The ESUT English and Literary Studies cut off mark for 2026/2027 is 160 in the 2026 UTME. Enugu State University of Science and Technology’s official Post-UTME advert of 4 July 2026 did not name English and Literary Studies in its 180, 200, 220 or 240 bands, so the general 160 minimum for “other courses” applies. If you scored 160 or more, chose ESUT and wrote the right UTME subjects, you were eligible for this year’s online screening.
2027/2028 update: ESUT 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.
Clearing 160 lets you apply; it does not guarantee a place. ESUT does not publish a final merit score for English or any other course. This guide gives you the official figure and its history, a safe target score marked as my advice, the JAMB subject combination and O’level rules from the JAMB brochure (including a subject rule that catches many Arts students), how ESUT’s no-test screening works with a worked example, the CAPS and portal steps, and what an English degree leads to.
ESUT English and Literary Studies cut off mark 2027/2028 at a glance
| Item | 2026/2027 position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| JAMB national minimum for universities | 150 | Official (JAMB policy meeting, 11 May 2026) |
| ESUT minimum UTME for English and Literary Studies | 160 | Official (ESUT Post-UTME advert, 4 July 2026; not named, so the general band for other courses applies) |
| ESUT final admission (merit) score for English and Literary Studies | Not published | ESUT does not release one |
| Post-UTME test | None | Online screening only |
| Screening fee | ₦2,000 | Official |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts | ESUT 2026/2027 advert |
| UTME subjects | English, Literature in English, one other Arts subject and one Arts or Social Science subject | JAMB brochure general rule (Myschool reprint) |
| Degree and length | B.A., normally 4 years | National norm; ESUT has not stated it on pages I checked |
| Admission list | On JAMB CAPS from 13 October 2026 | Myschool report |
Keep two numbers apart. The minimum UTME score (160) is the gate ESUT announces before screening; below it, the portal will not take your application for that course. The merit score is the lowest score actually admitted after ESUT ranks applicants against the places it has, and ESUT does not announce it for any course. Most of the confusion online about “ESUT departmental cut-off marks” comes from treating the first number as the second.
ESUT English and Literary Studies cut off mark history
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 160 | Minimum UTME to apply for English and Literary Studies | Official ESUT advert |
| 2025/2026 | 160 | Minimum UTME to apply (listed as “Others”) | Previous year, from a blog summary of ESUT’s notice |
| Any year | Not published | Final merit score for English and Literary Studies | No ESUT list found |
The figure has held at 160 for two sessions on the evidence available. Notice what changed around it: Mass Communication, a course many English candidates also consider, sits in ESUT’s 180 band for 2026/2027. If you are torn between the two, your score may decide for you.
Some blogs print much higher ESUT “cut-offs” without an ESUT document behind them, for example Medicine at 314 and Law at 297 on Legit.ng. Treat those as unofficial guesses. None of them gives an official figure for English and Literary Studies.
ESUT reviews these minimums every session. In 2026 the advert came out in early July, about two months after UTME results, so read the 2027/2028 advert before you settle on a number.
Which UTME subjects count as Arts subjects for ESUT English?
The JAMB brochure asks for Literature in English, one other Arts subject, and one more subject from either Arts or the Social Sciences, on top of Use of English. Candidates trip on the middle requirement because they pick two Social Science subjects. Here is how the common UTME subjects usually sort:
| Group | Usual UTME subjects |
|---|---|
| Arts | Literature in English, History, Christian Religious Studies, Islamic Studies, French, Arabic, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Music, Fine Art |
| Social Sciences | Government, Economics, Geography, Commerce |
So Literature, CRS and Government works: Literature is compulsory, CRS is your second Arts subject, and Government fills the open slot. Literature, Government and Economics does not fit, because it has only one Arts subject. Geography is sometimes treated as a science in other courses, so I would not use it as your second Arts subject. When in doubt, check the course on JAMB’s e-brochure before you pay for the UTME form.
Safe target score for English and Literary Studies at ESUT (my advice)
This is my judgement, not an ESUT rule. English is one of the most popular Arts courses in the South East, and it also collects candidates who aimed for Law or Mass Communication and fell short. Many of them score well above 160. With no Post-UTME test at ESUT in 2026/2027, your JAMB score and O’level grades carry the whole application.
| Your UTME score | My read for ESUT English and Literary Studies |
|---|---|
| 160 to 174 | Eligible for screening, but thin. Make sure your O’level, especially English and Literature, is clean. |
| 175 to 189 | A fair chance. |
| 190 to 209 | A good chance. You also clear ESUT’s 180 minimum for Mass Communication. |
| 210 and above | Comfortable for English at ESUT, on the evidence available. |
For a 2027 attempt, my safe target for ESUT English and Literary Studies is 190 or more, with strong credits (ideally B grades) in English Language and Literature in English.
