If you just finished your JAMB exam and you are aiming for Tai Solarin University of Education, there is a good chance you are confused about one thing right now. What score do you actually need to get into your chosen course? This confusion is the biggest reason many students miss admission deadlines or apply to the wrong department. The TASUED departmental cut off mark is the number that decides whether your JAMB score is strong enough for your dream course, and in this article, you will learn what it means, how it works, how to check it, and the mistakes you must avoid when applying.
By the end of this guide, you will understand the difference between the general JAMB cut off mark and the departmental cut off mark, how TASUED calculates your final admission score, and what steps to take right after your post UTME result is released.
What Is the TASUED Departmental Cut Off Mark?
The TASUED departmental cut off mark is the minimum score a candidate must reach to be considered for admission into a specific course or department at Tai Solarin University of Education. This is different from the general JAMB cut off mark, which is the same number for every course in the school.
Here is how it works in simple terms. JAMB sets a national benchmark every year. Universities then choose their own cut off mark, which must be equal to or higher than the JAMB benchmark. For the 2025/2026 academic session, TASUED set its general JAMB cut off mark at 140. This means any candidate who scored 140 or above in JAMB can apply for the post UTME screening exercise.
However, scoring 140 does not automatically guarantee admission. Some sources report that TASUED later raised the screening eligibility benchmark to 160 for certain categories of applicants. This shows why checking the official TASUED website regularly during the admission period is so important, because numbers can change between the JAMB cut off announcement and the actual screening exercise.
The TASUED departmental cut off mark goes one step further than the general cut off. Each department, such as Computer Science, Accounting, or English Education, may set its own internal benchmark depending on how many people applied for that course and how many spaces are available. A course like Computer Science usually attracts thousands of applicants for a few hundred spaces, so its departmental cut off mark tends to be higher than a less popular course like Religious Studies.
One common mistake students make here is assuming that meeting the JAMB cut off mark of 140 is enough to guarantee a spot. It is not. Meeting the JAMB cut off only makes you eligible to sit for the post UTME screening. Your final admission depends on your aggregate score, which combines your JAMB result with your post UTME score and sometimes your O’level grades.
Another mistake is ignoring the O’level requirement. To be considered for admission at all, you need at least five credit passes in subjects relevant to your course, obtained in one sitting, or six credits if obtained across two sittings. Even if your JAMB score is excellent, missing this requirement can disqualify you before the TASUED departmental cut off marks are even applied to your case.
So before you get worried about numbers, make sure your O’level results meet the basic requirement first. Then focus on understanding how the departmental system works for your specific course.
How TASUED Departmental Cut Off Marks Are Determined Each Year
Many students assume that cut off marks are fixed numbers that never change. That is not true. The TASUED departmental cut off marks can shift from year to year based on several factors, and understanding these factors helps you set realistic expectations.
The first factor is the number of applicants for a course. If 5,000 candidates choose Mass Communication this year but only 200 spaces are available, the department may raise its internal cut off mark to reduce the pool of applicants who move forward. On the other hand, if a course like Biology Education only receives 300 applications for 250 spaces, the cut off mark for that department might stay close to the general TASUED cut off mark of 140.
The second factor is the quality of applicants. If most candidates applying for a particular course scored above 200 in JAMB, the department does not need to admit anyone scoring below that range, even if the official cut off mark is technically lower. This is why some students with scores of 180 or even 190 still miss admission into highly competitive courses.
The third factor is government policy and quota systems. Nigerian universities, including TASUED, are required to reserve some admission slots for candidates from certain states or local government areas under the catchment area and educationally less developed states schemes. This can affect how many open slots remain for candidates applying through the regular merit list, which in turn affects the effective departmental cut off mark for merit candidates.
Here are two numeric examples that show how this works in practice. In the 2024/2025 session, TASUED’s general degree programme cut off mark was set at 180, which was higher than the JAMB national minimum benchmark of 140 used for screening eligibility. This 40 point gap shows how a university benchmark can sit well above the JAMB minimum, and departments build their own requirements on top of that university benchmark. Second, the O’level requirement of five credits in one sitting versus six credits across two sittings is a fixed standard that has applied for several years and is unlikely to change soon, so candidates can plan around it with confidence.
A common objection students raise is, “If the cut off marks change every year, how can I prepare?” The honest answer is that you cannot predict the exact number, but you can protect yourself by aiming to score well above the general JAMB cut off mark of 140. Scoring 200 or higher in JAMB gives you a much safer position than scoring exactly 140, no matter which course you choose.
