University of Calabar

The University of Calabar (UNICAL) is one of Nigeria’s leading federal universities, established from the Calabar campus of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), which began functioning during the 1973/1974 academic session. In April 1975, the Federal Military Government of Nigeria announced that the Calabar campus would become a fully independent university, and the institution officially commenced academic activities as a full-fledged university in October 1976. UNICAL was established as one of the seven premier universities created to meet the increasing demand for higher education in Nigeria. Since its establishment, the university has continued to expand academically and structurally, growing from only three faculties to more than fifteen faculties and academic units dedicated to its motto, “Knowledge for Service.” Located in Calabar, Cross River State, the university has developed into a respected institution known for academic excellence, quality research, innovation, and community development. UNICAL continues to attract students from different parts of Nigeria and beyond due to its broad academic programmes and conducive learning environment. The university offers several admission pathways including: - Undergraduate Admission (UTME) - Direct Entry Admission - Postgraduate School Programmes - Centre for Educational Services (CES) for part-time and sandwich programmes UNICAL offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across various faculties and departments. Popular programmes offered by the university include: - Accounting - Law - Medicine and Surgery - Nursing Science - Dentistry and Dental Surgery - Medical Laboratory Science - Pharmacy - Mass Communication - Computer Science - Political Science - Public Administration - Economics - Banking and Finance - Architecture - Radiography - Human Anatomy - Human Physiology - Biochemistry - Geology - Agricultural Engineering - Fisheries and Aquaculture - Sociology - Theatre Arts - English and Literary Studies - Statistics - Mathematics - Physics - Zoology - Marketing - Surveying and Geo-Informatics - Urban and Regional Planning - Tourism Studies - Education Programmes - Environmental Sciences - Science Laboratory Technology - Peace and Conflict Studies - Doctor of Pharmacy - Genetics and Biotechnology - Electronics and Computer Technology - Linguistics and Communication Studies - and many other programmes across different academic fields. Admission into UNICAL is highly competitive, with candidates required to meet the approved JAMB cut-off mark and other admission requirements before participating in the university’s screening exercise. To further assess candidates seeking undergraduate admission, the university conducts the UNICAL Post UTME screening examination, which is usually conducted physically using a Computer-Based Test (CBT) system. The UNICAL Post UTME examination format generally consists of between 40 to 50 questions, with examination time usually ranging between 30 to 40 minutes depending on the screening structure for the admission year. The screening examination is graded over 400 marks, similar to the JAMB scoring system. Candidates are tested in several subject areas, with English Language, Mathematics, and Current Affairs being compulsory for all candidates regardless of their intended course of study. Additional subjects are selected based on the candidate’s chosen field or UTME subject combination. The examination mainly contains multiple-choice questions, and candidates are expected to combine speed, accuracy, and proper time management due to the limited examination duration. Preparing with UNICAL Post UTME past questions and answers is one of the best ways to understand the university’s examination pattern, repeated topics, and CBT structure. Past questions help candidates become familiar with the style of questions frequently set during the screening exercise and improve examination confidence. Candidates are also encouraged to participate in regular UNICAL CBT practice tests to improve speed, accuracy, and examination readiness. Practicing under timed conditions can significantly improve overall performance during the actual screening examination.