The Nigerian British University (NBU) cut-off mark for Mass Communication is 160 in the UTME. NBU’s own 2026/2027 undergraduate admission page lists Mass Communication in its 160+ group, which is also the lowest score NBU accepts for any course. That puts NBU 10 marks above JAMB’s national minimum of 150 for universities, so a candidate with 150 to 159 cannot apply for Mass Communication at NBU even though JAMB allows that score elsewhere.
2027/2028 update: NBU 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.
Mass Communication is a live NBU programme: it is on the university’s current admission page, and it appears as “Mass Communication” on the JAMB-style course list for NBU published by universitycourses.ng. I could not open NBU’s entry on Myschool’s copy of JAMB’s institution list, so confirm the course appears under Nigerian British University when you register or change course on JAMB. This guide covers the 160 minimum and the safe score I would aim for, the UTME subjects and O’level credits, Direct Entry, how NBU takes applications, the fee schedule NBU has published, and what Mass Communication at NBU involves.
NBU Mass Communication cut-off mark at a glance
| Item | 2026/2027 position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| NBU minimum UTME score for Mass Communication | 160 | NBU undergraduate admission page |
| JAMB national minimum for universities | 150 | JAMB policy meeting, 11 May 2026 |
| Course name to select on JAMB | Mass Communication | NBU admission page and JAMB-style course list |
| Faculty | Management and Social Sciences | NBU admission page |
| UTME subjects | Use of English plus any three Arts or Social Science subjects | JAMB brochure (Myschool reprint) |
| O’level | Five credits including English Language and Mathematics, at most two sittings | NBU admission page |
| How to apply | Online at application.nbu.edu.ng | NBU admission page |
| Application closing date | 30 November 2026 | NBU admission page |
| NUC accreditation of the programme | Not confirmed | No NUC result naming NBU found |
NBU cut-off marks for every programme, 2026/2027
NBU is one of the few private universities in Abia State that publishes minimum scores by course. They fall into three groups:
| Minimum UTME score | Programmes |
|---|---|
| 200 and above | Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) |
| 180 and above | Law, Nursing Science, Medical Laboratory Science |
| 160 and above | Data Science, Cyber Security, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Mass Communication, International Relations and Diplomacy, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Information and Communication Engineering |
Some score websites list 150 for every NBU course. That is JAMB’s national floor. NBU’s own page says the minimum to apply is 160, so plan with 160 as the absolute bottom for Mass Communication.
NBU Mass Communication cut-off mark history
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 160 | NBU minimum for Mass Communication | Official (NBU admission page) |
| 2026/2027 | 150 | JAMB minimum for all universities | Official (JAMB policy meeting, 11 May 2026) |
| 2025/2026 | 150 | JAMB minimum for all universities | Official JAMB figure for that session |
| Earlier sessions | Not published | NBU’s own figure for the course | No earlier NBU notice found |
Safe target score for Mass Communication at NBU (my advice)
NBU has not published how many people applied for Mass Communication or the lowest score it admitted, so this section is my judgement as an admissions adviser. Mass Communication is one of the most requested Social Science courses in the South-East, but a young private university like NBU usually fills its places from candidates who choose it on purpose, which keeps competition moderate.
| Your UTME score | My read for NBU Mass Communication |
|---|---|
| Below 150 | Not eligible for any 2026/2027 university place |
| 150 to 159 | Below NBU’s minimum. Look at universities that accept 150, or rewrite the UTME |
| 160 to 179 | Eligible. Apply early, with every document uploaded |
| 180 to 199 | Comfortable for NBU Mass Communication |
| 200 and above | Strong. You can also compete for Mass Communication at public universities |
For the 2027 UTME I would aim for 180 or more. That gives a 20-mark cushion above NBU’s 160 and keeps Mass Communication open at most private universities in the South-East. If you score between 160 and 179, apply anyway and make sure your O’level and CAPS details are clean, because a clean file matters more than a few marks at this level.
NBU Mass Communication subject combination and O’level requirements
I checked Mass Communication on Myschool’s reprint of the JAMB brochure. NBU has no institution-specific remark there, so JAMB’s general rule applies for UTME, and NBU’s admission page adds its own O’level rule.
| Requirement | Mass Communication at NBU |
|---|---|
| Course name on JAMB | Mass Communication (under Nigerian British University) |
| UTME subjects | Use of English plus any three Arts or Social Science subjects |
| Good UTME picks | Literature in English, Government, and one of Economics, CRS or History |
| O’level (JAMB general line) | Five credits including English Language |
| O’level (NBU rule) | Five credits including English Language and Mathematics plus three relevant subjects, at most two sittings |
| Direct Entry (JAMB general line) | Two A level passes in relevant subjects |
| Direct Entry (NBU) | A level in relevant subjects, OND, HND or a first degree |
| Age | At least 16 by 30 September 2026 (NBU rule for 2026/2027) |
Why I still advise Literature in English
JAMB’s general line for Mass Communication does not force Literature in English, but several universities in their brochure remarks do, including UNN and UNIJOS. Literature also trains the reading and writing that a communication degree is built on. If you are still choosing subjects for the 2027 UTME, take Literature, and make sure you have an O’level credit in it as well as in English and Mathematics. That way the same result works for NBU and for most other universities you might list.
