Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM) Cut-Off Mark for Agricultural Courses (2026/2027)
Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM) — formerly known as the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) — remains one of Nigeria’s leading institutions for agricultural education, research, and extension services. If agriculture is your field of interest, whether it’s Animal Science, Crop Production, Forestry, Agricultural Economics, or Fisheries, this article walks you through the university’s cut-off mark requirements, how agricultural courses are typically ranked in competitiveness, and everything you need to know before applying for the 2026/2027 admission cycle.
About JOSTUM and Its Agricultural Heritage
Before it became Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University in honour of the late Nigerian politician and nationalist Joseph Sarwuan Tarka, this institution was known nationwide as the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM), established in 1988 as one of Nigeria’s pioneer specialized agricultural universities. Even after its renaming and broadening into a full multi-disciplinary university (now offering Medicine, Engineering, Sciences, and Education alongside its original programmes), agriculture remains the institution’s core strength, backed by research farms, extension programmes, and decades of specialization in the field. This history is exactly why agricultural courses at JOSTUM carry particular weight and credibility for anyone considering a career in agribusiness, agronomy, animal production, forestry, or related fields.
Official General Cut-Off Mark for 2026/2027
According to the official Post-UTME/Direct Entry notice signed by the Registrar, Dr. John U. David, and published on the university’s website, the general minimum cut-off mark for the 2026/2027 academic session is 150. This means:
Only candidates who scored 150 and above in the 2026 UTME are eligible to apply for the Post-UTME/Direct Entry screening exercise.
The application window ran from Monday, 1st June 2026 to Friday, 19th June 2026.
Candidates must be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026.
A minimum of five (5) O’Level credits, including Mathematics and English Language, obtained at not more than two sittings, is required.
Direct Entry candidates need the requisite ‘A’ Level plus ‘O’ Level qualifications.
A non-refundable application fee of ₦2,000 applies (excluding bank/service charges).
Crucially, the RRR (Remita Retrieval Reference) for payment must be generated directly from the university’s own website (www.uam.edu.ng), not from the Remita homepage — generating it elsewhere means your payment won’t sync with your applicant profile, and you could be locked out of the screening exercise entirely.
This 150 baseline is what qualifies you to apply for screening — it is not, by itself, a guarantee of admission into your desired agricultural course.
How Cut-Off Marks Work for Agricultural Courses Specifically
Like most Nigerian universities, JOSTUM does not use one flat score for every department. The general institutional minimum (150 for 2026/2027) opens the door to Post-UTME screening, but each department then ranks applicants competitively based on a combination of UTME score, Post-UTME performance, and O’Level results, up to the number of available slots (the admission quota) for that department.
Based on the pattern JOSTUM has followed across recent admission cycles, agricultural courses generally sit toward the lower-to-mid range of competitiveness compared to Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, and Computer Science, which routinely demand much higher scores (180 and above, sometimes touching 190–200 for the most sought-after programmes).
Historically, JOSTUM’s agriculture-focused departments — such as:
Agriculture (General)
Agricultural Economics
Agricultural Extension and Communication
Animal Science
Crop Production
Crop & Environmental Protection
Fisheries and Aquaculture
Food Science and Technology
Forestry and Wildlife Management
Home Science and Management
Plant Breeding and Seed Science
Soil Science
have tended to sit close to the general institutional minimum, making them some of the more accessible programmes at the university relative to competitive fields like Veterinary Medicine or Mechanical Engineering. That said, popular agriculture-adjacent courses like Agricultural Economics and Food Science and Technology have, in some sessions, required somewhat higher departmental scores than a purely agronomic course like Crop Production, simply because of higher application volumes.
Important caveat: These patterns are based on how JOSTUM has historically ranked its programmes, not a confirmed, published course-by-course table for the current session. The university publishes its actual approved departmental cut-off marks for each admission cycle on its official portal, and this is the only source that should be treated as final.
Where to Find the Official Departmental Cut-Off List
The university has stated that the approved admission cut-off marks for its various undergraduate programmes for the 2026/2027 session are published on its official website under the Post-UTME/Direct Entry application page. To get the exact, current figure for your specific agricultural course:
Visit www.uam.edu.ng
Navigate to the Post-UTME/Direct Entry Application section (also linked from the university’s admissions notices).
Look for the document or page listing approved cut-off marks for undergraduate programmes for the current session.
Cross-check the figure for your exact department (not just the general “Agriculture” heading, since sub-disciplines are ranked separately).
Alternatively, log in to myportal.uam.edu.ng once screening opens, where departmental requirements are usually displayed during the application process.
Don’t rely on old cut-off lists shared on social media or outdated blog posts — JOSTUM’s general cut-off mark alone has shifted between 140, 150, 160, and even 180 across different recent sessions, which shows how much this figure can move from year to year.
Admission Isn’t Just About the Cut-Off Mark
Meeting or exceeding the cut-off mark only qualifies you to compete — it doesn’t guarantee a spot. A few other factors matter just as much:
Departmental quota: Each department is assigned a fixed number of admission slots per session. Even strong scores can miss out if the department is oversubscribed.
O’Level subject requirements: Agricultural courses typically require credits in core science subjects (Biology, Chemistry, and often Agricultural Science, Physics, or Mathematics), alongside English Language. Missing a required subject can disqualify you regardless of your JAMB score.
JAMB subject combination: If your UTME subject combination doesn’t match what your chosen department requires, the system can automatically disqualify your application — this is one of the most common (and avoidable) mistakes applicants make.
Post-UTME performance: JOSTUM conducts its own screening exercise, and your combined UTME and Post-UTME performance (often alongside O’Level results) determines your final ranking within your department.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the general JOSTUM cut-off mark for 2026/2027?
150 and above in the 2026 UTME, as stated in the official Post-UTME/Direct Entry notice signed by the university Registrar.
2. Do agricultural courses at JOSTUM have a lower cut-off mark than courses like Medicine or Engineering?
Generally, yes. Agricultural courses (Agriculture, Animal Science, Crop Production, Forestry, Agricultural Economics, and related fields) have historically required scores closer to the general institutional minimum, while Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, and some Engineering and Computer Science programmes have demanded significantly higher scores (180 and above in past sessions).
3. Does scoring above the cut-off mark guarantee admission into my chosen agricultural course?
No. The cut-off mark only qualifies you for the Post-UTME screening exercise. Final admission depends on your overall ranking against other applicants for that specific department, based on JAMB score, Post-UTME performance, O’Level results, and the department’s available quota.
4. Where can I find the exact departmental cut-off mark for my agricultural course?
On the official university website (www.uam.edu.ng), under the Post-UTME/Direct Entry application page, or via the student portal (myportal.uam.edu.ng) once screening opens. This is the only reliable source, since the general figure has changed from one session to another in recent years.
5. What O’Level subjects do I need for agricultural courses at JOSTUM?
While specific requirements vary slightly by department, most agricultural programmes require credits in English Language, Mathematics, and relevant science subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, and/or Agricultural Science, obtained at not more than two sittings. Always confirm the exact combination for your specific course on the official admissions page before applying.