Can I Combine WAEC and NECO for Direct Entry Optometry in UNIBEN?

The University of Benin (UNIBEN) does not accept combined sittings of WAEC and NECO for Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) admissions, strictly requiring candidates to present all five mandatory science credit passes in a single examination sitting. Candidates seeking undergraduate admission into the Doctor of Optometry program at UNIBEN—whether through Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) or Direct Entry (DE)—must satisfy this institutional single-sitting regulation to be eligible for departmental screening and faculty matriculation.

The Doctor of Optometry program at the University of Benin is an intensive six-year professional clinical healthcare degree regulated by the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria (ODORBN). Because of the stringent clinical standards and high national applicant competitiveness, the university senate and the Faculty of Life Sciences enforce a strict single-sitting O’Level policy. Candidates must achieve credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in either WAEC WASSCE alone or NECO SSCE alone in one sitting.

Direct Entry applicants must present advanced qualifications in addition to their single-sitting O’Level foundation. Acceptable Direct Entry credentials include a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree with at least a Second Class Upper division in related biological sciences (such as Biochemistry, Microbiology, or Physiology), or Advanced Level passes in Cambridge A’Level, IJMB, or JUPEB with high grade points across Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Candidates presenting diplomas from institutions accredited by the National Board for Technical Education must confirm departmental recognition guidelines.

Presenting combined sittings—such as three credits from WAEC and two credits from NECO—will lead to immediate disqualification during physical credentials verification at the Ugbowo main campus, even if the candidate was initially shortlisted on the portal. Candidates must ensure that their verified single-sitting result is uploaded on the JAMB portal to allow CAPS automated credential checks.

Furthermore, Direct Entry applicants must ensure their previous academic transcripts are forwarded directly to the UNIBEN admissions office prior to the screening deadline, as applications with unreceived transcripts cannot be processed by faculty screening panels.

Candidates must also ensure that their personal biodata on O’Level certificates and degree or diploma transcripts match exactly with their National Identification Number (NIN) records to avoid investigative delays during physical clearance.

Prospective direct entry optometry candidates should also prepare for an oral clinical interview conducted by the Department of Optometry, during which candidates defend their foundational biological science knowledge and ocular anatomy comprehension.

All degree curricula at UNIBEN are fully approved and supervised by the National Universities Commission to guarantee professional excellence.

Applicants holding two sittings who wish to pursue Optometry should consider applying to other universities that permit two sittings, such as Abia State University (ABSU) or Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO).

Verifying institutional faculty guidelines prior to Direct Entry registration prevents costly administrative errors and preserves admission eligibility.