JAMB Clarifies Meaning Behind Rejection Message to Candidates

JAMB Clarifies Meaning Behind Rejection Message to Candidates in the newly released UTME results.

If you recently sent “UTMERESULT” to 55019 or 66019 and received a message stating “Underage and Underperformed,” you may be feeling confused, disappointed, or even alarmed. But there’s no need to panic.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially explained what this message means — and what steps affected candidates should take moving forward.

What Does “Underage and Underperformed” Really Mean?

According to JAMB, this message points to two specific issues related to your eligibility and performance:

1. Underage Status

To be considered for admission into any university, polytechnic, or college of education in Nigeria, candidates must be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2025. This is a long-standing policy, designed to ensure that candidates are academically and emotionally prepared for tertiary education.

This year, however, JAMB made an exception by allowing over 40,000 underage candidates to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The goal was to give them the opportunity to learn from the experience and assess their performance.

Still, this special waiver does not guarantee admission, and it was clearly stated that these candidates would not be considered for placement into institutions unless they meet all the required criteria.

So, if you received this message, it means JAMB’s system flagged you as not yet 16 years old by the official cutoff date.

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2. Underperformance

In addition to being underage, JAMB expected these younger candidates to show exceptional academic potential. To be considered for any form of special admission review despite age, candidates were expected to score between 280 and 300 or above in the UTME.

If your UTME score fell below this threshold, JAMB has categorized your result as “underperformed.” This means your performance, while possibly commendable for your age, did not meet the standard for any further consideration.

So essentially, the message means:

You are not yet of the required admission age, and
Your UTME score was not high enough to merit an exception based on academic excellence.

Can You Still Gain Admission This Year?

Unfortunately, no — not this year.

JAMB has clearly stated that for any candidate to be considered for admission, they must:

Be 16 years or older by September 30, 2025
Score 280 or above in the UTME (if underage but considered exceptional)
Perform well in other qualifying exams like WAEC/NECO and Post-UTME, where applicable

If you do not meet all of these criteria, your application for admission in 2025 cannot proceed. However, this isn’t the end of the road.

What Should You Do Now?

If you’re affected by this policy, here are your next steps:

Stay calm and motivated: This is not a failure. It’s a timing issue. You’re simply ahead of the required age bracket.
Focus on your other exams: If you’re still in secondary school, dedicate yourself fully to your WAEC or NECO preparations.
Plan ahead for 2026: Now that you’ve experienced the UTME process firsthand, use that experience to study even better for the 2026 exam — where you’ll meet the age requirement and be more prepared to succeed.

Final Thoughts

Receiving a message that says “Underage and Underperformed” can be disappointing, but it does not mean you’re not intelligent or capable. In fact, the very act of sitting for UTME at a young age shows initiative and ambition. Many students in your shoes will return next year older, more mature, and far better prepared.

You’re not alone — over 40,000 underage candidates wrote the UTME in 2025. Some scored impressively well, while others gained the valuable experience of understanding the exam process. Take this year as a learning opportunity, and come back stronger.

In 2026, when you meet all the requirements, you’ll be ready to take your place and succeed.