Points Mass Communication applicants get wrong
- No Mathematics credit: JAMB’s general Mass Communication line only names English, but NBU asks every applicant for English and Mathematics. A D7 or F9 in Mathematics will stop you at NBU.
- Science subjects in the UTME: the rule is three Arts or Social Science subjects. Physics, Chemistry and Biology do not count.
- Three sittings: NBU accepts no more than two sittings for the five credits.
- Choosing a renamed course on JAMB: pick “Mass Communication” under NBU, the same name as on NBU’s page, so that your CAPS course and portal course match.
Direct Entry into Mass Communication at NBU
NBU accepts A level passes in relevant subjects, OND, HND or a first degree for Direct Entry, and asks DE candidates to send academic transcripts to the Registrar, Nigerian British University, KM 10 Aba Port Harcourt Expressway, Abia State. For 2026/2027 the transcript date was 1 September 2026, which has passed, so a DE candidate for 2027/2028 should arrange transcripts as soon as the new form opens. An OND in Mass Communication is the most natural route. You still need the O’level credits listed above and a JAMB Direct Entry registration.
How NBU admits Mass Communication candidates
NBU’s 2026/2027 page says admission is open and that applications close on 30 November 2026. That matches the date JAMB set as the 2026/2027 admission deadline for private universities. Candidates apply on NBU’s portal at application.nbu.edu.ng, and anyone who did not choose NBU on JAMB must change to NBU on CAPS by the same date.
- Match your details: NBU says the course and personal details on your CAPS record must match what you enter on its portal.
- Upload everything: NBU warns that incomplete uploads will not be considered.
- Read the notice: the page links a downloadable 2026/2027 admission notice and a “Fill the Form” button.
- Contact: admissions@nbu.edu.ng, or the phone line in the footer of NBU’s site.
NBU’s page does not mention an application fee, a Post-UTME test, an interview or an aggregate formula. A blog said in May 2026 that an NBU Post-UTME form was “on sale” without naming a fee or date, and forum adverts with private phone numbers claim to sell NBU forms. Ignore those and use only the NBU portal and admissions email.
Worked example for a Mass Communication candidate
NBU has not published a screening formula, so the honest check is your score against the 160 minimum and my 180 target, then your subjects and credits.
Adaeze scored 187. She sat English, Literature in English, Government and Economics. In one WAEC sitting she has B3 in English, C6 in Mathematics, B2 in Literature, C4 in Government and C5 in Economics.
- Against NBU’s minimum: 187 minus 160 = 27. She clears it.
- Against my safe target: 187 is above 180.
- UTME subjects: Literature, Government and Economics are all Arts or Social Science subjects, so the combination fits.
- O’level: English and Mathematics are credits, plus three relevant subjects, all in one sitting. She qualifies.
Tobenna scored 171 with the same kind of subjects, but his Mathematics is D7 across two sittings. His score clears NBU’s 160, but without a Mathematics credit he cannot be admitted. He should rewrite Mathematics in the next WAEC or NECO and, if he gets the credit in time, upload the new result to CAPS before NBU’s closing date.
Illustration only: many Nigerian universities rank candidates with a 50:50 aggregate, where the UTME score divided by 8 gives up to 50 points and a screening score or O’level grades give the other 50. NBU has not said it uses this or any other formula, so do not treat that method as NBU’s.
How to apply for Mass Communication at NBU, step by step
- Get your JAMB profile code: send NIN, a space and your 11-digit NIN to 55019 or 66019 from the phone number linked to your NIN.
- Register Mass Communication under NBU: pick three Arts or Social Science subjects with Use of English, for example Literature, Government and Economics. If NBU was not your choice, do a JAMB change of institution before the closing date.
- Upload your O’level to CAPS: at a JAMB-accredited CBT centre, with English and Mathematics credits included.
- Apply on the NBU portal: start from NBU’s undergraduate admission page, choose Mass Communication, enter the same details JAMB holds, and upload every document the portal asks for.
- Watch for any screening call: NBU has not described a test or interview, so keep your phone and email active and contact admissions@nbu.edu.ng if you hear nothing.
- Accept on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng, open Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS. JAMB gave candidates four weeks to accept offers in 2026. Our JAMB CAPS guide explains each status.
- Pay acceptance and fees: pay only through the channels on the NBU portal or the account NBU’s bursary gives you.
