The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced additional admission status stages on its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), giving candidates more information about the progress of their admission.

Candidates seeking admission into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions may notice different messages when checking their admission status on the JAMB CAPS platform.

Unlike the straightforward “Admitted” or “Not Admitted” messages candidates are already familiar with, the admission process may now display intermediate stages such as “Proposed,” “Recommended” and “In Progress.”

These statuses are designed to indicate the stage a candidate's admission is currently at and should not necessarily be interpreted as a final admission decision.

What Is JAMB CAPS?

The Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) is the platform used by JAMB to manage and process admissions into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Through CAPS, institutions recommend candidates for admission, while JAMB processes the admission in line with its admission procedures.

Candidates can also use the platform to monitor their admission status and, when an admission offer is made available, accept or reject the offer.

Meaning of the New JAMB Admission Statuses

Candidates who are checking their admission status should understand what each status means before taking any action.

1. Proposed

When a candidate sees “Proposed” on JAMB CAPS, it generally means that an admission has been proposed for the candidate but the process has not yet reached the final stage.

The candidate may have been considered for admission by the institution, but additional processing or approval may still be required before the admission becomes an official offer.

Candidates seeing this status should therefore remain patient and continue monitoring their CAPS profile for subsequent updates.

2. Recommended

The “Recommended” status indicates that the candidate has been recommended by the institution for admission.

This is an important stage in the admission process because it suggests that the institution has selected the candidate for consideration.

However, candidates should understand that “Recommended” is not necessarily the same as “Admitted.” Further processing may still be required before JAMB records the admission as a final offer on CAPS.

Candidates should continue checking their CAPS regularly for any change in status.

3. In Progress

The “In Progress” status means that the candidate's admission is still being processed.

At this stage, the admission process has not been concluded, and candidates may have to wait for the institution and/or JAMB to complete the necessary processing.

Candidates who see this message should not immediately assume that they have been rejected.

Admission processing can take time, particularly when institutions are releasing admission lists in batches.

4. Admitted

The “Admitted” status is the stage candidates are hoping to see.

It means that an admission offer has been recorded for the candidate on JAMB CAPS.

Once a candidate is officially offered admission, the candidate may be presented with the option to accept or reject the admission offer through CAPS.

Candidates who receive an admission offer are advised to carefully review the details of the admission before taking the appropriate action.

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After accepting the admission, candidates should also follow their institution's instructions concerning screening, clearance, school fees, registration and other admission requirements.

5. Not Admitted

Candidates who see “Not Admitted” should not automatically conclude that they have lost their chance of gaining admission.

The status simply indicates that an admission offer has not been recorded for the candidate at the time the status is being checked.

Since institutions may release admission offers at different times and in several batches, a candidate who is currently showing “Not Admitted” may still receive an offer later if the admission process is ongoing.

Candidates are therefore encouraged to continue checking their JAMB CAPS and also monitor updates from their chosen institution.

Why Candidates Should Understand These Statuses

The introduction of different admission stages can help candidates better understand what is happening with their admission rather than assuming that every status other than “Admitted” means rejection.

For example, a candidate whose status shows “Proposed,” “Recommended” or “In Progress” may still be undergoing the admission process.

Similarly, seeing “Not Admitted” while an institution is still releasing admission lists does not necessarily mean that the candidate's admission opportunity has ended.

Admission Is Often Released in Batches

Candidates should also remember that tertiary institutions do not always release all their admission offers at once.

Depending on the institution, admission may be released in different batches as the school continues its screening and admission processes.

As a result, candidates who have not yet received an offer are advised to remain patient and continue monitoring both their institutional admission portal and JAMB CAPS.

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What Candidates Should Do

Candidates are advised to take the following steps while waiting for their admission:

1. Regularly check JAMB CAPS for changes to their admission status.


2. Monitor their institution's official portal for admission announcements.


3. Do not panic when the status is not yet “Admitted,” especially when the institution is still processing admissions.


4. Keep their JAMB login details secure and avoid giving their password to untrusted individuals.


5. Accept an admission offer promptly when an official offer becomes available and after confirming the details.


6. Follow the institution's instructions regarding clearance, screening, payment and registration after admission.


7. Rely on official sources for admission information and be cautious of individuals claiming they can “upgrade” or “change” an admission status for a fee.

Important Notice to 2026/2027 Admission Seekers

Candidates participating in the 2026/2027 admission exercise should understand that their admission status can change as the process progresses.

Therefore, candidates should not rely on a single status check. A candidate whose status currently shows “Proposed,” “Recommended,” “In Progress” or “Not Admitted” should continue checking for subsequent updates where the admission exercise is still ongoing.

The most important thing is to understand that these statuses represent different stages of the admission process and should be interpreted according to the current stage of processing.

Final Takeaway

The different admission statuses displayed on JAMB CAPS provide candidates with a clearer indication of where their admission currently stands.

“Proposed” generally indicates that an admission has been proposed and is awaiting further processing, while “Recommended” suggests that the institution has recommended the candidate. “In Progress” means the admission is still being processed, while “Admitted” indicates that an admission offer has been recorded. “Not Admitted” means that no admission offer has been recorded at the time of checking, although candidates may still have opportunities where the admission exercise is ongoing.

Candidates are therefore encouraged to remain patient, check CAPS regularly and follow official announcements from JAMB and their chosen institutions.