The ESUT cut off mark for International Relations and Diplomacy for 2026/2027 is 180 in the 2026 UTME. Enugu State University of Science and Technology named International Relations and Diplomacy in the 180 band of its official Post-UTME advert of 4 July 2026, alongside Political Science and Mass Communication. So 180 is the lowest JAMB score that made you eligible for screening into the course this session.
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.
180 is the gate, not a promise of admission. ESUT does not publish the final merit score for any course, and International Relations is a course many Arts students list after Law, so its applicant pool tends to carry strong scores. Below are the official figure, the history I could trace, my safe target score, the JAMB subjects and O’level rules, how ESUT’s no-test screening works, the CAPS steps, and where the degree leads.
ESUT cut off mark for International Relations and Diplomacy 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 International Relations and Diplomacy | 180 | Official (ESUT Post-UTME advert, 4 July 2026; named at 180) |
| ESUT final admission (merit) score for International Relations and Diplomacy | Not published | ESUT does not release one |
| Post-UTME test | None | Online screening only |
| Screening fee | ₦2,000 | Official |
| Faculty | Social Sciences | ESUT 2026/2027 advert |
| UTME subjects | English + three from Government, History, Economics, Literature in English, Geography | JAMB brochure general rule (Myschool reprint) |
| Admission list | On JAMB CAPS from 13 October 2026 | Myschool report |
Keep the two numbers apart. The minimum UTME score (180) 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 that was actually admitted into the course after screening, and ESUT does not announce it. Most of the confusion online about “ESUT departmental cut-off marks” comes from treating the first as the second.
International Relations and Diplomacy cut-off history at ESUT
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 180 | Minimum UTME to apply (named) | Official ESUT advert |
| 2025/2026 | 160 | Minimum UTME to apply (not named, so “Others”) | Previous year, from a blog summary of ESUT’s notice |
| Any year | Not published | Final merit score for International Relations and Diplomacy | No ESUT list found |
The rise from 160 to 180 matters. The 2025/2026 notice, as DTW Tutorials summarised it, named Political Science and Mass Communication at 180 but not International Relations, which left it with “Others” at 160. For 2026/2027 ESUT named it at 180 too. A university usually lifts a course’s floor when demand outruns places, so plan for at least 180 in 2027. Bands can still move, so treat the older row as history.
Some blogs quote much higher ESUT “cut-offs” for courses such as Medicine (314) and Nursing (290) without an ESUT document behind them. None of them is an official figure, so do not plan around a number you cannot trace to ESUT.
Safe target score for International Relations and Diplomacy at ESUT (my advice)
This is my advice, not an ESUT rule. Law at ESUT needs 240, and candidates who miss it often turn to International Relations, Political Science or Mass Communication. They bring scores in the 200s into your pool. With no Post-UTME test in 2026/2027, the UTME score carries most of the weight.
| Your UTME score | My read for ESUT International Relations and Diplomacy |
|---|---|
| 180 to 194 | Eligible, but close to the floor. Strong O’level grades help. |
| 195 to 209 | A fair chance. |
| 210 to 229 | A good chance. |
| 230 and above | Comfortable for International Relations and Diplomacy at ESUT. |
For a 2027 attempt, my safe target for ESUT International Relations and Diplomacy is 210 or more, with credits in English, Mathematics, Government and two other Arts or Social Science subjects.
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 grades.
JAMB subject combination and O’level requirements for ESUT International Relations and Diplomacy
| Requirement | International Relations and Diplomacy |
|---|---|
| UTME subjects | Use of English plus three Arts or Social Science subjects drawn from Government, History, Economics, Literature in English and Geography |
| Recommended set | Government, Economics and Literature in English |
| O’level | Five credits including English Language and Government or History, plus three relevant subjects; get a Mathematics credit as well |
| Sittings | Not stated in ESUT’s advert; most universities allow up to two |
| Direct Entry | Two A’level passes in Social Science subjects from Government or History, Economics, Sociology and Business Management (general rule). ESUT has not published its own DE grades |
| Special requirements | None published by ESUT (no interview or language test) |
These come from the JAMB brochure entry for International Relations as reprinted by Myschool (checked 29 October 2026). The page lists Economics, Literature in English and one of Geography, Government or History for the UTME, and carries no remark for ESUT. JAMB also has a separate International Relations and Diplomacy entry, but it would not load when I checked, so confirm the exact combination on JAMB’s e-brochure before you register.
Government, Economics and Literature in English is the set I would write. It fits the general entry, covers the Government-or-History O’level rule, and keeps ESUT Political Science and Intelligence and Security Studies open as alternatives on CAPS.
The brochure’s O’level line does not name Mathematics, but most ESUT courses expect a Mathematics credit and ESUT has not published a waiver for this one. Get the credit. ESUT’s advert says Direct Entry candidates are screened online and must be cleared on JAMB e-facility by their former institutions.
How ESUT screening works for International Relations and Diplomacy
These were the 2026/2027 screening terms in ESUT’s advert. The window has closed for this session, but they show you what to prepare for 2027.
| 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 International Relations and Diplomacy candidate
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.
Take Chukwudi, who scored 214 in the 2026 UTME with B3, B3, C4, C4 and C5 in five O’level subjects.
