UNICAL Admission Requirements 2026/2027 | University of Calabar

UNICAL Admission Requirements 2026/2027

The University of Calabar (UNICAL) is one of the more established federal universities in Nigeria’s South South, with a wide range of undergraduate programmes and a reputation for a relatively organised admissions process. Here’s a clear breakdown of what you need to gain admission for 2026/2027.

General O’Level Requirements

UNICAL requires five credit passes in O’Level subjects including English Language, from WAEC, NECO, GCE, or NABTEB. Two sittings are accepted — your combined results must produce the required five credits. The specific subjects needed beyond English depend heavily on your faculty and course, so make sure your combination matches your intended programme before you apply.

UNICAL JAMB Cutoff Score 2026

As a federal university, UNICAL’s minimum JAMB cutoff has generally been set at 160 for most programmes, with more competitive departments like Medicine, Law, and certain Engineering disciplines setting higher bars internally. The specific departmental cutoffs are published on UNICAL’s admissions portal (unical.edu.ng) at the start of each cycle. A JAMB score of 200+ puts you in a reasonably competitive position for most programmes; 250+ is where you start becoming competitive for Medicine and Law.

JAMB Subject Combinations for UNICAL

Medicine and Surgery: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Pharmacy: Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics
Nursing / Medical Laboratory Science: Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics
Law: Literature-in-English, Government or History, one other arts/social science subject
Engineering: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry
Computer Science: Mathematics, Physics, and one other science
Accounting / Economics / Business Admin: Mathematics, Economics, one other commercial subject
Mass Communication / English / Theatre Arts: Literature-in-English, Government or History, one other arts subject
Education: Subjects depend on your teaching area — generally two teaching subjects plus one related subject

Course O’Level Requirements

Medicine and Surgery: English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics — all credits
Law: English, Literature-in-English, Government, Economics, and one other arts subject
Engineering: English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, one technical or science subject
Computer Science: English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, one other science
Economics / Accounting: English, Mathematics, Economics, Commerce, one other commercial subject
Mass Communication: English, Literature or Government, Economics, and two other arts/social science subjects
Agriculture: English, Mathematics, Agricultural Science or Biology, Chemistry, Physics

UNICAL Post-UTME

UNICAL conducts a Post-UTME screening for all candidates who chose the university in their JAMB registration. The screening is typically a CBT aptitude test or an O’Level result screening, depending on the faculty. Registration is done through the UNICAL portal (unical.edu.ng) — watch for announcements immediately after JAMB releases UTME results. The Post-UTME window is usually short, and missing it means missing admission for that cycle.

Direct Entry to UNICAL

UNICAL admits Direct Entry candidates with OND at Upper Credit, NCE, or two A’Level passes in relevant subjects. All standard O’Level credit requirements apply. DE candidates register through JAMB’s Direct Entry portal and, if successful, enter at 200 level.

The Admission Process

All offers go through JAMB CAPS. After your UTME, choose UNICAL as first or second choice, attend Post-UTME when invited, and then check CAPS regularly for your offer. Once it appears, accept it within the deadline. UNICAL’s clearance process involves submitting original documents, a medical fitness certificate, and payment of acceptance fees. Arrive on campus early for clearance — queues can be long during peak clearance periods.

About UNICAL

UNICAL is known for a few standout programmes — Law and Medicine are consistently well-regarded, and the Faculty of Social Sciences has a strong research tradition. The university also runs a significant postgraduate school. For candidates from Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and the broader South South, UNICAL offers a credible federal university option without the extreme competition of UI or UNILAG.