After receiving admission, first confirm that the admission is genuine through your institution’s official portal and, where applicable, JAMB CAPS. Then check your school’s official admission instructions for the acceptance-fee amount, deadline and payment method. Generate the required invoice or payment reference, make payment only through the approved channel, confirm the payment and save your receipt.

Table of Contents

What Acceptance Fee Means After Admission

A school acceptance fee is a payment some Nigerian tertiary institutions require from newly admitted students to formally indicate that they accept the admission offer.

It is usually a one-time payment made after admission and before other parts of the registration process.

However, there is an important point many students miss:

Not every Nigerian school charges an acceptance fee, and the amount, deadline and payment procedure are not the same from one institution to another.

For example, the University of Port Harcourt has issued an official notice stating that it does not charge an acceptance fee for new students and warning candidates to disregard requests for such payment. By contrast, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka has an official acceptance-fee invoice and payment process, while the University of Ibadan has published its own acceptance-fee procedure for admitted candidates.

So, if you have just been admitted, do not search Google for a random acceptance-fee account number or pay someone who claims to be an agent.

Start with your institution’s official admission information.

What to Confirm Before Paying

Before making any payment, confirm these five things:

Check	What to confirm
Admission	Your name or admission status is officially recognised
Institution	You are checking the correct school’s official portal
Amount	The exact acceptance fee for your programme/session
Deadline	The date and time payment must be completed
Payment channel	The official portal, approved bank or payment platform

This matters because acceptance fees can differ significantly between institutions and programmes.

For example, Wellspring University’s published 2026/2027 fee structure lists ₦50,000 for acceptance into other courses and ₦150,000 for MBBS, while another institution may charge a different amount or no acceptance fee at all.

Therefore, do not use another student’s acceptance-fee amount as the amount you should pay.

Step 1: Confirm Your Admission

Before paying anything, confirm that the admission is genuine.

For candidates admitted through the JAMB admission system, check your admission status on JAMB CAPS where applicable.

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board explains that CAPS is used to process admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions and allows candidates to check their admission status and accept or reject admission offers.

The important distinction is that:

JAMB admission and the school’s internal admission process are connected, but they are not the same portal.

A university may publish an admission list on its own website while JAMB processes the admission through CAPS.

For example, the University of Nigeria has instructed admitted candidates to accept their admission on JAMB CAPS before proceeding with its own acceptance-fee process.

If your institution has given you specific instructions about accepting the JAMB offer first, follow those instructions.

Step 2: Find Your School’s Official Admission Instructions

Once your admission is confirmed, go to the institution’s official website or admission portal.

Look for information such as:

Admission news or admission list
New students’ registration instructions
Acceptance-fee payment
Admission acceptance
Fresh student registration
Payment portal
Admission portal

Do not rely on a blog, WhatsApp message, Facebook post or someone at a cybercafé as the final authority on the payment details.

A blog can help you understand the process, but the school’s current official instructions should determine where, how much and when you pay.

This is particularly important because university procedures can change from one admission session to another.

Step 3: Check the Acceptance-Fee Amount and Deadline

Do not assume that the acceptance fee is the same as the school fees.

They are separate payments unless your institution specifically combines them.

Your acceptance instructions should tell you:

The acceptance-fee amount
Whether the fee is refundable or non-refundable
The payment deadline
The approved payment method
What to do after payment

Some institutions also impose a deadline after which the admission may be forfeited.

For example, Godfrey Okoye University states in its admission guide that accepted candidates are required to pay its acceptance fee within the stated period to reserve their space.

The deadline for your admission is the one that matters.

Do not use another school’s deadline.

Step 4: Log In to the Correct School Portal

Use the admission or student portal specified by your institution.

Depending on the school, you may need information such as:

JAMB registration number
Application number
Admission number
Email address
Phone number
Password
Portal-generated login details

The exact login method differs between institutions.

For example, UNN’s official acceptance-fee instructions require admitted candidates to log into its portal and generate an acceptance-fee invoice.

