University of Ibadan Opens Free Distance Learning Portal for Thousands of Post-UTME Applicants

The University of Ibadan has thrown a lifeline to thousands of admission seekers by offering an alternative route to earn a degree without being held back by limited classroom space or strict admission quotas.

Through a special admission window under its Open, Distance, and eLearning (ODeL) initiative, Nigeria’s premier university is absorbing qualified candidates who sat for the institution’s Post-UTME screening exercise but could not secure physical on-campus slots.

In an official statement released by the Director of the UI Distance Learning Centre, Professor Olufade Onifade, the university announced that candidates who participated in the Post-UTME screening can switch their mode of study from conventional face-to-face learning to the ODeL programme at no charge. Fresh, qualified applicants who did not take the UI screening are also eligible to submit new applications for the upcoming session.

The special application portal is set to close on August 15, with virtual classes and orientation for the new cohort scheduled to kick off on August 17.

Addressing concerns regarding degree quality, the university clarified that ODeL learners will be taught by the same seasoned faculty members who lecture conventional students. Students will utilize flexible mobile learning systems, interactive courseware, and periodic physical revision sessions before examinations, graduating with the same recognized degree issued to traditional on-campus students.

The programme covers several key disciplines, including Computer Science, Economics, Statistics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Mass Communication, English, Educational Management, and Social Work. University authorities urged eligible applicants to complete their change-of-mode forms immediately on the official portal before application slots fill up.