ABSU School Fees For All Courses Offered: Complete Breakdown (2025/2026 – 2026/2027)
Abia State University (ABSU), located in Uturu, Abia State, is one of South-East Nigeria’s leading state-owned universities. Established in 1981 — originally as part of the old Imo State before Abia State was carved out in 1991 — ABSU has grown into a multi-campus institution with its main campus in Uturu, a Law and Business Administration campus in Aba, and a College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine in Umuahia. The university runs a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Engineering, Law, Education, Agriculture, and the Health/Medical Sciences.
One of the most searched pieces of information by prospective and returning students is the ABSU school fees schedule. Because ABSU is a state-owned institution, its fees are generally more affordable than those of private universities, but they still vary significantly depending on the course of study, the student’s level, and whether the student is a fresher or a returning student. This article provides a complete, well-detailed breakdown of ABSU school fees for all courses, presented in tabular form for easy reference.
How ABSU Structures Its School Fees
ABSU groups its academic programmes into fee categories, rather than pricing every single course individually. This means courses with similar cost implications (based on laboratory use, professional accreditation requirements, and practical training) are billed at the same rate. Broadly, the university’s tuition structure is split into three main categories, in addition to one-time charges that only fresh students pay.
Freshers pay more than returning students in their first year because of one-time compulsory charges such as the acceptance fee, accreditation fee, development fee, and ID card/registration costs. From the second year onward, students typically pay a lower, standard per-semester tuition and may pay fees in installments — except for students in Law, Engineering, Medicine, and the School of Nursing, who are generally required to pay their tuition in full.
ABSU School Fees Table (By Course Category)
Category A — Professional/High-Demand Programmes
(Medicine & Surgery, Medical Laboratory Science, Optometry, Nursing Sciences, Law, Accountancy, Architecture, Estate Management)
Fee Item Amount
Tuition — 100 Level (per semester) ₦56,000
Tuition — 200 Level and above (per semester) ₦56,000
Tuition — 600 Level (per semester) ₦40,000
Acceptance Fee (new students, one-time) ₦50,000
Accreditation Fee (new students, one-time)₦30,000
Development Fee (new students, one-time)₦50,000
Hostel Fee (optional) ₦50,000
SUG Dues ₦1,500
Estimated Total for Freshers~₦230,000 – ₦243,500
Category B — Standard Social Science & Applied Science Programmes
(Banking & Finance, Marketing, Management, Economics, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Political Science, Mass Communication, History, International Relations)
Fee Item Amount
Tuition — 100 Level (per semester) ₦52,000
Tuition — 200 Level and above (per semester) ₦52,000
Tuition — 600 Level (per semester) ₦52,000
Acceptance Fee (new students, one-time)₦45,000
Accreditation Fee (new students, one-time)₦25,000
Development Fee (new students, one-time)₦30,000
Hostel Fee (optional) ₦50,000
SUG Dues. ₦1,500
Estimated Total for Freshers₦180,000 – ₦210,500
Category C — Other/General Programmes
(Includes most remaining Arts, Education, and general Science courses not listed under Categories A or B)
Fee Item. Amount
Tuition — 100 Level (per semester)₦48,000
Tuition — 200 Level and above (per semester)₦48,000
Tuition — 600 Level (per semester)₦48,000
Acceptance Fee (new students, one-time)₦40,000
Accreditation Fee (new students, one-time)₦20,000
Development Fee (new students, one-time)₦20,000
Hostel Fee (optional)₦50,000
SUG Dues₦1,500
Estimated Total for Freshers~₦150,000 – ₦180,000
Accommodation Fees (Optional, Per Session)
Bed Space Type Amount
Full bed space ₦50,000
Half bed space ₦25,000
Full List of Courses Offered at ABSU (For Reference)
ABSU offers a wide array of programmes across its faculties, including but not limited to:
Accounting, Agric-Economics and Extension, Anatomy, Animal Science and Fisheries, Architecture, Banking and Finance, Biochemistry, Botany, Building Technology, Business Administration, Business Education, Chemistry/Industrial Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Crop Production and Protection, Economics, Education and Accounting, Education and Agricultural Science, Education and Biology, Education and Chemistry, Education and Government, Education and Integrated Science, Education and Mathematics, Education and Physics, Education and Political Science, Education and Social Studies, Education Fine Art, Educational Management and Planning, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, English Language and Literature, Environmental Resources Management, Environmental Science, Estate Management, Fine/Applied Arts, Food Science and Technology, French, Geography, Geography and Planning, Government and Public Administration, History and International Studies, Home Economics and Education, Igbo, ICT Engineering, Language and Literature, Law, Library Science, Linguistics and Communication Studies, Management, Marketing, Mass Communication, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Laboratory Science, Medicine and Surgery, Microbiology, Nursing/Nursing Science, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physiology, Plant Science and Biotechnology, Political Science, Public Health, Pure and Industrial Physics, Religious Studies, Sociology, Soil Science, Statistics, Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Urban and Regional Planning, and Zoology.
