University of Calabar admission requirement, tuition fees and cut off mark

 
##Admission Requirements
For undergraduate (first degree) applicants via UTME:
You must have picked UNICAL as your first choice in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam. 

You need at least five (5) credit passes at O-Level (WAEC/NECO/GCE) including English Language and Mathematics, obtained in no more than two sittings. 

Your subject combination in JAMB must match the course you’re seeking to study (i.e., the correct subject choices). (General expectation for Nigerian universities.)

After JAMB, you’ll be required to participate in the UNICAL Post-UTME (screening/exam) and submit all required documentation and fees. 

For Direct Entry (DE) applicants: in addition to the five credits at O-Level, you must have the appropriate qualification (e.g., ND, HND, A-Level, IJMB) in the relevant field and meet whatever additional DE criteria UNICAL sets. 

In short: make sure your O-Level is good, choose UNICAL first in JAMB, score well in JAMB, and be ready for the post-UTME.

##Tuition & Fees
Here’s what we know about recent tuition/fee figures at UNICAL (for undergraduates):

For non-science courses: Fresh undergraduate students are expected to pay about ?111,000, returning students about ?91,500, and final-year students about ?114,000. 

For science courses: Freshers are expected to pay around ?155,000, returning students about ?125,000, and final-year students about ?148,000. 

In addition, there are “third-party dues” (other fees) mentioned: non-science freshers pay ~ ?36,500 in third-party fees; science freshers ~ ?38,500. 

This increment (over 100 %) was announced for the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 sessions. 

Important note: These figures vary by faculty (science vs non-science), year (fresh vs returning), and may change with newer sessions — always check the official UNICAL website or student portal for the current amount.

##Cut-Off Mark

The “cut-off mark” is essentially the minimum score that UNICAL requires (via JAMB and post-UTME) for you to be eligible for admission/screening. Here’s a summary of what I found:

For the 2024/2025 academic session, UNICAL’s JAMB cut-off mark was quoted as 140 and above in some sources. 

Other sources say the cut-off mark for 2024/2025 was 150 and above. 

For the 2025/2026 session, one source states the general JAMB minimum as 160. 

For very competitive courses (e.g., Medicine & Surgery), UNICAL’s cut-off is significantly higher. For example: For the Faculty of Clinical Sciences (Medicine & Surgery) the cut-off for 2025/2026 is reported as: Merit – 270, ELDS (Educationally Less Developed States) – 240, Catchment – 250. 

So, while meeting the minimum cut-off (e.g., 140-160) is necessary to proceed, it does not guarantee admission, especially for competitive courses — you’ll likely need much higher scores for those.

Animal Science	160 

Nursing / Nursing Science	200

Law	 200

Computer Science	200  

Accountancy, Banking & Finance etc.	180 

##Final Thoughts
If you’re planning to apply to UNICAL:

Make sure all your O-Level credits are ready and valid (especially English & Math).

Ensure you selected UNICAL as the first choice in JAMB.

Aim to score well above the minimum JAMB cut-off, particularly if you’re going for a competitive course.

Prepare for the post-UTME screening (check the deadline, required documents, fee).

Confirm the exact tuition/fees for your specific faculty and session early so you can budget accordingly.

Lastly, keep an eye on the UNICAL official website for any updates or changes in policy/figures.