Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) is a private university located in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Founded in 2009, it admits candidates through the JAMB UTME and an internal screening or aptitude test rather than a points-based post-UTME.
ABUAD's general cut-off mark for 2026/2027 is 180, with course-specific cut-offs ranging from 217 (Physics) to 281 (Medicine and Surgery). Located in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti, Afe Babalola University is a private university with 10 faculties and was founded in 2009.
What changed in the 2026 cycle
Across the 22 programmes ABUAD runs in our guide, the 2026 average cut-off settled at 238.7, a touch higher than 2025.
The institution's most competitive programmes are Medicine and Surgery (281), Law (263) and Nursing Science (259). Medicine and Surgery sits at the ceiling for ABUAD, with candidates scoring below 281 effectively shut out of that programme. On the other end, Physics (217), Mathematics (219) and Chemistry (220) offer the most accessible entry points at the institution.
Against 2025, the average climbed by 5.1 points, consistent with the stronger pool of high-scoring candidates JAMB recorded nationally.
2026 cut off marks at ABUAD
| Course | Category | 2026 UTME | 2025 UTME | Change | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting | Management | 234 | 229 | +5 | 71.3 |
| Architecture | Sciences | 243 | 239 | +4 | 72.4 |
| Biochemistry | Sciences | 230 | 227 | +3 | 70.8 |
| Chemistry | Sciences | 220 | 215 | +5 | 69.5 |
| Civil Engineering | Engineering | 243 | 237 | +6 | 72.4 |
| Computer Science | Sciences | 235 | 229 | +6 | 71.4 |
| Economics | Social Sciences | 236 | 232 | +4 | 71.5 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | Engineering | 249 | 246 | +3 | 73.1 |
| English Language | Arts | 227 | 222 | +5 | 70.4 |
| International Relations | Social Sciences | 240 | 236 | +4 | 72.0 |
| Law | Law | 263 | 258 | +5 | 74.9 |
| Mass Communication | Arts | 243 | 239 | +4 | 72.4 |
| Mathematics | Sciences | 219 | 213 | +6 | 69.4 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Engineering | 238 | 231 | +7 | 71.8 |
| Medicine and Surgery | Medical and Health | 281 | 276 | +5 | 77.1 |
| Microbiology | Sciences | 232 | 229 | +3 | 71.0 |
| Nursing Science | Medical and Health | 259 | 256 | +3 | 74.4 |
| Pharmacy | Medical and Health | 258 | 251 | +7 | 74.3 |
| Physics | Sciences | 217 | 210 | +7 | 69.1 |
| Political Science | Social Sciences | 230 | 224 | +6 | 70.8 |
| Public Administration | Social Sciences | 227 | 220 | +7 | 70.4 |
| Statistics | Sciences | 227 | 221 | +6 | 70.4 |
Faculties and academic structure
Afe Babalola University organises its undergraduate programmes across 10 faculties and colleges, with a comprehensive academic portfolio that spans medicine, the sciences, the humanities and the professions.
Candidates apply to a specific department within a faculty rather than to the university at large. The faculty handles registration, level coordination and final-year clearance, while the department supervises the curriculum.
The College of Medicine is the largest single unit by infrastructure footprint at most Nigerian universities that run it, with its own clinical postings, teaching hospital affiliation and admission requirements that sit above the institutional norm.
How admission works at ABUAD
UTME requirements. Every applicant to ABUAD must meet two UTME floors: the JAMB national minimum of 150 and the institution's own general cut-off of 180. The third floor, the course-specific cut-off, is the one that actually decides admission for competitive programmes, with Medicine and Surgery requiring 281 this cycle. UTME subject combinations must match the chosen programme.
Post-UTME or screening. As a private institution, ABUAD typically replaces the traditional post-UTME with an internal aptitude test, interview or documents check rather than a points-based ranking exam. The screening usually opens shortly after JAMB releases results and runs through the early part of the admission window. Candidates should monitor the official ABUAD admissions portal for exact dates each cycle.
The CAPS process. Once aggregates are calculated, ABUAD uploads admission recommendations to the JAMB Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS). Candidates check their CAPS profile to find offers, accept or reject within the deadline and proceed to acceptance fee payment. Admission lists usually drop in waves rather than all at once, so the absence of an offer on the first list does not end your chances.
Acceptance and admission fees. After accepting on CAPS, the candidate has approximately four weeks to settle the acceptance fee through the ABUAD portal. Missing this deadline forfeits the place. Acceptance and full session fees are billed separately, and private institutions like ABUAD have distinct fee structures that you should confirm on the official portal.
