JAMB Subject Combination 2026/2027 — every JAMB UTME candidate must register Use of English plus three subjects relevant to their chosen course. Picking the wrong three is the most common reason students lose admission they qualified for. Use the tables below to find the right combination for your course.
What Is a JAMB Subject Combination?
A JAMB subject combination is the set of four UTME subjects you sit in the exam. Use of English is compulsory for every candidate. The other three are tied to the course you want to study — and you must choose them before you finalise registration on the JAMB e-facility portal. You cannot change them later without paying a correction fee.
If your course requires Physics, Chemistry, and Biology and you sat Maths, Economics, and Geography, JAMB CAPS will mark you ineligible no matter how high your score is.
Sciences, Medical & Health Sciences
| Course | Subjects (with Use of English) |
| Medicine & Surgery | Biology, Physics, Chemistry |
| Pharmacy | Biology, Physics, Chemistry |
| Nursing / Nursing Science | Physics, Biology, Chemistry |
| Dentistry | Chemistry, Biology, one Science subject |
| Medical Laboratory Science | Physics, Chemistry, Biology |
| Medical Rehabilitation | Physics, Chemistry, Biology |
| Physiotherapy / Physiology / Anatomy | Biology, Physics, Chemistry |
| Optometry / Radiography | Biology, Physics, Chemistry |
| Veterinary Medicine | Biology, Physics, Chemistry |
| Biochemistry / Microbiology | Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics |
| Biological Sciences / Botany | Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics |
| Chemistry / Industrial Chemistry | Chemistry plus two of Physics, Biology, Mathematics |
| Physics | Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry or Biology |
| Mathematics / Statistics | Mathematics plus two of Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Biology, Agric |
| Computer Science | Mathematics, Physics, plus one of Biology, Chemistry, Agric, Economics, Geography |
| Geology | Three of Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Geography |
| Food Science & Technology | Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics, Agricultural Science |
Engineering & Environmental Sciences
| Course | Subjects (with Use of English) |
| Civil / Mechanical / Electrical Engineering | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry |
| Chemical / Petroleum / Gas Engineering | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry |
| Computer / Mechatronics / Systems Engineering | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry |
| Agricultural / Marine Engineering | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry |
| Metallurgical & Materials Engineering | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry |
| Production / Industrial / Structural Engineering | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry |
| Food Engineering | Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics or Biology |
| Architecture / Quantity Surveying | Physics, Mathematics, plus one of Chemistry, Geography, Art, Biology, Economics |
| Building / Surveying & Geoinformatics | Physics, Mathematics, plus one of Chemistry, Geography, Art, Biology, Economics |
| Urban & Regional Planning | Mathematics, Geography, plus one of Economics, Physics, Chemistry |
| Estate Management | Mathematics, Economics, one other subject |
| Geography | Geography plus two of Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agric |
Social & Management Sciences
| Course | Subjects (with Use of English) |
| Accounting / Accountancy | Mathematics, Economics, one Social Science subject |
| Business Administration / Management | Mathematics, Economics, one Social Science subject |
| Banking & Finance | Mathematics, one Social Science, one other subject |
| Economics | Mathematics, Economics, plus one of Government, History, Geography, Lit-in-English, French, CRK/IRK |
| Public Administration | Government, Economics, one other subject |
| Marketing / Insurance / Tourism | Mathematics, Economics, one other subject |
| Industrial Relations / HRM | Mathematics, Economics, Government, one other subject |
| International Relations | Economics, Lit-in-English, plus Geography or Government or History |
| Political Science | Government or History plus two Social Science/Arts subjects |
| Sociology / Psychology | Three Social Science or Arts subjects |
| Mass Communication | Three Arts or Social Science subjects |
| Demography & Social Statistics | Mathematics, Economics or Geography, one other subject |
| Cooperative & Rural Development | Mathematics, Economics, one other subject |
| Criminology & Security Studies | Economics, Government, one of History/Geography/Lit/French/IRK/Hausa |
| Library Science | Three Arts or Social Science subjects |
Arts & Humanities
| Course | Subjects (with Use of English) |
| Law / Civil Law | Lit-in-English, Economics, one other Arts subject |
| Islamic / Sharia Law | Three Arts/Social Science subjects including Arabic or Islamic Studies |
| English Language | Lit-in-English, one Arts subject, one Arts or Social Science subject |
| English & International Studies | Lit-in-English, Government or History, one Arts subject |
| History & International Studies | History or Government plus two Arts/Social Science subjects |
| French | French plus two Arts/Social Science subjects |
| Hausa | Hausa, Lit-in-English, plus Economics, Government, History, or Arabic |
| Igbo | Igbo plus two Arts/Social Science subjects |
| Yoruba | Yoruba plus two Arts/Social Science subjects |
| Efik / Ibibio | Lit-in-English, CRK, Government |
| Arabic / Arabic & Islamic Studies | Arabic plus two Arts/Social Science subjects |
| Christian Religious Studies | Two Arts subjects including CRK, plus one other |
| Islamic Studies | IRS plus two other Arts subjects |
| Religious Studies | CRK or IRS, plus two other subjects |
