Abia State University (ABSU), located in Uturu, is one of the state-owned universities in Nigeria that runs a Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) programme through its College of Medicine. This article explains what candidates and parents should expect to pay for Medicine and Surgery at ABSU for the 2026/2027 academic session, along with the other charges that come with studying a professional health science course at the university.
About ABSU’s Medicine and Surgery Programme
Abia State University runs its Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences and Clinical Sciences programmes from its Uturu campus, with clinical training extending to affiliated teaching hospitals for students in their clinical years. The Medicine and Surgery programme leads to the award of a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree, and it runs for six years for candidates admitted through UTME, or a shorter duration for Direct Entry candidates who gain admission into 200 level with an already recognized qualification, such as a first degree in a related science field.
Medicine and Surgery at ABSU is classified under the university’s highest tuition category, alongside other professional and highly competitive programmes such as Law, Optometry, Nursing Sciences, Medical Laboratory Science, Architecture, and Estate Management. This grouping matters because ABSU structures its school fees by course category rather than charging a flat fee across all departments, and Medicine sits firmly in the category that pays the highest tuition on campus.
School Fees Structure for 2026/2027
ABSU groups its undergraduate courses into fee categories, generally labeled from the highest-charging category downward, and Medicine and Surgery falls into the top category alongside other professional courses that require intensive practical training, laboratory work, or clinical exposure. Fresh students in this category typically pay more than returning students, because freshers cover one-time charges such as acceptance fee, accreditation fee, and development fee in addition to their tuition.
| Fee Component | Amount (₦) |
|---|---|
| Tuition fee (Medicine and Surgery, new students) | 48,000 – 56,000 |
| Tuition fee (Medicine and Surgery, returning students) | 40,000 – 56,000 |
| Acceptance fee | 50,000 |
| Accreditation fee (new students only) | 30,000 |
| Development fee (new students only) | 50,000 |
| Hostel accommodation (optional, per session) | 30,000 – 40,000 |
| Practical fee (400–600 level medical students) | 2,950 |
These figures represent the general tuition structure ABSU applies to Category A courses, which include Medicine and Surgery. When combined with acceptance fee, accreditation fee, and development fee, a fresh Medicine and Surgery student at ABSU should expect a total first-year cost that runs noticeably higher than the base tuition figure alone, once all one-time charges are added together.
It is worth noting that published tuition figures for state universities like ABSU can shift from one session to another due to policy reviews, inflation adjustments, or changes approved by the university’s governing council. Candidates preparing for the 2026/2027 session should treat the figures above as a reliable guide based on the university’s recent fee pattern, but should still confirm the exact, current amount directly from the ABSU student portal or bursary department before making any payment.
Why Medicine and Surgery Costs More Than Other Courses
Medical training is resource-intensive. Anatomy dissection, physiology and biochemistry laboratory work, clinical rotations, and the use of specialized equipment all add operational costs that a university must recover partly through tuition and partly through practical or laboratory fees charged specifically to Medicine and other science-based professional courses. This is why 400 to 600 level medical students, along with other science students, pay an additional practical fee that Arts or Social Science students typically do not pay. Clinical-year students also incur costs tied to their attachment at teaching hospitals, which may include uniform, badge, and other departmental charges specific to the College of Medicine.
Acceptance Fee and What It Covers
Once a candidate receives provisional admission into ABSU for Medicine and Surgery, the next compulsory payment is the acceptance fee, which confirms the candidate’s intention to take up the offered admission slot. For the 2026/2027 session, ABSU charges a flat acceptance fee that applies across faculties, including Medicine. This fee is non-refundable and separate from tuition, meaning a candidate must pay it in addition to, not instead of, the tuition fee schedule outlined above. Failure to pay the acceptance fee before the university’s deadline can lead to the withdrawal of the admission offer, so candidates should treat this payment with urgency once admission is confirmed.
