JAMB Clarifies CAPS Admission Status as 2026/2027 Admission Process Continues

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified the meaning of different admission statuses appearing on candidates’ Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) as institutions continue processing admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session. The clarification is particularly important for candidates who have logged into their CAPS accounts and seen messages such as “Not Admitted” or “Admission in Progress.” JAMB said candidates should not immediately assume that either status represents a final admission decision. According to JAMB, the “Not Admitted” message simply means that a candidate has not been offered admission at that point. The Board stressed that the status does not necessarily mean the candidate will not eventually gain admission. Candidates whose CAPS still shows “Not Admitted” have therefore been advised to remain patient and continue checking their profiles as institutions proceed with their admission lists. JAMB also explained the meaning of the increasingly common “Admission in Progress” notification. The status may indicate that an institution’s admission officer has proposed a candidate for admission but the recommendation is still awaiting approval from the head of the institution. It may also appear when the institution has recommended a candidate but the admission is still awaiting JAMB’s final approval. JAMB warned candidates not to treat this status as a guaranteed admission because the proposed offer can still be rejected if the candidate does not satisfy the required conditions. JAMB explained that a candidate becomes officially admitted only after the Board approves the admission offer. At that stage, the candidate will receive the admission confirmation on CAPS and can proceed to accept or reject the offer through the platform. The Board also noted that CAPS statuses can change several times as the admission process moves from one stage to another. Candidates are therefore expected to keep monitoring their profiles until the process reaches its final stage, including the point where an admission letter can be printed. JAMB has urged candidates to rely on its official platforms for accurate admission information and avoid relying solely on messages circulating on social media. The Board’s CAPS system is designed to automate the admission process and allow candidates to monitor their admission status directly. For candidates still waiting for admission, the latest clarification means that seeing “Not Admitted” or “Admission in Progress” should not automatically be interpreted as the end of their admission chances. As the 2026/2027 admission exercise continues, candidates are advised to regularly check CAPS for changes and take action promptly whenever an official admission offer is approved.