Medicine and Surgery is one of the most competitive courses in Nigeria.
Every year, tens of thousands of students apply for the limited number of spaces available in universities across the country.
Because of this high demand, most schools set very high cut-off marks for the course.
In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the cut-off marks used in previous years (especially 2024) by various Nigerian universities to admit students into Medicine and Surgery, so you can better understand what to expect for the 2025 admission process.
What is the general JAMB cut-off for Medicine in Nigeria?
JAMB itself usually sets a general minimum cut-off of 160 for admission into universities. However, this does not apply to Medicine and Surgery.
Each university is allowed to set a much higher departmental cut-off based on how competitive the course is.
For Medicine, most federal and top state universities set their cut-offs between 250 and 320, depending on how many students applied and how many slots are available.
What was the cut-off for Medicine in UNILAG?
In 2024, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) had one of the highest cut-off marks for Medicine and Surgery.
The merit cut-off was around 310, and for catchment areas (such as Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, and Oyo states), the range was around 295 to 305.
This means that only candidates who scored over 300 in JAMB and had very good Post-UTME results were admitted.
What about UI (University of Ibadan)?
The University of Ibadan (UI) is another school where the cut-off for Medicine is usually very high. In 2024, the merit cut-off was around 320.
UI calculates aggregate scores based on JAMB and Post-UTME, so even students with a UTME score of 290 might still miss out if their Post-UTME score is not strong enough.
What did UNN require for Medicine?
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) had a Medicine cut-off of about 300 to 310 in 2024.
UNN is very strict with its admission and requires high JAMB scores as well as good performance in Post-UTME.
The aggregate system they use means that you need to do well in both stages.
How high was the cut-off in UNILORIN?
The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) is another very popular school, and its Medicine and Surgery program is always oversubscribed.
In 2024, the cut-off mark for Medicine was around 290 to 300, depending on whether you were applying under merit or catchment.
Some sources reported that even with 295, some candidates were not admitted because the competition was so tough.
Was the cut-off lower in FUTO?
Yes, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), which recently started offering Medicine, had a lower cut-off compared to older schools.
In 2024, the official departmental cut-off for Medicine at FUTO was 250.
However, because it’s a newer program, and many students applied, only the highest scorers were considered.
So even though the mark was 250, students needed very good O’Level results and Post-UTME performance to stand a chance.
What about IMSU and state universities?
Imo State University (IMSU) and other state universities like Abia State University (ABSU), Delta State University (DELSU), and Benue State University (BSU) generally set cut-off marks between 220 and 260 for Medicine and Surgery.
In 2024, IMSU had a cut-off of 250, and ABSU was around 230 to 240.
These schools are slightly less competitive than federal universities, but competition is still very strong, especially for Medicine.
What is the cut-off for Medicine in northern universities?
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU Zaria) is the most popular in the North.
In 2024, its cut-off for Medicine was 305 for merit, while catchment states like Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, and Niger saw cut-offs between 290 and 300.
Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUSOK) had a cut-off around 260–270, and Bayero University Kano (BUK) was close to 280.
Are private universities different?
Yes, many private universities that offer Medicine, such as Babcock University, Afe Babalola University, and Gregory University, do not rely solely on JAMB cut-off marks.
While they may accept JAMB scores around 180 to 220, admission is based more on ability to pay, WAEC/NECO results, and internal screening.
These universities are often an alternative for students who didn’t meet the high public university cut-offs.