NOUN Computer Science admission requirements are set by O’level grades, not a JAMB score. For 100 level you need five credits including English Language, Mathematics and Physics, plus two more from Chemistry, Biology, Further Mathematics or Computer Studies. The B.Sc Computer Science page of NOUN’s Faculty of Computing lists exactly these subjects. National Open University of Nigeria has no UTME cut-off mark, so if your grades fit, you apply online, pick the Enugu Study Centre and get an outcome almost at once.
2027/2028 update: NOUN admission requirements and entry rules usually stay the same from one year to the next, so the requirements on this page are what 2027/2028 applicants should plan with. They come from NOUN’s latest published requirements and notices (checked in October 2026). If NOUN changes anything for 2027/2028, we will update this page.
Physics is the subject that catches most applicants out, so it gets its own section below. The guide also covers Direct Entry with an NCE, ND, HND or A level, what you study at each level, the credit units you need to graduate, fees, the 2026 admission window and what the Enugu centre does for computing students.
NOUN Computer Science admission requirements at a glance
| Item | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| UTME score | Not required; no cut-off mark | NOUN Admission Requirements page |
| 100 level O’level | Five credits: English, Mathematics, Physics and two of Chemistry, Biology, Further Mathematics or Computer Studies | NOUN B.Sc Computer Science page |
| Other certificates accepted | SSC, GCE O’level, or six merits in NABTEB or TC II | Same page |
| Sittings | Not more than two | NOUN News, 8 August 2024 |
| Direct Entry (200 level) | NCE with merit in Mathematics, or A level Mathematics and Physics, or OND/HND, plus the O’level above | NOUN B.Sc Computer Science page |
| Programme length | 8 semesters from 100 level; 6 semesters from 200 level | Same page |
| Credit units to graduate | 147 core plus 16 elective (8 semesters); 111 core plus 16 elective (6 semesters) | Same page |
| Form | ₦5,000 via Remita (last published figure) | NOUN News, 8 August 2024 |
| NUC status | Full | NOUN accreditation document, November 2024 |
Is there a NOUN cut-off mark for Computer Science?
No. NOUN does not set a UTME cut-off mark for Computer Science or for any other undergraduate programme. Its official Admission Requirements page describes O’level requirements and an automated online application, and a JAMB score is not part of it. Any “NOUN Computer Science cut-off mark” you see on a blog was not published by the university.
Two things decide whether you get in:
- Your O’level result: the right five credits, in not more than two sittings.
- Your Direct Entry qualification, if you have one: it decides whether you start at 100 level or higher.
That also means there is no post-UTME, no screening test and no aggregate score to calculate. If your grades match the requirement, the portal admits you.
What about JAMB and CAPS?
NOUN’s admission page does not ask for a UTME score, and you do not choose NOUN on a UTME form to be considered. JAMB is still part of the picture after admission: NOUN’s fees schedule lists a ₦6,000 JAMB regularisation charge for new students. NOUN has not published step-by-step instructions for that regularisation, so follow what the university tells you after admission and keep the receipt. If you already have a JAMB profile from an earlier UTME, keep its email and registration number handy; it may help when your record is regularised.
O’level subjects for NOUN Computer Science
NOUN’s general rule is five credits with English and Mathematics. Computer Science adds Physics to the compulsory list. Here is how the five credits break down:
| Subject | Status | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | Compulsory | Credit (C6 or better) |
| Mathematics | Compulsory | Credit (C6 or better) |
| Physics | Compulsory | Credit (C6 or better) |
| Chemistry, Biology, Further Mathematics or Computer Studies | Any two | Credit (C6 or better) |
Results from WAEC, NECO or GCE are accepted, and NOUN’s August 2024 notice limits you to two sittings, so a WASSCE and a NECO can be combined but a third result cannot. The faculty page also accepts six merits in NABTEB or in the old Teachers’ Grade Two (TC II) examination, which helps older applicants who trained as teachers.
What if I do not have Physics?
Then the portal should not admit you into Computer Science, even if your other grades are strong. You have three realistic choices. You can sit Physics again in the next WAEC or NECO GCE and apply once the result is out. You can look at a NOUN programme that does not insist on Physics; check the requirement for Mathematics and Computer Science on the NOUN Enugu science courses guide and for Computer Science Education on the NOUN education courses guide, and click View Requirement for each before paying. Or you can take the UTME route to a conventional university, where Physics is normally required for Computer Science anyway.
