The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified the meanings of the “Not Admitted,” “Admission in Progress” and “Admitted” statuses displayed on candidates’ Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), amid concerns among applicants awaiting placement into tertiary institutions.
In an explainer released on Thursday, JAMB urged candidates to continue monitoring their CAPS profiles because admission statuses can change as institutions complete their admission processes.
According to the Board, the “Not Admitted” status means that a candidate has not yet received an admission offer. However, JAMB stressed that the status does not necessarily mean the candidate has lost the opportunity to gain admission.
The Board advised candidates seeing “Not Admitted” to remain patient and regularly check CAPS for updates as the admission exercise progresses.
JAMB also explained that “Admission in Progress” indicates that an institution may have recommended a candidate for admission, but the process is yet to receive all necessary approvals. The status may appear while a recommendation awaits the institution’s head or JAMB’s final decision.
However, the Board warned candidates against interpreting “Admission in Progress” as confirmation that admission has been secured. It said a recommendation could still be rejected if the candidate does not meet the required admission conditions.
JAMB explained that the “Admitted” status is displayed only after the Board officially approves the institution’s recommendation. At that stage, the candidate can accept or reject the admission offer through CAPS.
The clarification is important for candidates who may misinterpret changing CAPS messages and make decisions based on incomplete admission information. JAMB advised applicants to rely on official channels and continue checking their profiles.
CAPS was introduced to automate Nigeria’s tertiary institution admission process, improve transparency and allow candidates to monitor their admission status. The system also enables institutions to process admissions while JAMB provides oversight of the process.
