There is no UTME cut-off mark for the ESCET NCE/Degree (Dual Mandate) programme for 2027/2028 candidates who have at least four O’level credits. Every new student at Enugu State College of Education (Technical), Enugu now enters through the NCE, and national policy agreed on 11 May 2026 exempts NCE applicants with four credits from the UTME, as long as they register with JAMB and are admitted through CAPS. ESCET itself has not published a cut-off mark for any course.
2027/2028 update: ESCET 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) and the college’s 2026/2027 advert as reprinted online. If the 2027/2028 rules change anything, we will update this page.
So can you still get a degree through ESCET? The college says yes: its 2026/2027 advert describes a “re-branded straight five-year NCE/Degree” in which you earn the NCE after three years and a bachelor’s degree after two more. JAMB, meanwhile, closed every affiliated degree in colleges of education and banned 100 and 200 level entry into them from 2026/2027. This guide explains how the two fit together, what is confirmed and what is not, the requirements, the JAMB NCE costs, a worked example and the steps to apply.
ESCET cut-off mark 2027/2028 at a glance
| Question | Answer for 2027/2028 planning | Status |
|---|---|---|
| UTME score for NCE entry | 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 |
| How new students enter ESCET | Through the NCE only; no 100 or 200 level degree entry | JAMB guidelines, June 2026 |
| The degree part of the dual mandate | Reached after the three-year NCE, inside the five-year programme | ESCET advert reprint, 28 July 2026 |
| Who awards the degree | Not stated in the advert | Unconfirmed; ask the college |
| ESCET cut-off for any course | Not published | No ESCET figure found |
| Admission deadline for colleges of education (2026/2027) | 31 December 2026 | Official (JAMB policy meeting) |
| Is ESCET accredited? | Listed as open on the NCCE accredited colleges list | NCCE list, checked 29 October 2026 |
Can you still get a degree through ESCET in 2027/2028?
JAMB tightened the rules for colleges of education in June 2026, and ESCET advertised its degree programme in July 2026.
What JAMB changed
JAMB’s NCE and agriculture ND registration guidelines, issued in June 2026, ended admission into affiliated degree programmes in colleges of education from the 2026/2027 session. BusinessDay (22 June 2026) quoted the guidelines: “All entrants are through NCE.” No college of education may admit anyone into 100 or 200 level, and the old university-affiliated degrees are closed to new students. Daily Trust reported the same rules.
What ESCET advertised a month later
On 28 July 2026, Myschool and AbsTechConnect reprinted an ESCET advert for its 2026/2027 intake. It describes a straight five-year programme with three certificates:
- NCE: awarded after the first three years.
- Bachelor’s degree: awarded after two more years.
- Vocational or professional skill: a practical skill in your chosen area, which the advert says comes without additional fees.
How the two fit together
Under ESCET’s model you still enter at NCE level, which is exactly what JAMB now requires, and you move into degree work only after finishing the NCE. That is the “dual mandate” idea. The Federal Government approved concurrent NCE and degree programmes for federal colleges of education from 2024/2025, according to an NCCE news release dated 5 June 2024, and The Guardian (11 September 2025) reported that NCCE picked 18 colleges for a pilot in which NCE graduates move into degree study in the same college.
The NCCE release covers federal colleges, and ESCET is a state college. The Guardian report did not name the 18 pilot colleges. The ESCET advert, as reprinted, does not say which body awards the degree or which approval it runs under. I could not find ESCET on any published dual-mandate list. Before 2026 the college ran degrees through an affiliation with Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Myschool carried an “ESCET UNIZIK affiliation” notice in 2013), and that type of arrangement is the one JAMB has now closed.
My advice: apply for the NCE on its own merits, because that part is certain. Treat the degree years as a bonus until the college shows you, in writing, who awards the degree and under what NCCE or NUC approval.
ESCET cut-off mark history
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027/2028 | No UTME score needed for NCE | Planning position, based on the 2026/2027 rules | Unless JAMB changes the policy |
| 2026/2027 | No UTME score needed | NCE candidates with four or more O’level credits are exempt from the UTME but must register with JAMB and go through CAPS | Official national policy (11 May 2026) and JAMB’s June 2026 NCE guide |
| 2026/2027 | No numeric minimum | No national minimum UTME score for colleges of education was announced | Official (policy meeting reports) |
| 2025/2026 | 100 | JAMB national minimum UTME score for colleges of education | Official national figure (JAMB, July 2025) |
| Any year | None found | An ESCET-specific cut-off for any course | Not published by the college |
A reporting wrinkle is worth knowing. Nairametrics (11 May 2026) wrote that the NCE exemption takes effect from the 2027 admission cycle, while JAMB’s own June 2026 NCE registration guide and Legit’s report of 23 July 2026 show it was already applied in 2026. For a 2027/2028 candidate both readings lead to the same place: with four or more credits, you do not sit the UTME for NCE at ESCET.