Is Computer Studies enough in place of Physics?
No. NOUN lists Computer Studies among the optional subjects. It can count as one of your two extra credits, but it does not replace Physics.
Before you pay, open the application page, pick the programme and entry level and click View Requirement. NOUN’s faculty pages and its central portal are maintained separately, so if they ever disagree, follow what the portal shows for your entry level.
Direct Entry into NOUN Computer Science at 200 level
Direct Entry cuts the programme from eight semesters to six. NOUN’s Computer Science page accepts these qualifications for 200 level, always on top of the O’level requirement above:
| Qualification | What NOUN asks for |
|---|---|
| NCE | Merit pass in Mathematics, and a credit pass in another science subject, preferably Physics or Chemistry |
| A level (GCE, IJMB or similar) | Passes in Mathematics and Physics |
| OND or HND | Listed as acceptable; the page does not state a grade |
For the OND, NOUN’s general Direct Entry rule from August 2024 is an Upper Credit, so plan on that unless the portal shows otherwise. The Computer Science page does not describe any 300-level entry. NOUN’s Information Technology programme, by contrast, does publish a 300-level route for HND holders in computing fields. If you hold an HND in Computer Science, compare both pages, and see the NOUN Enugu Information Technology admission guide.
Worked example: four applicants
These are my illustrations of how NOUN’s published rules apply. They are not NOUN decisions.
| Applicant | Profile | Outcome on NOUN’s rules |
|---|---|---|
| Chidera, school leaver in Nsukka | WASSCE credits in English, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology | Qualifies for 100 level |
| Obinna, bank cashier | NECO credits in English, Maths, Economics, Commerce, Computer Studies; no Physics | Not eligible until he has a Physics credit |
| Amaka, primary school teacher | NCE Mathematics/Physics with merit in Mathematics; credits in English, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology | Qualifies for 200 level |
| Emeka, technician | OND Computer Science, Lower Credit; full O’level set | Check the portal: NOUN’s general rule asks for Upper Credit, so he may have to start at 100 level |
How to apply for Computer Science at NOUN, step by step
The whole process happens online. You do not travel to Abuja, and you do not need to visit the Enugu centre before you are admitted.
- Get your documents ready: O’level result(s), birth certificate or age declaration, a recent passport photograph and, for Direct Entry, your diploma, degree or professional certificate and transcript. Scan them clearly.
- Open the admission page: go to NOUN’s Admission Requirements page on nou.edu.ng and choose the undergraduate application.
- Select the programme: pick the faculty, then Computer Science, then your entry level, and click View Requirement. Read the requirement that appears before you go further.
- Pick your entry level carefully: choose 100 level if you are applying with O’level only, or 200 level if you have a qualifying NCE, A level, OND or HND. Upload that certificate and its transcript or statement of result.
- Fill the pre-payment form: enter your names exactly as they appear on your O’level result, plus a working email address and phone number.
- Generate a Remita RRR and pay: pay the ₦5,000 form fee by card, or take the RRR to a bank.
- Complete the application form: enter your O’level grades, upload your documents and choose Enugu Study Centre as your study centre.
- Check the outcome: NOUN describes its admission process as automated, with an almost instant outcome. Print the admission letter once it shows.
- Pay the compulsory charges and register courses: pay the new-student charges, then register your first semester courses and examinations within the window in the academic calendar.
Write down your application number and the email address you used, and keep the Remita receipt. Most problems at the study centre later come from a lost RRR or a mismatch between the name on the form and the name on the O’level certificate.
What you study in NOUN Computer Science
The programme code is 5204. NOUN’s department says it wants graduates who create jobs rather than wait for one, and the outline covers information systems, data communication and software. Some of the courses listed on the faculty page:
| Level | Sample courses |
|---|---|
| 100 level | Introduction to Computer Science (CIT104), Computer Lab I (CIT106), Problem Solving Algorithm (CIT108), Cyber Security I (CIT110) |
| 200 level | Data Structures (CIT204), Discrete Structures (CIT206), Computer Hardware (CIT210), Operating Systems (CIT211), Systems Analysis and Design (CIT212), Programming Languages (CIT215) |
| 300 level | Data Management (CIT304), Computer Architecture, Algorithms and Complexity Analysis (CIT310), Compilers (CIT316), Survey of Programming Languages (CIT332), SIWES (CIT389) |
| 400 level | Computer Networks (CIT423), Database Systems and Management (CIT427), Software Engineering II (CIT432), Artificial Intelligence (CIT478), Project (CIT499) |
At 300 level there is industrial training under SIWES (3 credit units). In the final year you write a 6-unit project. NOUN assesses most courses through online tutor-marked assignments plus an end-of-semester examination.
