The KWASU cut off mark is the minimum score a candidate needs in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) before they can be considered eligible to apply for admission into Kwara State University. KWASU, located in Malete, Kwara State, was established in 2009 under the administration of Dr. Bukola Saraki and has since grown into one of the more prominent state universities in North Central Nigeria, known for combining conventional academic study with a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship. This article explains what the cut-off mark means in practice, how it differs between the general university benchmark and specific departmental requirements, and what candidates need to do once they meet it.
What the KWASU Cut Off Mark Means
The cut-off mark for Kwara State University refers to the minimum UTME score a candidate must have before they are permitted to participate in the university’s Post-UTME screening exercise. This benchmark is set in two layers. The first is the general minimum score fixed by the university for a candidate to even apply for screening, sometimes referred to as the eligibility cut-off. The second is the departmental cut-off mark, which is often higher than the general benchmark and reflects how competitive a specific course is, based on the number of applicants relative to the available slots in that department.
Meeting the general cut-off mark does not automatically guarantee a candidate’s admission. It simply confirms that the candidate qualifies to proceed to the next stage, the Post-UTME screening exercise, after which final admission is determined using a combination of the candidate’s UTME score, O’Level results, and screening performance.
General JAMB Cut Off Mark for KWASU
Kwara State University follows the national minimum benchmark set annually by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) at its Policy Meeting, and the university’s own general cut-off mark is typically pegged at or slightly above whatever figure JAMB approves for that admission cycle. In recent admission cycles, this general benchmark has moved between 140 and 160, reflecting the changes JAMB itself has made to the national minimum score from one year to the next.
Because this benchmark is reviewed annually and depends directly on JAMB’s own policy decisions for each admission cycle, candidates should treat any specific number as indicative rather than fixed years in advance. The safest approach is to confirm the exact current-session cut-off mark on the official KWASU admissions portal once JAMB concludes its Policy Meeting for that year, since the university typically publishes its confirmed benchmark shortly after.
Regardless of where the general benchmark lands in a given year, one rule stays constant: KWASU only considers candidates who selected the university as their first choice of institution during JAMB registration. Candidates who chose another institution as first choice are not eligible for admission consideration at KWASU, even if their score comfortably clears the cut-off mark.
How Departmental Cut-Off Marks Work
While the general cut-off mark determines who can apply for screening, individual departments set their own, often higher, benchmark based on demand. Programs that attract a large number of applicants relative to their available admission slots naturally require a higher score to remain competitive, while less competitive programs may admit candidates closer to the general minimum. The table below gives a general sense of how competitiveness typically varies across course categories at KWASU, based on the pattern seen in recent admission cycles.
| Course Competitiveness Tier | Example Programs | Typical Score Range Needed to Be Competitive |
|---|---|---|
| High demand / highly competitive | Nursing Science, Law, Medicine-related Allied Health courses, Pharmacy-related programs | 200 and above |
| Moderately competitive | Computer Science, Engineering disciplines, Mass Communication | 180 – 210 |
| Standard demand | Most Arts, Education, and Management and Social Sciences programs | 150 – 180 |
| Lower demand | Some specialized Agriculture and Pure Science programs | General minimum benchmark and above |
These figures represent typical patterns rather than officially fixed numbers for every course in every session, since departmental cut-off marks can shift slightly from year to year depending on how many candidates apply. A candidate whose score falls below the range shown for their intended course still has a chance at admission if the department does not fill all its slots through the initial round, but it is generally safer to aim comfortably above the general minimum, particularly for competitive courses.
Faculties and Courses Offered at KWASU
Kwara State University runs its academic programs across eleven faculties, and the specific department a candidate applies to plays a direct role in what cut-off mark applies to them. The faculties currently offered include:
- Faculty of Agriculture
- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering and Technology
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences
- Faculty of Information and Communication Technology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Management and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences
Within these faculties, KWASU runs more than fifty approved undergraduate and postgraduate programs, spanning disciplines such as Nursing Science, Law, Computer Science, Mass Communication, Business Administration, Agricultural Economics, Architecture, and various engineering specializations, including some less commonly offered disciplines like Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering. The breadth of programs across these faculties is part of why cut-off marks vary so widely between departments, since a niche or newly introduced program often has a different competitiveness profile compared to a long-established, high-demand course.
