COE Hong has no UTME cut-off mark for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NCE) that 2027/2028 candidates need to beat. Under the policy agreed by the Federal Government and JAMB on 11 May 2026, NCE candidates with at least four O’level credit passes do not sit the UTME. You still register with JAMB through its NCE route, Adamawa State College of Education, Hong recommends you, and JAMB confirms the offer on CAPS. The last numeric minimum was 100, JAMB’s national figure for colleges of education in 2025/2026, and COE Hong has never published a separate figure for Arabic and Islamic Studies.
2027/2028 update: COE Hong admission requirements and entry rules usually stay the same from one year to the next, so the details 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.
Arabic and Islamic Studies teachers work in public schools, Islamiyya schools and integrated Qur’anic schools across Adamawa. JAMB’s list for COE Hong has nine pairings that include Arabic or Islamic Studies, from Arabic/Islamic Studies to Islamic Studies/Social Studies. This guide covers them together because most candidates for one also consider the other.
COE Hong cut off mark for Arabic and Islamic Studies: summary
| Item | Current position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| UTME score needed | None, with four or more O’level credits | Official (FG/JAMB, 11 May 2026) |
| JAMB registration | Required (NCE route: ₦3,500 + ₦700) | Official (JAMB, June 2026) |
| National minimum for colleges of education | 100 in 2025/2026; none announced for 2026 | Official national figure |
| COE Hong cut-off for Arabic and Islamic Studies | Not published | No college figure found |
| Combinations on JAMB’s list | Arabic/English; Arabic/French; Arabic/Hausa; Arabic/Islamic Studies; English/Islamic Studies; French/Islamic Studies; Hausa/Islamic Studies; History/Islamic Studies; Islamic Studies/Social Studies | Myschool’s reprint of JAMB’s course list for COE Hong |
| Duration | 3 years (NCE) | Standard NCE length |
| Admission deadline (colleges of education) | 31 December 2026 for 2026/2027 | Official (NAN, 11 May 2026) |
Arabic and Islamic Studies at COE Hong: cut-off history
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | No UTME score required | UTME exemption for NCE candidates with at least four O’level credits | Official national policy |
| 2025/2026 | 100 | JAMB national minimum UTME score for colleges of education | Official national figure |
| 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 | Not published | COE Hong cut-off of its own for Arabic and Islamic Studies | No college notice found |
None of these figures is specific to Arabic and Islamic Studies. COE Hong has not published one for any year I could trace, and blog numbers you may see online are college-wide figures from older sessions.
Do you need JAMB for Arabic and Islamic Studies at COE Hong in 2027?
Yes, you need JAMB registration. Whether you need a UTME score depends on your O’level. These points come from the 2026 policy meeting and JAMB’s NCE guide:
- No UTME with four credits: at the 11 May 2026 policy meeting the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said NCE candidates with at least four credit passes no longer need to sit the UTME.
- JAMB registration is still compulsory: you register through JAMB’s NCE route at an accredited centre, and your credentials are screened on CAPS before any admission letter is issued.
- When it applies: Nairametrics reported on 11 May 2026 that the change starts from the 2027 admission cycle, while JAMB’s June 2026 NCE guide and its July 2026 registration notice applied it in 2026 already. Either way, a 2027/2028 candidate for Arabic and Islamic Studies at COE Hong does not need a UTME score.
- 2026 UTME candidates: JAMB’s guide moved UTME candidates whose first choice was a college of education to the NCE route for a ₦700 charge, and once a college recommends you for NCE, your UTME process is suspended.
- Universities are different: the UTME stays compulsory for degree courses, with a 2026/2027 university minimum of 150.
Arabic and Islamic Studies combinations and O’level requirements at COE Hong
These are the Arabic and Islamic Studies entries on JAMB’s list for COE Hong (Myschool reprint, checked 3 November 2026). The credit advice is mine:
| Combination (JAMB name) | Credits I would make sure you have (my advice) |
|---|---|
| Arabic/Islamic Studies | English, Arabic, Islamic Studies |
| Arabic/English, Arabic/French or Arabic/Hausa | English, Arabic, plus the partner language |
| Hausa/Islamic Studies | English, Hausa, Islamic Studies |
| English/Islamic Studies | English (good grade), Islamic Studies, Literature in English |
| Islamic Studies/Social Studies | English, Islamic Studies, Civic Education or Government |
| History/Islamic Studies | English, Islamic Studies, History or Government |
| French/Islamic Studies | English, Islamic Studies; French if your school offered it |
Arabic pairings need real Arabic ability; if your school did not offer Arabic at WAEC or NECO, ask COE Hong how it assesses it. The Islamic Studies pairings without Arabic are open to candidates who passed Islamic Studies but not Arabic.
