Sa’adu Zungur University (SAZU), Bauchi State, formerly known as Bauchi State University, Gadau (BASUG), does not run a Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) degree programme. This is the direct and accurate answer for anyone searching for medicine and surgery school fees at this institution for the 2026/2027 academic session. The university renamed itself in June 2024 in honour of the late Sa’adu Zungur, but the change of name did not add a Medicine and Surgery programme to its academic offerings. Students and parents who come across the name “Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences” on the university’s website often assume this faculty trains medical doctors, but that assumption is incorrect. This article explains what SAZU actually offers under its medical and health-related faculties, why MBBS is absent, what it costs to study the health courses that are available, and where candidates who want to become medical doctors in Bauchi State should look instead.
Does Sa’adu Zungur University Offer Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)?
No. SAZU does not have accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) or the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to run an MBBS programme. The university’s Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences exists, but it houses courses such as Nursing Science, Public Health, and related health disciplines, not the six-year medical degree that produces licensed medical doctors. A Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences in many Nigerian universities is often mistaken for a College of Medicine, but the two are structurally different. A College of Medicine or Faculty of Clinical Sciences runs MBBS with clinical postings in a teaching hospital, while a Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences typically runs allied health and pre-clinical support courses without producing medical doctors on its own.
In April 2025, the NUC accredited 17 academic programmes at SAZU, covering a range of disciplines across the university’s five faculties. Medicine and Surgery was not part of that accreditation list, which further confirms that the programme does not currently exist at the institution.
Why the Confusion Around “Medicine” at SAZU Exists
Several factors explain why prospective students search for medicine and surgery fees at this university even though the programme is not offered:
- The name change from Bauchi State University, Gadau to Sa’adu Zungur University created confusion, and some outdated web pages and forums still circulate old or inaccurate course lists.
- The existence of a “Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences” misleads readers into assuming a full medical programme is available there.
- Nursing Science, which SAZU does offer, is sometimes loosely referred to as a “medical course,” and this gets conflated with Medicine and Surgery in casual conversation.
- Bauchi State is home to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), which does run MBBS, and the geographical closeness of the two institutions leads to mix-ups in search queries and social media discussions.
Where to Study Medicine and Surgery in Bauchi State
Candidates who specifically want an MBBS degree in Bauchi State should direct their search to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi. ATBU runs a College of Medical Sciences with an accredited MBBS programme, complete with clinical postings at its affiliated teaching hospital. Admission into MBBS at ATBU or any similar institution in Nigeria requires strong results in core science subjects at the O’Level (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and English Language, typically at credit level), a competitive UTME score well above the general cut-off mark used by most universities, and, in many cases, a Post-UTME screening score that ranks among the highest of any faculty. Fees, admission requirements, and available slots for MBBS at ATBU differ entirely from what SAZU charges for its programmes, so applicants should treat the two universities as separate cases when budgeting and planning.
Health-Related Courses Actually Offered at Sa’adu Zungur University
Although Medicine and Surgery is absent, SAZU offers several health and health-adjacent courses that fall under or alongside the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences and other faculties. These include:
- Nursing Science — a relatively new addition to the university’s course list, offered under the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences. Because it is new, its accreditation status with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) should always be confirmed directly with the university’s admissions unit or the council before an applicant commits to it.
- Public Health — one of the more established and popular programmes at SAZU, available at undergraduate level and also as a postgraduate specialty (Postgraduate Diploma, MSc, and PhD, with options such as Epidemiology and Disease Control, Health Services Management, Occupational Health and Safety, Maternal and Child Health, and Environmental Health).
- Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) — a professional six-year degree offered from the Faculty located in Bauchi City (Yuli Campus). This is a distinct programme from Medicine and Surgery, though it shares some pre-clinical science foundations.
- Microbiology — a science-based course with strong relevance to laboratory medicine and health research, though it does not qualify a graduate as a medical doctor.
