Many students lose their admission chance because of small mistakes they make during registration. That is why understanding the 10 Critical Mistakes to Avoid Before Submitting Your 2026 JAMB UTME Registration is very important.
Every year, JAMB warns candidates about wrong details wrong subject combinations and using unapproved centers yet many still fall into the same errors.
This shows that avoiding these mistakes is not just good advice it is real proof that your success starts before you even enter the exam hall.
In this guide, you will learn the 10 Critical Mistakes to Avoid Before Submitting Your 2026 JAMB UTME Registration in a way that is easy for everyone to understand
even if English is not your first language. The goal is to help you register with confidence avoid stress later and protect your dream of getting into a university.
Think of it like building a house: if the foundation is wrong the whole house has a problem. In the same way if your JAMB registration is not correct
your admission process becomes difficult. This introduction gives you the clear direction you need to start strong and avoid the common traps many students face.
10 Critical Mistakes to Avoid Before Submitting Your 2026 JAMB UTME Registration
Entering Incorrect Personal Details
1. Common errors with name, date of birth, or LGA
The biggest mistake is rushing to type your name, date of birth, or Local Government Area (LGA). Many students write their nickname like “Tomi” instead of their full, official name “Tomiwa.”
Others mix up their day and month of birth, or they simply select the wrong LGA from the list because they are in a hurry. Your exam slip is not like a social media profile; it must be 100% perfect and match your official documents.
How these mistakes affect admission
Why is this so serious? Imagine you pass your JAMB exam with a high score. But when your chosen university checks your result, the name does not match your WAEC certificate or your birth certificate.
The school officials will not know if “Adebayo” and “Adebayor” are the same person. This can lead to automatic disqualification. Your admission can be given to another person, all because of one spelling mistake.
How to verify details before submission
Before you click the final submit button, you must act like a detective checking your own work. Do not just look quickly.
Take your birth certificate and your WAEC/NECO statement of result and place them next to the computer screen. Compare every single letter in your name and every number in your date of birth.
Ask your parent or an elder in your house to double-check it for you. This five-minute review can save you from one full year of frustration.
2. Using Someone Else’s SIM Card or Using the Wrong Phone Number
JAMB does not just use your phone number for simple calls. They connect it directly to your NIN and use it to send all your important updates.
This includes your exam details, your result, and even messages about admission. If you use your mother’s, father’s, or friend’s SIM card, you will not get these messages on time.
You will be completely in the dark. The owner of the SIM might forget to tell you a critical message, and you could miss your exam center details.
The Fix: The rule is simple. You must use your own personal phone number, the one that is registered with your NIN.
This is the only number JAMB will recognize as yours. Do not change this number or lose the SIM card until after you have gained admission into the university and have started your classes. Keep it safe and active.
3. Registering with an Inaccessible Email Account
Your email address is like the key to your JAMB online account. Many students quickly create a new Gmail or Yahoo account just for the registration and then forget the password.
This is a very dangerous mistake. JAMB will send your official registration slip and other vital documents to this email. If you cannot open the email, you cannot print these important papers.
The Fix: Use an email address you know very well and use regularly. If you must create a new one, immediately write down the email address and the password in a safe place, like a notebook.
Before you submit your JAMB form, log into the email one more time to be sure you remember the password perfectly. This small step will save you from a lot of trouble later.
4. Choosing the Wrong Subject
Picking the wrong subjects is a major error. Your subject combination is a key for your course. Without the correct key, the door to your studies will not open.
For example, for Medicine, you need Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. You cannot replace Biology with Geography. Universities set these rules to ensure students have the needed basic knowledge.
If you use the wrong combination, the computer will automatically reject your application. Always check the official JAMB brochure for your course’s exact required subjects. Do not guess or listen to friends.
5. Applying to a University Without Checking Requirements
Do not assume all universities have the same rules. The general JAMB cut-off mark (like 180) is just a minimum. Your chosen course at a top university may need 250 or more. You must also check other conditions.
Some schools require five O’Level credits in one sitting only. Others require a specific grade in a subject or have a special post-UTME test.
