NYSC
Who Are Qualified Or Not Qualified To Participate In The NYSC Program?

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC has become a major motivation for many students to pursue higher education. The opportunity to wear the NYSC khaki and earn the respect associated with it is appealing to students.
However, it is important to understand the eligibility criteria for participating in the one-year national service, especially if you don’t have a sibling who has gone through the program before.
If you’re unsure about the educational qualifications that are accepted for NYSC, you may be wondering which category of students or graduates are eligible to serve.
In this post, I will provide you with a list of academic qualifications and awards that are accepted for NYSC, as well as those that do not meet the criteria for participation.
The following categories of graduates, known as BSC/degree holders, will be eligible for mobilization and serve in the NYSC program for one year:
University Graduates
- Graduates who gained admission into universities, whether federal, state, or private, either through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) or other admission processes starting from 100 level.
- Graduates who have previously obtained a National Diploma (ND), Nigerian Certificate of Education (NCE), or any other advanced diploma such as IJMB or JUPEB, and subsequently gained admission to universities through Direct Entry admission.
- Graduates who have transferred from one university to another, seeking admission through the transfer admission form.
- Graduates who have studied at foreign universities and have returned to serve their country.
These categories of graduates meet the requirements for NYSC service and will be able to participate in the program after their graduation.
Polytechnic Graduates With HND
The second category of students eligible for NYSC are graduates from polytechnics in Nigeria and abroad. The polytechnic program consists of two parts: the National Diploma (ND) and the Higher National Diploma (HND). Each part is a two-year program. If you have completed the two-year ND program, you can proceed to the two-year HND program.
It’s important to note that with only an ND qualification, you are not eligible to serve with NYSC. However, if you continue your education and complete the HND program, you become qualified to participate in the one-year national service, just like graduates from universities.
School of Nursing Graduates With HND
Similarly to polytechnic graduates, if you are a graduate of a School or College of Nursing where you were admitted for ND/HND in Nursing, you are eligible to serve in NYSC. Once you have completed your HND in Nursing from any of these schools, you meet the qualifications to participate in the NYSC program.
Health Tech Graduates With HND
As you may have assumed, graduates of College of Health Technology who have completed programs that award ND/HND qualifications are eligible for NYSC. If you have obtained your ND/HND from a college of health technology, you meet the requirements to participate in the NYSC program. You can check the List of School of Health Technology Approved For NYSC.
Who Are Not Eligible To Participate In The NYSC Program National Diploma (ND) Graduates
While holders of National Diploma (ND) can be considered graduates as they have completed the first phase of polytechnic education, they are not qualified to participate in the NYSC program. I previously made a post on why ND holders are not eligible for NYSC mobilization, you can check it out for more understanding.
In other words, having an ND does not make you a fully qualified polytechnic graduate eligible for the NYSC scheme. You will need to further your education and obtain a Higher National Diploma (HND) to meet the requirements and become eligible for NYSC. So, if you only have an ND, you will need to wait until you have completed your HND before you can participate in the NYSC program.
NCE Graduates
In a typical college of education, students undergo a three-year training program and upon completion, they are awarded the Nigerian Certificate of Education (NCE), which qualifies them to become teachers in primary or secondary schools. However, having only an NCE does not make you eligible to participate in the NYSC program.
After obtaining an NCE, you have the option to transfer to a university through Direct Entry (DE) and continue your education starting from the 200/300 level. Once you have completed your university degree, you become eligible to participate in the NYSC program.
It’s important to note that there are some colleges of education that offer independent 4-year degree programs or operate as affiliates of other universities.
If you pursue a degree program through such colleges or transfer through DE, upon graduation, you become qualified to participate in the NYSC program as a graduate.
Registered Nurse/Midwifery
As mentioned earlier, graduates of schools or colleges of nursing who have obtained an ND or HND in Nursing are eligible to participate in the NYSC program. However, it’s important to note that schools or colleges of nursing also offer basic nursing and basic midwifery programs.
If you complete the basic nursing or basic midwifery program and obtain the Registered Nursing/Midwifery qualification, that alone does not make you eligible to serve in the NYSC program. In order to be eligible, you would need to apply for Direct Entry (DE) admission to a university offering Nursing Science.
Once you successfully complete your nursing degree at the university, you can then participate in the NYSC program as a nursing graduate from a university.
ND College of Health Tech Graduates
Colleges of health technology offer a range of courses, including both ND/HND programs and certificate courses. If you enroll in a certificate program such as Health Assistant, Pharmacy Technology, Medical Laboratory Technology, and others, you will not be eligible to serve in the NYSC program.
Most, if not all, of these certificate courses do not have an HND level, which means that you will only hold the base qualification. If you plan to use these certificates to gain admission to a university, it may not be possible or accepted directly.
If it is possible, you may need to go through the process of JAMB regularization to make your qualifications compatible with university admission requirements.
Part-Time Graduates
Traditionally, part-time graduates were not eligible to serve in the NYSC program. However, with the introduction of the JAMB part-time application and JAMB regularization, it is now possible for part-time university or polytechnic graduates to be considered for NYSC service.
The JAMB part-time application allows individuals who completed their education through part-time programs to apply for admission into universities or polytechnics. Through JAMB regularization, the qualifications of part-time graduates can be validated and aligned with the requirements for NYSC service.
It is important to note that the eligibility of part-time graduates for NYSC service may still be subject to specific criteria and guidelines set by the NYSC and the institutions they attended.
It is advisable for part-time graduates to inquire with their respective institutions and the NYSC for detailed information and instructions on how to proceed with their NYSC service.
You can read more on How To Register JAMB Regularization For NYSC Mobilization.
Over-Aged Graduates
In general, the maximum age limit to participate in the NYSC program is 30 years. This means that if you are a full-time or regularized part-time graduate and you are 30 years old or younger, you are eligible to serve with NYSC.
However, if you have graduated but are older than 30 years, you will not be able to participate in the National Youth Service. It’s important to adhere to the age requirement set by NYSC for eligibility to serve.
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