Matriculation and resumption. Fresh intakes at ABUAD typically resume between late September and mid-October for the academic session, with matriculation ceremonies held a few weeks after resumption. Course registration, hostel allocation where applicable, and faculty orientation all happen in the opening weeks. Candidates should plan to be on campus from the published resumption date to avoid late registration penalties.
Campus facilities
ABUAD runs the typical mix of campus facilities Nigerian undergraduates rely on across the academic week, from library and ICT services to sports, worship and welfare.
ABUAD's teaching hospital is the institution's most distinctive infrastructure, used for clinical postings by Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy students and for community medical service.
Student accommodation
Student accommodation at ABUAD runs across three options that candidates and parents should plan for early: on-campus halls, off-campus lodges and short-stay places for visits.
On-campus housing
ABUAD requires most undergraduates to live in on-campus accommodation, with capacity built to cover the published intake. Bed allocation typically follows a priority for fresh-year intakes so fresh students settle into specific halls before the first semester.
Accommodation costs at ABUAD are typically bundled into the published fees rather than billed separately. The fee includes feeding plans, utilities and basic upkeep, which is part of the reason private-university fee structures sit materially higher than federal equivalents.
Demand for on-campus hostels at most Nigerian federal universities exceeds supply, so candidates should treat the application as competitive and arrive ready to look at off-campus options if the allocation does not come through.
Off-campus housing
As a private institution that requires on-campus residency for most undergraduates, ABUAD does not have a substantial off-campus student rental market. The few exceptions are postgraduate students and final-year undergraduates with explicit approval to live outside.
Visiting families looking for short-stay accommodation near ABUAD typically choose hotels in the surrounding town. Prices vary by season, and a major travel app gives the current options at a glance.
For visiting parents
Visiting parents typically book hotels near the main campus gate. Federal university towns generally have a mix of basic and mid-range hotels at ₦15,000 to ₦40,000 per night, with higher options in the major cities such as Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
Travel apps such as Booking.com and Hotels.ng list current options and rates, which we deliberately do not republish here because they change frequently.
School fees and cost of attendance
Private-university fees at ABUAD typically range from ₦1,000,000 - ₦2,800,000 per session. The figure usually bundles accommodation, feeding and faculty dues, which is part of the reason private session costs sit materially higher than federal equivalents.
Additional one-off costs
Beyond the headline session fee, fresh-intake students typically pay an acceptance fee in the ₦100,000 - ₦250,000 one-off range, an ID card and matriculation fee, faculty and departmental dues, and (for science and engineering programmes) laboratory or studio fees billed by the department.
Add a budget for course materials, transport, lodging deposit if going off-campus, and miscellaneous administrative payments through the first semester. Year-one costs are almost always the highest in a four-year cycle because so much of the spend is one-off.
Funding options
Eligible Nigerian undergraduates can apply to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides interest-free loans repayable after graduation and a grace period. ABUAD also publishes its own scholarship schemes from time to time for high-performing intakes, and several state governments offer indigene-specific scholarships through the state scholarship board.
Watch the institution's scholarship page and your state's ministry of education portal during the admission window for current funding announcements - new schemes appear cycle to cycle.
About the campus
Afe Babalola University sits in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The institution serves Ekiti State and the surrounding region as the principal university option. Founded in 2009, the institution has matured into a recognised private university serving its catchment region and drawing candidates from across the country.
ABUAD is organised into faculties or colleges that house related departments. The faculty structure is the route an undergraduate progresses through, and each faculty has its own administrative office to handle course registration, level coordination and graduation clearance.
Cost of living in Ado-Ekiti for students depends heavily on accommodation choices. On-campus hostels, where available, offer the most predictable monthly cost, while off-campus rentals in student neighbourhoods near ABUAD run higher but with more flexibility. Transport, food and study materials should be factored into any honest student budget for Ado-Ekiti.
ABUAD operates a religious-neutrality policy on campus. The university does not host on-site worship facilities and discourages religious dress codes.
Location and getting there
- 1-4 hours from Lagos and 7-10 hours from Abuja by road
- Inter-state coach services such as ABC Transport, GUO and the Young Shall Grow Motors operate routes to most state capitals. Flights are available to Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and a handful of state airports.
Afe Babalola University is located in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, in the South-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
For inter-state travel, most students rely on a mix of buses and shared taxis, with occasional flights for the bigger inter-zone moves.
Application calendar
Concrete dates for the 2026 cycle are still being confirmed by individual institutions and JAMB. The windows below reflect typical patterns for ABUAD and the federal cycle as a whole.