Do not assume your school uses the same login details as another university.

Step 5: Generate the Payment Invoice or Reference

Many Nigerian institutions require you to generate an invoice before paying.

The invoice may contain a payment reference such as:

RRR — Remita Retrieval Reference

or another transaction/reference number created by the school’s payment system.

For example, UNN’s official procedure involves generating an acceptance-fee invoice containing payment information before payment is made.

Some institutions may allow you to pay directly through their portal without first printing an invoice.

The important rule is:

Follow the payment route generated or provided by your institution.

Do not create a random Remita payment for a school simply because you know the school’s name.

Step 6: Make the Payment Through the Approved Channel

Depending on the institution, payment may be available through:

Debit/ATM card
Remita
Bank payment using a generated invoice
School-approved bank
Another payment platform specified by the institution

Some schools provide both online and bank-payment options.

For example, the Federal College of Education, Osiele’s admission checker provides instructions for generating a Remita invoice and paying either online or through a commercial bank.

Other institutions may require payment exclusively through their own portal or specified channels.

Before you click Pay

Check:

Your name.
JAMB/application number.
Institution.
Programme where displayed.
Session.
Fee type.
Amount.
Payment reference.
Payment platform.

If something looks wrong, stop before paying.

A wrong payment can be difficult to reverse.

Step 7: Wait for Payment Confirmation

Do not assume that seeing money deducted from your bank account automatically means the school’s portal has recorded the payment.

After payment, return to the school’s portal if instructed and check whether the payment status has changed.

Look for evidence such as:

Successful payment
Payment confirmed
Paid
Receipt available
Acceptance fee completed

If the school provides an official receipt, download or print it.

Keep both the electronic and physical copies where possible.

Step 8: Save Your Receipt and Payment Details

Do not delete your payment evidence after seeing the word “successful.”

Save:

Payment receipt
RRR or transaction reference
Invoice
Bank debit alert
Portal confirmation
Admission letter
Acceptance form, if provided

You may need the information later during:

Clearance
Registration
Documentation
School-fee payment
Faculty or departmental screening
Accommodation processing
Resolving a payment dispute

If you paid through a bank, keep the bank evidence as well.

What to Do If You Were Debited but the Portal Still Shows Unpaid

This is one of the most important problems to understand.

If your bank account was debited but the school portal still shows that you have not paid, do not immediately pay a second time.

First:

Check whether the transaction is still processing.
Check your payment reference or RRR.
Check your bank transaction status.
Log out and back into the school portal.
Use the school’s payment-confirmation or reconciliation option if available.
Contact the institution through its official support channel if the payment remains unconfirmed.

Keep your debit evidence and payment reference.

The goal is to determine whether the first transaction failed, is pending or was successful but has not yet been reflected on the school portal.

Paying again without checking can create another problem.

Acceptance Fee Is Not the Same as School Fees

Newly admitted students often confuse these two payments.

Acceptance fee is generally the payment used by an institution to confirm acceptance of an admission offer where the institution charges one.

School fees are the fees required for registration and study for the academic session.

They are not automatically the same payment.

Some institutions require acceptance payment before school-fee payment, while the exact order and additional charges depend on the institution.

For example, Crawford University lists acceptance fee separately from tuition, while Fountain University states that accepted candidates pay acceptance fee before proceeding to school fees and other payments.

So, after paying acceptance fee, do not assume your admission process is completely finished.

There may still be clearance, documentation, school-fee payment and course-registration requirements.

What Usually Comes After Acceptance-Fee Payment

The next stage depends on your institution, but it may include:

Acceptance fee → admission documentation/clearance → school fees → registration → course registration

You may also be required to:

Print an admission letter
Print an acceptance form
Upload credentials
Complete clearance
Submit original documents for verification
Pay other approved charges
Obtain a matriculation number
Register your courses

The exact order can vary.

For example, UNN’s published procedure places its acceptance-fee payment within a larger admission process that includes accepting the JAMB offer, completing the university’s payment process and proceeding with other registration requirements.

