The MAU cut off mark for Biochemistry is 160 in the UTME. That is the minimum Modibbo Adama University, Yola (MAU, formerly MAUTECH) set for candidates registering for its 2026/2027 screening, as reprinted by Myschool on 15 July 2026. JAMB’s national minimum for universities is 150, and MAU has not published a separate departmental cut-off for Biochemistry. Biochemistry pulls in many candidates who also wanted Medicine, so the competition is stiffer than the 160 figure suggests.
2027/2028 update: MAU 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 MAU’s latest screening notice (2026/2027), as reprinted by Myschool. If the 2027/2028 notice changes anything, we will update this page.
Below are the official figures, a safe target score (my advice), the UTME and O’level subjects from JAMB’s brochure entry for MAU, Direct Entry rules, the screening steps and what the degree covers.
MAU cut off mark for Biochemistry at a glance
| Item | 2026/2027 position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MAU minimum UTME score to register for screening | 160 | Reported by Myschool (15 July 2026) from MAU’s notice; I could not open the notice on mau.edu.ng |
| JAMB national minimum for universities | 150 | Official (JAMB policy meeting, 11 May 2026) |
| MAU departmental cut-off for Biochemistry | Not published | No figure for 2025/2026 or 2026/2027 |
| Screening registration | 20 July to 31 August 2026 (closed) | Myschool reprint of MAU’s notice |
| Screening fee | ₦2,000 in 2025; 2026 fee not found | Studentship reprint of MAU’s 2025 notice |
| UTME subjects | Biology, Chemistry and Physics or Mathematics | JAMB brochure remark for MAUTECH (via Myschool) |
| 2026/2027 admission deadline | 31 October 2026 for public universities (passed) | NAN, 11 May 2026 |
MAU Biochemistry cut-off history
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 160 | MAU minimum UTME score to register for screening (MAU as first choice) | Myschool reprint, 15 July 2026 |
| 2026/2027 | 150 | JAMB national minimum for universities | Official |
| 2025/2026 | 160 | MAU minimum UTME score to register for screening | Studentship reprint of MAU’s signed notice, 9 August 2025 |
| 2025/2026 | 150 | JAMB national minimum for universities | Nairametrics, 8 July 2025 |
| Either year | None | Separate cut-off for Biochemistry | MAU has not published one |
MAU has used 160 for two sessions in a row, ten marks above JAMB’s floor. Neither notice set a separate mark for Biochemistry or any other department. If a blog prints a “departmental cut-off” for MAU Biochemistry, ask where it came from, because no MAU document I found contains one. The real admission score for the course is whatever the last admitted candidate had, and MAU does not publish that.
Safe target score for Biochemistry at MAU (my advice)
This table is my judgement as an admissions adviser. It is not an MAU rule.
| Your UTME score | My read for MAU Biochemistry |
|---|---|
| Below 160 | Not eligible for MAU screening |
| 160 to 179 | Eligible, but a place is unlikely unless few people apply |
| 180 to 199 | Possible with strong O’level grades |
| 200 to 219 | Competitive |
| 220 and above | Strong. |
Biochemistry is a common choice for science candidates who miss Medicine or Pharmacy, and at many universities it is one of the courses Medicine applicants are moved into through CAPS transfers. That pushes the real cut above the screening minimum. MAU does not publish the last admitted score, so the bands above are my judgement.
For the 2027 UTME I would aim for at least 200, ideally 215, with B3 or better in Chemistry and Biology.
Catchment and state of origin
MAU is a federal university, so JAMB’s admission guidelines for federal institutions apply, and those set aside part of every course’s places for merit, catchment and educationally less developed states. MAU has not published how it splits Biochemistry places or which states it counts as catchment. Its 2025 screening form did ask for a state of origin (indigene) form, so have one ready, but I would not count on state of origin to rescue a low score.
UTME subject combination and O’level for Biochemistry at MAU
| Requirement | Biochemistry at MAU |
|---|---|
| UTME subjects | Use of English, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics or Mathematics (brochure remark for MAUTECH). |
| O’level | Five credits: English Language, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Biology (brochure remark for MAUTECH) |
| Exams accepted | WAEC, NECO or NABTEB (as reported in reprints of MAU’s admission information) |
| Sittings | Up to two. MAU’s 2025 screening form let candidates enter their best five subjects from a maximum of two sittings. |
| Awaiting result | MAU’s notices that I reached do not mention it. The screening form needed actual grades, so plan to have your result before screening opens. |
| Direct Entry | See the list below |
If you are aiming for Medicine and listing Biochemistry as a fallback, take Physics rather than Mathematics in the UTME. That keeps one combination valid for both courses.