KWASU Cut-Off Mark for All Available Courses (2026/2027)
| # | Faculty | Course | Estimated Cut-Off Mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic Medical Sciences | Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) | 250+ |
| 2 | Allied Health Sciences | Nursing Science | 200–230 |
| 3 | Allied Health Sciences | Pharmacy | 220–290 |
| 4 | Allied Health Sciences | Medical Laboratory Science | 190–220 |
| 5 | Allied Health Sciences | Physiotherapy | 180–210 |
| 6 | Allied Health Sciences | Public Health | 170–200 |
| 7 | Allied Health Sciences | Environmental Health Science | 160–190 |
| 8 | Allied Health Sciences | Nutrition and Dietetics | 160–180 |
| 9 | Law | Common Law | 200–240 |
| 10 | Law | Common and Islamic Law | 200–240 |
| 11 | Engineering and Technology | Civil Engineering | 180–200 |
| 12 | Engineering and Technology | Electrical/Electronics Engineering | 180–200 |
| 13 | Engineering and Technology | Mechanical Engineering | 180–200 |
| 14 | Engineering and Technology | Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering | 170–190 |
| 15 | Engineering and Technology | Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering | 170–190 |
| 16 | Engineering and Technology | Computer Engineering | 180–200 |
| 17 | ICT | Computer Science | 170–190 |
| 18 | ICT | Software Engineering | 170–190 |
| 19 | ICT | Cyber Security | 170–190 |
| 20 | ICT | Information Technology | 160–180 |
| 21 | ICT | Telecommunication Science | 160–180 |
| 22 | Environmental Sciences | Architecture | 180–210 |
| 23 | Environmental Sciences | Estate Management | 160–180 |
| 24 | Environmental Sciences | Quantity Surveying | 160–180 |
| 25 | Environmental Sciences | Surveying and Geoinformatics | 160–180 |
| 26 | Environmental Sciences | Urban and Regional Planning | 160–180 |
| 27 | Environmental Sciences | Building Technology | 150–170 |
| 28 | Management and Social Sciences | Accounting | 170–190 |
| 29 | Management and Social Sciences | Business Administration | 160–180 |
| 30 | Management and Social Sciences | Economics | 160–180 |
| 31 | Management and Social Sciences | Banking and Finance | 160–180 |
| 32 | Management and Social Sciences | Mass Communication | 170–190 |
| 33 | Management and Social Sciences | Political Science | 150–170 |
| 34 | Management and Social Sciences | Public Administration | 150–170 |
| 35 | Management and Social Sciences | Sociology | 150–170 |
| 36 | Management and Social Sciences | Criminology and Security Studies | 160–180 |
| 37 | Management and Social Sciences | Entrepreneurship | 150–170 |
| 38 | Pure and Applied Sciences | Biochemistry | 160–180 |
| 39 | Pure and Applied Sciences | Microbiology | 160–180 |
| 40 | Pure and Applied Sciences | Physics | 150–170 |
| 41 | Pure and Applied Sciences | Chemistry | 150–170 |
| 42 | Pure and Applied Sciences | Mathematics | 150–170 |
| 43 | Pure and Applied Sciences | Statistics | 150–170 |
| 44 | Pure and Applied Sciences | Plant Biology | 140–160 |
| 45 | Pure and Applied Sciences | Industrial Chemistry | 150–170 |
| 46 | Arts | English Language | 150–170 |
| 47 | Arts | History and International Studies | 140–160 |
| 48 | Arts | Christian Religious Studies | 140–160 |
| 49 | Arts | Islamic Studies | 140–160 |
| 50 | Arts | Arabic Language and Literature | 140–160 |
| 51 | Arts | Fine and Applied Arts | 140–160 |
| 52 | Arts | Theatre Arts | 140–160 |
| 53 | Education | Guidance and Counselling | 150–170 |
| 54 | Education | Educational Technology | 150–170 |
| 55 | Education | Health Education | 150–170 |
| 56 | Education | Science Education (Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Mathematics) | 150–170 |
| 57 | Education | Social Studies Education | 140–160 |
| 58 | Education | Early Childhood Education | 140–160 |
| 59 | Agriculture | Agricultural Economics and Farm Management | 140–160 |
| 60 | Agriculture | Animal Science | 140–160 |
| 61 | Agriculture | Crop Production | 140–160 |
| 62 | Agriculture | Soil Science | 140–160 |
| 63 | Agriculture | Aquaculture and Fisheries | 140–160 |
| 64 | Agriculture | Forestry and Wildlife Management | 140–160 |
Admission Requirements Beyond the Cut-Off Mark
Meeting the JAMB cut-off mark is only one part of what a candidate needs for admission into KWASU. The general requirements applicants must also satisfy include:
- A minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects at the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) level, from WAEC, NECO, or an equivalent examination body, including English Language and Mathematics, obtained in not more than two sittings.