O’level rules
The national rule for the UTME exemption is at least four credit passes. COE Hong has not published its own O’level wording in any source I reached. Colleges of education have usually asked for credits in English Language and in the subjects you will teach, at not more than two sittings, and many ask for Mathematics as well. For Arabic and Islamic Studies, the credits that matter most are in Arabic or Islamic Studies, plus English. WAEC, NECO and NABTEB results are all uploaded the same way on JAMB’s portal.
Safe target in place of a cut-off
This is consultant advice, not a college rule. With no UTME score to beat, the strength of your O’level in the course subjects is what separates you from other applicants.
| Your O’level | My read for Arabic and Islamic Studies at COE Hong |
|---|---|
| Fewer than four credits, or English missing | Not eligible this year; resit at NECO or GCE first |
| Four credits, but weak or missing credits in Arabic or Islamic Studies, plus English | Eligible on paper, but weak for this course |
| Four or five credits, with credits in Arabic or Islamic Studies, plus English | Solid for this course |
| Five or more credits in one sitting, with good grades (B3 or better) in Arabic or Islamic Studies, plus English | Strong for any combination in this group |
UTME subjects, if you write the UTME anyway
NCE does not require the UTME. If you also write it for a university Arabic or Islamic Studies Education place, expect the subject itself plus two Arts or Social Science subjects, with Use of English compulsory; confirm on the JAMB e-brochure before you register.
Direct Entry
There is no Direct Entry into the NCE. JAMB’s June 2026 guideline says all entrants into colleges of education come in through the NCE, with no 100 or 200 level entry, and it ended admission into affiliated degree programmes in colleges of education, which covers COE Hong’s affiliated B.Ed. After the NCE, Direct Entry works the other way: you can use the certificate to apply for a degree at a university.
How to apply for Arabic and Islamic Studies at COE Hong
The steps below follow JAMB’s 2026/2027 NCE registration flow, which is the latest official procedure. Any JAMB-accredited CBT centre can register you.
- Get an O’level verification code: buy it from your exam body’s verification platform. JAMB lists ₦1,500 for one sitting and ₦2,000 for two.
- 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.
- Create or open your e-Facility account: use the profile code at efacility.jamb.gov.ng if you do not already have a JAMB profile.
- Register for NCE at a CBT centre, PRC or IPRC: pay ₦3,500 plus the ₦700 centre charge, give your verification code, pick your NCE course exactly as JAMB lists it (for example Arabic/Islamic Studies) and choose your colleges. Put Adamawa State College of Education, Hong as your first choice, because the registration goes to your first-choice college.
- Upload your O’level results: the centre uploads them and captures your photograph and fingerprints. If you are awaiting results, the college cannot propose you until the results are uploaded.
- Do the college’s screening if it calls for one: COE Hong has not published a form, fee or test date for 2026/2027. Ask the admissions office in Hong and pay only through a channel the college names.
- College recommends you on CAPS: the admission officer proposes your name and the Provost recommends it to JAMB, which checks your O’level against the exam body’s records.
- Accept the offer on CAPS: log in to e-Facility, open Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS. Offers not accepted within four weeks are withdrawn. Our JAMB CAPS guide explains each status.
- Pay acceptance and school charges, then clear: COE Hong has not published its acceptance fee in any source I reached. Pay only through an invoice from the college’s own portal or bursary, then print your JAMB admission letter for clearance.
JAMB fees for NCE registration
| What you pay | Amount | Paid where |
|---|---|---|
| O’level verification code (one sitting) | ₦1,500 | Exam body’s verification platform |
| O’level verification code (two sittings) | ₦2,000 | Exam body’s verification platform |
| JAMB NCE application fee (new applicants) | ₦3,500 | JAMB portal, at a CBT centre, PRC or IPRC |
| CBT/IPRC registration charge | ₦700 | Same centre |
| 2026 UTME candidates moved to NCE | ₦700 only | Same centre |
Warning
Every genuine COE Hong admission shows on JAMB CAPS, and JAMB has said admissions outside CAPS are illegal. Do not pay anyone who promises an NCE place. Pay JAMB fees at a registration centre and college fees only through an invoice the college itself issues.
COE Hong screening
COE Hong has not published a screening form, fee, test date or portal for 2025/2026 or 2026/2027 in any source I reached, and there is no college-specific cut-off either. A blog admission-list page gives only general advice to check the portal and CAPS. Ask the college’s admissions office directly, and pay only through a channel the college itself names.
