The ESUT Guidance and Counselling 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 put the Faculty of Education, home of Guidance and Counselling, in its 160 band. If you scored 160 or more and chose ESUT with a valid subject combination, 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.
160 lets you apply, and the place itself goes to whoever ranks highest among the applicants. ESUT does not publish a final merit score for Guidance and Counselling or any other course. This admission guide walks you through the official figure and its history, a safe target score marked as my advice, the flexible JAMB subject rule and the O’level details that still trip people up, how ESUT’s no-test screening works with a worked example, the CAPS and portal steps, and where a counselling degree can lead.
ESUT Guidance and Counselling 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 Guidance and Counselling | 160 | Official (ESUT Post-UTME advert, 4 July 2026; Faculty of Education named in the 160 band) |
| ESUT final admission (merit) score for Guidance and Counselling | Not published | ESUT does not release one |
| Post-UTME test | None | Online screening only |
| Screening fee | ₦2,000 | Official |
| Faculty | Faculty of Education | ESUT 2026/2027 advert |
| UTME subjects | English + any three subjects | JAMB brochure general rule (Myschool reprint); no ESUT remark |
| Degree and length | Bachelor’s degree in education, normally 4 years | National norm; ESUT has not stated the title or length 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 Guidance and Counselling cut off mark history
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 160 | Minimum UTME to apply (“Faculties of Agriculture, Education, Environmental Sciences and other courses”) | Official ESUT advert |
| 2025/2026 | 160 | Minimum UTME to apply (Education listed in the 160 group) | Previous year, from a blog summary of ESUT’s notice |
| Any year | Not published | Final merit score for Guidance and Counselling | No ESUT list found |
Unlike some courses, Guidance and Counselling did not need to be named one by one. ESUT’s advert names the whole Faculty of Education in its 160 line, so every education programme, Guidance and Counselling included, shares that minimum. The figure was also 160 in 2025/2026, according to a blog summary of last year’s notice, so the faculty’s entry gate has held steady across the two sessions I could trace.
Some blogs print much higher ESUT “cut-offs” for popular courses without an ESUT document behind them, for example Medicine at 314 on Legit.ng. I found no figure of that kind for Guidance and Counselling, official or unofficial, and you should be wary of any site that quotes one without naming its source.
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.
Safe target score for Guidance and Counselling at ESUT (my advice)
This is my judgement, not an ESUT rule. Guidance and Counselling accepts any three UTME subjects, so it draws applicants from science, arts and commercial classes alike, including many who missed out on Psychology. That wider pool can push the real admission score above the minimum. ESUT held no Post-UTME test in 2026/2027, so your JAMB score and O’level grades decide the ranking.
| Your UTME score | My read for ESUT Guidance and Counselling |
|---|---|
| 160 to 169 | Eligible, but you will be competing near the bottom. Keep a clean O’level and upload it early. |
| 170 to 189 | A fair chance. |
| 190 to 209 | A good chance on the evidence available. |
| 210 and above | Comfortable for Guidance and Counselling at ESUT. |
For a 2027 attempt, my safe target for ESUT Guidance and Counselling is 190 or more, with credits in English, Mathematics and Biology among your five. If you are also considering Psychology at ESUT, the minimum there is the same 160, but its UTME subjects are narrower.
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 Guidance and Counselling
| Requirement | Guidance and Counselling |
|---|---|
| UTME subjects | Use of English and any three subjects |
| O’level | Five credits (or TC II merits) including English Language, with at least a pass in Mathematics (brochure line) |
| Sittings | Not stated in ESUT’s advert; two sittings is the common ceiling. Confirm on JAMB’s e-brochure |
| Direct Entry | A’level passes or NCE in two subjects, plus the UTME requirements (general rule). ESUT has not published its own DE grades |
| Special requirements | None published by ESUT (no interview or practical test) |
These come from the JAMB brochure entry for Guidance and Counselling as reprinted by Myschool (checked 29 October 2026). The page lists remarks for UNN, EBSU, IMSU, UNILAG, UI and others, but none for ESUT, so the general rule should apply.
The UTME rule is genuinely open: English plus any three subjects. Pick the three you score best in. Many candidates choose Biology, Government and Economics or Literature, which also leaves Psychology, Sociology and other social science courses within reach.
The O’level rule is the one to read twice. The general brochure line asks for a credit in English but only a pass in Mathematics. Do not lean on that at ESUT. Several nearby universities on the same page ask for more (EBSU wants credits in English, Mathematics and two other arts or science subjects; UNN sets rules by teaching subject; UI wants Biology), and admission officers in state universities commonly expect a Mathematics credit. Get a credit in Mathematics, and Biology if you can.
ESUT’s advert says only that Direct Entry candidates are screened online and must be cleared on JAMB e-facility by their former institutions. NCE holders should confirm the grade ESUT accepts and the level they would join.
