The University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), a federal university situated in Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory, runs one of the more established medical and health science training structures among Nigeria’s federal universities. Its College of Health Sciences, alongside its Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, offers a wide spread of medical and allied health programmes, from the six-year Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) degree to specialized allied health courses such as Radiography, Medical Laboratory Science, and Public Health. This article lists every medical and health-related course UNIABUJA currently runs, breaks down the applicable school fees, and covers the admission requirements a candidate needs before applying for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Overview of Medical Training at UNIABUJA
UNIABUJA’s medical and health science programmes fall under two main academic units: the College of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The College of Health Sciences houses the university’s clinical and pre-clinical departments, including Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, Nursing Science, and several allied health disciplines. Clinical training and rotations for these programmes take place at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) in Gwagwalada, which functions as the primary teaching hospital attached to the university and gives students hands-on exposure to patient care throughout their clinical years.
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences runs the university’s Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) programme, training students who go on to work as licensed pharmacists in hospital, community, and industrial pharmacy settings.
Full List of Medical Courses Offered at UNIABUJA
The medical and health science courses currently available at UNIABUJA are:
- Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)
- Dentistry
- Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
- Nursing Science (B.NSc.)
- Medical Laboratory Science (B.MLS)
- Human Anatomy (B.Sc.)
- Human Physiology (B.Sc.)
- Human Nutrition and Dietetics (B.Sc.)
- Public Health (B.Sc.)
- Community Health (B.Sc.)
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics (B.Sc.)
- Radiography / Radiology and Radiation Science (B.Rad.)
- Environmental Health Sciences (B.Sc.)
- Biotechnology and Molecular Biology (B.Sc.)
- Prosthetics and Orthotics
This range covers both clinical, patient-facing careers (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy) and diagnostic or allied health careers (Medical Laboratory Science, Radiography, Public Health, Environmental Health), giving prospective students several entry points into the healthcare profession depending on their interest and academic strength.
Duration of the Major Medical Programmes
The Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) programme runs for six years for candidates admitted through UTME. This is structured into an initial 12-month period covering preliminary basic sciences, followed by an 18-month pre-clinical phase built around basic medical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry, and concluding with a 42-month clinical phase covering pathology, pharmacology, internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, and obstetrics and gynaecology, among other specialties. Dentistry follows a broadly similar structure and duration, given its shared foundation in basic medical sciences before diverging into dental-specific clinical training.
Nursing Science (B.NSc.) typically runs for five years for UTME candidates, while the various B.Sc. allied health programmes — Public Health, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Medical Laboratory Science, and similar courses — generally run for four to five years depending on the specific department’s curriculum structure and whether the student enters through UTME or Direct Entry. Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) runs for six years under the current national pharmacy education framework.
School Fees for Medical Courses at UNIABUJA
UNIABUJA’s fee structure, like most federal universities in Nigeria, distinguishes between fresh (newly admitted) students and returning students, with freshers paying more due to one-time charges such as acceptance fees, ID cards, and orientation costs that do not recur in subsequent sessions. Medical and health science courses also generally cost more than courses in Arts, Social Sciences, or Management, because of the laboratory equipment, clinical materials, and practical training these programmes require.
The table below summarizes the approximate session fees for the major medical and health science courses at UNIABUJA. These are indicative figures drawn from recent fee schedules; exact amounts should always be confirmed on the official UNIABUJA fee portal before payment, since federal university fees are reviewed periodically and can shift from one session to the next.
| Course | Fresh Students (per session) | Returning Students (per session) |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) | ₦210,000 – ₦225,000 | ₦120,000 – ₦150,000 |
| Dentistry | ₦200,000 – ₦225,000 | ₦120,000 – ₦150,000 |
| Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) | ₦180,000 – ₦210,000 | ₦110,000 – ₦140,000 |
| Nursing Science | ₦150,000 | ₦110,000 – ₦140,000 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | ₦150,000 – ₦180,000 | ₦100,000 – ₦130,000 |
| Radiography | ₦150,000 – ₦180,000 | ₦100,000 – ₦130,000 |
| Public Health / Community Health | ₦120,000 – ₦150,000 | ₦90,000 – ₦120,000 |
| Human Anatomy / Human Physiology | ₦120,000 – ₦150,000 | ₦90,000 – ₦120,000 |
| Environmental Health Sciences | ₦120,000 – ₦150,000 | ₦90,000 – ₦120,000 |
| Human Nutrition and Dietetics | ₦120,000 – ₦150,000 | ₦90,000 – ₦120,000 |
These session fees generally cover tuition, registration, library access, ICT/portal usage, sports development, and medical services. They do not include hostel accommodation, which ranges separately from roughly ₦20,000 to ₦30,000 per session depending on hall choice, nor do they include textbooks, clinical uniforms, stethoscopes, laboratory coats, or other materials that clinical and allied health students purchase independently as part of their practical training.