Worked example
This is an illustration of how the published rules apply. COE Hong has not published a scoring formula, so there is no aggregate to compute.
Aminu wants Islamic Studies at COE Hong. His NECO 2026 results from one sitting: English C6, Mathematics D7, Islamic Studies A1, Hausa B3, Civic Education C4, Government C5, Arabic D7.
- Credits: English, Islamic Studies, Hausa, Civic Education and Government. Five, without Mathematics or Arabic.
- Islamic Studies: A1.
- Matching combinations: Hausa/Islamic Studies, Islamic Studies/Social Studies or History/Islamic Studies. His D7 in Arabic rules out the Arabic pairings.
- JAMB-side cost (one sitting): ₦1,500 + ₦3,500 + ₦700 = ₦5,700.
Hausa/Islamic Studies is the best fit. He meets the four-credit rule, but I would still have him resit Mathematics, since COE Hong has not said whether it requires it.
Admission chances for Arabic and Islamic Studies at COE Hong
- Choose Arabic pairings only with an Arabic credit or the college’s confirmation.
- Islamic Studies pairs with six different subjects: pick your next best.
- Ask the college about screening: COE Hong has published no form or test details.
- Accept on CAPS within four weeks.
Studying Arabic and Islamic Studies at COE Hong
Adamawa State College of Education, Hong started life as the Advanced Teachers College, Hong, and its first session began in January 1983, according to Wikipedia. Wikipedia names its schools as Education, Humanities, Languages, and Pure and Applied Sciences. COE Hong’s course outlines were not available, so this follows the general NCE pattern.
What you study
- Arabic: grammar, composition, reading, translation and Arabic literature.
- Islamic Studies: Qur’an and Hadith, fiqh, and Islamic history including Islam in Nigeria.
- Partner subject: English, French, Hausa, History or Social Studies.
- Education courses and teaching practice.
Accreditation
The NCCE list of accredited colleges shows “College of Education, Hong (Adamawa State College of Education)” with status “open” (checked 3 November 2026). The list covers the college, not each combination, so this course’s own accreditation is not confirmed. Wikipedia says the college has run B.Ed degrees in affiliation with ABU Zaria and Taraba State University, but JAMB ended admission into affiliated degrees in colleges of education from 2026/2027, so new students now enter through the NCE.
Careers and next steps
- Teaching: Arabic and Islamic Studies in public, Islamiyya and integrated Qur’anic schools.
- A degree: Direct Entry into B.A.(Ed) Arabic or Islamic Studies.
- Other work: translation, religious education programmes and community organisations.
Related programmes
- COE Hong cut-off mark for all NCE programmes
- Hausa (NCE)
- FCE Yola Arabic (NCE)
- FCE Yola Islamic Studies (NCE)
Useful reading: JAMB CAPS guide and JAMB change of course guide.
COE Hong Arabic and Islamic Studies: frequently asked questions
Can I study Islamic Studies at COE Hong without Arabic? Yes. Five of the nine pairings do not include Arabic, such as Hausa/Islamic Studies and Islamic Studies/Social Studies.
What is the cut off mark for Islamic Studies in COE Hong? There is no UTME cut-off for the NCE course; four O’level credits are the entry requirement. The last national minimum for colleges of education was 100, in 2025/2026.
Does COE Hong offer Arabic/Islamic Studies? Yes, it is on JAMB’s list for the college.
Is COE Hong Arabic accepted with an Islamiyya certificate? COE Hong has not published its position. Ask the admissions office before relying on it.
Sources and updates
COE Hong’s course names are from Myschool’s reprint of JAMB’s course list for the college (checked 3 November 2026). The college history, schools and affiliations are from Wikipedia; its status is from the NCCE accredited colleges list. COE Hong has published no cut-off, form fee or screening date in any source I reached.
The UTME exemption for NCE candidates, the 31 December 2026 deadline for colleges of education and the four-week CAPS acceptance window come from reports of the 11 May 2026 policy meeting by the News Agency of Nigeria, TheNigeriaLawyer and Nairametrics. Registration steps and fees, and the NCE-only entry rule, come from JAMB’s NCE/ND special registration flow (June 2026), reported by Daily Trust and BusinessDay; the opening of NCE registration is from Nairametrics and Legit.ng (23 July 2026). The 2025/2026 minimum of 100 is JAMB’s figure reported by Nairametrics (8 July 2025). Checked on 3 November 2026; this page will be updated when COE Hong or JAMB publishes 2027/2028 details.
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.
