and research in religion, theology or conflict studies.

Religious Studies or a related ABSU course?

More on each: ABSU Philosophy cut-off mark, ABSU History and International Studies cut-off mark, ABSU Sociology cut-off mark and ABSU Igbo cut-off mark.

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 Religious Studies applicants an ABSU place

• Leaving out CRS or Islamic Studies in the UTME: it is the one named subject, and without it you do not qualify.
• No credit in CRS or Islamic Studies: it is named in the O’level line along with English.
• Assuming Direct Entry is closed: ABSU’s remark accepts NCE, ND and HND in Religious or Social Studies.
• 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 Religious Studies: frequently asked questions

Do I need Mathematics to study Religious Studies in ABSU? The JAMB brochure does not name Mathematics for this course, and ABSU has no O’level remark that adds it. I would still have at least a pass, since ABSU screens for five basic credits.

Can I use NCE to get Direct Entry into Religious Studies at ABSU? Yes. ABSU’s Direct Entry remark accepts an NCE, ND or HND in Religious or Social Studies, or A-level passes in three subjects including Religious Studies.

What subjects should I write in JAMB for Religious Studies in ABSU? Use of English, CRS or Islamic Studies, and any two other subjects. Literature in English and Government are common choices.

Is 160 enough for Religious Studies in ABSU? 160 clears the 150 minimum, so you will be screened. With good credits in English and CRS it gives you a fair chance, but I would aim for 165 or more.

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 four-week CAPS window and the warning on admissions outside CAPS come from the News Agency of Nigeria (11 May 2026). The 31 October 2026 deadline for public universities comes from Legit (28 September 2026). The UTME, O’level and Direct Entry rules, including ABSU’s Direct Entry remark (iii), come from Myschool’s reprint of the JAMB brochure entry for Religious Studies, which ABSU’s JAMB course list links to (fetched 29 October 2026). The accreditation status comes from NUC’s accreditation results, 1990 to 2025 publication. The degree duration was not published in any source I reached. Campus and history details come from Wikipedia. The safe target table and the worked example are my own advice and illustration. ABSU’s fees 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.

Jude Chinecherem

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.