NYSC Age Limit 2026: Eligibility and Exemption Rules in Nigeria

The National Youth Service Corps has a strict age requirement for mobilization.

If you are planning to serve, it is important to understand the official age limit and how eligibility is determined.

This guide explains the NYSC age limit for service, who qualifies for exemption, how age is calculated, and how to correct date of birth on the portal.

What is the NYSC Age Limit?

According to NYSC guidelines:

• Graduates who are below 30 years old at the time of graduation are eligible for service.
• Graduates who are 30 years or older at the time of graduation are not eligible for service.

Instead, they will receive a Certificate of Exemption after registration.

How NYSC Calculates Age for Mobilization

The age limit for NYSC is based on your age at the time you graduated — not your current age.

If you graduated at 28 years old but are now 32 due to delays in mobilization, you are still eligible to serve because you graduated before turning 30.

However, if you graduated at 30 years or above, you will automatically be exempted.

Who Receives an NYSC Exemption Certificate?

You will receive an exemption certificate if:

• You graduated at 30 years or above.
• You are serving in the Armed Forces or security agencies.
• You have previously served.
• You are a foreign-trained graduate who qualifies for exemption.

The exemption certificate is issued after successful online registration.

Can You Reduce Your Age for NYSC?

NYSC uses official educational records to determine your date of birth.

In recent years:

• NYSC relies primarily on WAEC records for date-of-birth verification.
• JAMB regularization was previously used for corrections, but WAEC verification now plays a major role.

If your date of birth is incorrect, you may apply for correction using WAEC verification.

How to Correct Date of Birth on NYSC Portal

Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your NYSC dashboard.
2. Click on “Date of Birth Correction.”
3. Enter your WAEC verification PIN.
4. Select WAEC examination type.
5. Choose exam year.
6. Enter examination number.
7. Click Verify.
8. Submit your request.

If the information matches WAEC records, your date of birth will be updated.

Note that NYSC will not accept random age changes, only verified WAEC records are used.

Attempting to manipulate age information may lead to disqualification.

Always ensure your academic records are consistent.

Before registering for NYSC, confirm your graduation date, your recorded date of birth, and your eligibility status.