Visit your desired university’s official admissions website. Write down all their requirements to avoid a sad surprise after you pass your JAMB exam.
6. Failing to Verify O’Level Result Options
Be very careful with your O’Level results. When filling the form, you must select if your result is “Available” or “Awaiting.” Choosing the wrong one causes problems.
Later, you must upload your result details. The information you type (your name, subjects, grades) must match your original WAEC or NECO certificate exactly.
Even a small difference in your name can make JAMB think the result is not yours. This will delay your admission.
You will have to correct it, which is very stressful. Always use your original certificate and type everything carefully.
7. Registering at an Unaccredited CBT Centre
You must only register at a JAMB-approved CBT centre. An illegal or unaccredited centre is not official. They can take your money and give you big problems.
Their systems can be slow or break during your exam, causing you to fail. The worst danger is that JAMB may not accept your registration at all. This means you cannot take the exam, and you lose your money and one year. It is a very big risk.
How to confirm an approved CBT centre
Do not trust any centre just by looking at it. To be safe, you must confirm it yourself. Go to the official JAMB website. There, you will find a list of all approved centres for 2026.
Check the name and address of the centre you want to use against this list. You can also ask your school teacher or a senior student who successfully took the exam before for a good centre they know.
8. Ignoring JAMB Brochure Guidelines
Why the brochure is important
The JAMB brochure is like a big instruction book. It contains all the rules for every university and every course. Many students think it is not important and skip it.
This is a terrible mistake. The brochure tells you the correct subject combinations for your desired course. If you choose the wrong subjects, even with a high score, the university will not accept you. It is your map to success.
Examples of rules students skip
For example, you want to study Medicine. You think you only need English, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. But the brochure for your chosen university might say they do not accept Physics; they require Mathematics instead.
If you skip the brochure, you will register with the wrong subject and be disqualified. Another rule is the O’level requirement. Some courses need a credit in a specific subject like Literature or Geography, which you may not know if you don’t read the brochure.
9. Using Wrong Course Codes or Wrong Faculty
Many students make a simple but costly mistake during JAMB UTME registration by choosing the wrong course code or selecting a faculty that does not match their real course.
This error may look small, but it can stop you from getting admission because universities use these codes to know exactly what you want to study.
When the code does not match the course, it creates confusion and can delay your admission process.
To avoid this mistake, take your time to check the official JAMB brochure or the university website.
For example if you want to study Computer Science make sure you are selecting the correct code and placing it under the right faculty usually Faculty of Science
. Do not guess or rely on what you think is correct. Always confirm before you submit.
10. Submitting the Form Without Careful Review
Why last-minute reviewing is important
After filling the form, you are tired and want to finish quickly.
But submitting without a careful final check is like running a race and falling at the finish line.
A small mistake in your name, date of birth, or subject choice can make your entire registration invalid. The officials will not correct it for you later.
This small hurry can waste all your effort and money.
Checklist to follow
Before you click “submit”, sit down and check everything slowly. Use this simple list:
Names: Are your first and last names spelled correctly? They must match your birth certificate exactly.
Birth Date: Is your day, month, and year of birth correct?
Photograph: Is the picture clear? Is it your recent face?
Subjects: Are the subjects you selected the exact ones you meant to choose?
University/Course: Did you finally select the correct university and course you have read about in the brochure? Check one more time
Conclusion
Avoiding the 10 Critical Mistakes to Avoid Before Submitting Your 2026 JAMB UTME Registration is simple if you take small careful steps. Before you submit.
slow down and check every detail: your name, birthdate, phone number, email, O’Level choices subject combination and the school rules. Use your own NIN-linked SIM
an email you can open, and only approved CBT centres. Read the JAMB brochure and your chosen university’s requirements they are there to help you, not to confuse you.
If you follow these tips, you remove most of the common problems that stop students from getting admitted.
Ask a parent teacher or a trusted friend to double-check your form with you. Keep copies of your documents and keep your contact details active after registration.
Small care now saves you months of worry later. Prepare well check twice and go into the 2026 JAMB season with confidence your dream of admission is within reach.