- JAMB UTMEApril to May 2026National examination window for the 2026 admission cycle.
- Post-UTME / screeningRolling, July to SeptemberABUAD runs internal screening on a rolling basis.
- First CAPS admission listAugust to September 2026Initial admission recommendations appear on CAPS after screening.
- Acceptance fee deadline4 weeks from offerConfirmed window for the 2026 cycle. Missing it forfeits the place.
- Resumption for fresh intakeLate September to mid-October 2026Matriculation follows resumption by a few weeks.
How ABUAD compares to similar universities
Among private universities of similar size and region, ABUAD's 2026 average cut-off of 238.7 sits above peer institutions such as PAU (235.8) and CU (235.5). This places ABUAD in the mid-tier of universities for the 2026 cycle.
Across the 22 programmes covered, ABUAD maps to 22/146 of the courses tracked in this guide. Candidates choosing between ABUAD and a peer institution should compare the specific course cut-off, not just the institutional average, because course-level differences often outweigh institution-level ones.
Frequently asked questions
Does ABUAD use the JAMB national cut-off or its own cut-off?
Both apply. Every candidate must first clear the JAMB national minimum of 150, then ABUAD's own institutional cut-off of 180, and finally the course-specific cut-off, which is set above the general figure for competitive programmes. The course-specific cut-off is the one that actually decides admission, so meeting the national minimum alone is not enough.
Has ABUAD's cut-off gone up or down since 2025?
Compared with 2025, ABUAD's average cut-off rose by about 5.1 points, moving from 233.6 to 238.7. A rising average usually reflects a stronger pool of high-scoring candidates. Course-level figures still move independently of the institutional average.
What is the post-UTME process at ABUAD?
As a private institution, ABUAD typically runs an internal aptitude test, an interview or a documents check rather than a points-based post-UTME exam. The exact screening format is announced ahead of each cycle on the official ABUAD admissions portal.
How do I apply to ABUAD for the 2026 cycle?
Applying to ABUAD starts with registering for the JAMB UTME, selecting ABUAD as a choice institution and your desired course as the first option. Once UTME results are released, candidates who meet the cut-off register for ABUAD's post-UTME or screening through the official portal. Admission offers appear on CAPS, where candidates accept and proceed to acceptance fee payment.
How many undergraduate programmes does ABUAD run?
This guide tracks 22 undergraduate programmes at ABUAD, out of 146 courses covered nationally. The institution's official prospectus typically lists more, including programmes outside this guide's cut-off dataset. Use the course list on this page to see every ABUAD programme with a 2026 cut-off.
Does ABUAD offer scholarships or financial support?
Scholarship availability at ABUAD changes from year to year and should not be assumed. Private universities like ABUAD commonly run merit and need-based scholarships, and students may also access NELFUND loans. Check the official ABUAD site for current scholarship calls.
What O'level credits does ABUAD require?
The baseline O'level requirement at ABUAD, as at Nigerian universities generally, is five credit passes at no more than two sittings, including English Language and usually Mathematics. The specific subjects depend on the course — science programmes require science credits, arts and social-science programmes their own subject sets. Confirm the exact combination for your course before registering.
Does ABUAD require a specific UTME subject combination?
Yes. The UTME subject combination is fixed by JAMB for each course and applies at ABUAD the same as elsewhere — every candidate sits English plus three subjects relevant to the chosen programme. Choosing the wrong combination at JAMB registration effectively disqualifies you before screening, so confirm the correct four subjects for your course before registering.
Is ABUAD a Christian, Islamic or secular campus?
Afe Babalola University operates a strictly secular policy and does not host on-site religious facilities. Candidates of any faith are welcome, and there is no religious-observance requirement.
Does ABUAD have a teaching hospital?
Yes. Afe Babalola University runs an affiliated teaching hospital used for clinical postings by Medicine, Nursing and allied-health students, and for community medical service. The teaching hospital is the largest single piece of infrastructure at the institution and a core part of its medical-school accreditation.
What documents do I need for ABUAD screening?
For post-UTME or screening at ABUAD, candidates typically present the JAMB UTME result slip, the JAMB admission letter once issued, O'level result(s), a birth certificate or age declaration, recent passport photographs and a means of identification. Private universities often add a school-leaving testimonial and a medical report. Confirm the exact checklist on the official ABUAD portal before screening day.
What faculties does ABUAD have?
ABUAD runs 10 faculties and colleges, including College of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Engineering and others. Candidates apply to a specific department within a faculty, and the department sets the course-specific cut-off, screening process and graduation requirements.