Catchment and state of origin
ESUT does not publish a catchment list. It is owned by the Enugu State Government, so Enugu indigenes are its primary catchment, but it admits candidates from every state. The 45/35/20 merit, catchment and ELDS split you may have read about is federal university policy, and ESUT has not said it applies it. Plan to win on your score and your grades, wherever you come from.
JAMB subject combination and O’level requirements for ESUT English and Literary Studies
| Requirement | English and Literary Studies |
|---|---|
| UTME subjects | Use of English, Literature in English, one other Arts subject, and one Arts or Social Science subject |
| O’level | Five credits including English Language and Literature in English |
| Mathematics | Not named in the brochure’s general rule for this course; get a credit anyway (see below) |
| Sittings | Not stated in ESUT’s advert; two sittings is the common ceiling. Confirm on JAMB’s e-brochure |
| Direct Entry | Two A’level passes including Literature in English and one other Arts subject (general rule). ESUT has not published its own DE grades |
| Special requirements | None published by ESUT (no interview, portfolio or written test) |
These come from the JAMB brochure entry for English and Literary Studies as reprinted by Myschool (checked 29 October 2026). Its special remarks name universities such as UNN, UNICAL, DELSU, ABU and UNIABUJA, but not ESUT, so the general rule should apply. ESUT’s own advert lists no course-level subjects, so confirm on JAMB’s e-brochure when you register.
The general rule names only English Language and Literature among your five O’level credits. I would still make sure Mathematics is one of them. Many Nigerian universities treat English and Mathematics credits as a basic entry rule for every degree, ESUT has not published a waiver for Arts courses, and the safest assumption costs you nothing if you already have the credit.
ESUT’s advert says only that Direct Entry candidates are screened online and must be cleared on JAMB e-facility by their former institutions. If you hold an NCE in English and another subject, or a diploma, ask the department which grade it accepts before you apply.
How ESUT screening works for English and Literary Studies
These were ESUT’s 2026/2027 screening terms, taken from the official advert. The window has closed for this session, but they show you exactly what to prepare for the 2027/2028 round.
| Detail | ESUT 2026/2027 screening |
|---|---|
| Who could apply | Candidates who chose ESUT in the 2026 UTME, and candidates who did not choose ESUT but changed institution to ESUT through JAMB first |
| Score needed | The minimum UTME score ESUT set for the course (see the table above) |
| Direct Entry | Screened online too; former institutions must verify and clear DE candidates on JAMB e-facility |
| Registration window | Tuesday 7 July to Saturday 15 August 2026 (closed) |
| Fee | ₦2,000, paid at a bank through Enugu State IGR Pay Direct or online by debit card |
| Test | None. Screening is online only, with no physical screening and no aptitude test |
| Awaiting results | Allowed for May/June 2026 WAEC, NECO and NABTEB, but results released after 30 September 2026 are not accepted |
| O’level upload | Every candidate must upload O’level results on JAMB CAPS |
| Names | Must match on your O’level certificates, UTME result and other documents |
| Admission status | Published on the ESUT portal and JAMB CAPS |
ESUT has not published an aggregate formula. The 2026/2027 advert sets a minimum UTME score per course and an online screening with no test, and it says nothing about weights or O’level grade points. So the only arithmetic you can do with official figures is to check how far you are above your course’s minimum. Some blogs quote a Post-UTME percentage for ESUT; that cannot be right for 2026/2027, because there was no Post-UTME test to score.
Worked example for an English and Literary Studies candidate
Take Chiamaka, who scored 196 in the 2026 UTME with B2, B3, B3, C4 and C5 in the five O’level subjects that count for English and Literary Studies.
- Eligibility check (official): 196 minus the 160 minimum = 36 marks above the line, so Chiamaka could apply.
- UTME half (illustrative method): 196 ÷ 8 = 24.5 out of 50.
- O’level half (illustrative method): 9 + 8 + 8 + 7 + 6 = 38 out of 50.
- Illustrative total: 24.5 + 38 = 62.5 out of 100.