How long it takes and the credit units
The structure is eight semesters from 100 level. NOUN runs two semesters a year, so that is four years if you carry a full load. Direct Entry students follow a six-semester structure. To graduate you need:
- From 100 level: at least 147 credit units of core courses and 16 units of electives.
- From 200 level: at least 111 core units and 16 elective units.
Many NOUN students work full time and register fewer courses each semester. That is allowed, but it stretches the time to graduation, so plan your load honestly.
Studying computing by distance learning
I would not start this programme without a laptop of your own. Course materials are online, assignments are submitted online, and programming courses need practice time that a phone cannot give you. Lab courses such as Computer Lab I exist on the outline, so ask the Enugu centre how and where practical sessions run for your semester. NOUN News reported in late 2024 that the Enugu centre’s e-examination hall had 297 computers.
Accreditation, CPN and careers
NOUN’s Programmes and Accreditation Status document (November 2024) lists B.Sc Computer Science with full NUC accreditation. It was listed under the Faculty of Science at the time; the programme now sits in the Faculty of Computing.
The Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria), CPN, registers computing professionals. NOUN’s Computer Science page does not mention CPN, and I found no CPN notice about NOUN’s programme. In May 2026 CPN said it would step up registration and act against people and firms practising without proper credentials (reported by CLEAR, 13 May 2026, citing The Nation). Separately, the Federal Government stopped professional bodies from accrediting university programmes on their own from May 2025, leaving that job to the NUC (The Sun, 22 May 2025); CPN was not among the seven councils given a waiver. If you plan to register with CPN after graduation, ask CPN directly what it needs from a NOUN graduate.
Careers
- Software and web development: for employers or as a freelancer, building on the programming, data structures and software engineering courses.
- Systems and network support: in banks, schools, hospitals and government offices across Enugu and beyond.
- Database and data roles: the database and data management courses lead naturally here.
- Teaching and further study: a master’s in computer science, cyber security or information systems.
Related programmes
- NOUN Enugu Information Technology admission requirements, the sister programme in the same faculty;
- NOUN Enugu science courses, including Mathematics and Computer Science;
- NOUN Enugu Study Centre admission requirements for every programme;
- if you would rather take the UTME route, see ESUT Computer Science cut-off mark and UNN Computer Science cut-off mark.
NOUN form price and fees for Computer Science applicants
The undergraduate application form costs ₦5,000, paid through Remita. That is the figure in NOUN’s own admission requirements notice of 8 August 2024, and it is the most recent official figure I could find. Postgraduate forms cost more, so make sure you start the undergraduate application.
After admission you pay a set of compulsory charges. NOUN’s fees schedule page (undated) lists them like this:
| Charge | New students | Returning students |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | ₦6,000 | ₦6,000 |
| Caution deposit | ₦3,500 | None |
| Orientation | ₦1,500 | None |
| Matriculation | ₦1,500 | None |
| ID card | ₦500 | None |
| Library | ₦3,000 | ₦3,000 |
| ICT administrative charges | ₦5,000 | ₦5,000 |
| E-facilitation | ₦4,000 | ₦4,000 |
| JAMB regularisation | ₦6,000 | None |
| Result verification | ₦5,000 | None |
| Total compulsory charges | ₦36,000 | ₦18,000 |
On top of these, the same page lists an examination fee of ₦1,000 per course and a project fee of ₦15,000 in the final year. Course registration is charged per course, and the page says those fees remain unchanged, but it does not print the per-course amounts. Your semester bill therefore depends on how many courses you register. Open your portal’s payment page to see the real figure before you budget, because NOUN has not published a 2026/2027 per-course table that I could verify.