| Philosophy | Government plus two other subjects |
| Linguistics | Two relevant Arts subjects, one other subject |
| Theatre Arts | Lit-in-English plus two other relevant subjects |
| Music | Music, one other Arts subject, one other subject |
| Fine & Applied Arts / Creative Arts | Fine Art plus two other Arts/Social Science subjects |
| Anthropology | Three of History, CRK/IRK, Geography, Economics, Lit-in-English, French |
Agriculture
| Course | Subjects (with Use of English) |
| Agricultural Economics / Extension | Chemistry, Biology or Agric, Mathematics or Physics |
| Animal Science / Crop Science / Soil Science | Chemistry, Biology or Agric, Mathematics or Physics |
| Forestry / Wildlife Management | Chemistry, Biology or Agric, Physics or Mathematics |
| Fisheries & Aquaculture | Chemistry, Biology or Agric, Mathematics or Physics |
| Environmental Management / Science | Chemistry, Biology or Agric, Mathematics or Physics |
Education Courses
| Course | Subjects (with Use of English) |
| Education & English Language | Lit-in-English, one Arts subject, one other subject |
| Education & Mathematics | Mathematics plus two of Physics, Chemistry, Biology |
| Education & Biology | Biology plus two of Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics |
| Education & Chemistry | Chemistry plus two of Physics, Biology, Mathematics |
| Education & Physics | Physics, Mathematics or Chemistry, one other subject |
| Education & Computer Science | Mathematics, Economics or Commerce, plus one of Chemistry/Physics/Biology |
| Education & Integrated Science | Three of Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Agric |
| Education & Economics | Economics, Mathematics, one of Geography/Physics, History, Government, Lit-in-English |
| Education & Political Science | Government or History plus two Arts/Social Science subjects |
| Education & History | History plus two of CRK/IRS, Lit-in-English, French, Yoruba, Geography/Physics, Economics, Government, Hausa |
| Education & Geography | Geography plus two Social Science/Arts subjects |
| Education & French | French plus two other Arts subjects |
| Education & Yoruba / Igbo / Hausa | The language plus two Arts/Social Science subjects |
| Education & Islamic / Religious Studies | IRS or CRK plus two Social Science/Arts subjects |
| Education & Fine Art | Fine Art, one other Arts subject, one other subject |
| Education & Music | Music plus two Arts/Social Science subjects |
| Education & Home Economics | Chemistry, Biology or Agric, one other subject |
| Education & Accountancy | Mathematics, Economics, one Social Science subject |
| Adult Education | Government or History, one Social Science, one other subject |
| Agricultural Science Education | Three of Chemistry, Biology, Agric, Physics, Economics, Geography, Mathematics |
| Business Education | Mathematics, Economics, plus one of Lit-in-English, History, Government, Geography, Chemistry, Physics |
| Vocational / Technical Education | Two specialisation subjects, plus Mathematics or Physics |
| Educational Administration / Management / Planning | Three of Lit-in-English, History, French, Geography/Physics, Economics, Mathematics |
| Physical & Health Education / Human Kinetics | Biology plus two relevant subjects |
| Guidance & Counselling | Any three subjects |
| Curriculum Studies | Three subjects from Arts/Sciences |
How to Pick the Right JAMB Subject Combination
1. Check the JAMB brochure first
The JAMB Brochure 2026/2027 is the official source. The tables on this page summarise the brochure, but if a school has its own twist (e.g., UNILAG requiring an additional language), the brochure flags it.
2. Use the IBASS eligibility checker
eligibility.jamb.gov.ng/checker lets you enter a course + school + subject set and instantly tells you whether you qualify. Run this before you pay your registration fee.
3. Match the subjects to your O’level credits
JAMB subject combination is only half the battle. Your WAEC/NECO/NABTEB credits must also include those subjects. If your UTME has Physics but you have no credit pass in Physics at SSCE, your admission can be denied at post-UTME stage.
4. Pick subjects you can actually score in
A perfectly correct combination is useless if you fail the papers. Don’t pick Further Maths because it sounds prestigious — pick what you’ve consistently scored 70%+ in throughout SS3.
FAQ
Can I change my JAMB subject combination after registration?
Yes, through the JAMB correction portal. Pay the correction fee and submit the change before the JAMB-published deadline. After the deadline, you’re locked in.
Is Use of English compulsory for everyone?
Yes. Every UTME candidate sits Use of English plus three other subjects. There are no exceptions, even for arts students.
What’s the difference between O’level requirement and UTME subject combination?
UTME subjects are the four papers you write at the JAMB exam centre. O’level requirements are the WAEC/NECO/NABTEB credits you must hold from secondary school. Most courses require both to align (e.g., Medicine needs Bio, Chem, Phys at both UTME and SSCE).
Which JAMB subjects are best for Medicine and Surgery?
Use of English, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. This combination is the same across every Nigerian university that offers Medicine and Surgery.
Can I use Agric Science instead of Biology for Medicine?
No. Medicine and the dental/health professional courses (Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, Medical Lab Science) all require Biology, not Agricultural Science.
What subjects should I pick for Law?
Use of English, Literature-in-English, Economics, and one Arts subject (Government, History, CRK/IRS, French, or a Nigerian language).
Where do I download the full JAMB brochure?
Free, from awajis.com/jamb-brochure or directly from jamb.gov.ng.
Related: JAMB Syllabus 2026 · JAMB CBT Practice Software · JAMB Recommended Books