The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) runs one of the most established medical training structures in Nigeria’s South-South region through its College of Health Sciences. The college brings together the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, the Faculty of Dentistry, the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, offering a wide range of medicine and health-related degree programmes. This article sets out the medical courses available at UNIPORT, the school fees attached to each faculty, admission requirements, and cut-off marks for candidates preparing for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Overview of the College of Health Sciences, UNIPORT
UNIPORT’s College of Health Sciences functions as an umbrella structure coordinating medical education across several faculties, each responsible for a distinct stage or branch of health training. Students admitted into Medicine and Surgery typically pass through the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences in the pre-clinical years before proceeding into the Faculty of Clinical Sciences for clinical training, while Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Nursing run as separate but closely linked faculties within the same college structure. The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), located along East-West Road, serves as the primary clinical training site for students in Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, and related programmes, giving them exposure to real patient care under supervision from an early stage of their clinical years.
List of Medical Courses Offered at UNIPORT
The medical courses at UNIPORT are distributed across four faculties within the College of Health Sciences, in addition to a separate Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The table below breaks down the courses by faculty.
| Faculty | Courses/Departments |
|---|---|
| Faculty of Clinical Sciences | Medicine and Surgery (MBBS), Nursing Science |
| Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences | Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology, Anatomical Pathology, Chemical Pathology, Haematology and Blood Transfusion Science, Medical Microbiology, Medical Biochemistry |
| Faculty of Dentistry | Dental Surgery (BDS), Restorative Dentistry, Child Dental Health, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Preventive and Social Dentistry, Oral Pathology and Oral Biology |
| Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences | Pharmacy (B.Pharm), Clinical Pharmacy and Management, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry |
| Faculty of Allied Health Sciences | Medical Laboratory Science, Physiotherapy, Radiography, Public Health-related programmes |
Medicine and Surgery follows the classic pre-clinical to clinical progression typical of Nigerian medical schools, running for a minimum of six years. Dentistry follows a similar structure, also spanning six years for candidates admitted through UTME. Pharmacy runs for five years, while Nursing Science and most Allied Health Sciences programmes run for a standard four to five years, depending on the specific department and mode of entry.
School Fees for Medical Courses at UNIPORT
UNIPORT charges a single consolidated sessional fee per faculty rather than a separate figure for each individual course within that faculty. This fee bundles together tuition, registration, the university development levy, library and ICT access, and other mandatory charges into one payment. The table below shows the fee for freshers (100-level students) admitted for the session, based on the faculty-wise schedule the university applies to its medical-related faculties.
| Faculty | Fee for Fresh Students (₦) |
|---|---|
| Dentistry | 258,750 |
| Allied Health Sciences | 248,600 |
| Clinical Sciences (Nursing) | 243,750 |
| Basic Medical Sciences | 238,750 |
Fresh students admitted into Medicine and Surgery pass through the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences for their pre-clinical years before transferring into the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, so a first-year Medicine and Surgery student typically pays the Basic Medical Sciences fee until progressing into the clinical years, at which point charges align with the Clinical Sciences schedule. Pharmacy, which sits under its own faculty rather than directly within the College of Health Sciences, follows a similar fee band to other science-intensive faculties, generally falling close to the figures charged for Basic Medical Sciences and Science-related faculties.
Once a student progresses beyond 100 level, UNIPORT applies a flat sessional fee of ₦78,000 to all returning students, regardless of faculty or course. This means the higher, faculty-specific charges apply only in the first year of study, after which tuition becomes significantly more affordable for the remainder of the programme.
Other Charges Beyond Tuition
Aside from the sessional fee, every newly admitted student, including those in medical-related faculties, pays a one-time, non-refundable acceptance fee of ₦30,000 to confirm their admission. Candidates also pay a Post-UTME screening fee of ₦2,000 during the application stage, generated through the university’s Remita payment platform.
