What to Do After Getting Admission in Nigeria

What to Do After Getting Admission in Nigeria

Congratulations — receiving admission into a Nigerian university (or polytechnic or college) is a huge achievement! But getting admitted is just the beginning. To make sure your place is secure and you are ready to start your academic journey, there are several important steps you must take. Skipping any of them could jeopardize your admission offer or delay your registration. Here’s a detailed guide on what to do after admission.

1. Accept the Admission on JAMB CAPS

Why it matters:
Your admission on JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) is not final until you accept it. If you don’t accept, the offer may be withdrawn or you could miss out on the place.

How to do it:

1. Go to the JAMB e-Facility Portal: https://efacility.jamb.gov.ng (Study Guides)
2. Log in with your JAMB email/password. (Study Guides)
3. Navigate to CAPS → Admission Status, and select your exam year, then enter your JAMB registration number. (campus9ja.com.ng)
4. If offered admission, you will see “Accept Admission” and “Reject Admission” buttons. Click Accept if you want to take the offer. (SureSuccess.Ng)
5. After accepting, you can print your JAMB Admission Letter (this usually costs about ₦1,000). (Study Guides)

Be very careful: once you accept admission, in many cases you lose the chance to be considered for other offers. (Tertiary Naija)

2. Confirm Admission on Your School/Institution Portal

Why:
Some institutions require you to accept their specific admission offer on their own portals — not just through JAMB CAPS.

What to do:

• Log into the admission portal of your university or college. According to LinkedIn advice, you should check and accept your offer there too. (LinkedIn)
• Look out for any acceptance forms or admission letters on the school portal.
• Print out your school admission letter in color (some institutions prefer the original-looking document). (School Contents)
• Confirm whether you need to upload or scan any documents on the school portal (e.g., ID card photo, O’Level results).

3. Pay Acceptance and Other Required Fees

Why you need to pay:
Acceptance fee is a way to confirm that you really intend to take up the admission. Many schools will not fully process your admission until the fee is paid. (Edufeed Brains)

Steps to take:

1. Check your school portal to find the acceptance fee invoice. Each university handles this differently. (Edufeed Brains)
2. Pay the fee via the method specified (bank, Remita, or school payment portal).
3. After paying, print or save proof of payment (e.g., Remita confirmation slip). You’ll likely need this for your screening or clearance. (LinkedIn)

Aside from the acceptance fee, you may need to pay other upfront fees: school fees, lab fees, ICT/infrastructure charges, and so on. (Edufeed Brains)

4. Prepare Your Original Documents for Screening / Verification

Why this is important:
Most institutions require a physical screening (or verification) of your academic credentials and other documents before you are fully admitted.

Typical documents to gather:

• Printed JAMB Admission Letter (Exam Node)
• JAMB Result Slip (original / printed) (School Contents)
• O’Level certificates (WAEC, NECO, etc.)
• Birth certificate or age declaration
• Local Government of Origin Certificate or State of Origin Certificate
• Passport photos (check school requirement for number and format)
• National Identification Number slip (if required)

Bring originals and copies to the screening center. Your school may specify how many copies they want.

5. Go Through Physical Screening / Clearance

What happens:

• During screening, the school will verify all your credentials, such as O’Level results, JAMB result, and personal documents.
• If your school uses biometrics, you may have to do thumbprinting or other identity verification. According to Edufeed Brains, some institutions require freshers to do biometric registration. (Edufeed Brains)
• You may also need to fill out a biodata form (personal details) on your school portal. (Edufeed Brains)

6. Pay Full School Fees (or First Instalment)

When to pay:
Most universities will ask you to pay school fees after screening / clearance. Paying before screening is risky — if you’re not cleared, you may lose non-refundable payments. (School Contents)

What to check:

• Confirm from the school portal your fee schedule (how much you need to pay now vs later).
• Make payment using the school’s preferred method. Keep confirmation receipts or Remita slips.
• If payment is in instalments, note the deadline for each tranche.

7. Get Your Matriculation Number

Why it matters:
Your matriculation number is your unique student ID for the university. You’ll need it for course registration, exams, checking results, library access, and more. (Edufeed Brains)

How to get it:

• After clearance and fee payment, your school should assign your matric number.
• It may be accessible in your student portal or provided during orientation / matriculation.

8. Register for Courses (100-Level / First Semester)

What to do:

• Use your school portal to do course registration for the first semester. This is important — without course registration, you may not be able to sit exams. (Edufeed Brains)
• Identify required courses (general studies, departmental) and any electives.
• Confirm your course list with your department or course adviser to avoid mistakes.

9. Complete Student Profile: Library, Biometrics, Hostel, Medical

Additional tasks to settle in:

• Get a Library Card: Some schools require you to register for library access via a card. (Edufeed Brains)
• Medical Clearance: Many universities require medical checkup or screening as part of the admission process. (Edufeed Brains)
• Apply for Hostel Accommodation: If you wish to live on campus, apply early. Many universities have limited hostel spaces. (Edufeed Brains)
• Attend Orientation / Matriculation: Pay attention to the school’s schedule for orientation programs. Matriculation is a formal ceremony to welcome freshmen. (Study Guides)

10. Stay Updated & Prepare for Class

• Regularly monitor your school portal: Schools often publish important notices about registration, orientation, and lectures.
• Buy required textbooks / study materials: Ask your department or seniors which books or materials are needed in first semester. Edufeed Brains suggests getting general studies textbooks early. (Edufeed Brains)
• Network with other admitted students: Attend WhatsApp or Telegram groups for freshers — this helps share information about documentation, campus life, and deadlines.

Additional Tips & Warnings

• Confirm deadlines: Missing acceptance fee dates, screening, or course registration deadlines might lead to losing your admission offer.
• Use official portals only: Always pay fees through your school’s official portal or Remita; avoid third-party intermediaries. (Edufeed Brains)
• Make multiple copies of important documents: Carry several copies of your admission letter, birth certificate, O’Level certificates, and photos to screening.
• Keep proofs safe: Save your payment receipts, bank slips, and JAMB documents — you may need them later for verification or clearance.

Getting admission is a significant milestone, but what happens next is just as important. Accepting your admission on JAMB CAPS, paying the acceptance fee, submitting your documents for screening, paying school fees, getting your matriculation number, registering for courses, and preparing for campus life are all vital steps. By following this roadmap carefully and early, you’ll secure your place and start your university journey with confidence and clarity.

If you like, I can provide a checklist (printable) of everything to do after admission specifically for Nigerian universities — do you want me to make one?