Last Updated for the 2026/2027 Academic Session. Figures marked provisional are cross-checked against multiple current sources; confirm fees and dates on the official portals before you pay.
Know someone who scored below their school's cut-off? Share this link with them right now. A change of institution to ABUAD could save their admission year. {alertInfo}
You picked another university on your JAMB form, your result is out, and now ABUAD looks like the smarter choice. Maybe your score did not clear your first school's cut-off, or you simply changed your mind. Either way, you are not stuck with the choice you made in the exam hall.
JAMB lets you move your admission to Afe Babalola University through a change of institution. The catch is that most guides online explain only the JAMB side, or only reproduce ABUAD's advert, and never connect the two. That gap is where students lose money and time.
This guide covers the complete picture: what the service actually is, who qualifies, the exact JAMB portal steps, every fee on both the JAMB side and the ABUAD side, the total cost, and what happens after the switch goes through. Where sources genuinely disagree, this guide shows you both positions instead of guessing.
Table of Contents
Change of Course vs Change of Institution: What You Are Actually Doing
On the JAMB portal these two sit under one service. JAMB groups them under Correction of Data, and the specific menu item is your choice of institution and course. People call it "change of course," "change of institution," or "change of school," but it is the same tool.
A change of institution moves you from one university to another, for example from your current first choice to ABUAD. A change of course switches the programme you applied for. You can do both in the same request. If ABUAD was never on your form, this is the service that puts it there.
You can change your course, your institution, or both at once in a single request. The fee is charged per request, not per item changed. {alertInfo}
How many times can you change?
Sources disagree on this, so here is the honest position. Historically JAMB allowed a change of course or institution to be done twice, while personal data corrections were once only. Some current 2026 write-ups now describe it as a one-time change, while others say you may change more than once as long as you pay the fee again each time.
Because the rule has shifted between cycles, treat every change as if it is your only one. Confirm your final choice before you submit, and do not rely on being able to reverse it later. {alertWarning}
Who Can Change to ABUAD
Two things decide whether this works for you: the national minimum score and ABUAD's own rules.
The national minimum score
At the 2026 policy meeting held on 11 May 2026, stakeholders set the national minimum admissible UTME score for universities at 150. No university may admit below that mark, though any school can set its own higher cut-off. So 150 is the floor to use the admission system at all, not a promise of a place at ABUAD.
ABUAD's own position
ABUAD openly welcomes change-of-institution candidates. Its published post-UTME advert invites students who did not select Afe Babalola University in the UTME to take part in the screening, on the condition that they purchase ABUAD's own change-of-institution form and also process a change of institution on the JAMB side. In short, ABUAD wants you, but you must complete both halves.
ABUAD's reported course cut-offs sit above the national floor. Figures circulating online put the general mark around 180, with Law and Mass Communication near 200. These are not confirmed on an official ABUAD cut-off page, so treat them as a guide and verify before you count on them. {alertWarning}
If your score clears ABUAD's requirement for your course, and ABUAD's screening for the session has not closed, you qualify to make the switch. For the full picture of departmental marks, read our ABUAD cut-off marks guide.
The JAMB Portal Steps
This is the JAMB half of the process. You start it on the e-Facility portal, but read the note after the steps carefully, because the finish line has moved.
Read this before you assume it is fully online. Current guidance is that you pay on the portal, but the actual change is effected at a JAMB office or an accredited CBT centre, where your fingerprint or an OTP is used to authorise it. Do not expect to finish the whole thing from your phone at home. Go to an approved centre to complete it. {alertWarning}
Never let a random cyber cafe use your login to "help." The service ties to the profile that pays, and handing over your details is how profiles get hijacked. Use an accredited centre. {alertError}
Total Cost: JAMB Side + ABUAD Side
This is where most guides mislead you, because they quote only one side. Switching to ABUAD has a JAMB cost and a separate ABUAD cost. Here is the full picture.
| Fee | Amount | Side |
|---|---|---|
| JAMB change of course and/or institution | ₦2,500 | JAMB (official fee) |
| CBT centre service charge | ₦500 to ₦1,000 | JAMB side (if done at a centre) |
| ABUAD change-of-institution form | ₦3,500 | ABUAD |
| ABUAD application form | ₦2,000 | ABUAD |
| ABUAD screening fee | ₦5,000 | ABUAD |
| Estimated total | about ₦13,000 | excluding service charges |
The ₦2,500 JAMB fee is the official amount. Be aware of a real discrepancy: because the change is now completed at a centre, some 2026 sources quote the JAMB side as ₦3,500 once the mandatory service charge is bundled in. Budget for the higher figure so you are not caught short.
ABUAD's Direct Entry and Inter-University Transfer applicants follow a different track, with a combined form around ₦10,500 rather than the UTME breakdown above. If you are a DE or transfer candidate, use that route instead. {alertInfo}
For the full ABUAD application walkthrough and screening format, see our ABUAD Post-UTME 2026/2027 guide.