Payment Structure for Freshers vs Returning Students
ABSU applies a different payment arrangement depending on a student’s level and faculty. While students in many other faculties are permitted to pay their tuition in installments across the session, ABSU requires students in the Faculty of Law, Faculty of Engineering, the College of Medicine, and the School of Nursing to pay their full tuition fee in one lump sum rather than in installments. This policy applies to Medicine and Surgery students specifically, and prospective students should plan their finances accordingly, since spreading tuition payment across the semester is not an option available to this category of students.
Returning Medicine and Surgery students generally pay a lower total than freshers because they are not required to pay acceptance fee, accreditation fee, or development fee again. Their annual obligation mainly covers tuition and any applicable practical or clinical fees tied to their current level.
Additional Costs to Plan For
Beyond the core school fees, Medicine and Surgery students at ABSU should budget for a number of recurring and level-specific costs throughout the six-year duration of the programme:
- Hostel accommodation, which is optional but commonly taken up by first-year students, priced at a flat rate per session for a standard bed space.
- Textbooks, anatomy atlases, and other medical reference materials, which tend to be more expensive than materials required for non-science courses.
- Laboratory coats, dissection kits, and other practical materials needed for anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry sessions in the pre-clinical years.
- Clinical posting costs during the clinical years, including transportation to and from affiliated teaching hospitals where students undergo supervised training.
- Examination and departmental fees that apply at specific stages of the programme, particularly around professional examinations within the medical curriculum.
- Feeding, transportation, and general upkeep, which vary by student but form a significant part of the overall cost of studying Medicine over a six-year period.
Admission Requirements for Medicine and Surgery at ABSU
Gaining admission into ABSU’s Medicine and Surgery programme requires meeting both JAMB and university-specific criteria. Candidates need at least five credit passes in the relevant science subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained from WAEC, NECO, or an equivalent examination body, in not more than two sittings. At the UTME level, candidates must sit for Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Use of English, and typically need a JAMB score well above the university’s general minimum cut off mark, since Medicine remains one of the most competitive courses at ABSU and across Nigerian universities generally.
Because O’Level grades carry significant weight in ABSU’s admission scoring for Medicine, candidates with strong distinctions in the required science subjects stand a better chance during the screening exercise, even where the written post-UTME component plays a smaller role compared to other institutions. Direct Entry candidates seeking admission into 200 level typically need a relevant first degree, A-Level qualification, or an equivalent qualification recognized by the university’s admissions office, along with satisfying the same core O’Level requirements.
Table: Summary of Estimated First-Year Cost for Fresh Medicine Students
| Cost Item | Estimated Amount (₦) |
|---|---|
| Tuition fee | 48,000 – 56,000 |
| Acceptance fee | 50,000 |
| Accreditation fee | 30,000 |
| Development fee | 50,000 |
| Hostel accommodation (optional) | 30,000 – 40,000 |
| Estimated total for freshers | 208,000 – 226,000 |
This total does not include personal expenses such as textbooks, uniforms, feeding, and transportation, which vary from student to student. Candidates should budget beyond the official school fees to cover these additional necessities comfortably.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the tuition fee for Medicine and Surgery at ABSU?
New students pay between ₦48,000 and ₦56,000 in tuition, while returning students pay between ₦40,000 and ₦56,000. This is exclusive of acceptance fee and other one-time charges paid only by freshers.
Do Medicine students pay their fees in installments?
No. ABSU requires students in the College of Medicine, along with Law, Engineering, and Nursing, to pay their full tuition fee at once rather than in installments, unlike students in some other faculties.
How much is the ABSU acceptance fee for 2026/2027?
The acceptance fee for the 2026/2027 session is ₦50,000, payable once admission is confirmed and separate from the tuition fee.
Is hostel accommodation compulsory for Medicine students?
No, hostel accommodation is optional. Students may choose to live off-campus, though many first-year students opt for university hostels, which cost between ₦30,000 and ₦40,000 per session.
What subjects are required for Medicine and Surgery admission at ABSU?
Candidates need credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, and must sit for Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Use of English at the UTME level, with a competitive JAMB score required due to the high demand for the course.