NBU Political Science and International Relations Cut-Off Mark 2027/2028 and Admission Requirements

The NBU cut-off mark for Political Science and International Relations, as 2027/2028 candidates should read it, is 160 in the UTME, but there is a naming problem you need to know first. Nigerian British University’s 2026/2027 admissions page does not list a programme called Political Science and International Relations. It lists International Relations & Diplomacy in its “160+” group, and that is the course NBU is admitting into. There is no standalone Political Science degree on the page.

2027/2028 update: NBU 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.

Older department lists, and a course directory updated in February 2026, name NBU’s course “Political Science and International Relations”. NBU’s own 2026/2027 page calls it “International Relations & Diplomacy”. I could not open JAMB’s course list for NBU to see which name JAMB carries. Because NBU only considers candidates whose CAPS programme matches the programme they choose on its portal, you must settle this name before you register.

This page covers the 160 minimum, the subject combination that fits both names, NBU’s O’level and Direct Entry rules, how to handle the course name on JAMB, the application steps, fees and accreditation.

NBU Political Science and International Relations cut-off mark 2027/2028 at a glance

Political Science and International Relations or International Relations and Diplomacy?

Two readings fit these facts. NBU may have renamed or restructured the course, or JAMB’s list may still carry the older name for the same programme. Either way, the course NBU will admit you into for 2026/2027 is International Relations & Diplomacy, and it carries a 160 minimum.

What to do on JAMB

1. Check the list when you register: on JAMB’s registration screen, open Nigerian British University and read its course list.
2. If International Relations and Diplomacy is there: pick it. That matches NBU’s portal.
3. If only Political Science and International Relations is there: email admissions@nbu.edu.ng and ask which JAMB course maps to its International Relations & Diplomacy programme. Keep the reply.
4. Before the CAPS deadline: make sure your CAPS course and your NBU portal choice match, or are confirmed by NBU in writing as the same programme.

Do not leave this to the last week. NBU’s page says it ignores applications where the CAPS course and the portal course differ, and a JAMB change of course takes time to show on CAPS.

Cut-off history for this course at NBU

NBU was not on the list of institutions that declared their own cut-offs at JAMB’s 2026 policy meeting. Its 160 comes from the university’s own admissions page. Aggregator sites that still show 150 for NBU are out of date.

Safe target score (my advice)

This is my judgement, not an NBU rule. NBU publishes a minimum, not the score of the last candidate admitted, and it does not publish applicant numbers. For the 2027 UTME I would aim for at least 180.

JAMB subject combination and O’level for NBU International Relations

JAMB’s brochure has separate lines for the two names, and they do not ask for the same subjects. These come from Myschool’s reprint of the JAMB university brochure; no remark on either page names NBU.

The combination that satisfies both lines is Use of English, Government, Economics and Literature in English. Government, Economics and Literature are all Arts or Social Science subjects, which covers the first line, and they are exactly Economics, Literature and Government, which covers the second. If you register History or Geography instead of Government, you still fit the International Relations and Diplomacy line, but Government is the better preparation for the degree.

For O’level, NBU’s own rule is stricter on Mathematics than JAMB’s Political Science line: five credits including English and Mathematics, plus three relevant subjects, in not more than two sittings. A pass in Mathematics will not do at NBU. I would present English, Mathematics, Government, Economics and Literature in English or History.

Direct Entry

NBU accepts A-level in relevant subjects, OND, HND or a first degree, and for 2026/2027 it asked Direct Entry candidates to send transcripts to the Registrar, Nigerian British University, KM 10 Aba Port Harcourt Expressway, by 1 September 2026. A-levels (or IJMB and JUPEB) in Government and Economics fit both brochure lines. For a diploma such as Public Administration, ask NBU in writing whether it is accepted before you buy the form.

How NBU screens applicants

NBU’s 2026/2027 page did not describe a written post-UTME test. It set three conditions:

• your JAMB CAPS details must match the details on your NBU application;
• only candidates whose programme on JAMB CAPS matches the programme on the NBU portal are considered;
• only candidates who upload all the required documents are considered.

