The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has postponed its 31st Matriculation Ceremony. The ceremony was originally scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, 2026, but the university has moved it to Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
The change was announced in a September 7 notice published by NOUN News, the university’s official news platform. The notice says the adjustment is intended to give newly admitted students more time to complete their registration and clearance processes.
This update is important for fresh NOUN students who were preparing for the September ceremony. It does not announce a new admission list or change the requirements for gaining admission. It changes the ceremony date and gives study centres more time to assist students with outstanding enrolment steps.
NOUN matriculation date: old date and new date
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Institution | National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) |
| Ceremony | 31st Matriculation Ceremony |
| Original date | Wednesday, September 9, 2026 |
| New date | Wednesday, October 7, 2026 |
| Announcement date | September 7, 2026 |
| Reason for the change | To allow newly admitted students more time for registration and clearance |
| New venue or time | Not stated in the official postponement notice |
Students should therefore avoid relying on old flyers, centre-level messages or social-media posts that still display September 9. The official notice currently confirms October 7 as the revised date, while details such as the time, venue arrangements and any centre-specific orientation schedule may be communicated separately.
Why did NOUN postpone the 31st matriculation?
According to the official notice, the university made the change because some newly admitted students need additional time to complete registration and clearance. The memo referenced in the notice was dated September 7 and signed by Petu Kola Keji, Deputy Registrar, Academic Registry.
The notice says the adjustment is meant to support a more inclusive and seamless enrolment process. It also directs NOUN study-centre directors to reschedule and organise orientation activities and to communicate the changes to affected students through the appropriate channels.
In practical terms, the extra period should be treated as an administrative window. It is not a reason to wait until October. Fresh students who still have an unpaid fee, incomplete registration, missing document, unresolved portal issue or outstanding clearance task should use the time to resolve it.
What newly admitted NOUN students should do now
1. Confirm your admission and student portal status
Log in through the official NOUN student or application system you used for your admission process. Confirm that your admission details, programme, personal information and registration status are correct. If the portal shows an incomplete step, save a screenshot or print the relevant page before contacting the study centre.
Use only official NOUN web addresses and the contact channels supplied by your study centre. Do not give your password, payment PIN or full login details to an agent who promises to “regularise” your admission.
2. Finish registration and fee clearance
The postponement notice specifically highlights registration and fee clearance. Complete every outstanding payment or registration step that applies to your admission. Keep copies of payment receipts, registration slips, admission documents and any confirmation displayed after a successful transaction.
NOUN’s student management system also carried a September 1 notice stating that payment of a late-registration fee would take effect from the 2026_2 academic session when registration closes. The postponement announcement does not state a new general registration deadline, so students should not assume that October 7 is a fee-payment deadline. Ask your study centre for the applicable deadline for your record.
3. Contact your study centre about orientation
The official notice tells study-centre directors to reschedule and organise orientation. That means orientation arrangements may not be identical at every centre. Contact your centre through its recognised phone number, email address or notice board and ask for the revised orientation date, gown-collection instructions and any documents you must bring.
Keep checking your NOUN student email, portal notifications and centre communication channels. A centre-specific message may provide details that are not included in the university-wide postponement notice.
4. Keep your admission documents ready
Prepare both digital and printed copies of the documents connected with your admission and registration. Depending on the instruction from your centre, these may include your admission notification, payment receipts, course-registration slip, clearance evidence and valid identification.
Do not print or submit documents from unofficial websites simply because they use NOUN’s name or logo. If two instructions conflict, pause and confirm the correct position with your study centre or the university’s official platform.
5. Recheck the ceremony date before travelling
The new ceremony date is Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Before making transport or accommodation arrangements, confirm whether your centre has issued additional instructions about the venue, reporting time, academic gown, oath form or attendance format.
The official postponement notice does not state a new time or a single nationwide venue. Do not infer those details from the old September programme or from another study centre’s announcement.
What this announcement does not mean
- It does not cancel NOUN admission for newly admitted students.
- It does not announce a fresh admission application deadline.
- It does not state that every student has been granted unlimited time to complete fees or registration.
- It does not provide a new ceremony time or venue in the published notice.
- It does not authorise agents to collect money or login details from students.
Students should separate the ceremony date from their personal administrative deadlines. If your portal or centre has given you a specific deadline for a payment, registration or clearance step, follow that instruction unless NOUN officially changes it.
Important warning about unofficial NOUN messages
Admission periods often produce fake payment links, forged matriculation invitations and messages asking students to send money to personal accounts. The official NOUN update provides the revised date but does not ask students to pay an agent or use a third-party form.
Before paying, confirm that you are inside the official NOUN portal and that the payment instruction matches the university’s published process. Save the transaction reference and receipt. If a message claims that the October ceremony has been moved again, verify it on NOUN’s official news platform, official student system or through your study centre before acting.
Frequently asked questions
When is NOUN’s 31st Matriculation Ceremony?
NOUN’s official postponement notice says the 31st Matriculation Ceremony will hold on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
What was the original NOUN matriculation date?
The ceremony was originally scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Why was the ceremony postponed?
The university said the change will allow newly admitted students more time to complete registration and clearance processes.
Has NOUN announced the new venue and time?
Not in the official postponement notice reviewed for this report. Students should wait for instructions from their study centre or an updated official university announcement.
Is October 7 the deadline for NOUN registration or fee payment?
Not according to the notice. October 7 is the revised ceremony date. The announcement does not provide a universal new registration or fee-payment deadline, so students should confirm their own outstanding deadlines with NOUN.
Where can I verify the update?
Read the official NOUN News notice. You can also monitor the NOUN student management system and contact your recognised study centre.
Official sources
- NOUN: NOUN Shifts 31st Matriculation Ceremony to October 7 — primary announcement, published September 7, 2026.
- NOUN Application and Student Management System — official student portal notice and account access.
- MySchool.ng report — corroborating current education-publisher coverage.
Exams Scholars will update this report if NOUN publishes a new official time, venue, orientation schedule or student deadline.
