UTME 2026: JAMB announces last-minute change to exam schedule

By Tolulope Oke

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a slight adjustment to the arrival time for candidates sitting the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), particularly those in the first session.

In a notice posted on its official X handle on Monday, the board stated that candidates for the first session are now expected to arrive at their examination centres by 7:00 a.m., instead of the previously scheduled 6:30 a.m. The examination will commence at 8:30 a.m. and end at 10:30 a.m.

“Attention 2026 UTME Candidates: This is to notify you of a slight adjustment to the arrival scheduled time, particularly for the first session, which is now 7:00 a.m. as against the earlier published 6:30 a.m., while the scheduled start time for the session is now 8:30 a.m. and end time 10:30 a.m.,” the notice read.

JAMB also clarified that candidates do not need to reprint their examination slips following this adjustment.

The revised timetable covers all four daily sessions running from Monday to Friday, with adjusted timings across all batches to ensure smoother operations at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.

This change follows feedback from candidates and parents regarding early morning travel challenges, including road safety concerns before dawn and logistical difficulties for candidates coming from distant locations.

The 2026 UTME is scheduled to hold from Thursday, April 16, to Saturday, April 25, 2026.