Medicine and Surgery is one of the most sought-after and most competitive programmes at Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki. Because it is a professional, six-year programme leading to the MBBS qualification, it attracts a different fee structure from the general courses offered across the university’s other faculties. This article explains what Medicine and Surgery students at EBSU currently pay, how the fee differs for indigenes and non-indigenes, what the money covers, and what a candidate needs academically to gain admission into the programme in the first place.
How Much Medicine and Surgery Costs at EBSU
For the current admission cycle, a fresh (100 Level) indigene student admitted into Medicine and Surgery at Ebonyi State University pays a total of approximately ₦389,400 for the session, while a non-indigene fresh student pays approximately ₦453,400. This places Medicine and Surgery, alongside Law, at the top of EBSU’s fee bracket, well above what students in Education, Arts, or Social Sciences pay in the same session. The gap between indigene and non-indigene charges reflects a subsidy structure common across Nigerian state universities, where residents of the state that owns and funds the institution pay a reduced rate compared with students who come from outside Ebonyi State.
The amount quoted above is the total payable by a fresh student and already accounts for tuition together with the standard compulsory charges billed in the same invoice, such as registration, ICT, library, medical, and departmental dues. It does not include the acceptance fee, which is paid separately at the point of confirming admission, or optional charges such as hostel accommodation, which a student only pays if they choose to live on campus.
Fee Breakdown by Component
The table below sets out the main components that make up the total Medicine and Surgery fee bill at EBSU and clarifies which charges are one-time and which recur every session.
| Fee Component | Applies To | One-Time or Recurring |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and departmental charges | All Medicine and Surgery students | Recurring, every session |
| Acceptance fee (₦50,050) | Fresh students only, at point of admission | One-time |
| Registration/matriculation fee | Fresh students in 100 Level | One-time |
| ICT and library fee | All students | Recurring, every session |
| Medical/health services fee | All students | Recurring, every session |
| Laboratory and clinical practical fee | All students, especially from the pre-clinical years onward | Recurring, every session |
| Hostel accommodation fee (₦35,000) | Students who choose campus housing | Recurring, optional |
The acceptance fee for Medicine and Surgery is fixed at ₦50,050, a figure the university applies uniformly to Medicine and Surgery, Law, Nursing Science, and Medical Laboratory Science, all of which are treated as high-demand professional programmes. This is notably higher than the ₦30,050 acceptance fee charged to students admitted into other faculties, reflecting the more competitive and resource-intensive nature of these professional courses.
Do Fees Reduce as You Progress in the Programme
Yes. As is standard practice at EBSU and most Nigerian universities, the total amount payable by a Medicine and Surgery student is highest in 100 Level, when the one-time acceptance fee, matriculation charges, and other new-student costs are added to the regular tuition. From 200 Level onward, a returning student no longer pays the acceptance fee or the fresh-student registration charges, so the total invoice for each subsequent session is lower than what was paid in the first year, even though tuition and the standard recurring charges remain part of every session’s bill. Students in the clinical years, when practicals, ward postings, and hospital-based training become a bigger part of the curriculum, may see specific practical or clinical charges factored into their session invoice, since this stage of the programme requires more direct hospital and laboratory engagement than the pre-clinical years.
Admission Requirements for Medicine and Surgery at EBSU
Gaining admission into Medicine and Surgery at Ebonyi State University is considerably more demanding than admission into most other courses at the institution, both in terms of the O’Level requirements and the UTME score expected of applicants.
A candidate applying through UTME must have chosen Ebonyi State University as their first-choice institution, or be willing to change their institution to EBSU through JAMB. While the university’s general minimum score for eligibility to apply for Post-UTME screening across all courses sits at 150, Medicine and Surgery carries its own, much higher approved minimum score, which the university management reviews and republishes ahead of each admission cycle; recent cycles have placed this figure in the region of 240 to 250. Meeting this departmental minimum only qualifies a candidate to participate in the Post-UTME screening exercise; it does not by itself guarantee an admission offer, since space in the Faculty of Medicine is limited and admission is competitive.
On the O’Level side, a candidate must possess at least five credit passes obtained in not more than two sittings of WAEC, NECO, or an equivalent examination. These five credits must include English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, since these are the core science subjects that underpin the study of Medicine and Surgery. O’Level results must be uploaded to both the JAMB Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) portal and the EBSU admission portal before a candidate’s application can be considered complete.
Direct Entry applicants seeking admission into Medicine and Surgery are required to hold an acceptable qualification such as A-Level, IJMB, or JUPEB results at the appropriate grade, in addition to meeting the same O’Level credit requirement stated above. Direct Entry candidates apply through the JAMB Direct Entry process and must also complete the university’s own online screening exercise before their application is finalised.
The Post-UTME Screening Process
Candidates who meet the UTME cut-off for Medicine and Surgery proceed to register for EBSU’s Post-UTME screening, which is conducted entirely online rather than through a physical examination centre. The registration window typically opens for about a month, during which eligible candidates pay a non-refundable Post-UTME application fee of ₦2,000, generate their screening invoice, and complete their registration with accurate JAMB details, contact information, and O’Level results. Once screening closes, the university reviews applications and releases admission lists based on a combination of UTME performance, Post-UTME outcome, and O’Level grades, with Medicine and Surgery applicants competing for a comparatively small number of available slots relative to the volume of interest the course generates each year.
Why Medicine and Surgery Costs More Than Other Courses
The higher fee attached to Medicine and Surgery, compared with courses in Arts, Education, or Social Sciences, is tied directly to the cost of running the programme. Medical training requires laboratories, anatomy and physiology facilities, clinical equipment, and eventually hospital-based clinical postings once students move into the later years of the six-year programme. These are resource-intensive components that a strictly classroom-based course does not require, and the fee structure across the university reflects that difference consistently, placing Medicine and Surgery in the same top fee bracket as Law, Nursing Science, and Medical Laboratory Science rather than alongside the standard undergraduate courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a fresh Medicine and Surgery student pay at EBSU?
An indigene fresh student pays approximately ₦389,400 for the session, while a non-indigene fresh student pays approximately ₦453,400, based on the most recent approved fee schedule.
Is the acceptance fee included in the school fees for Medicine and Surgery?
No. The acceptance fee of ₦50,050 is paid separately, before or immediately after school fees, to confirm and secure the admission offer.
What is the minimum UTME score required for Medicine and Surgery at EBSU?
The university sets a specific departmental minimum score for Medicine and Surgery that is well above the general cut-off mark, and this figure is reviewed and published by the university ahead of each admission cycle, so candidates should confirm the current session’s approved score before applying.
Do returning Medicine and Surgery students pay less than fresh students?
Yes. Returning students no longer pay the one-time acceptance fee and fresh-student registration charges, so their total fee for each subsequent session is lower than what was paid in 100 Level, even though tuition and recurring charges still apply.
Can a Direct Entry candidate apply for Medicine and Surgery at EBSU?
Yes, provided the candidate holds an acceptable qualification such as A-Level, IJMB, or JUPEB results, meets the required O’Level credits, and completes both the JAMB Direct Entry registration and the university’s online screening exercise.