JAMB clarified that “Not Admitted” does not mean admission is lost, and “Admission in Progress” is not yet a final offer.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released an official public explanation to clear confusion among thousands of young Nigerians checking their admission status on the internet.
The exam body published an educational video message from its national office on Thursday, September 17, 2026, to guide students on how to read the messages showing on their Central Admissions Processing System profiles.
Many young school graduates who wrote the national matriculation exams have been logging into their personal computer portals daily to check if universities, polytechnics, or colleges of education have accepted them for the new school year.
However, seeing words like “Not Admitted” or “Admission in Progress” has caused deep worry and fear among many families, leading many young people to think their dreams of going to higher school were completely over.
The main reason why the board decided to release this special public message right now is to stop panicking and prevent candidates from falling into the hands of internet fraudsters claiming they can change admission results for money.
The leadership of the board noticed that many candidates misinterpret these technical computer terms. For instance, when a candidate sees “Not Admitted,” they think it means the school has rejected them completely.
On the other hand, when others see “Admission in Progress,” they wrongly celebrate that they have already secured a final seat.
To set the record straight, the board broke down the exact meaning of each message so students can monitor their profiles calmly while schools continue uploading names.
Explaining the exact meaning of the “Not Admitted” message to candidates across the country, the board gave reassurance that hope is not lost.
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Reassuring young students who are still waiting for news from their chosen schools, the board stated, “This simply means you’ve not been offered admission yet. However, it does not necessarily mean you will not be admitted”.
Clarifying what happens when a student sees “Admission in Progress” on their phone or computer screen, the examination body explained, “This means your institution’s admission officer has proposed you for admission, but is awaiting the head of institution’s recommendation”.
Sending a strong warning so that students do not celebrate too early or stop checking their profiles, the board cautioned, “Please note that ‘Admission in Progress’ does not mean automatic admission”.
Explaining why an admission in progress can still change, the exam body added, “This is because the recommended offer could still be disapproved by the Board if you don’t meet the prerequisite requirements”.
Describing the final happy stage every student is waiting to see, the official statement noted, “This is the point you get the message, ‘CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE BEEN OFFERED ADMISSION'”.
Tertiary institutions across Nigeria are still in the middle of processing their official lists. Education experts advise all candidates to keep logging into their profile pages regularly to accept or reject offers once the final green message appears.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
