JAMB says it is working towards a UTME centre in Ottawa, Canada, and the centre should start in 2027. The board announced it on its X page on Monday, October 5, 2026. It is meant for eligible Nigerians in Canada and other parts of North America, so they can write the exam without flying to Nigeria just for it.
Registration is not open. JAMB has not given a date, a fee or an address.
About the JAMB UTME centre in Canada
The plan came up after the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, visited the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa. JAMB’s own words were “For Nigerians in Canada, the UTME is coming closer to home.”
Prof. Aina is the new Registrar. He took over from Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, whose second term ended on July 31, 2026.
What JAMB has confirmed so far:
- The city is Ottawa.
- JAMB expects it to start in 2027. Expects, not promises.
- Eligible Nigerians in Canada and other parts of North America can use it.
- The reason JAMB gave: people should not have to travel to Nigeria only to write the UTME, with all the cost and stress that comes with it.
What JAMB has not said yet about the Canada UTME centre
The announcement is short, so a lot is still open:
- The month the centre starts, and the exam date.
- When candidates in Canada can register.
- The fee. Will it be the same as in Nigeria? Nobody knows yet.
- The address of the centre.
- What “eligible” means. JAMB used the word and did not explain it.
- Whether a candidate in Vancouver, or in the United States, would also be told to come to Ottawa, since JAMB says the centre serves North America.
Until JAMB answers these on jamb.gov.ng or its official X page, treat whatever you hear on WhatsApp as rumour.
Foreign UTME centres JAMB has used before
This is not the first time JAMB is running the UTME outside Nigeria. In 2022 it listed nine foreign centres. Five held the exam on May 28, 2022, and the other four were to follow.
| City | Country | 2022 status |
|---|---|---|
| Accra | Ghana | Held on May 28, 2022 |
| Johannesburg | South Africa | Held on May 28, 2022 |
| Buea | Cameroon | Held on May 28, 2022 |
| Abidjan | Cote d’Ivoire | Held on May 28, 2022 |
| Cotonou | Benin Republic | Held on May 28, 2022 |
| Berlin | Germany | Planned, to follow |
| London | United Kingdom | Planned, to follow |
| Jeddah | Saudi Arabia | Planned, to follow |
| New York | United States | Planned, to follow |
For 2025, the foreign exam was scheduled for nine countries in Europe, the Middle East and parts of Africa. North America was not in that list. New York was only listed as planned in 2022, and nothing here confirms it ever held an exam, so anyone in the United States should ask JAMB before planning around it.
What to sort out now before the Ottawa UTME centre opens
Do not pay anybody for an “Ottawa slot.” Registration has not opened.
- Start with your NIN. JAMB uses it to create the profile code you need before registering, and for 2026 it told candidates with wrong names or dates of birth to fix them with NIMC first. The Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa lists NIN enrolment locations in Canada: Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Check its website for current details before you travel anywhere.
- Passport, NIN and school papers should all carry the same name and date of birth.
- A UTME score does not get anyone admitted on its own. If the candidate went to school in Canada and has no WAEC or NECO result, ask the Nigerian school what it accepts instead, and do that before you pay for anything.
- In 2026 the age rule was at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026. Nothing yet on the 2027 rule.
- Ottawa is six hours behind Nigeria in January and February, then five hours behind after Canada moves its clocks in March. When it is 4 p.m. in Nigeria, it is only 10 a.m. in Ottawa in winter.
JAMB registration dates and fees from past years
JAMB has not announced 2027 dates. The last two years give you an idea of when to be ready, but they are not a promise.
| Year | UTME registration period |
|---|---|
| 2025 | January 31 to March 5, 2025 |
| 2026 | January 26 to February 28, 2026 (JAMB said this included candidates from foreign countries) |
In 2026, e-PIN sales ran from January 19 to February 26. The optional mock held on March 28. The main UTME started on April 16.
If 2027 follows the same pattern, registration would open in late January. That is a guess from two years of dates, not an announcement. Having your NIN and papers ready by December is a safe plan.
These were the 2026 fees in Nigeria:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| JAMB application fee | N3,500 |
| Reading text | N1,000 |
| CBT centre registration service charge | N700 |
| CBT centre UTME service charge | N1,500 |
| Bank charges | N500 |
| Total without mock | N7,200 |
| Optional mock centre charge | N1,500 |
| Total with mock | N8,700 |
The Ottawa fee is not known, and the 2027 fee is not announced. Use these only as a rough guide.
Changes JAMB is planning for the UTME
JAMB has set up a committee to look at adding life skills, critical thinking, and analytical, logical and verbal reasoning to the UTME. The committee had four weeks to give its first report. JAMB has not said when any change will start. The Registrar’s argument is that candidates already showed their subject knowledge in WAEC and NECO, so testing only subjects repeats the work.
So be careful with anyone selling a “2027 format” prep pack. JAMB has not said what the format will be.
There is one more change. From the 2027 admission cycle, candidates for Colleges of Education no longer need the UTME. Reports say this also covers Education and non-engineering Agriculture courses, including in polytechnics. If that is your course, confirm with the school before you register.
What a UTME score can and cannot do
For 2026/2027, the minimum UTME score is 150 for universities and colleges of nursing, and 100 for polytechnics. Schools can set a higher mark for their own courses, and many do for Medicine, Law and Engineering. The cut-off for 2027 admission is not announced.
Admission must go through JAMB’s CAPS portal. The Minister of Education has said admissions done outside CAPS are illegal and will not be recognised.
A UTME score is also for Nigerian schools. Foreign schools generally do not accept it as proof that you finished secondary school, because it is an entrance exam and not a school-leaving certificate. They ask for WAEC, NECO or the high school diploma you earned. If you plan to apply to Canadian schools as well, keep those papers safe.
Questions about the JAMB UTME centre in Canada
Can I write the UTME in Canada in 2026?
No. The 2026 UTME started in April and registration closed on February 28, 2026. The Ottawa centre is for 2027.
Is registration open for the Ottawa centre?
No. JAMB has not opened it or named a date.
Will Post-UTME screening also hold in Canada?
JAMB’s announcement talks about the UTME only. Schools run their own Post-UTME screening, so ask your school how it treats candidates who live abroad.
Where do I get the right information?
From jamb.gov.ng and JAMB’s official X page. JAMB also has a support portal at support.jamb.gov.ng for candidate tickets. Anything from a WhatsApp group should be checked there first.