Candidates interested in any of these programmes should treat them as separate career paths from Medicine and Surgery, each with its own licensing body, curriculum, and professional outcome.
General School Fees Structure at Sa’adu Zungur University 2026/2027
Since Medicine and Surgery does not exist at SAZU, there is no dedicated MBBS fee schedule to quote. What follows instead is the general fee range that applies across the university’s undergraduate programmes, including the health-related courses listed above. SAZU fees are billed per session and depend on three main factors: the student’s status as an indigene or non-indigene of Bauchi State, the faculty and course of study, and whether the student is a fresh (new) admission or a returning student.
| Fee Category | Indigene Students (₦) | Non-Indigene Students (₦) |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate tuition (general range) | 44,000 – 90,000 | 90,000 – 120,000 |
| Acceptance fee (fresh students) | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| Online screening/registration fee | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Part-time programme fees | 50,000 – 70,000 | 50,000 – 70,000 |
These figures represent the general undergraduate range across faculties and are not specific to any single course, since SAZU does not publish an MBBS fee line. Non-indigenes of Bauchi State typically pay close to double what indigenes pay for the same course, a pattern common across Nigerian state-owned universities. Fresh students also pay additional one-off charges such as an acceptance fee and a screening fee, on top of the regular tuition, while returning students pay tuition and departmental levies without the fresh-student charges. Course-specific programmes like Pharmacy, Law, and Nursing may attract slightly higher departmental charges than the general arts and science courses, reflecting the extra practical, laboratory, or clinical exposure those programmes require.
Because SAZU is transitioning fully from the BASUG name and portal to the SAZU name and systems, prospective and returning students should confirm the exact figure for their specific course and level directly on the official school fees payment portal before making any payment, since faculty-specific charges can shift slightly from one session to another.
How to Check and Pay School Fees at SAZU
- Log in to the official SAZU student or applicant portal using your JAMB UTME number (for fresh students) or your registration number (for returning students).
- Navigate to the school fees or payment section of the portal.
- Select the correct academic session (2026/2027) and confirm your faculty, department, and level.
- Review the fee breakdown displayed, which separates tuition from other charges such as departmental dues, library fees, and ICT charges.
- Complete payment through the approved bank or online payment channel linked to the portal.
- Print or save the payment receipt and evidence of payment for registration purposes.
Admission Requirements for SAZU’s Health-Related Courses
For courses such as Nursing Science, Public Health, and Pharmacy, candidates generally need the following:
- Five credit passes in relevant O’Level subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, and Chemistry, obtained at not more than two sittings.
- A competitive UTME score. SAZU’s general cut-off mark tends to be around 140 to 150, but competitive courses such as Pharmacy and Nursing often require scores in the range of 190 to 200 or higher due to limited admission quotas.
- Successful completion of the university’s Post-UTME or direct screening exercise, along with any required documentation such as Local Government of Origin identification for indigene applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sa’adu Zungur University offer Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)?
No. SAZU does not run an MBBS programme. It has a Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, but this houses courses like Nursing and Public Health, not Medicine and Surgery.
Where can I study Medicine and Surgery in Bauchi State?
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, runs an accredited MBBS programme through its College of Medical Sciences.
Is Nursing Science at SAZU the same as Medicine and Surgery?
No. Nursing Science is a separate professional discipline with its own curriculum, licensing body (the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria), and career path, distinct from the medical doctor training under MBBS.
What is the general school fees range at SAZU for 2026/2027?
Undergraduate tuition generally ranges from about ₦44,000 to ₦90,000 for indigenes and ₦90,000 to ₦120,000 for non-indigenes, depending on the course and faculty, aside from additional one-off charges for fresh students.
Is SAZU the same institution as Bauchi State University, Gadau (BASUG)?
Yes. The institution changed its name from BASUG to Sa’adu Zungur University in June 2024, but it remains the same university with the same campuses in Gadau, Misau, and Bauchi (Yuli).