Another objection is, “TASUED has not published departmental cut off marks for my course, so what should I do?” In years where the school has not released a per department list, the safest approach is to treat the general university cut off mark as your minimum target and aim higher, while watching the official TASUED admissions page closely for updates during the screening period.
TASUED Departmental Cut Off Mark and Your Aggregate Score
Once you understand the cut off mark itself, the next step is understanding your aggregate score, because this number is what actually determines whether you get admitted, not your JAMB score alone.
Your aggregate score combines two main components. The first is your JAMB UTME score, usually out of 400. The second is your post UTME or screening score, which TASUED conducts after JAMB releases its results. Different universities use different formulas to combine these two scores, and some also factor in O’level grades.
A typical formula many Nigerian universities use gives a certain percentage weight to JAMB and another percentage to post UTME performance. For example, if a university gives 50 percent weight to each, a candidate who scored 200 in JAMB (out of 400, which is 50 percent) and 70 percent in post UTME would have an aggregate of around 60 percent. This aggregate is then compared against the TASUED departmental cut off mark for that specific course to decide who gets admitted.
This is why two students with the same JAMB score can have very different outcomes. If Student A scores 180 in JAMB but performs poorly in the post UTME screening, while Student B scores 160 in JAMB but performs excellently in the screening, Student B may end up with a higher aggregate score and a better chance of admission. The departmental cut off mark is applied to this final aggregate, not just to the raw JAMB score.
Here are two more numeric examples to make this clearer. If a department sets its cut off mark at an aggregate of 55 percent, and you calculate your own aggregate to be 58 percent, you are likely to be considered for that course, assuming spaces are still available. If your aggregate comes out at 50 percent and the cut off is 55 percent, you fall short by 5 percentage points, which means you should consider a backup course with a lower historical cut off mark.
A frequent mistake is calculating your aggregate score incorrectly, often by forgetting that JAMB scores need to be converted to a percentage before combining them with post UTME percentages. Always use the official formula published by TASUED for that admission session, since formulas can be adjusted from year to year.
Another mistake is waiting until admission lists are released to calculate your aggregate. You should calculate it as soon as your post UTME result is out. This gives you time to apply for a course change if your score falls below the expected TASUED departmental cut off mark for your first choice, rather than discovering too late that you missed out.
Meeting the JAMB cut off mark of 140 only makes you eligible to participate in the post UTME screening exercise. Your final admission depends on your aggregate score compared against the TASUED departmental cut off mark for your chosen course.
The cut off mark itself is usually set before or during the screening process, but how it affects you depends on how many other applicants meet or exceed it. This is why your aggregate score matters more than the raw cut off number.
Some courses that were popular in previous years, such as certain Mass Communication or Business Administration tracks, may not appear on the official accredited programme list for a given session. If your course is missing, you should contact the TASUED admissions office directly or choose an alternative course that is officially listed, rather than assuming the course still exists under the same name.
If you scored close to the general cut off mark of 140 and your dream course typically has a high departmental cut off mark, choosing a slightly less competitive related course can improve your chances of getting into the university this year. You can sometimes change your course internally after your first year, depending on TASUED’s internal transfer policies.
During the admission season, which usually runs for several weeks after JAMB results are released, you should check the official TASUED website at least once a week. Admission lists, screening dates, and cut off updates are often posted with short notice.
Conclusion: Your Next Steps Toward TASUED Admission
Understanding the TASUED departmental cut off mark is one of the most important steps in your university application journey. To recap, the JAMB cut off mark of 140 only opens the door to the post UTME screening. Your departmental cut off mark, combined with your aggregate score, decides whether you walk through that door into your chosen course.
Before you move forward, run through this short checklist:
- Confirm you have at least five O’level credits in one sitting or six in two sittings
- Check your JAMB score against the current TASUED general cut off mark
- Calculate your aggregate score as soon as post UTME results are out
- Compare your aggregate against the expected cut off mark for your course
- Have a backup course ready in case your first choice is too competitive
The TASUED departmental cut off mark is not something to fear once you understand how it works. Take action today by visiting the official TASUED admissions page to confirm the latest figures for your session, and start preparing your documents early so you are ready the moment screening dates are announced. Your effort now can make the difference between waiting another year and starting your university journey on time.
For more accurate and updated details, you can refer to the official Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board website at jamb.gov.ng and the official Tai Solarin University of Education portal at tasued.edu.ng, since these sources publish the most current cut off announcements directly from the institutions involved.