Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) runs one of the older medical training programmes among state-owned universities in South-East Nigeria. Students who gain admission into the Faculty of Medicine and choose Medicine and Surgery (the MBBS programme) pay fees that differ from what students in non-medical departments pay, mainly because of the extra development levy attached to the medical programme and the additional charges that come with clinical training in later years. This article breaks down what a fresh student and a returning student in ESUT Medicine and Surgery should expect to pay for the 2026/2027 academic session, along with the components that make up the total bill.
Overview of ESUT and the Medicine and Surgery Programme
ESUT began as Anambra State University of Technology (ASUTECH) in 1980 and became Enugu State University of Science and Technology in 1991, after Enugu State was carved out of the old Anambra State. The university runs a College of Medicine that trains students for the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree over six academic years, split between pre-clinical and clinical phases. Clinical training takes place mainly at ESUT Teaching Hospital, with additional exposure at affiliated hospitals such as the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu and the Federal Medical Centre, Enugu.
Because Medicine and Surgery involves laboratory-heavy pre-clinical years (Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry) and hospital-based clinical years, the programme attracts a higher one-time development charge than most other courses at ESUT, and this is the main reason the total fee for medical students looks higher than that of, say, an Arts or Social Science student.
ESUT Medicine and Surgery School Fees for Fresh (New) Students
A fresh student admitted into Medicine and Surgery at ESUT pays a combination of tuition, acceptance fee, and a development fee that is specific to the College of Medicine. The table below summarises the fee components for the 2026/2027 session.
| Fee Component | Amount (₦) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fee | 124,900 | Same base tuition rate applied across most undergraduate departments |
| Acceptance fee | 26,100 | One-time, paid after accepting admission on the JAMB CAPS portal |
| Medicine development fee | 300,000 | One-time charge specific to the Faculty of Medicine, paid only once during the entire programme |
| Other departmental/faculty charges | Varies | Includes ID card, library, medical screening, and similar administrative charges |
| Estimated total for fresh Medicine and Surgery student | Approximately 451,000 and above | Exact figure depends on additional charges billed through the student portal |
The development fee of ₦300,000 for Medicine is one of the highest departmental development charges at ESUT, higher than the ₦250,000 charged for Law, Nursing, and Pharmacy, and considerably higher than the ₦50,000 development fee that applies to most other departments. This fee is paid only once, in the first year a student is admitted into the Faculty of Medicine, whether as a fresh UTME candidate or as someone transferring into Medicine and Surgery from another department or another institution.
Students should also budget for hostel accommodation if they intend to live on campus. Hostel charges at ESUT generally range from ₦40,000 to ₦50,000 per session, and this is optional since not every student secures or opts for a hostel space.
ESUT Medicine and Surgery School Fees for Returning Students
Returning students in Medicine and Surgery do not pay the acceptance fee or the development fee again, since both are one-time charges. What a returning medical student pays each session is essentially the tuition fee plus any level-specific or clinical charges that apply as the student progresses through the programme.
Tuition for returning students across ESUT generally falls between ₦45,340 and ₦124,900, depending on the level of study. For most levels from 100 to 500 Level, tuition sits at ₦124,900, while final-year (600 Level) students, who are mostly in clinical postings and nearing graduation, typically pay a slightly reduced tuition of around ₦104,900. Medical students in the clinical years (400 Level to 600 Level) may also see extra charges tied to hospital postings, clinical coats, practical examinations, and related activities, which are billed separately from the base tuition and vary from one session to another.
Breakdown by Level of Study
The table below gives a general picture of how fees are structured by level for Medicine and Surgery students at ESUT, based on the current fee framework the university applies to its undergraduate programmes.
| Level | Fee Type | Approximate Amount (₦) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 Level (fresh student) | Tuition + acceptance + development fee | 451,000 and above |
| 200 Level | Tuition only | 124,900 |
| 300 Level | Tuition only | 124,900 |
| 400 Level (clinical postings begin) | Tuition + clinical/practical charges | 124,900 plus variable clinical charges |
| 500 Level | Tuition + clinical/practical charges | 124,900 plus variable clinical charges |
| 600 Level (final year) | Reduced tuition | 104,900 plus variable clinical/exam charges |
Clinical charges at 400 Level and above are not fixed figures published as a flat naira amount across sessions; they depend on what the College of Medicine bills for hospital postings, ward coats, practical assessments, and related clinical training costs in a given academic year. Students in these levels should check the student portal each session for the exact invoice, since amounts can shift slightly from one academic year to the next.
What the Fees Cover
The fees paid by Medicine and Surgery students at ESUT are not limited to classroom instruction. They cover:
- Tuition for lectures, tutorials, and departmental instruction in both pre-clinical and clinical years.
- Laboratory costs for practical sessions in Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, and other pre-clinical subjects.
- Clinical training costs, including access to teaching hospital wards and supervised patient contact during clinical postings.
- Library access, including medical textbooks and journal subscriptions relevant to the College of Medicine.
- Development levies that go toward maintaining and upgrading medical training infrastructure, such as laboratory equipment and hospital facilities used for teaching.
- Basic administrative services, including ID cards, matriculation, and student portal access.
Fees generally do not cover textbooks, personal clinical equipment such as stethoscopes, feeding, transportation to affiliated hospitals, or accommodation, unless a student opts into the university’s hostel system.
How to Pay ESUT School Fees
Payment of school fees at ESUT follows a standard online procedure through the university’s student portal. The steps are:
- Log in to the ESUT student portal using your registration or matriculation credentials.
- Select “School Fees” from the dashboard and choose the correct session and level.
- Generate a payment invoice showing the exact amount payable, including any department-specific charges.
- Proceed to any Remita-enabled bank or use the online payment option to complete payment.
- Return to the portal to confirm that the payment reflects and print a receipt for your records.
Fresh students are advised to complete acceptance fee payment first, through the JAMB CAPS platform, before proceeding to pay tuition and development fees on the university portal. Paying in the correct order avoids delays in the registration process.
Payment Deadlines and Important Notes
ESUT typically sets a deadline for full payment of school fees each session. New students who fail to complete payment within the stipulated period risk losing their admission slot, since the university treats fee payment as part of the registration process that confirms a candidate’s intent to take up an offered admission. Returning students who miss the deadline may be barred from taking semester examinations until payment is completed, and in some cases, late payment attracts an additional charge.
Because fee structures are reviewed periodically, it is advisable for both prospective and continuing Medicine and Surgery students to confirm the exact figures for a given session directly from the ESUT bursary department or the official student portal before making any payment, since minor adjustments can occur between academic sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the ₦300,000 medicine development fee paid every session?
No. It is a one-time charge paid only once, usually in the first year a student is admitted into or transfers into the Faculty of Medicine.
Do Medicine and Surgery students pay more tuition than other departments at ESUT?
Base tuition is largely the same across departments (₦124,900 for most levels), but Medicine and Surgery students pay a higher one-time development fee and may incur additional clinical charges from 400 Level onward.
Does the fee include hostel accommodation?
No. Hostel accommodation is optional and billed separately, typically between ₦40,000 and ₦50,000 per session.
Where can a student confirm the exact current fee?
The ESUT student portal and the university’s bursary department provide the most accurate and updated figures for any given session, since amounts can be adjusted periodically.
Can a student transferring into Medicine and Surgery from another department pay the development fee again?
Yes. Any student transferring into the Faculty of Medicine, whether from another department within ESUT or from another institution, is required to pay the ₦300,000 development fee, since it is tied specifically to enrolment in the Faculty of Medicine rather than to first-year status alone.