University Of Benin Cutoff Mark For Agricultural Courses
The University of Benin (UNIBEN), established in 1970 and located in Benin City, Edo State, is one of Nigeria’s foremost first-generation federal universities. Its Faculty of Agriculture is a well-regarded academic unit offering a range of courses designed to train students in agricultural science, food production, natural resource management, and allied disciplines. This article provides a detailed look at the cut-off mark requirements for agricultural courses at UNIBEN, along with the general admission process and the full list of courses under the faculty.
Overview of UNIBEN’s Admission Cut-Off System
Admission into UNIBEN, like most Nigerian federal universities, is governed by a three-tier cut-off system:
The JAMB/UTME cut-off mark – the general minimum score set by the university that qualifies a candidate to participate in the Post-UTME screening exercise
The Post-UTME cut-off mark – the minimum score a candidate must attain in the university’s own prequalification examination
The departmental cut-off mark – the final, course-specific aggregate score used to determine actual admission, which varies from department to department based on competition, quota, and catchment area considerations
For the 2025/2026 academic session, UNIBEN’s general JAMB cut-off mark for post-UTME eligibility was set at 200 and above. Only candidates who selected UNIBEN as their first choice institution and scored at least 200 in the UTME are eligible to sit the university’s Post-UTME screening exercise, known as the prequalification examination.
Cut-Off Mark for Agricultural Courses at UNIBEN
The Faculty of Agriculture at UNIBEN generally follows the university’s general cut-off benchmark of 200 in the JAMB UTME, as agricultural courses are typically not among the most highly competitive programmes at the university, unlike Medicine, Law, or Pharmacy, which attract significantly higher departmental cut-off marks. This means that candidates who meet the general UNIBEN cut-off mark of 200 and above are generally eligible to proceed to the Post-UTME screening stage for agricultural courses, after which the specific departmental cut-off mark, determined by candidate performance and admission quota for that particular session, is applied to finalise admission.
Because UNIBEN does not always publicly release a separate, fixed departmental cut-off mark specifically for agricultural courses ahead of each admission cycle, prospective students are strongly advised to treat 200 as the realistic minimum benchmark, while understanding that the exact aggregate score required for actual admission can shift slightly from session to session, depending on:
The general performance of candidates who applied for agricultural courses in that particular year
The admission quota allocated to the Faculty of Agriculture by the National Universities Commission (NUC)
Whether the candidate is from UNIBEN’s designated catchment area
How the Departmental Cut-Off Mark Is Determined
UNIBEN’s final departmental cut-off mark for agricultural courses, like all other courses, is not a static or arbitrarily fixed number. It is influenced by three key factors:
Candidates’ general performance: The final aggregate score used for admission is derived from a combination of WAEC/NECO/NABTEB grade points in subjects relevant to agriculture, along with an average of the candidate’s JAMB UTME score and Post-UTME score. When the general performance of applicants for agricultural courses is strong in a given year, the effective cut-off mark for admission tends to rise correspondingly.
Admission quota: Every department at UNIBEN, including those within the Faculty of Agriculture, is allocated a specific admission quota by the NUC. Once this quota is filled through merit-based admission starting from the highest-scoring candidates, no further candidates are admitted into that department for the session, regardless of whether they meet the general cut-off mark.
Catchment area: As with other federal universities in Nigeria, UNIBEN gives some preference to candidates from its designated catchment states, which are Edo State, Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Delta State, and Rivers State. Candidates from these states may enjoy a slight advantage in the admission process compared to candidates from outside the catchment area.
List of Agricultural Courses Offered at UNIBEN
The Faculty of Agriculture at UNIBEN offers several courses designed to cover the full breadth of agricultural science and allied fields:
Agricultural Economics and Extension Services
Animal Science
Crop Science
Fisheries
Forestry and Wildlife
Soil Science
All of these courses generally fall under the same broad cut-off mark framework applicable to the Faculty of Agriculture, though specific departments within the faculty may see slightly different levels of competition depending on applicant interest each session.
General Admission Requirements
Beyond meeting the cut-off mark, candidates seeking admission into any agricultural course at UNIBEN must also satisfy the following requirements:
UNIBEN must be selected as the candidate’s first-choice institution during UTME registration
A minimum of five O’Level credit passes in NECO, SSCE, WASSCE, or GCE, including relevant science subjects
Candidates must be at least 16 years of age
Successful participation in the university’s Post-UTME screening exercise (the prequalification examination), with a minimum score of 50 percent generally required to be considered for admission, subject to departmental cut-off marks
O’Level results must be correctly uploaded to the JAMB CAPS portal, as failure to do so can lead to automatic disqualification even where the cut-off mark is met
Comparing Agriculture to Other UNIBEN Faculties
To put the agricultural cut-off mark in context, it is useful to compare it against some of UNIBEN’s more competitive faculties:
Medicine and Surgery: cut-off mark around 240
Mass Communication: cut-off mark generally around 220, sometimes reported as high as 230
Law: departmental cut-off mark usually set above 200
Engineering courses (including Computer Engineering): typically expected to exceed the general 200 benchmark
Agriculture: generally aligned with the university’s baseline cut-off mark of 200, making it comparatively more accessible than Medicine, Law, Pharmacy, or Mass Communication
This makes agricultural courses at UNIBEN a relatively accessible option for candidates who meet the general UTME cut-off mark but may not be competitive enough for the university’s most oversubscribed professional courses.
Why UNIBEN’s Cut-Off Marks May Appear to Vary
It is worth noting that UNIBEN does not always officially publish a full, department-by-department list of cut-off marks ahead of each admission cycle. Figures reported by various sources for specific departments, including Agriculture, are often realistic estimates based on previous admission trends and competition levels rather than officially released departmental scores. For this reason, prospective agriculture students should treat the general cut-off mark of 200 as their working benchmark, while confirming any updates directly through the official UNIBEN admission portal or by contacting the Faculty of Agriculture.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the cut-off mark for agricultural courses at UNIBEN?
Agricultural courses at UNIBEN generally follow the university’s baseline cut-off mark of 200 in the JAMB UTME, as agriculture is not among the university’s most highly competitive faculties, unlike Medicine, Law, or Pharmacy.
2. What courses are offered under the Faculty of Agriculture at UNIBEN?
The Faculty of Agriculture offers Agricultural Economics and Extension Services, Animal Science, Crop Science, Fisheries, Forestry and Wildlife, and Soil Science.
3. Does UNIBEN give preference to candidates from certain states for agricultural courses?
Yes. UNIBEN’s catchment area policy applies across all faculties, including Agriculture, giving some preference to candidates from Edo, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States over candidates from outside the catchment area.
4. Is meeting the cut-off mark enough to guarantee admission into an agricultural course?
No. Meeting the cut-off mark only qualifies a candidate for the Post-UTME screening exercise. Final admission depends on the candidate’s overall aggregate score, the department’s admission quota, and how other applicants performed in that particular session.
5. Is UNIBEN’s cut-off mark for agriculture the same every year?
Not necessarily. While the general baseline tends to stay close to 200, the effective cut-off mark used to determine actual admission into agricultural courses can shift slightly from session to session, based on applicant performance, admission quota, and other admission factors.