Timing and Deadlines
There is no fixed 2026/2027 change window published as a single hard date. JAMB usually opens the service after UTME results are released and keeps it open through the admission exercise. The practical deadline that matters most is not JAMB's, it is ABUAD's.
The date that can end your chance is ABUAD's own screening close date. Once ABUAD stops accepting screening applicants, changing your institution to it on JAMB will not help. Move before ABUAD's post-UTME closes, not just before JAMB's window does. {alertWarning}
On how fast the switch shows up: the change reflects on the JAMB side quickly, often the same day. Reflecting on the school's portal and on your CAPS choices can take longer, from a day to a couple of weeks. Do not panic and pay a second time if it is not instant everywhere.
After the Change: What Happens at ABUAD
Getting the JAMB change done is step one. ABUAD then runs its own process. Here is the order of operations.
Once your offer drops, follow our full ABUAD admission process guide for checking CAPS status, accepting your admission, paying the acceptance fee, and collecting both admission letters. {alertInfo}
Mistakes That Cost People Admission
These are the errors that turn a simple switch into a lost year.
- Old choices still showing on CAPS. After the change, students see their former school and assume it failed. Open My Choices and click Refresh. Candidates have almost lost admission by ignoring this.
- Changing to a school whose screening has closed. JAMB itself warns against moving to an institution that has already finished its post-UTME. Confirm ABUAD's screening is still open first.
- Scoring below the course cut-off. The change will go through, but the admission will not follow if your score is under ABUAD's mark for that course.
- Subject combination that does not match the new course. Check the JAMB brochure or IBASS so your UTME subjects fit the ABUAD course you are switching into.
- Paying through someone else's profile. The service ties to the paying profile. Pay from your own.
- Losing your transaction reference. Keep the receipt and any OTP. You need them if a payment needs to be traced.
- Paying scammers. ABUAD publishes its only authorised channels and warns that money sent to unlisted accounts is at your own risk. Pay only through the official portal and listed accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I change to ABUAD if I did not choose it in UTME?
Yes. ABUAD openly invites candidates who did not select it in the UTME to its screening. You process a change of institution on the JAMB portal and also buy ABUAD's own change-of-institution form. Both halves are required.
How much does it cost in total to change to ABUAD?
Roughly ₦13,000 excluding service charges: ₦2,500 on the JAMB side, plus ABUAD's ₦3,500 change-of-institution form, ₦2,000 application form, and ₦5,000 screening fee. Some sources quote the JAMB side as ₦3,500 once the CBT centre charge is included, so budget a little higher. These figures are provisional until confirmed on the official portals.
What JAMB score do I need for ABUAD?
The national minimum for universities in 2026/2027 is 150, set at the 11 May 2026 policy meeting. ABUAD's reported course marks are higher, around 180 generally and near 200 for Law and Mass Communication, though those figures are not confirmed on an official ABUAD page.
Is the JAMB change of institution done fully online?
You pay online through the e-Facility portal, but the actual change is generally effected at a JAMB office or an accredited CBT centre, where a fingerprint or OTP authorises it. Do not expect to complete the whole process at home.
How long does the change take to reflect?
It usually reflects on the JAMB side quickly, often the same day. Showing on CAPS My Choices and on the school portal can take from a day to a couple of weeks. If the old choice lingers, use the Refresh button on CAPS rather than paying again.
Do I still have to write the ABUAD Post-UTME after changing?
Yes. The ABUAD screening is mandatory. After the change of institution, you buy ABUAD's forms and sit the post-UTME, taken online or at a designated centre depending on how you applied.
How many times can I change my course or institution?
Sources disagree. Historically it was allowed twice; some current sources describe it as once only, others as more than once with a fresh fee each time. Because the rule has changed between cycles, treat your change as final and choose carefully before submitting.
What to Do Next
Do not sit on this. The change window and ABUAD's screening will not stay open forever, and last-minute rushes are where payment and portal errors happen.
- Confirm ABUAD's screening is still open before you spend a naira.
- Check your score against ABUAD's mark for your course in our cut-off marks guide.
- Go to an accredited CBT centre or JAMB office to pay and effect the change of institution.
- Buy ABUAD's forms and register for the screening through the official portal.
- Check CAPS, click Refresh, and confirm ABUAD now shows as your institution.
Written by the Everything ABUAD Team
Sourced from the 2026 JAMB policy meeting outcome, current JAMB correction-of-data guidance, and ABUAD's published post-UTME advert. Fee and date figures are flagged provisional until confirmed on the official portals.
Drop a Comment! 👇 Stuck on the change of institution, or not sure if your score clears ABUAD? Drop your question in the comments below, and the Everything ABUAD team will answer you!{fullWidth}