Courses under the ESCET NCE/Degree programme
The list below is Myschool’s reprint of JAMB’s course list for ESCET (41 courses, checked 29 October 2026). The grouping into schools is mine, not the college’s. The 2026/2027 advert also names Accounting (Double Major), which is not on that list.
| Area | Courses on the JAMB list | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| Technical | Technical Education | Technical Education |
| Vocational | Business Education; Agricultural Science (DM); Home Economics (DM); Fine and Applied Arts (DM) | Business Education, Agricultural Science, Home Economics |
| Sciences | Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Integrated Science and Computer Education pairings, plus Economics/Mathematics | Computer Education, Biology |
| Arts and social sciences | CRS pairings; Economics, Political Science and Social Studies pairings | CRS |
| Languages | English with History, Igbo, Political Science or Social Studies | English and Igbo |
| Education and primary | Physical and Health Education (DM); Early Childhood Care Education; Primary Education Studies | Primary Education Studies |
“DM” means double major: you study one subject in depth instead of a pair. Whether every course on this list carries the degree years is not stated anywhere I could find.
ESCET admission requirements for 2027/2028
ESCET has not published its own O’level rules for 2026/2027. The table combines the national rule with what colleges of education in the South East have asked for in recent adverts. Treat the second half as the usual pattern, not an ESCET notice.
| Requirement | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| O’level credits | At least four | National policy, 11 May 2026 |
| Compulsory subjects | English Language; Mathematics for most courses | Usual college of education pattern |
| Relevant subjects | Two credits relevant to your course | Usual pattern |
| Sittings | Not more than two | Usual pattern |
| Exams accepted | WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, GCE | Usual pattern |
| UTME | Not needed with four credits; JAMB registration still needed | National policy and JAMB guide |
| Minimum age | 16 for tertiary admission | Policy meeting, 11 May 2026 |
My safe target for the dual mandate
Because ESCET is selling a programme that ends in a degree, I would not aim for the bare four credits. University degree courses almost always ask for five credits including English and Mathematics. If the degree years are ever checked against degree-level entry rules, a file with five credits, English and Mathematics included, and two strong subjects related to your course will survive that check. This is my advice as a consultant, not a published ESCET rule.
JAMB NCE registration costs and rules
JAMB’s June 2026 guide for NCE and agriculture ND candidates is the latest official word on costs and order of steps.
| 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 (IPRC) 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 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 you have running is suspended |
| 2026 registration opened | 23 July 2026 (Nairametrics) |
ESCET screening and selection
The reprinted 2026/2027 advert gives no screening date, form fee, test format or official portal address. The only “portal” link in the reprint points to a Myschool page, not an ESCET site. Until the college publishes these details, assume selection works the way it does at other colleges of education: you register with JAMB for NCE, your O’level sits on CAPS, the college checks it against its course requirements, and the Provost recommends successful candidates on CAPS.
Worked example (illustrative)
ESCET has not published a ranking formula, so the check is simple: do you meet the entry rule, and is your result on CAPS in time? These two candidates are invented.
Ifeoma wants Business Education. Her WAEC (one sitting): English C5, Mathematics C6, Economics B3, Commerce C4, Financial Accounting C5, Civic Education B2.
- Credits: six. The national rule asks for four. Pass.
- English and Mathematics: both credits. Pass.
- Relevant subjects: Economics, Commerce and Financial Accounting. Pass.
- Degree-level safety check: five or more credits with English and Mathematics. Pass.
- Verdict: a strong file. She should buy her verification code, register for NCE with ESCET as her institution and get the result onto CAPS early.
Obinna wants Technical Education. His NECO: English C6, Mathematics C5, Physics D7, Technical Drawing C4, Civic Education C5. He has four credits, but only one technical or science subject. He meets the bare national count but looks weak on the relevant-subject rule, so I would tell him to resit Physics before applying, or apply to a course where his credits fit better.
How to apply to ESCET for 2027/2028
- 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. JAMB replies with a profile code.
- Buy your O’level verification code: ₦1,500 for one sitting or ₦2,000 for two, going by JAMB’s 2026 guide.