Now take Obinna, who scored 181 with A1, B2, B2, B3 and B3. On the same method that gives 22.62 + 44 = 66.62, ahead of Chiamaka despite a 15-mark gap in JAMB. If ESUT ranks on UTME score alone, the higher JAMB score wins instead. ESUT has not said which approach it uses, so the safe plan is to raise both your score and your grades.
To see why your O’level grades can still matter, here is a method some other Nigerian universities use: half the aggregate from the UTME (your score divided by 8, out of 50) and half from five O’level subjects (A1 = 10, B2 = 9, B3 = 8, C4 = 7, C5 = 6, C6 = 5, out of 50). ESUT has not published this or any other formula. I use it only to compare two candidates, never to predict an ESUT cut-off.
How to apply for English and Literary Studies at ESUT, step by step
- Get your JAMB profile code: text NIN, a space and your 11-digit NIN (for example NIN 12345678901) to 55019 or 66019 from the phone number linked to your NIN. JAMB replies with the profile code you need to buy the UTME form.
- Register the UTME with the right subjects: pick Use of English, Literature in English, another Arts subject and one Arts or Social Science subject and choose ESUT and English and Literary Studies. ESUT’s 2026 advert also let candidates who chose another school apply after a JAMB change of institution, but choosing ESUT from the start saves you that step and its cost.
- Upload your O’level to CAPS: once your WAEC, NECO or NABTEB result is out, have it uploaded to your JAMB profile at an accredited CBT centre or JAMB office. ESUT’s advert makes this compulsory for every candidate, and a result that is missing on CAPS can hold your admission back even after ESUT picks you.
- Open the ESUT screening form: go to portal.esut.edu.ng, select the session, and under Regular Students open the Admission Screening Registration for that session (Direct Entry has its own form). Enter your JAMB registration number and fill the details form to generate an invoice.
- Pay ₦2,000: pay at a commercial bank through Enugu State IGR Pay Direct with the printed invoice and its reference number, or pay online with a debit card.
- Finish and print: return to the portal, re-enter your JAMB registration number, complete the form, confirm and submit, then print the acknowledgement slip. ESUT warns that false information leads to disqualification.
- Check and accept on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng, choose Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS and Admission Status. If ESUT has offered you English and Literary Studies, accept it, then print your JAMB admission letter.
- Pay the acceptance fee on the ESUT portal: blogs report ESUT’s acceptance fee at about ₦26,000 (₦26,100 in some reports). ESUT’s 2026/2027 notices I checked do not state it, so confirm the amount on the portal before you pay, and keep the receipt for clearance.
Warning
Paying ESUT’s acceptance fee does not accept your JAMB offer. Accept the admission on JAMB CAPS first, because an offer left unaccepted on CAPS can be withdrawn, and ESUT cannot register you without it.
Myschool reported that ESUT’s 2026/2027 provisional admission list went up on JAMB CAPS on 13 October 2026. JAMB gives candidates four weeks to accept an offer and told public universities to finish admissions by 31 October 2026. If CAPS shows another course, such as History and International Studies or an education course, that is a separate offer: read the course name before you accept. Myschool also reported on 28 October 2026 that ESUT had released change of course and transfer forms for 2026/2027; I have not seen their terms, so ask the admissions office before you rely on them.
If a CAPS status confuses you, our JAMB CAPS guide explains each one. Candidates who chose another school can read the JAMB change of institution guide, and if you plan to sit the UTME again, start with when JAMB 2027 registration starts.
Studying English and Literary Studies at ESUT
English and Literary Studies is one of two departments in ESUT’s Faculty of Arts; the other is History and International Studies. ESUT’s main campus is at Agbani in Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu State, though the pages I checked do not confirm where the faculty sits. Nigerian B.A. programmes normally run for four years.
The degree has two halves that run side by side: the English language (how it works and how it is used) and literature (how to read, judge and write about texts). ESUT has not published its own course outline, so here is what Nigerian English and Literary Studies programmes usually cover:
- Language: phonetics and phonology, English grammar and syntax, semantics, and the use of English in Nigeria.
- Literature: poetry, drama and the novel, from British and American writing to African and Nigerian literature.
- Theory and criticism: literary theory and the methods used to analyse texts.
- Writing: creative writing, essay and report writing, and often stylistics and discourse analysis.
- Research project: a final-year long essay on a language or literature topic.
