NDA Cut Off Mark (2026): Course Scores And Entry Requirements PDF

The NDA cut off mark for the 78 Regular Course, covering the 2026/2027 session, is 210 for Engineering and 180 for other faculties. These are UTME requirements for admission screening at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna. They do not replace the Academy’s academic, age, physical fitness and selection conditions.

An NDA application involves several stages beyond obtaining an examination score. Applicants need to understand the course requirements, screening test and Armed Forces Selection Board process as distinct steps. Clearing the first numerical hurdle does not mean that a candidate has been selected as a cadet.

General Cut-Off And Engineering Exception

The general NDA cut off mark is 180 for non-Engineering faculties. Engineering candidates need 210. The difference is based on the faculty of the programme, rather than a general assumption that every technology-related degree belongs in the Engineering band.

Computer Science and Cyber Security appear under Military Science and Interdisciplinary Studies in the programme requirements. The Engineering and Technology courses listed are Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics Engineering. Use the actual course classification before deciding which UTME minimum applies.

Neither threshold is a final merit score, state quota result or AFSB outcome. The admission advert does not provide a table of final merit, catchment and ELDS selection scores. Do not relabel 180 or 210 as a guaranteed admission score for any state or category.

NDA Cut Off Mark By Course

The table follows the courses in the 78 Regular Course academic requirements. Every figure is a minimum UTME score out of 400, not a screening-test percentage or an interview score.

Applicants should read programme names carefully. Intelligence and Security Science differs from Defence and Security Studies, and the two appear in different faculty sections of the requirements document. Similar wording does not make their UTME subject combinations interchangeable.

Official Admission And Course Requirements PDFs

Keep the 78 Regular Course advert PDF and the academic requirements PDF. The first contains the application announcement, while the second explains course subjects, general entry conditions and screening-test combinations.

There is an important date update: the original advert stated 6 June 2026 for the screening test, but the Academy’s application portal subsequently announced 20 June 2026. The later portal announcement supersedes the earlier test date. Both dates are now in the past, and the original application period of 28 November 2025 to 30 April 2026 has ended.

Academic Results And Subject Combinations

Candidates need at least five ordinary-level credits, including English Language, Mathematics and three relevant subjects, obtained in no more than two sittings. The ordinary-level results must not be more than five years old from the examination date. Candidates awaiting results are not qualified for this application.

That combination of conditions is stricter than simply having five passes somewhere on a result sheet. Check that each credit is in the required subject and that the results fall within the allowed age. An old result does not become recent because a new copy or replacement certificate was printed.

The NDA cut off mark also works alongside UTME subject requirements. Engineering candidates use Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry in addition to Use of English. Other programmes have their own combinations. A candidate who scores well with an unsuitable combination still has a subject problem to resolve.

The course PDF separates O’level subjects, UTME combinations and subjects for the Academy screening test. Read the correct column for the stage you are checking. Do not assume that a choice allowed in one column can automatically be used in another.

Age, Nationality And Personal Conditions

Admission is open to eligible male and female Nigerians. For the 78 Regular Course, candidates must be at least 17 and no more than 21 years old as of August 2026. This is a session-specific age reference, so applicants should not calculate eligibility solely from their age on the day they read an online article.

The requirements also state that a candidate must be single and without a legal obligation to support a child or another individual. A certificate of indigeneship from the state government or local government area is required. Prepare authentic documents rather than relying on an unsupported declaration in an application form.

Candidates must be medically and physically fit and of good moral character. The stated minimum heights are 1.68 metres for males and 1.65 metres for females. Knowledge of French, Arabic or Mandarin is described as an added advantage, rather than a replacement for the compulsory academic conditions.

These are separate checks. A UTME score above the NDA cut off mark does not waive an age limit, a compulsory credit or a physical requirement. If a condition is not met, a higher examination result should not be treated as a way around it.

Application Payment And Records

The application fee in the advert is ₦7,000. The Remita Retrieval Reference must be generated through the Academy’s application portal. Starting from the correct portal helps ensure that a payment is associated with the intended application, rather than a generic payment reference with no matching record.

Retain the application confirmation and receipts. Review personal details, examination information and programme choices before final submission. A payment receipt shows a transaction; it does not show that all required information was submitted or that the Academy has accepted the candidate.

For the wider examination record, the JAMB result guide can help applicants understand how to access their result. Keep the Academy’s own instructions beside it, because the NDA process includes requirements that do not apply to an ordinary university application.

Screening, AFSB And Final Selection

The screening test is a further selection stage. Candidates who reach it must use the subject combinations prescribed for their chosen programmes and follow the Academy’s instructions about attendance and documents. A strong UTME result is useful, but it is not a substitute for participating in later required stages.

The portal’s 78 Regular Course updates included an AFSB period from 4 July to 19 August 2026 and later admission reporting instructions. Those stages have passed. An applicant following this cycle should check the status of the existing application through the official portal rather than assume a fresh screening opportunity remains available.

The NDA cut off mark describes an entry requirement, while final selection reflects the Academy’s complete admission process. Do not accept a promise of selection from someone who claims that a payment can bypass screening or the selection board. Use an actual official offer and its conditions as the basis for the next step.

Understanding The Training Commitment

The advert describes five years of military and academic training. Successful completion leads to an honours degree and a Presidential Commission into the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Applicants should consider that combined military and academic pathway when choosing this institution.

The requirements document also states that cadets are full-time students, rather than employees in training with an automatic employment claim if dismissed or withdrawn. Read the admission conditions as a whole. The Academy is a specific training route with its own obligations, not simply a course name attached to a UTME score.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The NDA Cut Off Mark For Engineering?

The NDA cut off mark for Engineering is 210 for the 78 Regular Course. Civil, Electrical and Electronics, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering fall under that requirement.

Can I Apply With 180 For Computer Science?

Computer Science is in the non-Engineering faculty group, for which the stated UTME minimum is 180. The correct subjects and all other admission conditions still apply.

Does NDA Accept Awaiting Results?

No. The 78 Regular Course requirements say that candidates awaiting ordinary-level results are not qualified. A completed application must contain acceptable results.

Is 210 A Guaranteed Admission Score?

No. It is the Engineering UTME minimum. Screening, fitness requirements, document checks and final selection remain separate stages.

Which Screening Date Superseded The Original Advert?

The application portal announced 20 June 2026, replacing the original advert’s 6 June date. Applicants should always read later official updates alongside the original PDF.