Accommodation is billed separately from tuition. UNIPORT operates several categories of student hostels, and the fee a student pays depends on which hostel they are assigned to. Hostels linked to clinical training, such as those serving medical and allied health students, generally attract a higher accommodation charge than hostels in other categories, given their proximity to the teaching hospital and clinical training sites.
| Hostel Category | Accommodation Fee (₦) |
|---|---|
| TETFUND, NNPC A and B, Clinical Hostel | 70,000 |
| Goodluck Jonathan Hostel, Danetete Hostel, Pharmacy Hostel, Presidential Hostel 1 and 2, New Medical Hostel | 60,000 |
| NDDC, NUH A and B, Nelson Mandela A–D, King Jaja A–D, Aminu Kano A and B | 50,000 |
Students who prefer off-campus housing arrange and pay for their own accommodation independently of the university’s hostel allocation system.
Admission Requirements for Medical Courses at UNIPORT
Admission into any medical course at UNIPORT, whether Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, or an Allied Health Sciences programme, follows the standard university-wide entry pathway combined with course-specific academic and screening requirements.
- O’Level Qualification: Candidates need at least five credit passes, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained from WAEC, NECO, or an equivalent examination body, in not more than two sittings.
- JAMB UTME Requirement: Candidates must sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and select UNIPORT along with their intended course of study. The university’s general UTME cut-off mark stands at 150, though medical and highly competitive courses such as Medicine and Surgery, Nursing, Dentistry, and Pharmacy typically require a considerably higher score to stand a realistic chance of admission.
- Post-UTME Screening: UNIPORT requires candidates who meet the UTME cut-off mark to proceed to a Post-UTME screening exercise, with a minimum Post-UTME score requirement of 120, alongside a non-refundable screening fee.
- Departmental Cut-Off Marks: Individual departments set their own aggregate score requirements based on combined JAMB and Post-UTME performance. Pharmacy, for instance, applies a departmental cut-off mark of around 230, while Medicine and Surgery and Dentistry typically apply similarly demanding thresholds given the high number of applicants competing for a limited number of admission slots.
- Direct Entry (where applicable): Candidates holding a relevant A-Level, IJMB, JUPEB, or equivalent qualification may apply for direct entry into 200-level of a compatible medical or health-related course, subject to meeting the specific requirements of the department.
Because competition for medical courses at UNIPORT is intense, candidates aiming for Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, or Pharmacy should aim to score well above the general UTME cut-off mark, ideally in the region of 250 or higher, to improve their chances during the departmental screening and ranking process.
Duration of Study
Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) at UNIPORT runs for a minimum of six years for candidates admitted through UTME, factoring in the pre-clinical and clinical phases of training, plus a mandatory housemanship year after graduation before full registration as a medical doctor. Dentistry (BDS) similarly runs for six years. Pharmacy (B.Pharm) runs for five years, while Nursing Science and most Allied Health Sciences programmes run for four to five years, depending on the specific department. Direct entry candidates admitted into 200-level typically complete their programme one year earlier than their UTME-admitted counterparts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to study Medicine and Surgery at UNIPORT?
Fresh Medicine and Surgery students initially pay the Basic Medical Sciences faculty fee of ₦238,750 during their pre-clinical years, in addition to a ₦30,000 acceptance fee. From 200 level onward, all returning students pay a flat sessional fee of ₦78,000, regardless of faculty.
What is the school fee for Dentistry at UNIPORT?
Fresh Dentistry students pay ₦258,750 for their first session, which is the highest sessional fee among UNIPORT’s health-related faculties, reflecting the intensive clinical and laboratory training the programme requires.
What UTME score is needed for Medicine and Surgery at UNIPORT?
While UNIPORT’s general UTME cut-off mark is 150, Medicine and Surgery is one of the university’s most competitive courses, so candidates should aim for a considerably higher score, generally above 250, to remain competitive during departmental screening.
Does UNIPORT offer Nursing as a degree programme?
Yes. Nursing Science is run under the Faculty of Clinical Sciences as a full degree programme, distinct from diploma-level nursing training offered at colleges of nursing.
Are hostel fees included in the school fees for medical students?
No. Hostel accommodation is billed separately from the sessional school fee, and the amount depends on which hostel a student is assigned to, ranging from ₦50,000 to ₦70,000 per session.