How to calculate your Post-UTME aggregate score (with worked examples)

After the UTME and Post-UTME screening, most Nigerian universities rank candidates using an aggregate score, usually out of 100. Knowing how your aggregate is calculated helps you understand where you stand, how much your Post-UTME performance matters, and whether a particular department's cut-off is realistic.

There is no single national formula. Each university decides its own. But most use one of a few common methods, and once you understand them you can calculate your own aggregate in minutes.

Always check the official screening announcement of your university for the exact formula it uses for the current admission year.

Method 1: UTME and Post-UTME, 50:50

This is the most widely used approach. The UTME and the Post-UTME each contribute 50 marks.

Step 1: Convert your UTME score to 50. UTME is scored out of 400, so divide by 8:

UTME component = UTME score ÷ 8

Step 2: Convert your Post-UTME score to 50. If your Post-UTME is scored out of 100, divide by 2:

Post-UTME component = Post-UTME score ÷ 2

Step 3: Add them.

Worked example

Chioma scored 264 in UTME and 72 out of 100 in Post-UTME.

• UTME component = 264 ÷ 8 = 33
• Post-UTME component = 72 ÷ 2 = 36
• Aggregate = 33 + 36 = 69

If her chosen department's cut-off is 65, she is above it.

Method 2: UTME, Post-UTME and O'level

Some universities include O'level grades. A common version gives 50% to UTME, 30% to Post-UTME and 20% to O'level:

• UTME component (50): UTME score ÷ 8
• Post-UTME component (30): Post-UTME percentage × 0.3
• O'level component (20): points for your five relevant subjects, scaled to 20

O'level grades are typically converted into points. One common scale is:

With five subjects, the maximum is 5 × 6 = 30 points. Scaled to 20, multiply your total points by 20 ÷ 30.

Worked example

Tunde scored 240 in UTME and 60% in Post-UTME, with O'level grades of A1, B2, B3, C4 and C4 in his five relevant subjects.

• UTME component = 240 ÷ 8 = 30
• Post-UTME component = 60 × 0.3 = 18
• O'level points = 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 3 = 21; scaled = 21 × 20 ÷ 30 = 14
• Aggregate = 30 + 18 + 14 = 62

Notice how Tunde's good O'level grades added 14 marks. In universities that use this method, your WAEC and NECO grades directly affect admission.

Method 3: UTME and O'level only (no test)

Some universities screen without a written Post-UTME test. They combine UTME and O'level. One common version weights UTME at 60–70% and O'level at 30–40%.

Worked example (UTME 60, O'level 40)

Amina scored 280 in UTME and has O'level grades A1, A1, B2, B3 and C4.

• UTME component = 280 ÷ 400 × 60 = 42
• O'level points = 6 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 = 24; scaled = 24 ÷ 30 × 40 = 32
• Aggregate = 42 + 32 = 74

Which matters most: UTME or Post-UTME?

Under the 50:50 method, they matter equally. That has a practical consequence: a strong Post-UTME performance can make up for a modest UTME score, and vice versa.

For example, two candidates with UTME scores of 220 and 260 have UTME components of 27.5 and 32.5, a gap of 5 marks. If the first candidate scores 10 percentage points higher in Post-UTME, they close that gap completely.

So if your UTME score was lower than you hoped, don't give up. Prepare hard for Post-UTME.

Understanding cut-offs

Each department sets a cut-off aggregate. Cut-offs depend on:

• the number of places available,
• the number and strength of applicants that year, and
• admission policies such as merit, catchment area and educationally-less-developed states (at many federal universities, a share of places is allocated by these criteria).

Popular courses like Medicine, Law, Pharmacy and Engineering at well-known universities often have cut-offs well above 70. Less competitive courses may have cut-offs in the 50s or low 60s. Cut-offs change every year, so treat last year's figure as a rough guide only.

Common mistakes in calculating aggregates

• Using the wrong formula. Always confirm your university's method.
• Forgetting to scale correctly. UTME is out of 400, while Post-UTME may be out of 100, 50 or another total.
• Counting the wrong O'level subjects. Universities usually count your five relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
• Using more than the permitted sittings.

Improve the parts you still control

If your UTME is done, your Post-UTME score is the part you can still change. Most Post-UTME tests cover English, Mathematics and your course subjects at senior secondary level, under tight time limits. Levia's senior subjects are organised into five progressive levels, each a 20-question timed-practice set with a full explanation after every question. It's an efficient way to sharpen speed and accuracy before screening.