King David Umahi University of Medical Sciences, located in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, is one of the specialised health-focused universities in Nigeria. Following its takeover by the Federal Government on 15th September 2022, the institution now operates under the name David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), though many prospective students and the general public still search for it under its earlier name. This article explains what a Medicine and Surgery student at this university should expect to pay in school fees for the 2026/2027 academic session, along with the payment structure, admission requirements, and other charges tied to the programme.
Background: From King David Umahi University to a Federal Institution
The university was originally established and funded by the Ebonyi State Government as King David Nweze Umahi University of Medical Sciences, named in honour of the state’s former governor. It was designed as a specialised institution offering only health and science-related courses, with Medicine and Surgery as its flagship programme. In September 2022, the Federal Government formally took over ownership and funding of the university, renaming it David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences. This change in ownership directly affected school fees: at the point of the federal takeover, the government announced a significant reduction in tuition, particularly for Medicine and Surgery, which was cut from about three million naira to one million naira for indigenous students. This history matters for prospective applicants because it explains why some older listings online still show the pre-2022 figures, which no longer reflect what current and incoming students pay.
Medicine and Surgery Programme Overview
Medicine and Surgery at this institution is the flagship course of study, structured as a six-year programme covering pre-clinical and clinical training, in line with the standard Nigerian medical education curriculum regulated by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and the National Universities Commission (NUC). Students go through foundational sciences in the early years, followed by clinical postings in the later years, typically involving attachment to teaching hospitals and clinical facilities affiliated with the university. As a specialised university of medical sciences, the institution positions Medicine and Surgery alongside other health-related courses such as Nursing Science, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Medical Laboratory Science, Physiotherapy, Optometry, Public Health, and Human Nutrition and Dietetics, all sharing the university’s focus on producing health professionals.
School Fees for Medicine and Surgery
Following the federal takeover and the subsequent fee reduction, the university’s official school fees schedule set Medicine and Surgery tuition at approximately one million naira (₦1,000,000) per session for Nigerian students, a figure that is inclusive of hostel accommodation, since the university operates a policy requiring all students to reside within the campus hostel facilities. This is significantly lower than the pre-takeover figure of about three million naira that applied when the university was still state-funded.
For international students, Medicine and Surgery fees are considerably higher, standing at approximately ten million naira (₦10,000,000) per session, reflecting the standard practice among Nigerian universities of charging foreign nationals a premium rate, particularly for specialised medical training.
For the 2026/2027 academic session specifically, prospective applicants should treat the ₦1,000,000 figure as the confirmed baseline rate established after the federal takeover, while being aware that tuition at most federal universities is subject to periodic review and possible upward adjustment due to inflation and rising operational costs. Because the university has not always published a fresh fee circular ahead of every new session, applicants are strongly advised to confirm the exact current figure directly through the university’s admissions office or official portal before making any payment, rather than relying solely on figures from previous sessions.
| Course | Nigerian Students (Approx.) | International Students (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine & Surgery | ₦1,000,000 | ₦10,000,000 |
| Dentistry | ₦700,000 | ₦10,000,000 |
| Pharmacy | ₦700,000 – ₦1,000,000 | ₦10,000,000 |
| Nursing Sciences | ₦700,000 | ₦10,000,000 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | ₦700,000 | ₦10,000,000 |
| Physiotherapy | ₦700,000 | ₦10,000,000 |
| Optometry | ₦700,000 | ₦10,000,000 |
| Public Health | ₦700,000 | ₦10,000,000 |
| Human Nutrition and Dietetics | ₦700,000 | ₦10,000,000 |
| Computer Science / Industrial Sciences | ₦500,000 | ₦8,000,000 |
The table shows that Medicine and Surgery remains the most expensive undergraduate programme at the university, which is consistent with the pattern across most Nigerian medical schools, where the length of training, clinical exposure, and specialised facilities push tuition above what other science-based courses attract.
What the Medicine and Surgery Fee Covers
The published fee for Medicine and Surgery at this university is structured to include more than ordinary classroom tuition. Because the institution mandates hostel accommodation for all students, the quoted figure incorporates:
- Tuition for academic instruction across the session
- Hostel accommodation within the university campus
- Basic institutional charges such as library access, ICT/portal fees, and medical services on campus
This bundling is notable because at many other Nigerian universities, hostel accommodation is billed separately from tuition, meaning a student’s total cost can rise well above the tuition figure alone. At King David Umahi University of Medical Sciences (DUFUHS), the inclusion of hostel fees within the quoted Medicine and Surgery fee gives prospective students and their sponsors a clearer, more predictable total cost to budget for, rather than having to add an unknown accommodation charge separately.
Additional Charges Beyond Tuition
Aside from the core tuition figure, admitted students typically need to budget for a few other one-off or session-specific charges:
- Acceptance fee: Newly admitted students pay a non-refundable acceptance fee, generally put at around ₦100,000, which is higher than what applies at many conventional federal universities. This reflects the specialised nature of the programmes offered and the cost of maintaining medical training infrastructure.
- Departmental and clinical charges: Students in clinical years may incur additional charges tied to laboratory materials, clinical posting logistics, and practical training equipment, particularly as they move into hospital-based rotations.
- Registration and examination fees: Standard administrative charges apply each session for course registration and examination processing.
Students should treat the acceptance fee and tuition as separate payments, since the acceptance fee is paid first to confirm the admission slot, while tuition is paid afterward as part of the registration process for the session.
How Fees Are Paid
Payment of school fees at the university follows the standard process used across most Nigerian federal universities:
- The admitted candidate logs into the university’s official student portal using their JAMB and admission details.
- The candidate generates a Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) for the acceptance fee first, pays it, and completes the admission acceptance process online.
- Once acceptance is confirmed, the student proceeds to generate a separate RRR for tuition and other session charges.
- Payment can be made online via card through the Remita platform or at any bank that supports Remita payments, using the generated reference number.
- After payment, the student prints evidence of payment and proceeds with physical registration, clearance, and course enrolment at the university.
Students should only use the official university portal to generate payment references and should avoid making payments to individuals or unofficial agents claiming to facilitate faster admission or fee payment, as this exposes applicants to the risk of fraud.
Factors That May Affect the Final Amount Payable
A few factors can influence the exact amount a Medicine and Surgery student ultimately pays in a given session:
- Nationality: Nigerian students pay significantly less than international students, given the wide gap between local and foreign fee brackets.
- Level of study: While the overall tuition structure tends to stay similar across years, students in clinical years may face additional practical or hospital-posting charges not applicable to pre-clinical students.
- Scholarship or subsidy schemes: From time to time, state government scholarship programmes tied to Ebonyi State indigenes have supported students at this university with subsidised fees; where such schemes exist and a student qualifies, out-of-pocket payment can be lower than the standard published rate.
- Periodic fee review: As with most Nigerian federal universities, fees are subject to review over time, meaning the amount payable in 2026/2027 could differ slightly from the figures published immediately after the 2022 federal takeover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is King David Umahi University of Medical Sciences still the correct name of the institution?
The university now operates as David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS) following its takeover by the Federal Government in September 2022. It was previously known as King David Nweze Umahi University of Medical Sciences under Ebonyi State ownership.
Does the Medicine and Surgery fee include hostel accommodation?
Yes. The university’s fee structure includes hostel accommodation within the campus for all students, since on-campus residency is compulsory.
How much more do international students pay for Medicine and Surgery?
International students pay considerably more than Nigerian students, with the figure standing at roughly ten times the local student rate.
Where can a student confirm the exact current fee before payment?
The most reliable source is the university’s official student portal or its admissions office, since published figures are subject to periodic review and may be adjusted between sessions.