JAMB Subject Combination and Requirements for Medicine and Surgery

By JAMB Advisor Editorial · 11 Nov 2026

Medicine and Surgery (MBBS/MB;BS) is one of the most competitive courses in Nigeria. Thousands of candidates apply for a limited number of places, so getting every requirement right is the minimum. This guide covers the subjects, O'Level rules and what really decides admission.

UTME subject combination

For Medicine and Surgery, candidates write:

  1. Use of English (compulsory)
  2. Biology
  3. Chemistry
  4. Physics

This combination is consistent across Nigerian universities. If you write any other subject in place of one of these three sciences, you cannot be admitted into Medicine.

O'Level requirements

You will typically need five credits in:

  • English Language
  • Mathematics
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics

Many universities accept these credits only at one sitting for Medicine. Some accept two sittings. Check your institution's rule in the JAMB brochure — if you have two results, this decides whether you are even eligible.

Grades matter too. Some institutions score O'Level grades as part of screening, so A1s and B2s can add points over C5s and C6s.

What decides admission

Meeting requirements makes you eligible; it does not make you admitted. For Medicine, admission usually depends on:

  • Your UTME score. Medicine departmental cut-offs are generally among the highest in each university and change every year based on how candidates performed.
  • Your Post-UTME or screening score. Most universities combine UTME and screening into an aggregate score. See our guide on how aggregate scores are calculated.
  • Admission quotas. Federal universities share places between merit, catchment area and educationally less developed states. Your state of origin can therefore affect your chances at a given school.
  • Number of places. Medical schools are limited by accreditation, so each university can only admit a set number of students.

How to plan your choices

  • Research recent competition at each school rather than choosing on reputation alone. A state university or a newer federal university can be a realistic first choice.
  • Consider your catchment area. You may be more competitive at a university in or near your state of origin.
  • Think about the screening format. Some schools set a written Post-UTME test; others screen using UTME and O'Level grades only.

Back-up courses with the same subjects

Because your subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) are shared with many health and science courses, you have good alternatives if Medicine does not work out this year:

  • Nursing Science
  • Medical Laboratory Science
  • Physiotherapy
  • Radiography
  • Pharmacy
  • Dentistry (very competitive as well)
  • Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology

Some universities offer candidates who narrowly miss Medicine a related course through CAPS. Accepting it is a decision only you can make — look at our guide on CAPS status meanings to understand what such an offer looks like.

Common mistakes

  • Choosing a university only because it is famous, without checking competition.
  • Not checking the one-sitting rule before relying on combined results.
  • Ignoring Post-UTME preparation after a good UTME score.
  • Failing to upload O'Level results to JAMB, which blocks admission even after you are selected.

Next steps

Check the subjects with our subject checker, estimate your aggregate with the aggregate calculator, and confirm every requirement in the official JAMB brochure.

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