How to Avoid Acceptance-Fee Scams

Admission season attracts fraudsters because newly admitted students are often under pressure to pay quickly.

Be especially careful if someone sends you:

A personal bank account
A WhatsApp-only payment link
A payment link from an unknown domain
An “agent” account
A request to send money to a staff member’s personal account
A claim that your admission will disappear unless you pay them immediately

Check the information against the school’s official website.

For example, the University of Port Harcourt has specifically warned students against acceptance-fee requests because the university says it does not charge such a fee. It has also warned against unauthorised payments and third-party fee collection.

Crawford University likewise warns that payments for admission should not be made into personal accounts of blog operators or other unauthorised people.

A simple rule

If the payment instruction cannot be confirmed from your institution’s official admission or payment channel, do not pay.

What to Do If You Cannot Afford the Acceptance Fee Immediately

First, check the official deadline.

Do not assume that you have unlimited time.

If you cannot raise the money before the deadline, contact your institution’s official admissions office or student-support channel and ask whether there is any approved extension, payment arrangement or other option.

Do not pay an unofficial person who promises to “hold” your admission.

Also avoid borrowing money based solely on a message from a third party claiming that your admission has been released.

Confirm the admission first.

The Safest Acceptance-Fee Payment Checklist

Before paying:

I have confirmed my admission.
I checked the school’s official website/portal.
I confirmed the correct academic session.
I confirmed the acceptance-fee amount.
I confirmed the payment deadline.
I know the official payment channel.
I checked the payment details before submitting.
I saved my invoice/reference.
I saved my payment receipt after payment.
I know what to do next after payment.

If all ten boxes are checked, you are much less likely to make the common mistakes associated with acceptance-fee payments.

FAQ

Is acceptance fee compulsory after admission?

It depends on the institution. Some schools require it as part of their admission process, while others do not charge an acceptance fee. Do not assume it is compulsory everywhere. For example, the University of Port Harcourt currently states that it does not charge an acceptance fee.

Can I pay acceptance fee before accepting admission on JAMB CAPS?

This depends on your institution’s instructions. Some schools require candidates to accept the JAMB offer before completing their institutional acceptance process. UNN, for example, instructs admitted candidates to accept admission on CAPS before proceeding with its acceptance-fee process.

Does paying acceptance fee mean I have paid my school fees?

No. Acceptance fee and school fees are normally separate payments. Your institution will provide instructions on when and how to pay school fees after the acceptance stage.

Can I pay acceptance fee through a cybercafé?

You may use a cybercafé for assistance where necessary, but the payment should still be made through the institution’s approved payment channel. Do not give an attendant money to transfer into a personal account simply because they claim to be processing your acceptance fee.

What if I paid but cannot print my receipt?

Check whether the payment has been successfully confirmed on the school’s portal. If the portal still does not allow you to print a receipt, keep your payment reference and bank evidence and contact the institution’s official support or bursary/admissions office.

What if my account was debited twice?

Do not make another payment. Keep both transaction references and contact your bank and the institution’s official payment-support channel to determine which transaction was successful and how any duplicate payment can be handled.

Can I get my acceptance fee back if I change my mind?

Do not assume it is refundable. Many institutions describe acceptance fees as non-refundable, but the rule depends on the school. Check the exact admission/payment terms issued by your institution before paying.

What happens if I miss the acceptance-fee deadline?

The consequence depends on the institution. Some schools may treat failure to pay within the stated period as failure to accept the offer and may withdraw or forfeit the admission. Contact the institution immediately if you have missed the deadline.

Does every Nigerian university use Remita?

No. Some institutions use Remita, while others use their own payment systems or different approved payment channels. Follow your school’s current official payment instructions.

Can someone else pay my acceptance fee for me?

Where the institution allows online or bank payment, another person may sometimes assist with the payment, but you should make sure the payment is generated for your admission details and that you receive the official receipt/reference. Never allow someone to substitute their own details or pay into an unauthorised account.