- Register with JAMB for NCE: at an accredited CBT centre, choose Enugu State College of Education (Technical), Enugu and your course. The 2026 fee was ₦3,500 plus the ₦700 centre charge. If JAMB already has you down for another school, do a JAMB change of institution first.
- Upload your O’level to CAPS: the college cannot propose you until your result is there, and awaiting-result candidates wait until upload.
- Complete ESCET’s own form if it opens one: watch for the college’s official notice. Pay only through an official invoice and keep every receipt.
- Accept on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng, open Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS. In 2026/2027 JAMB gave four weeks to accept before an offer could be withdrawn. Our JAMB CAPS guide explains each status.
- Pay acceptance and register at the college: ESCET has not published an acceptance fee. Ask in writing who awards the degree before you pay degree-related charges.
Warning
JAMB says admissions outside CAPS are illegal, and no college of education may admit anyone into 100 or 200 level. Anyone offering a “direct degree” or “200 level” place at ESCET is offering something JAMB will not recognise. Confirm your course is running before you pay any fee.
About ESCET and what to check before you pay
ESCET is a state-owned college of education in Enugu with a technical and vocational focus. The NCCE accredited colleges list (checked 29 October 2026) shows it as an open state college of education. Per-course accreditation is not confirmed.
- Degree approval: ask which body awards the bachelor’s degree and ask to see the approval letter.
- Your course: confirm it is admitting in 2027/2028 and whether it carries the degree years.
- Fees: the advert says the skill certificate costs nothing extra but gives no tuition figures.
- Recent history: in October 2023 the Enugu State Government set up a committee to look into alleged fraud at the college, and a group of 94 disengaged lecturers later appealed for reinstatement, Gazette Nigeria reported in March 2024. I mention it only so you ask direct questions; it does not change the admission rules.
- University upgrade talk: the Enugu State House of Assembly passed a bill for an Enugu State University of Education at Ihe, Awgu, according to AbsTechConnect (4 June 2026). Nothing I found says ESCET is being converted, so do not plan around it.
Your other routes to a degree
- NCE, then Direct Entry: an NCE at merit level is a standard Direct Entry qualification for B.Ed and B.Sc. (Ed) courses, usually into 200 level at a university. This route does not depend on ESCET’s degree approval.
- UTME straight to a university: the national minimum for universities was 150 in 2026/2027. In Enugu, compare our ESUT Technology and Vocational Education and UNN Business Education guides. Remember that an NCE recommendation suspends any UTME process.
For the UTME route, our JAMB 2027 registration guide covers timing.
ESCET dual mandate: frequently asked questions
What is the ESCET cut-off mark for 2027/2028? There is none for candidates with four or more O’level credits, because NCE applicants are exempt from the UTME. You still register with JAMB, and ESCET has not published a separate figure for any course.
Is the ESCET NCE/Degree dual mandate programme approved? ESCET is listed as open by NCCE, but the advert does not say who awards the degree or under which approval. Ask the college for the approval letter before you pay degree-related fees.
Can I enter ESCET at 200 level with Direct Entry? No. JAMB’s June 2026 guidelines bar 100 and 200 level admission into any college of education, so all new students start with the NCE.
Can I use awaiting result for ESCET NCE admission? You can register with JAMB, but the college cannot propose you on CAPS until your result is uploaded. Get it uploaded as soon as it is released.
Sources and updates
The UTME exemption for NCE candidates with four credits, the CAPS rule, the 31 December 2026 admission deadline for colleges of education, the four-week acceptance window, the minimum age and the 150 university minimum come from the policy meeting of 11 May 2026, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria, VON, ICIR and TheNigeriaLawyer. The NCE costs, CAPS steps and the NCE-only entry rule are from JAMB’s June 2026 NCE registration guide, reported by BusinessDay and Daily Trust; the 23 July 2026 opening is from Nairametrics and Legit. The 2025/2026 minimum of 100 is from JAMB as reported by Nairametrics (8 July 2025). The ESCET dual mandate advert is from Myschool and AbsTechConnect (both 28 July 2026); the original college notice was not available. The course list is Myschool’s reprint of JAMB’s list. The dual mandate background is from NCCE (5 June 2024) and The Guardian (11 September 2025). The college’s status is from the NCCE accredited colleges list. O’level details marked as the usual pattern are not from an ESCET notice. Checked on 29 October 2026; this page will be updated when ESCET publishes its 2027/2028 advert.
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.