A May 2026 blog post said NBU’s post-UTME form was on sale but gave no fee, date or test format, and I found no official notice of a test. Watch the portal and your email for any test or interview date.

Worked example (illustrative)

NBU has not published an aggregate formula, so this only shows the checks on its page.

1. Ngozi: scored 182 with Use of English, Government, Economics and Literature in English, has credits in English, Mathematics, Government, Economics and Literature from one sitting, and registered NBU as first choice.
2. Her checks: 182 is 22 above NBU’s 160, and her subjects fit both brochure lines. On the NBU portal she finds International Relations & Diplomacy. Her JAMB course is listed under the older name, so she emails admissions, gets written confirmation that the two are the same programme, and uploads every document.
3. Chukwudi: scored 171 with Use of English, Government, CRS and History, and has a pass, not a credit, in Mathematics.
4. His checks: his UTME subjects fit the Political Science and International Relations line but not the International Relations and Diplomacy line, which needs Economics and Literature. His Mathematics pass also falls short of NBU’s credit rule. He needs to resit Mathematics before NBU will consider him.

How it compares with NBU’s other management and social science degrees

International Relations & Diplomacy is the only politics-focused degree on NBU’s 2026/2027 list. If you want public administration or a pure Political Science degree, NBU is not advertising either.

How to apply, step by step

1. Get your JAMB profile code: send NIN, a space and your 11-digit NIN to 55019 or 66019 from the phone line linked to your NIN.
2. Register the UTME correctly: choose the International Relations course on NBU’s JAMB list with Nigerian British University as your institution, using the subjects in the table above. First choice is the cleanest route. If NBU was not your first choice, change your institution to NBU on JAMB before its CAPS cut-off date.
3. Upload your O’level to CAPS: do this at a JAMB-accredited centre as soon as your WAEC, NECO or NABTEB result is out. NBU accepts at most two sittings.
4. Apply on the NBU portal: use application.nbu.edu.ng, the link on NBU’s admissions page. Pick International Relations & Diplomacy, the same programme you have on CAPS, and upload every document asked for. The page does not state a form price, so read the amount on the portal itself.
5. Meet the closing date: for 2026/2027, NBU set 30 November 2026 as its application deadline and as the last day for candidates to move NBU onto their CAPS profile. That matches the 30 November 2026 deadline JAMB set for private universities in the 2026/2027 cycle.
6. Accept the offer on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng, choose Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS. JAMB gave 2026 candidates four weeks to accept or reject an offer.
7. Pay acceptance and register: NBU’s older fee schedule listed acceptance at ₦40,000. Confirm the current amount with the bursary, pay only through NBU’s official channels, then complete clearance and print your JAMB admission letter.

Admissions enquiries go to admissions@nbu.edu.ng or +234 706 075 0979 (the number in the footer of NBU’s site). When your status changes, our JAMB CAPS guide explains what each status means and how to accept.

NBU Management and Social Sciences fees

These figures come from NBU’s older fee schedule, which carries a note about a 5% discount for new students in the 2024/2025 session, so treat them as a guide and not as the 2026/2027 bill. Legit.ng reported NBU’s 2026/2027 fees in September 2026 for Computing and IT (₦951,540), Engineering (₦750,000), Law (₦1,218,037), Nursing (₦1,270,037) and Medicine (₦2,743,000), citing NBU’s tuition page, but I found no 2026/2027 figure for Management and Social Sciences. The older schedule allowed payment in three parts (50% at the start of the session, 20% before first-semester exams and 30% at the start of the second semester) and said fees are not refundable. Ask the bursary for the current Management and Social Sciences figure before you budget.