- Eligibility check (official): 214 minus the 180 minimum = 34 marks above the line.
- UTME half (illustrative method): 214 ÷ 8 = 26.75 out of 50.
- O’level half (illustrative method): 8 + 8 + 7 + 7 + 6 = 36 out of 50.
- Illustrative total: 26.75 + 36 = 62.75 out of 100.
Amarachi scored 199 with A1, B2, B2, B3 and B3. That gives 24.88 + 44 = 68.88 on the same illustrative method, ahead of Chukwudi despite a 15-mark gap in JAMB. If ESUT ranks on UTME alone, the higher JAMB score wins. ESUT has not said which approach it uses, so a strong UTME and clean O’level grades both matter.
How to apply for International Relations and Diplomacy 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, Government, Economics and Literature in English and choose ESUT and International Relations and Diplomacy. 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 International Relations and Diplomacy, 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.
ESUT’s 2026/2027 admission list appeared on JAMB CAPS on 13 October 2026, Myschool reported. JAMB gave candidates four weeks to accept an offer and set 31 October 2026 as the end of admissions for public universities. Myschool also reported on 28 October 2026 that ESUT had released change of course and transfer forms for 2026/2027. I have not read their terms, so check the portal if CAPS shows International Relations and Diplomacy when you applied for something else, or the other way round.
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 International Relations and Diplomacy at ESUT
International Relations and Diplomacy is in ESUT’s Faculty of Social Sciences. ESUT’s main campus is at Agbani in Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu State. The Faculty of Social Sciences is generally placed there, though the pages I checked do not confirm the building or campus for this department. B.Sc. International Relations in Nigeria normally runs for four years; ESUT has not stated the length on the pages I checked.
The course looks at how states, international organisations and non-state actors deal with each other: war and peace, trade, treaties, migration and diplomacy. The “Diplomacy” in the title points to the practice side as well as theory. Expect these areas:
- Theories of international relations: realism, liberalism and other frameworks for explaining state behaviour.
- Nigerian foreign policy: Nigeria’s role in ECOWAS, the African Union and peacekeeping.
- Diplomacy and protocol: how embassies and negotiations work, consular practice and treaty-making.
- International law and organisations: the United Nations, the law of the sea, human rights and the International Criminal Court.
- International political economy: trade, aid, debt and the oil economy.
- Conflict, security and strategic studies, research methods and a final-year project.
Accreditation: After the National Universities Commission’s 2024 exercise, ESUT reported full accreditation for programmes in its Faculties of Law, Engineering, Sciences, Environmental Science, Education and Administration (Enugu State Government, 21 May 2025). That report names faculties, not programmes, and it does not name a Faculty of Social Sciences by that title. I found no programme-level result for International Relations and Diplomacy, so I cannot confirm its NUC status. Ask the department or check the NUC’s list before you accept, and treat any blog that calls it “fully accredited” with care.
Career paths after International Relations and Diplomacy
- The Nigerian foreign service, which recruits through the Federal Civil Service Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not on a degree alone.
- International organisations and NGOs, including ECOWAS, AU and UN agencies, usually after a master’s degree and experience.
- Policy research and analysis with think tanks, embassies and consultancies.
- Journalism and media covering foreign affairs.
- Corporate roles in government relations, export trade and compliance.
- Postgraduate study in international relations, diplomacy, strategic studies or law.
Related ESUT courses for Arts and Social Science students:
- ESUT Political Science cut-off mark
- ESUT History and International Studies cut-off mark
- ESUT Intelligence and Security Studies cut-off mark
- ESUT Law cut-off mark
To compare with another university’s figures, read our UNICAL cut off mark guide. If you are moving from Law to International Relations on JAMB, see our JAMB change of course guide.
Mistakes International Relations and Diplomacy applicants make
- Using the old 160 figure: ESUT raised the minimum to 180 for 2026/2027.
- Mixing up this course with History and International Studies: that is a separate ESUT programme in the Faculty of Arts, with its own minimum.
- No credit in Government or History: the brochure requires one of them.
- Skipping the Mathematics credit: ESUT has not published a waiver.
- Forgetting the CAPS upload: ESUT’s advert makes it compulsory for every candidate.
- Late awaiting results: results released after 30 September 2026 were not accepted.
ESUT cut off mark for International Relations and Diplomacy: frequently asked questions
What is the cut off mark for International Relations in ESUT? ESUT’s minimum UTME score for International Relations and Diplomacy in 2026/2027 is 180, named in its official advert. ESUT does not publish a final merit score; I would aim for 210 or more.
Is 190 enough for International Relations in ESUT? 190 clears the 180 minimum, so you could apply. It is close to the floor, so strong O’level grades in English, Government and Mathematics matter.
Can I study International Relations in ESUT without Literature? The JAMB entry I could read lists Economics, Literature in English and one of Geography, Government or History. Some candidates write Government, Economics and History instead; confirm on JAMB’s e-brochure before you register.
Does ESUT write post-UTME for International Relations? No. ESUT’s 2026/2027 screening was online only, with no physical screening and no aptitude test, and the fee was ₦2,000.
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 are from the JAMB brochure entry for International Relations as reprinted by Myschool, which carries no ESUT remark; the separate International Relations and Diplomacy entry did not load. 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.
