University of Port Harcourt School Fees for Medicine and Surgery
The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), located in Choba, Rivers State, is one of Nigeria’s leading federal universities and a top destination for students seeking admission into Medicine and Surgery. As a federal institution, UNIPORT’s fees are considerably lower than those of private universities offering the same course, but Medicine and Surgery still attracts higher charges than most other programs because of the extensive laboratory work, clinical training, and hospital-based instruction the course requires. This article breaks down what prospective and current Medicine and Surgery students at UNIPORT should expect to pay.
Overview of UNIPORT Fee Structure
UNIPORT operates a tiered fee system that depends on whether a student is a fresher (100 level) or a returning student (200 level and above), and on the faculty the student belongs to. Medicine and Surgery students typically pass through two broad academic phases:
Pre-clinical years, spent largely within the College of Health Sciences under faculties such as Basic Medical Sciences.
Clinical years, spent within the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, where students undergo hospital-based and ward training at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).
Because of this structure, the fees a Medicine and Surgery student pays can vary slightly depending on their year of study and the specific faculty their level falls under at that point.
Fresh Students (100 Level) Fees
For the 2025/2026 academic session, UNIPORT’s faculty-wise fee breakdown for fresh students placed Medicine-related faculties among the higher-charged categories:
Basic Medical Sciences: approximately N238,750
Clinical Sciences (which includes Nursing and clinical-stage Medicine and Surgery students): approximately N243,750
Allied Health Sciences: approximately N248,600
Dentistry, a related medical-related faculty: approximately N258,750, one of the highest fees in the university
These figures are inclusive of tuition, registration, development levy, library access, ICT charges, and other mandatory fees bundled into the sessional total. In addition to this faculty fee, all fresh students, including those admitted for Medicine and Surgery, must pay a one-time, non-refundable acceptance fee of about N30,000 after receiving their admission offer.
Returning Students (200 Level and Above) Fees
From 200 level upward, UNIPORT applies a flat sessional fee across all faculties, meaning Medicine and Surgery students in their pre-clinical or clinical years pay the same general rate as students in other departments. This flat fee has been reported at approximately N78,000 per session in recent schedules, though slightly different figures (around N45,340 to N76,000) have appeared in various fee announcements across sessions, reflecting periodic reviews by the university.
Why Medicine and Surgery Costs More Than Other Courses
Even within a federal university where fees are generally subsidized, Medicine and Surgery and other clinically-oriented programs attract higher charges than the university average because of:
Laboratory-intensive training: Pre-clinical years require anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry laboratories with specialized equipment and consumables.
Clinical and hospital-based instruction: Clinical years involve ward rounds, bedside teaching, and hands-on training at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, which carries additional operational costs.
Extended duration of study: Medicine and Surgery is typically a six-year program, meaning students are exposed to cumulative faculty-specific charges across more academic sessions than students in four-year programs.
Accreditation and equipment standards: The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and NUC impose strict facility and staffing requirements on medical training, which universities often factor into departmental charges.
Additional Charges to Budget For
Beyond the core tuition-inclusive faculty fee, Medicine and Surgery students at UNIPORT should also budget for:
Accommodation fees, for students who choose to live in university hostels.
Medical fees, covering access to on-campus health services.
Departmental dues and clinical training levies, which may apply during the clinical phase of the program.
ID card, matriculation, and miscellaneous charges, which typically apply only in the first year.
Feeding, textbooks, and personal upkeep, which are not part of official school fees but form a significant part of a medical student’s overall budget.
A Note on Fee Accuracy
UNIPORT reviews its fee schedule periodically, and the exact figures for Medicine and Surgery can shift slightly from one academic session to the next. The amounts outlined above reflect recently published fee schedules, but prospective and current students should always confirm the current, department-specific figures directly on the UNIPORT student portal (www.uniport.edu.ng) or through the university’s admissions office before making any payment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How much does a fresh Medicine and Surgery student pay at UNIPORT?
Fresh students in Medicine-related faculties, such as Basic Medical Sciences and Clinical Sciences, have paid between approximately N238,750 and N248,750 per session in recent fee schedules, in addition to the N30,000 acceptance fee.
2. Do returning Medicine and Surgery students pay the same fee every year?
Largely yes. From 200 level upward, UNIPORT applies a flat sessional fee (recently around N78,000) across all faculties, including Medicine and Surgery, though this figure is subject to periodic review.
3. Why is Medicine and Surgery more expensive than courses like Arts or Social Sciences at UNIPORT?
Medicine and Surgery requires extensive laboratory work, clinical training, and hospital-based instruction at the teaching hospital, all of which cost more to run than typical classroom-based programs.
4. Is the acceptance fee included in the Medicine and Surgery tuition fee?
No. The acceptance fee, currently around N30,000, is a separate one-time payment made by newly admitted students after accepting their admission offer, before the faculty-specific tuition fee is paid.
5. Where can Medicine and Surgery students confirm the exact current fee?
Students should log in to the UNIPORT student portal at www.uniport.edu.ng, generate their Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR), and check their department-specific fee schedule, since amounts can be updated from one session to another.