Accreditation: After the National Universities Commission’s 2024 accreditation exercise, the Enugu State Government reported on 21 May 2025 that ESUT secured full accreditation for programmes in its Faculties of Law, Engineering, Sciences, Environmental Science, Education and Administration. The Faculty of Arts was not named in that report. I found no published accreditation result for English and Literary Studies, good or bad. Before you accept, ask the department for its most recent NUC accreditation letter.
Career paths after English and Literary Studies
- Teaching English and Literature in secondary schools (you will usually need a postgraduate diploma in education and TRCN registration).
- Editing, proofreading and publishing.
- Journalism, broadcasting and content writing for media houses and companies.
- Public relations, corporate communications and advertising copy.
- Civil service and administrative jobs that recruit graduates from any discipline.
- Postgraduate study in English, linguistics or literature, leading to lecturing and research.
An English degree pays best when you build a portfolio while studying: write for the campus press, enter writing competitions and take on editing work. Employers in media and communications look at what you have written as well as your class of degree.
Related ESUT courses that suit Arts candidates:
- ESUT History and International Studies cut-off mark
- ESUT Mass Communication cut-off mark
- ESUT Library and Information Science cut-off mark
To compare with another university’s figures, read our UNICAL cut off mark guide. If you need to know what your JAMB score means for your options, see how to check your JAMB result and what to do with the score, and our guide on studying for long hours may help with the reading load.
Mistakes English and Literary Studies applicants make
- Treating 160 as a safe score: it is the minimum to apply, and English applicants often score higher.
- Writing two Social Science subjects: the brochure wants a second Arts subject besides Literature.
- Dropping Literature in SSS3: it is required in both the UTME and O’level.
- Expecting a Post-UTME test to rescue a weak JAMB score: ESUT’s 2026/2027 screening had no test.
- Forgetting the CAPS upload: ESUT’s advert makes it compulsory for every candidate.
ESUT English and Literary Studies cut off mark: frequently asked questions
What is the cut off mark for English in ESUT? ESUT’s minimum UTME score for English and Literary Studies in 2026/2027 is 160, the general band for courses its advert does not name. ESUT does not publish the final merit score, so aim for 190 or more.
Is 180 enough for English and Literary Studies in ESUT? 180 is 20 marks above the minimum, so you can apply and you have a fair chance. Good credits in English Language and Literature make it safer.
What are the JAMB subjects for English and Literary Studies in ESUT? Use of English, Literature in English, one other Arts subject such as CRS or History, and one Arts or Social Science subject such as Government.
Is Mathematics compulsory for English in ESUT? The JAMB brochure’s general rule names only English Language and Literature among the five O’level credits. ESUT has not published a waiver, so get a Mathematics credit to be safe.
Sources and updates
The 2026/2027 minimum UTME scores per course, the screening rules (eligibility, change of institution, Direct Entry clearance, awaiting results up to 30 September 2026, compulsory O’level upload on CAPS, no test, ₦2,000 fee, 7 July to 15 August 2026 window, portal and payment steps) come from ESUT’s notice Post-UTME Screening for UTME/Direct Entry Candidates for 2026/2027 Admission, posted on 4 July 2026, and the full advert PDF signed by the Registrar, Ambrose G. Ugwu. The 2025/2026 per-course minimums are from DTW Tutorials’ summary of ESUT’s 2025/2026 screening notice (30 July 2025); I did not open the original notice. The national minimum of 150, the 31 October 2026 admission deadline and the four-week CAPS acceptance window come from the News Agency of Nigeria, 11 May 2026. The release of the 2026/2027 admission list on CAPS on 13 October 2026 is from a Myschool report. ESUT’s faculty-level NUC accreditation is from the Enugu State Government, 21 May 2025. The UTME, O’level and Direct Entry requirements for English and Literary Studies are the general JAMB brochure entry as reprinted by Myschool, which has no ESUT remark. The grouping of UTME subjects into Arts and Social Sciences is the usual Nigerian practice. The course content is the usual shape of a Nigerian English degree, since ESUT has not published its outline, and the 2025 accreditation report did not name the Faculty of Arts. The acceptance fee of about ₦26,000 is from education blogs (Legit.ng, O3schools, Backtoschool) and is unofficial. ESUT has not published an aggregate formula, a catchment list or a post-screening departmental cut-off, so none appears here as fact. This page was checked on 29 October 2026 and will be updated if ESUT releases new figures.
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.