When does NOUN admit? 2026/2027 dates
NOUN does not follow the JAMB admission deadlines that apply to conventional universities. It runs its own calendar in two semesters a year, labelled like 2026_1 and 2026_2.
| Item | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Admission portal for 2026 | Open from 1 January to 31 December 2026 | NOUN’s approved 2026 academic calendar, as reported by Myschool |
| 2026_1 course and examination registration | 5 January to 22 March 2026 (closed) | Same calendar |
| 2027 academic calendar | Not yet published | Check nou.edu.ng and your portal |
So, on the published calendar, the 2026 admission portal stays open until 31 December 2026. Because the outcome of an application is almost instant, people who apply now can usually be admitted and then register for the semester that is open on the calendar. NOUN has not published its 2027 calendar yet, so 2027/2028 applicants should watch nou.edu.ng and the portal from January 2027.
The NOUN Enugu Study Centre: what it does for Computer Science students
NOUN admits centrally from its headquarters in Jabi, Abuja. The study centre is where you are attached for support: student records, facilitation, examinations, project defence and, at the end, certificate collection. When you apply, you pick Enugu as your study centre on the form.
- Leadership: NOUN News named Prof. Charity Akuadi Okonkwo as Director of the Enugu Study Centre when it reported an NUC accreditation visit to the centre on 26 November 2024.
- Examinations: the same report said the centre had 297 computers in its e-examination hall.
- Certificates: in July 2025 the centre told its graduands to collect certificates at the Centre Director’s office, with proof of final clearance, convocation and alumni fee payments, a bound project copy and a valid ID (reported by Myschool, 11 July 2025).
- Address: NOUN does not publish the street address in the sources I checked. Confirm it on the study centres directory on nou.edu.ng before you travel, and do not rely on addresses copied around on blogs.
NOUN also does not publish which programmes each study centre supports. Being admitted into Computer Science and choosing Enugu should place you there, but if you need clinical placement, practical sessions or a project supervisor in Enugu, ask the centre to confirm it in writing before you pay registration fees.
Mistakes to avoid
- Applying without Physics: it is compulsory for this programme.
- Counting a D7 as a credit: D7 and E8 are passes, and the portal needs credits.
- Using three sittings: NOUN accepts at most two.
- Choosing 200 level without proof: upload the NCE, A level or diploma result that makes you eligible, or apply at 100 level.
- Paying an agent: the form is paid through Remita to NOUN, and you can complete the whole application yourself.
NOUN Computer Science: frequently asked questions
Is Physics compulsory for Computer Science in NOUN? Yes. NOUN’s Faculty of Computing lists English, Mathematics and Physics as compulsory credits, plus two from Chemistry, Biology, Further Mathematics or Computer Studies.
Do I need JAMB to study Computer Science in NOUN? You do not need a UTME score or cut-off mark. New students do pay a ₦6,000 JAMB regularisation charge listed on NOUN’s fees schedule after admission.
Can I enter NOUN Computer Science at 200 level with an NCE? Yes, if your NCE has a merit pass in Mathematics and a credit in another science, preferably Physics or Chemistry, and you have the required O’level credits.
How many years is Computer Science in NOUN? The programme is eight semesters from 100 level, which is four years at two semesters a year, or six semesters by Direct Entry. Taking fewer courses each semester makes it longer.
Sources and updates
O’level subjects, Direct Entry routes, semester structure, credit units and course titles come from NOUN’s B.Sc Computer Science page on the Faculty of Computing site, checked on 30 October 2026. The CPN update comes from CLEAR (13 May 2026), and the end of independent accreditation by professional bodies comes from The Sun (22 May 2025). NOUN’s undergraduate requirement wording and the automated application steps come from its Admission Requirements page on nou.edu.ng. Programme-specific requirements, the ₦5,000 form fee and the Remita payment rule come from NOUN News, “NOUN admission requirements” (8 August 2024). Compulsory charges, the examination fee and the JAMB regularisation charge come from NOUN’s fees schedule page (undated when checked). The programme list and accreditation statuses come from NOUN’s Programmes and Accreditation Status document (November 2024). The 2026 admission portal period and registration window come from Myschool’s report of NOUN’s approved 2026 academic calendar. Details on the Enugu Study Centre come from NOUN News (2 December 2024) and Myschool (11 July 2025). This page will be updated if NOUN changes the requirements or publishes a 2027 calendar.
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.