Additional Charges to Budget For
Beyond the core tuition figure, medical and health science students at UNIABUJA typically encounter a few additional charges that widen the total cost of a session:
- Acceptance fee: Newly admitted students pay an acceptance fee, generally in the range of ₦30,000 to ₦40,000, once an offer of admission is confirmed. This secures the student’s place and is separate from the tuition fee itself.
- Laboratory and clinical practical fee: Courses that involve heavy laboratory or clinical components, such as Medicine, Dentistry, Medical Laboratory Science, and Radiography, attract an additional practical fee, commonly around ₦30,000 for undergraduate students, to cover consumables, equipment access, and clinical placement costs.
- Medical fee: New students pay a medical screening fee, usually between ₦5,000 and ₦10,000, as part of the fresher registration process.
- Books and materials: Depending on the course, students should budget an additional ₦20,000 to ₦50,000 per session for textbooks, manuals, and practical materials not covered by the standard tuition.
- Alumni fee: Final-year students in most programmes pay a one-time alumni association fee, typically around ₦5,000, as part of their graduation clearance process.
Admission Requirements for Medical Courses
Admission into UNIABUJA’s medical and health science courses follows the standard UTME route for most candidates, supplemented by the university’s Post-UTME screening exercise, which combines JAMB performance with an internal assessment to determine final placement.
For O’level requirements, candidates need at least five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained from WAEC, NECO, GCE, or an equivalent examination body in not more than two sittings. The exact subject combination required through JAMB varies slightly by department, so candidates should confirm the specific combination for their intended course before registering for UTME.
Cut-off marks differ significantly across departments, reflecting how competitive each programme is. While UNIABUJA’s general baseline JAMB cut-off mark sits at 180, Medicine and Surgery carries a notably higher requirement, generally around 230, given how competitive medical admission is nationwide. Dentistry and Pharmacy also tend to require scores above the university’s general baseline, while Nursing Science and the various allied health B.Sc. programmes typically require scores closer to or slightly above the general 180 baseline, though this too shifts from one admission cycle to another depending on applicant volume and departmental quota.
Direct Entry applicants, generally those holding a relevant HND, ND with upper credit, or a first degree in a related science field, may apply into 200 level for eligible programmes, subject to departmental approval and available space.
How to Apply
Candidates first register for UTME through JAMB, selecting the University of Abuja and their intended medical or health science course as their first choice. Once JAMB releases results and UNIABUJA opens its Post-UTME screening portal, candidates complete the screening registration, pay the applicable screening fee online, and sit for the university’s Computer-Based Test. Successful candidates are then processed through the admission list release, after which they proceed to pay the acceptance fee and complete registration formalities, including the payment of session fees through the official UNIABUJA fee portal at uniabuja.edu.ng.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many years does it take to study Medicine and Surgery at UNIABUJA?
The Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) programme runs for six years for UTME candidates, covering preliminary, pre-clinical, and clinical training phases.
What is the JAMB cut-off mark for Medicine and Surgery at UNIABUJA?
The cut-off mark for Medicine and Surgery is generally around 230, which is significantly higher than the university’s general baseline cut-off of 180.
Is Nursing Science more affordable than Medicine and Surgery at UNIABUJA?
Yes. Nursing Science fees for fresh students are generally lower than Medicine and Surgery fees, though both fall under the university’s higher fee bracket compared to Arts and Social Science courses.
Does UNIABUJA offer Direct Entry into medical courses?
Yes, for eligible candidates holding a relevant HND, ND with upper credit, or a related first degree, though placement depends on departmental approval and available space.
Are hostel fees included in the medical course session fee?
No. Hostel accommodation is billed separately, typically ranging from ₦20,000 to ₦30,000 per session depending on the hall selected.