How ESUT screening works for Guidance and Counselling
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 a Guidance and Counselling candidate
Take Chidera, who scored 193 in the 2026 UTME with B3, C4, C4, C5 and C5 in the five O’level subjects that count for Guidance and Counselling.
- Eligibility check (official): 193 minus the 160 minimum = 33 marks above the line, so Chidera could apply.
- UTME half (illustrative method): 193 ÷ 8 = 24.12 out of 50.
- O’level half (illustrative method): 8 + 7 + 7 + 6 + 6 = 34 out of 50.
- Illustrative total: 24.12 + 34 = 58.12 out of 100.
Now take Kosisochukwu, who scored 176 with A1, B2, B3, B3 and B3. On the same method that gives 22 + 43 = 65, ahead of Chidera despite a 17-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 Guidance and Counselling 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 and the three subjects you are strongest in (for example Biology, Government and Economics) and choose ESUT and Guidance and Counselling. 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 Guidance and Counselling, 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 Educational Management, Education Administration and Supervision or Continuing Education and Development Studies, 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 Guidance and Counselling at ESUT
Guidance and Counselling is in ESUT’s Faculty of Education. ESUT’s main campus is at Agbani in Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu State; the pages I checked do not confirm where the faculty is housed. Nigerian education degrees normally take four years, with a practicum or teaching practice before graduation.
The degree trains you to help people make decisions about learning, careers and personal problems, mostly in schools but also in workplaces and communities. It leans heavily on psychology. ESUT has not published its own course outline, so this is the usual shape of the programme:
- Psychology base: developmental, social and abnormal psychology, and personality theories.
- Counselling theories and techniques: person-centred, behavioural and cognitive approaches, interviewing and helping skills.
- Testing and appraisal: psychological testing, measurement and evaluation, and how to interpret results.
- Career guidance: career development theories, vocational guidance and school-to-work transition.
- Specialised counselling: marriage and family, rehabilitation, substance abuse and crisis counselling.
- Practicum and project: supervised counselling practice and a final-year research project.
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 Faculty of Education, alongside Law, Engineering, Sciences, Environmental Science and Administration. That report names faculties, not individual programmes, so I cannot give you a programme-level grade for Guidance and Counselling. Ask the department for its current NUC letter before you accept if this matters to you.
Career paths after Guidance and Counselling
- School counsellor in secondary schools, where the National Policy on Education provides for guidance services.
- Career services and student affairs officer in universities, polytechnics and colleges.
- Human resources, staff welfare and employee assistance roles.
- Counsellor or programme officer with NGOs working on youth, gender-based violence, drug abuse or rehabilitation.
- Postgraduate study in counselling psychology or a related field, which leads to lecturing and specialist practice.
Many practising counsellors in Nigeria join the Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON), the professional body for the field. If you also want to teach a subject in school, plan to register with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) after graduation.
Related ESUT courses you can compare:
- ESUT Psychology cut-off mark
- ESUT Educational Management cut-off mark
- ESUT Education Administration and Supervision cut-off mark
- ESUT Sociology and Anthropology cut-off mark
To compare with another university’s figures, read our UNICAL cut off mark guide. If Biology is one of your UTME subjects, use our JAMB Biology syllabus, and our guide on studying for long hours may help with revision.
Mistakes Guidance and Counselling applicants make
- Treating 160 as a safe score: it is the minimum to apply.
- Relying on a pass in Mathematics: the brochure allows it, but nearby universities ask for a credit and ESUT may check the same way.
- Choosing UTME subjects you are weak in because “any three” is allowed: the freedom is there so you can pick your best three.
- Expecting a Post-UTME test: ESUT’s 2026/2027 screening had none.
- Forgetting the CAPS upload: ESUT’s advert makes it compulsory for every candidate.
ESUT Guidance and Counselling cut off mark: frequently asked questions
What is the cut off mark for Guidance and Counselling in ESUT? ESUT’s minimum UTME score for Guidance and Counselling in 2026/2027 is 160, the figure set for the whole Faculty of Education. ESUT does not publish a final merit score, so aim for 190 or more.
What subjects are needed for Guidance and Counselling in JAMB? Use of English and any three subjects under the general brochure rule. There is no ESUT remark, so choose the three you score best in.
Do I need a credit in Mathematics for Guidance and Counselling? The general brochure line asks only for a pass in Mathematics, but several universities ask for a credit. Get a credit to be safe at ESUT.
When is ESUT admission list for 2026/2027 out? Myschool reported that ESUT’s 2026/2027 provisional admission list went up on JAMB CAPS on 13 October 2026. Check CAPS and accept within four weeks.
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 Guidance and Counselling are the general JAMB brochure entry as reprinted by Myschool, which has no ESUT remark; the EBSU, UNN and UI remarks are from the same page. The course content and careers describe the usual Nigerian counselling education degree, since ESUT has not published its outline. 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.
