If you are wondering how much the change of course in JAMB costs, you are in good company. Plenty of candidates finish the UTME, see their score, and decide a different course or school gives them a better shot at admission. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) lets you make that switch, but it helps to know the exact fee, the current process, and the small mistakes that trip people up.
This guide breaks down the official change of course in JAMB fee, the extra service charges at CBT centres, and the full process from start to finish for the 2026 admission cycle.
What change of course in JAMB means
Change of course in JAMB is a correction service that lets you switch from one course to another, or from one institution to another, after you have registered and sat the UTME. People usually need it when:
- Their score falls below the cut-off for their first-choice course.
- They are offered admission for a different course than the one they applied for.
- Their UTME subject combination does not match the course requirements.
- They simply want a different school or a different programme.
It is worth saying upfront: changing your course or school does not hand you admission. You still have to meet the new institution’s cut-off, subject, and screening requirements.
Official fee for change of course in JAMB
The official JAMB charge is ₦2,500 per change. That is the amount tied to the correction itself on your record.
In practice, though, you will pay a little more, because the change is processed at an accredited CBT centre that adds a service fee. Most 2026 reports put the all-in cost at ₦3,000 to ₦3,500, and some education outlets now state that JAMB has set ₦3,500 as the total, with the centre service fee included. So budget around ₦3,500 to be safe, and always ask the centre for the full breakdown before you pay.
One thing to watch: anyone asking for far more than that, or promising “guaranteed admission” through a change, is overcharging or scamming you. Stick to accredited centres and official channels.
Cost at a glance
| Item | Cost (₦) |
|---|---|
| Official JAMB change fee | 2,500 |
| Typical CBT centre service charge | 700 to 1,000 |
| Reported all-in total (2026) | 3,000 to 3,500 |
Each request is charged separately. If you change your course and later change your institution as well, you pay again for the second change.
How to apply for change of course in JAMB
This is where the old advice goes stale. The change of course in JAMB is no longer something you finish on your own laptop. The correction begins on the JAMB eFacility portal, but it has to be completed at an accredited CBT centre, because JAMB now requires biometric (fingerprint) verification to authorise the change.
Here is the process step by step:
- Log in to the JAMB eFacility portal at jamb.gov.ng with your profile details.
- Select the data-correction option for your entry type, either UTME or Direct Entry, and choose change of course or change of institution.
- Confirm the new institution and course you want, after checking that the school offers it and accepts your subject combination.
- Pay the fee. The official ₦2,500 plus the centre service charge.
- Visit the accredited CBT centre to complete the change and capture your biometrics.
- Collect your printed change-of-data slip and keep it safe as proof.
- Check JAMB CAPS after a day or two to confirm the new choice shows under “My Choices”.
You can also start the whole thing at a JAMB office or accredited centre rather than online first. Either way, the biometric step at a centre is what makes the change valid.
How many times can you change?
Course and institution changes can be made more than once while the correction window is open, but every fresh change attracts another payment. So if you go from Mass Communication to Political Science, then later to Sociology, that is two paid changes, not one. Personal-data corrections like name or date of birth are stricter, and most of those are one-time only, so check those details carefully before you submit.
A word on timing: the change window usually opens after UTME results are released, around the period of JAMB’s policy meeting, and it stays open in step with institutions’ admission deadlines rather than a single fixed date. Make your change early. Leaving it until a school is closing its admission list is how people lose the spot they were chasing.
Things to confirm before you change course
A few checks save you from paying for a change that cannot help you:
Your subject combination. The subjects you wrote in the UTME must match the new course. Mass Communication, for example, expects Use of English plus subjects like Literature in English and Government, so a science-heavy combination will not fit.
The cut-off mark. Every school sets its own cut-off for each course. Compare your score against the likely cut-off for the new institution before you commit.
Course availability. Confirm the new school actually offers the course on the portal and is still accepting changes.
Your admission status. Track it on JAMB CAPS and on the school’s own admission portal so you know where you stand after the change.
Change of course versus change of institution
Both run through the same correction service, but they are not identical. Change of course means switching the programme, whether in the same school or a new one. Change of institution means moving to a different school entirely. You can do both in a single transaction at the centre if you want to switch school and course at once.
Direct Entry applicants
The correction service is open to Direct Entry candidates too. If you applied through Direct Entry with a National Diploma, NCE, or equivalent, you can still adjust your course or institution, as long as you meet the new programme’s requirements and the window is open.
Final tips to avoid mistakes
- Confirm the new course’s requirements before you pay, not after.
- Use only accredited CBT centres or official JAMB offices, never random agents.
- Double-check every detail on screen before you submit, since fixing a wrong entry costs another fee.
- Print and keep your change-of-data slip and every receipt.
- After the change, register for the new school’s Post-UTME screening and watch its deadline.
Frequently asked questions
How much is change of course in JAMB? The official fee is ₦2,500, and the all-in cost at an accredited CBT centre is usually ₦3,000 to ₦3,500. Confirm the current amount before paying.
Can I change my course online by myself? You start on the JAMB eFacility portal, but you must complete the change at an accredited CBT centre because biometric verification is required.
Does changing my course guarantee admission? No. It only updates your application. You still need to meet the new institution’s cut-off, subject, and screening requirements.
How many times can I change? Course and institution changes can be done more than once while the window is open, but you pay the fee again for each change.
Is the change refundable? No. Once you have paid for a correction, JAMB does not refund the fee.
Conclusion
So, how much is the change of course in JAMB? The official fee is ₦2,500, and once you add the CBT centre service charge, expect to spend around ₦3,000 to ₦3,500 in total. The bigger point is the process: it runs through the JAMB eFacility portal but has to be finished at an accredited CBT centre with your biometrics. Check your subject combination and the new cut-off before you pay, make the change early, and keep your slip. Confirm the current fee and window on the official JAMB portal before you act, since both can change from one cycle to the next.
Official source
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.
