The Federal Government has approved new, flexible admission guidelines for tertiary institutions starting in 2025. This reform aims to significantly boost access to higher education, projecting an increase of 250,000 to 300,000 admissions annually.
The new policy eliminates the blanket five-credit requirement for all courses across the board, adjusting entry rules based on the institution type:
- Universities still require five credits, but Mathematics is now only mandatory for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.
- Polytechnics (ND) and Colleges of Education (NCE) will now accept a minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects, with English and Mathematics mandatory only where applicable to the course area.
The Ministry of Education states that the move is designed to reduce the number of out-of-school youths and align the nation’s tertiary structure with global norms. Additionally, the National Innovation Diploma (NID) has been abolished, with institutions now mandated to issue the uniform National Diploma (ND).