All five O’level subjects are fixed. There is no room for Agricultural Science in place of Biology or for Further Mathematics in place of Physics.
Direct Entry requirements for Biochemistry at MAU
- Two A-level passes or equivalent chosen from Chemistry and Biology (brochure remark for MAUTECH).
- ND or HND with lower credit in a relevant field, such as Science Laboratory Technology with a chemistry or biochemistry option.
- The five O’level credits above still apply.
One thing to clear up early: Myschool’s reprint of MAU’s 2026 notice puts Direct Entry applicants in the same sentence as the 160 mark. DE candidates do not write the UTME, so ask MAU’s admissions office how that line applies to you before you pay for screening.
How MAU screening works for Biochemistry
MAU screens online. For 2026/2027, registration ran from Monday 20 July to Monday 31 August 2026 for candidates who chose MAU first and scored 160 or more, and that window has closed. Myschool’s reprint did not give the 2026 fee or the portal, and it did not say whether a written test followed. The fuller details below come from MAU’s 2025 notice as reprinted by Studentship, so treat that column as last year’s process.
| Detail | 2026/2027 (latest) | 2025/2026 (last year’s process) |
|---|---|---|
| Who could register | MAU first choice, 160 or more in UTME or DE application | MAU first choice, 160 or more |
| Dates | 20 July to 31 August 2026 (closed) | 4 to 31 August 2025 |
| Fee | Not stated in the reprint | ₦2,000, non-refundable, plus Remita and VAT charges |
| Portal | Not stated in the reprint | mau_postutme.admissions.cloud, also reachable from mau.edu.ng under “Undergraduate Admissions” |
| Test | Not stated | Schedule “to be announced”; format not stated |
| Not MAU first choice? | Change institution and course at a JAMB office or CBT centre first | Same rule |
Worked example for Biochemistry candidates
MAU has not published an aggregate formula, and no source says whether its screening includes a scored test. So the useful calculation is the gap between your UTME score, the 160 minimum and a safe target. The candidates below are illustrations, not real applicants.
Take Halima, who scored 211 with B2 in Chemistry, B3 in Biology, B3 in English, C4 in Physics and C4 in Mathematics from one sitting.
- Eligibility: 211 minus 160 = 51. She is well above MAU’s screening minimum.
- Against my safe target: 211 is in my “competitive” band; 220 minus 211 = 9 short of strong.
- O’level check: all five fixed subjects are credits in one sitting.
- What I would advise: keep Biochemistry and accept quickly if it shows on CAPS.
Peter scored 184 and had Medicine as his course. MAU may move him to Biochemistry through a CAPS transfer. 184 minus 160 = 24, so he is eligible, but on my bands that score is “possible” for Biochemistry, not safe. If a transfer offer comes, he should accept it rather than wait.
Some Nigerian universities average the UTME score with a Post-UTME score, often 50:50. MAU has not said it does this, so treat any “MAU aggregate calculator” online as guesswork.
How to apply for Biochemistry at MAU, step by step
- Get your profile code: send NIN, a space and your 11-digit NIN to 55019 or 66019 from the phone line linked to your NIN. JAMB replies with the profile code you need to buy the UTME form.
- Register for the UTME: choose Biochemistry with English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics (or Mathematics), and make MAU your first choice. JAMB still lists it as MAUTECH in many places. If you picked another school, do a change of institution at a JAMB office before MAU’s screening opens.
- Upload your O’level to CAPS: do this at a JAMB CBT centre. MAU’s 2025 notice told candidates to upload O’level results (and A-level results for DE) on JAMB’s portal as well as on MAU’s form.
- Watch for the screening notice: the last two windows opened on 4 August 2025 and 20 July 2026, and both closed on 31 August. Check mau.edu.ng from June.
- Fill MAU’s form: in 2025 this meant verifying with your JAMB registration number, creating an account, confirming your email, generating a Remita RRR and paying, uploading a passport photo (150 kb at most) and signature, entering your best five O’level subjects with result checker details, adding next of kin details, uploading your O’level result, state of origin form and birth certificate, then printing the slip.
- Check and accept on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng, choose Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS. Accept the offer if Biochemistry or a course you can live with appears.
- Pay acceptance and clear: MAU has not published its acceptance fee in any source I reached. Pay only against an invoice from MAU’s own portal, then complete clearance with your original documents.
Warning
Every genuine MAU offer shows on JAMB CAPS, and JAMB has said admissions done outside CAPS are illegal. Ignore anyone selling MAU Biochemistry “slots” or admission letters, and pay only through invoices generated on MAU’s portal.