Studying International Relations at Nigerian British University

NBU is a private university at Asa, Ukwa West Local Government Area, Abia State, on the Aba to Port Harcourt road. It is owned by the Adorable Foundation for Educational Development, got NUC approval in April 2022 and was commissioned in February 2023. Its 2026/2027 admissions page lists five academic units: the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, the College of Health Sciences, the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Engineering.

What you study

• Early years: introduction to political science, Nigerian government and politics, history of international relations and general studies courses.
• Middle years: theories of international relations, foreign policy analysis, international law, international organisations and research methods.
• Final year: diplomacy and negotiation, African politics and security, international political economy, electives and a research project.

That outline follows the usual Nigerian pattern for international relations degrees. NBU has not published its own course list, so check the departmental handbook when you resume.

Duration and accreditation

A B.Sc. normally takes four years for UTME entrants in Nigeria, and Direct Entry students start at 200 level. NBU’s page does not state the duration.

I found no NUC accreditation result for International Relations & Diplomacy or Political Science and International Relations at NBU. No NUC report page names NBU, and the NBU entry in NUC’s published accreditation results could not be read. Its status is therefore not confirmed. That is common for a university commissioned in 2023, because NUC accreditation visits usually come after a programme has run for some years, but ask NBU for the current status in writing before paying.

Careers after the degree

• Foreign service and international affairs roles in government
• International organisations, embassies and development agencies
• Policy research, think tanks and political risk analysis
• Journalism, advocacy and NGO work
• Postgraduate study in diplomacy, law, security or public policy

Entry into Nigeria’s foreign service is by competitive examination, so the degree alone does not get you in.

Related courses at NBU and elsewhere in Abia

• NBU Economics cut-off mark and requirements
• NBU Mass Communication cut-off mark and requirements
• Clifford University International Relations cut-off mark
• Spiritan University Political Science cut-off mark

Mistakes that cost applicants an NBU place

• Registering a name NBU’s portal does not show: confirm the JAMB course name with NBU first.
• Planning with 150: NBU wants 160.
• Skipping Economics or Literature in the UTME: the International Relations and Diplomacy line names both.
• A pass in Mathematics: NBU wants a credit.
• O’level from three sittings: NBU accepts two at most.
• Paying an agent: forms are sold on NBU’s own portal.

Preparing for the 2027 UTME? Start with when JAMB 2027 registration starts, and once results are out, see how to check your JAMB result. If you registered a course or school you no longer want, our guides to JAMB change of course and JAMB change of institution explain the fix.

NBU Political Science and International Relations: frequently asked questions

What is the cut-off mark for Political Science and International Relations at NBU? 160. NBU’s 2026/2027 page lists the course as International Relations & Diplomacy in its 160 and above group.

Does NBU offer Political Science alone? No standalone Political Science degree appears on NBU’s 2026/2027 admissions page. The politics-related course it lists is International Relations & Diplomacy.

What JAMB subjects do I need for International Relations at NBU? Use of English, Government, Economics and Literature in English is the safest set, because it fits both JAMB brochure lines that could apply to NBU’s course.

Is NBU’s 2026/2027 admission still open? Yes, until 30 November 2026, the closing date on NBU’s admissions page. You need 160 or more and NBU on your CAPS profile by that date.

Sources and updates

The programme name International Relations & Diplomacy, the 160 minimum, the O’level rule, the Direct Entry routes, the CAPS matching and document conditions, the 30 November 2026 closing date, the portal and the contacts come from NBU’s 2026/2027 undergraduate admissions page. The JAMB requirements were checked on Myschool’s reprint of the JAMB brochure (Political Science and International Relations, International Relations and Diplomacy); no remark names NBU. The older name comes from the universitycourses.ng NBU list (updated February 2026) and NBU’s Wikipedia entry. The national minimum of 150, the 30 November 2026 private-university deadline and the CAPS rules come from the News Agency of Nigeria (11 May 2026). The fee breakdown comes from NBU’s older fee schedule. JAMB’s own course list for NBU could not be opened and no NUC accreditation result was found. Checked on 29 October 2026.

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.