How to Obtain NYSC Exemption Certificate

Many Nigerian graduates have been asking what the NYSC exemption certificate is and how they can get theirs.

If you are one of those, this article will help, as in this article, I will be telling you what the NYSC exemption letter is and how to get yours.

What is the NYSC Certificate of Exemption?

The NYSC exemption certificate is issued to a Nigerian graduate that shows that he or she is with his or her first degree but was exempted from NYSC.

Usually, there are many reasons why certain persons are exempted from serving in NYSC. We will consider some of those below.

Eligibility for NYSC Exemption

To be eligible for the NYSC certificate of exemption, you must be a Nigerian graduate with a BSc., BA, or HND qualification from an approved or accredited Institution by NUC, NTBE, or NCCE.

Foreign-trained graduates must submit their Certificates to the Mobilization Department for Evaluation.

In addition, according to the National Youth Service Corps Decree 1993 section 2 subsection (1), it is stipulated that;

“With effect from 1st August 1985, a person shall NOT be called upon to serve in the service corps if, at the date of graduation or obtaining his diploma or other professional qualification” :

1. He is over the age of thirty (30) years

2. He has served in the Armed Forces of the Federation or the Nigeria Police Force for more than nine months; or

3. He is a member of staff of any of the following:

• The Nigerian Security Organization or
• The State Security Service, or
• The National Intelligence Agency or
• The Defence Intelligence Service

4. He has been conferred with any National Honour.

Therefore, these categories of persons are exempted from service and issued with Certificates of Exemption.

Collection of NYSC Certificate of Exemption

If you wish to collect your NYSC certificate of exemption, please follow the process below.

How to Get NYSC Exemption Letter for Home-Trained Graduates

First, the institution attended has to submit a master list of graduates alongside the Senate-approved result to NYSC.

NYSC will then process a printout that contains those to be called up for service and those to be exempted.

This printout is sent back to the Institutions for verifications and corrections, after which they are returned to NYSC as an agreed/corrected document.

With the printout, the Certificates of Exemption are produced, documented, and sent back to the Institutions for issuance to the appropriate persons.

Please note: Collection of Certificate of Exemption for home-trained graduates is only done in the institution of graduation, not in the NYSC office. #exemption letter

How to Get NYSC Exemption Letter for Foreign-Trained Graduates

First, the credentials of the candidate and other related documents, i.e., an International passport, will be evaluated.

After evaluating credentials, the foreign-trained graduate is registered, which is physically done at the NYSC directorate headquarters, Abuja.

At the point of registration, the classification of who to be called up or who to be exempted; is determined.

Certificates of Exemption are therefore produced for those exempted from service.

Such Certificates of Exemption for foreign graduates are to be collected at the NYSC directorate headquarters at the stipulated time communicated.

Also See: NYSC Nigeria Allowance

Please note: Collection of Certificate of Exemption is grouped under the three batches of the service year, depending on the registration date.

This equally would be communicated to exempted graduates at the point of registration.

Collection of Certificate of Exemption is strict with identification such as an International passport, and the bearer MUST BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT.

Replacement of Certificate of Exemption

In the case of loss of Certificate of Exemption, the following steps are to be taken for replacement.

For Home trained graduates, the following documents are required.

• A letter of notification/request routed through the institution of graduation and addressed to the Director-General, NYSC.
• Police Extract/Report
• Court Affidavit
• Where available, a copy of the lost Certificate of Exemption

For foreign-trained graduates, the following documents are required.

• A letter of notification/request addressed to the Director-General, NYSC.
• Police Extract/Report
• Court Affidavit
• Photocopy of International passport
• Where available, the copy of the lost Certificate of Exemption

It is the policy of the Scheme not to reprint lost or burnt Certificates. Letters of Confirmation are issued instead.

Corrections and Complaints

Issues of complaints and corrections for home-trained graduates are to be routed through the Institutions of graduation.

The school then forwards such cases with necessary attachments, such as a photocopy of the printout, to NYSC for rectification or further necessary action.

Foreign-trained graduates are to submit a handwritten application with the attachment of a photocopy of the International passport –data page and original Certificate of Exemption to be addressed to the Director-General, NYSC NDHQ, Abuja, indicating their address and telephone number.

That’s all on how to collect and replace the NYSC exemption certificate of exemption for both home-trained and foreign-trained graduates.

NYSC Exclusion Letter

You may not be enlisted for NYSC orientation if you are a part-time student at any Nigerian university or overseas. You won’t also be given a certificate of exemption but will rather be given a letter of exclusion.

Also, please remember that NYSC offers three documents/awards/certificates to Nigerian graduates. This includes the Discharged certificate, exemption letter, and exclusion letter.

How to Apply for an Exclusion Letter/Certificate

You’ll go through the same process as people who are supposed to serve or are exempted. Here’s a basic overview of the steps.

Your credentials will be sent to NYSC for submission to the NYSC registration portal by your school. The senate list is an official list of students who have graduated.

You will complete your online registration simultaneously as those who will be called up for NYSC. You’ll fill out a similar form (data). However, you won’t be requested to choose between four deployment states.

You will not receive any documents after completing the online registration (as that is unavailable for the excluded candidates). Only those serving will be given the green card.

When individuals call to NYSC camp to print their call-up letters, you will be expected to print out your exclusion letter.

Exclusion graduates must print this document online, whereas serving corps are handed a discharged certificate by hand when they finish their time in the NYSC.

Exclusion and Exemption Certificates: What’s the Difference?

You won’t be summoned for NYSC orientation if you are a part-time student at any Nigerian university or elsewhere. Graduates will not be given a certificate of exemption but will instead be given a letter of exclusion.

You will obtain a certificate of exemption if you are a full-time student who finished the University at 30 or older.

NYSC Exclusion Letter [Sample]

To save you time, below is a simple summary of each.

• A discharged certificate is given to all serving corps members
• An Exemption Certificate is given to all those over-aged graduates (i.e., thirty years or over at the time of mobilization)
• An Exclusion letter is given to grads of online courses, part-time, National Open University (NOUN).

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Want to learn more about NYSC? You might want to check out our NYSC category.