Myschool reported in early October 2026 that MAU’s 2026/2027 admission list was on JAMB CAPS. JAMB set 31 October 2026 as the 2026/2027 deadline for public universities; that date has now passed. If you applied this year, check your status anyway, and use our JAMB CAPS guide to read what each status means.
Studying Biochemistry at MAU
MAU’s life sciences departments, Biochemistry among them, are grouped together in Wikipedia and reprints; I could not confirm the current faculty name on an MAU page. The degree normally runs for four years from 100 level.
Biochemistry is the chemistry of living things: how cells make energy, how enzymes work, how genes are copied and switched on, and what goes wrong in disease. It is a laboratory-heavy course.
Accreditation
NUC’s Accreditation Results 1990 to 2025, published in September 2026, list MAU’s Biochemistry programme with full accreditation and a maturity year of 2026. That is the year it falls due for review, so ask the department for the outcome before you accept.
What you study
- 100 level: general chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics.
- 200 and 300 levels: organic and physical chemistry, biomolecules, enzymology, metabolism, cell biology and laboratory methods.
- Later years: molecular biology, clinical and nutritional biochemistry, toxicology and pharmacological biochemistry.
- Industrial training: SIWES, then a research project.
Careers after Biochemistry
- Research laboratories in universities and institutes.
- Quality control in pharmaceutical, food, brewing and cosmetics companies.
- Clinical research and medical sales.
- Teaching chemistry and biology.
- A base for graduate entry into Medicine, or postgraduate study in molecular biology and biotechnology.
Related MAU courses
- MAU cut-off mark for Microbiology
- MAU Biotechnology cut-off mark
- MAU Chemistry cut-off mark
- MAU cut-off mark for Medicine and Surgery
Revise with our JAMB Chemistry syllabus and JAMB Biology syllabus; both carry heavy weight in this course.
Mistakes that cost Biochemistry applicants an MAU place
- Treating 160 as the admission score: it only lets you register for screening.
- Ignoring a CAPS transfer: Medicine applicants moved into Biochemistry sometimes wait too long and lose the offer.
- Missing one of the five O’level subjects: MAU’s remark names all five.
- MAU not first choice: the screening notice was for first-choice candidates, so change institution before the window opens.
- O’level missing from CAPS: MAU cannot consider you properly without it.
- Accepting on CAPS and stopping there: acceptance fee payment and clearance at MAU are separate steps.
If you are planning for the 2027 UTME, read when JAMB 2027 registration starts and our guide to JAMB change of course if you need to fix your course before screening.
MAU cut off mark for Biochemistry: frequently asked questions
Is 190 enough for Biochemistry in MAU? 190 clears the 160 minimum and is a possible score, but Biochemistry is crowded. I would aim for 200 to 215.
Can I use Mathematics instead of Physics for Biochemistry in MAU? Yes in the UTME; JAMB’s brochure remark for MAUTECH allows Physics or Mathematics with Biology and Chemistry. You still need credits in both Physics and Mathematics at O’level.
Does MAU admit Direct Entry students into Biochemistry? Yes, with two A-level passes from Chemistry and Biology or an ND or HND at lower credit in a relevant field, plus the O’level credits.
Can I be moved from Medicine to Biochemistry in MAU? MAU can offer a Medicine applicant another course through a CAPS transfer, and Biochemistry uses the same UTME subjects. Accept or reject it on CAPS yourself.
Sources and updates
The 160 minimum for 2026/2027, the 20 July to 31 August 2026 window and the change of institution rule come from Myschool’s report on MAU’s 2026 Post-UTME (15 July 2026), which reprints MAU’s notice; MAU’s own site would not load for me, so I have not seen the original. The 2025/2026 figure of 160, the ₦2,000 fee, the portal address and the form steps come from Studentship’s reprint of MAU’s signed 2025 notice (updated 9 August 2025). The subject and Direct Entry rules come from Myschool’s copy of the JAMB brochure entry for Biochemistry, read on 3 November 2026. The national minimum of 150 and the 31 October 2026 deadline come from the News Agency of Nigeria (11 May 2026), and the 2025/2026 national figure from Nairametrics (8 July 2025). The note on MAU’s history and its change from MAUTECH to Modibbo Adama University, Yola in January 2021 is from its Wikipedia entry. The admission list date is from a Myschool headline. Safe target scores and the worked example are my own advice. The Biochemistry accreditation result is from NUC’s Accreditation Results 1990 to 2025 (published September 2026). Checked on 3 November 2026; this page will be updated if MAU publishes a departmental cut-off for Biochemistry or a new screening 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.
