JAMB has extended the deadline for candidates with outstanding admission offers from 2021 to 2026 to accept or reject those offers. The new final deadline is Wednesday, 30 September 2026. The earlier deadline was 31 August 2026.
The notice affects candidates whose admission offers are still pending on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s records. It covers outstanding offers processed through the regular admission route and the Centralised University and Institution Admission (CUIIA) process.
At the time of this report on 31 August 2026, candidates have 30 full calendar days to check their records and make the required decision. JAMB has warned that it will not provide another opportunity after the new deadline.
Who should act before 30 September?
You should check your JAMB record if you were offered admission at any time from 2021 to the 2026 admission exercise and you have not clearly accepted or rejected the offer. This is especially important if:
- your CAPS or e-Facility account still shows an old admission offer;
- you accepted a place informally but never completed the response on JAMB’s system;
- you are not sure whether a previous offer was accepted, rejected or left pending;
- you have received a newer 2026 admission while an older offer remains unresolved; or
- you are currently studying elsewhere but still have a previous JAMB offer on your profile.
Do not rely only on a school’s admission portal, a WhatsApp message or a printed school notice. JAMB’s CAPS/e-Facility record is the important place to confirm the status of an offer that affects your official admission history.
What happens if you accept the old admission?
If the offer is the one you want to keep, sign in to the official JAMB e-Facility and use CAPS to accept it before 30 September. After acceptance, confirm that the response has been recorded and follow the portal instructions for obtaining your JAMB admission letter.
Before accepting, carefully compare the institution, programme, admission year and your current academic position. Acceptance is a formal response on the JAMB record, so candidates should not click the button casually or allow an agent to make the decision for them.
What happens if you reject the old admission?
If you no longer want the offer, reject it through the official channel. The reported JAMB directive says the related status will return to Not Admitted after rejection.
This option may be appropriate for a candidate who has moved on to another institution or programme. It is still wise to save a screenshot or print a confirmation after the response is recorded, while keeping your JAMB login details private.
Special cases addressed by JAMB
You left the school or changed programme
JAMB says candidates who are no longer attending the institution connected with the old offer, or who are now studying a different programme, may accept the outstanding offer first and then apply for the appropriate correction or deletion, where applicable. Because the correct remedy depends on the candidate’s record, use a JAMB office or official support channel if the portal does not explain what to do.
You are pursuing a second degree
A candidate already pursuing a second degree but carrying an unaccepted earlier offer may reject the old offer and continue with the current programme, according to the guidance reported by the Board’s spokesperson.
You have a new 2026 admission and an old offer is still pending
JAMB has clarified that a candidate who secured admission in the 2026 exercise may reject an earlier outstanding offer without an adverse effect on the new 2026 admission. Check both records carefully before responding, and make sure you are rejecting only the old offer you no longer need.
What if you take no action?
JAMB’s warning is significant: any outstanding admission offer from 2021 to date that remains neither accepted nor rejected after 30 September 2026 will automatically revert to Not Admitted on the Board’s records. The offer will no longer remain an active unresolved offer, and failure to accept an offer within the stated period can make it invalid.
This is a deadline for clearing an existing admission response. It is not a general extension of every university’s Post-UTME, school-fee or acceptance-fee deadline. Candidates must still obey the separate deadline issued by the institution where they intend to study.
How to check and respond on JAMB CAPS
- Open the official JAMB e-Facility portal. Avoid links sent by unknown agents.
- Sign in with the email address and password connected to your JAMB profile.
- Open the admission-status or CAPS service and select the relevant examination year.
- Review the institution, course, admission year and current status shown on the account.
- If the offer is still pending and you want it, select Accept. If you no longer want it, select Reject.
- Return to the account after submitting to confirm that the response was saved.
- Keep a screenshot or printed record of the final status and, where accepted, proceed to the JAMB admission-letter service.
If the service is temporarily unavailable, try again later rather than paying someone who promises to change the record. Never disclose your password, profile code, PIN or one-time verification code to another person.
JAMB admission response decision table
| Candidate situation | Action before 30 September 2026 | Important point |
|---|---|---|
| You want the old offer | Accept it on CAPS/e-Facility | Confirm the response and obtain the admission letter where applicable. |
| You no longer want the old offer | Reject it on the official portal | The record is expected to return to Not Admitted. |
| You changed school or programme | Follow JAMB’s special-case route | Acceptance may come first, followed by the appropriate correction or deletion. |
| You are already on a second degree | Reject the earlier offer if it is no longer needed | Continue with the programme you are currently pursuing. |
| You have a new 2026 offer and an old pending offer | Review both, then reject the old one if appropriate | JAMB says rejecting the previous offer will not adversely affect the 2026 offer. |
| You do nothing | Take action before the deadline | The unresolved offer will revert to Not Admitted after 30 September. |
Do not confuse this with the 2026/2027 admission process
The 2026/2027 admission exercise is still being processed through CAPS, and institutions continue to release or recommend candidates at different times. The new 30 September date concerns outstanding offers dating from 2021 to the current 2026 period; it does not mean every candidate has been offered admission or that every school has completed its admission exercise.
If your CAPS page says Admission in Progress, Recommended, Pending or Not Admitted, follow the meaning of that status and continue checking through the official route. Do not treat this deadline announcement as proof that admission has been granted.
Frequently asked questions
What is the new JAMB admission acceptance deadline?
The new final deadline for affected outstanding admission offers from 2021 to 2026 is Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
Does the deadline apply only to 2026 candidates?
No. The reported directive covers outstanding offers from 2021 to date, including eligible regular and CUIIA offers.
Will an unresolved offer remain active after 30 September?
No. JAMB says offers that remain neither accepted nor rejected will automatically revert to Not Admitted on its records after the deadline.
Can I reject an old offer if I have a new 2026 admission?
Yes, JAMB says rejecting the previous outstanding offer will not adversely affect a candidate’s 2026 admission. Check the records carefully before submitting.
Where should I respond?
Use the official JAMB e-Facility/CAPS route linked from JAMB’s website. Do not give your login details to agents.
Official and corroborating sources
The operational route is JAMB’s live CAPS dashboard and the e-Facility portal. The deadline announcement and special-case guidance were issued by JAMB through its Acting Director of Public Affairs and Protocol and independently reported by Voice of Nigeria and The Punch. MySchoolGist’s report provides an additional candidate-facing summary.
Image note: The featured image is an original illustrative scene created for this article. It is not a screenshot of JAMB CAPS and does not display an official logo, admission record or candidate data.