NBU Mass Communication school fees
Legit.ng reported NBU’s 2026/2027 fees on 14 September 2026, citing NBU’s tuition page, but it only named Medicine, Nursing and Law, plus Computing and Engineering in a separate report. It gave no figure for Management and Social Sciences. NBU’s own 2026/2027 fee table shows ₦1,894,963 for a first-year Management and Social Sciences student but leaves the tuition column blank, so the full 2026/2027 bill is not yet clear. NBU’s older fee schedule, still readable on old.nbu.edu.ng and tied to new students of the 2024/2025 session, gives this breakdown for Management and Social Sciences:
| Item (new MSS students) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Acceptance | ₦40,000 |
| Tuition | ₦900,000 |
| Development | ₦100,000 |
| Accommodation | ₦650,000 |
| Other charges | ₦576,000 |
| Total | ₦2,266,000 |
The same schedule allows payment in three parts (50% at the start of the session, 20% before first semester exams, 30% at the start of second semester), offers 5% off tuition for full payment within two weeks of resumption, and says fees are not refunded once paid. Feeding is not included. Because this schedule is older than the 2026/2027 session and Legit’s newer figures for other faculties differ from it, ask NBU’s bursary for the current Mass Communication bill before you accept.
Studying Mass Communication at NBU
Mass Communication sits in NBU’s Faculty of Management and Social Sciences. Nigerian B.Sc. Mass Communication degrees run for four years for UTME entrants, and Direct Entry students usually start at 200 level. NBU has not published its course outline, so the list below is the usual shape of the degree; ask the department for its handbook.
What you study
- Early years: introduction to mass communication, writing for the media, history of the Nigerian press, communication theory and general studies courses.
- Core areas: news reporting and editing, broadcasting, public relations, advertising, media law and ethics, photojournalism and research methods.
- Practical work: studio and newsroom practice, campus media projects and a period of industrial attachment with a media house or PR firm.
- Final year: a research project, plus electives such as development communication, online journalism or media management.
NUC has also approved newer, narrower communication degrees in recent years. NUC told The Guardian that Mass Communication remains a degree programme and that universities wanting to run the newer ones, such as advertising, broadcasting or film and multimedia studies, must apply for them separately. At NBU, the only communication course on the admission page is Mass Communication.
Accreditation
I could not confirm the NUC accreditation status of Mass Communication at NBU. NUC’s 1990 to 2025 accreditation results file could not be read as far as the N entries, I found no NUC programme report naming NBU, and a March 2025 Vanguard report headlined “NUC accredits 24 courses” for a British-linked university could not be opened. NBU is a young university (NUC approval in April 2022, commissioned in February 2023), and new programmes are normally accredited once the first set nears graduation. Ask the department for its current NUC status before you pay acceptance.
Careers
Graduates work as reporters, editors and presenters in print, radio, TV and online media, and in public relations, advertising, corporate communications, political and NGO communication, and content strategy. Media houses look at portfolios, so use the four years to build one through campus media and internships.
Related NBU courses
- NBU Political Science and International Relations cut-off mark
- NBU Economics cut-off mark
- NBU Business Administration cut-off mark
- NBU cut-off mark for Law
Law needs 180 at NBU, so it is only an option if your score is high enough and you have a Literature credit. After the exam, read how to check your JAMB result, and if you registered science subjects by mistake, see JAMB change of course.
Use only official channels
Forum adverts with private phone numbers sell “NBU admission forms” and promise admission lists. NBU takes applications on its own portal, and a real offer always shows on JAMB CAPS. Do not pay anyone who cannot show you an NBU receipt.
NBU Mass Communication cut-off mark: FAQs
What is the NBU cut-off mark for Mass Communication? 160. NBU’s 2026/2027 admission page lists Mass Communication in its 160+ group, 10 marks above JAMB’s 150 national minimum.
Can I study Mass Communication at NBU with 150? No. NBU’s minimum to apply for any course is 160, so a score from 150 to 159 is below its line even though JAMB allows 150 for universities.
Is Mathematics compulsory for Mass Communication at NBU? Yes, at O’level. NBU asks every applicant for five credits including English Language and Mathematics, from no more than two sittings.
How much is the school fee for Mass Communication at NBU? NBU’s older schedule for Management and Social Sciences lists ₦900,000 tuition and ₦2,266,000 in total for new students, including accommodation. NBU’s 2026/2027 table shows ₦1,894,963 with the tuition column blank, so confirm the full figure with the bursary.
Sources and updates
The 160 minimum, the score groups, the 30 November 2026 closing date, the portal, the matching and upload rules, the O’level, age and Direct Entry rules, the faculty name and the contact details are from NBU’s undergraduate admission page, read on 29 October 2026. The UTME and Direct Entry lines are from Myschool’s reprint of the JAMB brochure entry for Mass Communication, which has no NBU remark. The JAMB-style course name is from universitycourses.ng’s NBU list (last modified 28 February 2026). The 150 national minimum, the four-week acceptance window and the 30 November 2026 private university deadline come from the News Agency of Nigeria (11 May 2026). The MSS fee breakdown is from NBU’s older fee schedule on old.nbu.edu.ng (2024/2025 new students), the 2026/2027 fee report is Legit.ng’s of 14 September 2026, and the 2026/2027 Management and Social Sciences total is from NBU’s tuition-fee page. NUC’s comment on Mass Communication is from The Guardian. NBU’s founding details are from Wikipedia and the Federal Ministry of Information’s report of the February 2023 commissioning. The safe target and examples are my own advice. Checked on 29 October 2026; this page will be updated when NBU publishes its 2027/2028 notice.
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.