- A minimum age requirement of 16 years at the point of admission, unless a candidate is specifically certified as academically gifted and admitted under an exception.
- A letter of recommendation or testimonial from the principal of the candidate’s most recently attended secondary school.
- Successful completion of the university’s Post-UTME screening exercise, which considers the candidate’s UTME score, O’Level results, and performance in the screening itself.
Direct Entry candidates, who apply with an existing National Diploma, NCE, IJMB, or A-Level qualification, follow a separate admission track and are typically placed directly into 200 level, subject to meeting both the underlying O’Level requirement and any specific requirement tied to their intended department.
Steps to Take After Meeting the Cut-Off Mark
Once a candidate confirms that their UTME score meets or exceeds both the general KWASU cut-off mark and the specific benchmark for their intended department, the next steps typically follow this sequence:
- Confirm that KWASU was selected as the first choice of institution during JAMB registration, since this is a strict requirement for consideration.
- Register for the KWASU Post-UTME screening exercise through the official university admissions portal, using the correct JAMB registration details.
- Complete the screening exercise within the stipulated window, ensuring all requested O’Level and bio-data information is entered accurately.
- Monitor the JAMB Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) for admission status updates, since final admission offers are typically reflected there once released.
- Accept the admission offer on CAPS promptly once it appears, as delays in accepting an offer can sometimes affect a candidate’s placement.
Candidates who do not meet the cut-off mark for their first choice of course at KWASU may still have the option to explore other less competitive departments within the same faculty, or to consider KWASU’s Direct Entry, JUPEB, or IJMB pathways as an alternative route into the university, depending on their specific academic background.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current KWASU cut-off mark? KWASU’s general cut-off mark follows the national JAMB benchmark set at the annual Policy Meeting and has moved between 140 and 160 in recent admission cycles. Candidates should confirm the exact figure for their specific admission year on the official KWASU portal, since it is reviewed and re-announced each session.
Does meeting the general cut-off mark guarantee admission? No. Meeting the general cut-off mark only qualifies a candidate to apply for the Post-UTME screening exercise. Final admission depends on the candidate’s aggregate score, which combines UTME results, O’Level grades, and screening performance, weighed against the specific departmental cut-off for the chosen course.
Which KWASU courses have the highest cut-off marks? Programs under the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, and Faculty of Law, along with high-demand programs like Nursing Science, tend to have the highest departmental cut-off marks due to strong applicant demand relative to available slots.
Can I apply to KWASU if I selected it as my second choice on JAMB? No. KWASU only considers candidates who selected the university as their first choice during JAMB registration.
What if my score is below the departmental cut-off for my preferred course? Candidates in this position can consider applying to a less competitive department within the same faculty, or explore alternative pathways into the university, such as Direct Entry, JUPEB, or IJMB, depending on their academic qualifications.