The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board says candidates who see “Not Admitted” on CAPS should not automatically conclude that their admission chances are over.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified the meanings of the admission statuses displayed to candidates on its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
The clarification covers three commonly displayed statuses: “Not Admitted,” “Admission in Progress” and “Admitted.”
In an explainer released on Thursday, JAMB said a candidate whose CAPS status reads “Not Admitted” has simply not been offered admission at the time the system is checked.
The board stressed that the status does not necessarily mean the candidate will not eventually be admitted.
Candidates with the “Not Admitted” status were therefore advised to continue checking their CAPS profiles as institutions process their admissions and update their lists.
JAMB explained that “Admission in Progress” generally indicates that an institution has proposed a candidate for admission but the process has not yet been completed.
The status therefore differs from a final admission offer.
Once an admission is formally processed and approved through the relevant system, the candidate’s status can change to “Admitted.”
The clarification is particularly relevant during the ongoing 2026/2027 admission cycle, when thousands of candidates are monitoring their CAPS profiles for updates.
JAMB’s explanation is intended to reduce confusion among candidates who may interpret an interim status as a final decision.
Candidates are expected to continue monitoring their CAPS profiles and follow instructions from JAMB and their respective institutions.
The board’s clarification also underscores the fact that admission processing is not necessarily completed at the point a candidate first checks the portal.