When you should change
Consider changing your course or institution if your UTME score is below your first choice’s cut-off, if you realise your subject combination or O’Level doesn’t match the course, or if a different, better-fit course would improve your chances. Changing early — before institutions finalise their admission lists — is far safer than a last-minute scramble.
How to change (the process)
Change of course and institution is done through your JAMB profile on the official portal. In outline: log in to the eFacility portal, select the Change of Course/Institution service, pay the required fee, choose your new course and/or institution, and submit. Then keep monitoring CAPS. Steps and screens change from cycle to cycle, so follow the current instructions at jamb.gov.ng.
Cost and timing
A fee applies for change of course/institution, and it can only be done within the window JAMB opens each cycle. The golden rule is timing: the earlier you change, the more places are still open. Waiting until schools have almost finished admitting usually means the seats for your new course are gone.
Choose your new course wisely
Don’t switch blindly. Before you change, confirm two things for the new course: that your four UTME subjects match it (use the free Subject Combination Checker), and that its recent cut-off is realistic for your score. Make sure your O’Level credits also match. Our guide on choosing a course you won’t regret walks through the decision.
Course vs institution — you can change either or both
You can change just your course (same school), just your institution (same course), or both. If your score is strong but your first school’s cut-off is brutal, switching to a school with a friendlier cut-off for the same course can be smarter than abandoning the course entirely.
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting too long — the single biggest reason a change fails.
- Switching to a course your UTME subjects or O’Level don’t satisfy.
- Changing without checking the new course’s cut-off against your score.
- Paying anyone outside the official portal to "arrange" a change — that’s a scam.