The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has clarified the meanings of the “Not Admitted,” “Admission in Progress” and “Admitted” statuses displayed on candidates’ Central Admissions Processing System, commonly known as CAPS.
The clarification is expected to ease concerns among candidates who have been monitoring their admission status and may be uncertain about what the different messages on the platform mean.
JAMB provided the explanation in an explainer video released on Thursday, September 17, 2026, while advising candidates to continue checking their CAPS profiles as the admission exercise progresses.
According to the Board, candidates whose CAPS status shows “Not Admitted” should not automatically conclude that they have lost their opportunity to gain admission.
JAMB explained that the status simply means that an admission offer has not yet been made to the candidate. It stressed that the status does not necessarily mean the candidate will not eventually receive an offer.
“This simply means you’ve not been offered admission yet. However, it does not necessarily mean you will not be admitted,” the Board said in the explainer.
Candidates whose status remains “Not Admitted” were therefore advised to continue checking their CAPS regularly for updates as institutions continue with the admission process.
The Board also explained the meaning of “Admission in Progress”, a status that has generated considerable interest among prospective university students.
According to JAMB, the status may mean that an institution’s admission officer has proposed a candidate for admission, but the process has not yet received all the necessary approvals.
“This means your institution’s admission officer has proposed you for admission, but awaiting the head of institution’s recommendation,” JAMB explained.
The Board added that the status could also appear when the head of an institution has already recommended a candidate, but the proposed admission is still awaiting JAMB’s approval or disapproval.
However, JAMB cautioned candidates against interpreting “Admission in Progress” as confirmation that they have secured admission.
“Please note that ‘Admission in Progress’ does not mean automatic admission,” the Board warned.
JAMB explained that a proposed admission could still be rejected if the candidate fails to satisfy the required admission conditions.
“This is because the recommended offer could still be disapproved by the Board if you don’t meet the prerequisite requirements,” it stated.
The Board also clarified the point at which a candidate can regard an admission offer as officially confirmed.
According to JAMB, a candidate becomes officially admitted only after the Board approves the institution’s recommendation and the CAPS status changes to “Admitted”.
At that stage, candidates receive the confirmation message: “CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE BEEN OFFERED ADMISSION.”
Candidates who receive the official offer can then accept or reject the admission through the CAPS platform.
JAMB further reminded candidates that their CAPS status is not necessarily permanent during the admission exercise. The status can change as institutions process recommendations and the Board completes its approval procedures.
“Remember, your CAPS status will keep changing as the admission process continues until the final stage where you print your admission letter,” the Board said.
The clarification comes as thousands of prospective students continue to monitor their admission status following the 2026 admission exercise.
JAMB’s explanation effectively establishes three different stages: “Not Admitted” means an offer has not yet been made; “Admission in Progress” indicates that an admission recommendation is being processed but is not yet final; while “Admitted” means the offer has received JAMB’s official approval.
The Board advised candidates to remain patient and regularly monitor their CAPS accounts rather than relying on unverified information circulating on social media.
Candidates are also expected to use JAMB’s official communication channels for updates and guidance throughout the admission process.
The latest clarification is particularly significant for candidates who may have become anxious after seeing “Not Admitted” on their profiles. JAMB’s position makes clear that the status, by itself, should not be interpreted as a final rejection of an admission application.
For candidates whose status shows “Admission in Progress”, the Board’s warning is equally important: the status indicates an ongoing process and does not constitute a guarantee of admission until JAMB gives its final approval.
The admission process will therefore continue to evolve on CAPS until successful candidates receive official confirmation and are able to proceed with the necessary steps, including accepting their offers and printing their admission letters.