Additional/Special Fees (Course-Specific)
Beyond the standard tuition categories, certain faculties and departments require extra practical, professional, or specialized fees:
Law students: Legal Clinic fee of ₦2,250, paid via ABSU Microfinance Bank draft.
Medical and Science students (400–600 Level): Practical Fee of ₦2,950, paid via ABSU Microfinance Bank draft.
Agriculture students: Practical Fee of ₦2,950, paid via ABSU Microfinance Bank draft.
Vocational Education and Education Science students: Practical Fee of ₦2,950, paid via ABSU Microfinance Bank draft.
GST Carryover students: ₦1,000, paid into the ABSU Microfinance Bank Miscellaneous Account.
Faculty of Environmental Studies students: Field Class/Trip fee of ₦1,000, paid into the ABSU Microfinance Bank Miscellaneous Account.
French Language students: Professional Fee of ₦2,500, paid via ABSU Microfinance Bank draft.
Important Notes on Payment
Freshers are required to pay their full session fees at the point of admission.
Returning students generally have the option to pay in full or in installments (e.g., half in the first semester and half in the second), except for students in Law, Engineering, Medicine, and Nursing, who are typically required to pay in full.
All fees are paid electronically through the ABSU student portal (portal.abiastateuniversity.edu.ng), using approved partner banks such as ABSU Microfinance Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank, Fidelity Bank, Union Bank, Mainstreet Bank, EcoBank, Keystone Bank, and Diamond Bank.
Fees not paid within the first 4 weeks of a semester may attract a late penalty (reportedly around ₦5,000), and failure to pay within 6 weeks can lead to cancellation of course registration.
The acceptance fee is a one-time payment made only after a candidate’s name appears on the official ABSU admission list, and it must typically be paid within 1–2 weeks of receiving the admission offer.
Fee figures are reviewed periodically by ABSU management and may differ slightly by session, so students should always confirm the exact current figures directly on the official ABSU portal before making payment.
How to Pay ABSU School Fees
Visit the official ABSU portal at portal.abiastateuniversity.edu.ng.
Log in using your JAMB registration number and password (for new students) or your matriculation number (for returning students).
Navigate to the school fees section and generate your payment invoice.
Make payment via the web payment option or by taking the invoice to any of the approved partner banks.
Return to the portal after payment to print your receipt and other clearance documents.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How much is ABSU school fees for freshers?
It depends on the course category. Freshers in Category A courses (Medicine & Surgery, Law, Nursing, Medical Lab Science, Optometry, Accountancy, Architecture, Estate Management) pay roughly ₦230,000–₦243,500; Category B courses (Banking & Finance, Economics, Mass Communication, etc.) cost roughly ₦180,000–₦210,500; and Category C (most other Arts, Education, and general Science courses) cost roughly ₦150,000–₦180,000, inclusive of one-time charges like acceptance, accreditation, and development fees.
2. How much is the ABSU acceptance fee?
The acceptance fee ranges from ₦40,000 to ₦50,000 depending on the course category, and it is paid only once, immediately after a candidate’s name appears on the official admission list.
3. Can ABSU school fees be paid in installments?
Yes, but only for returning students in most departments — they can typically split payment across the first and second semesters. Freshers, as well as students in Law, Engineering, Medicine, and Nursing, are generally required to pay their fees in full.
4. Is ABSU accommodation fee included in the general school fees?
No. Accommodation (hostel) fees are charged separately and are optional, costing around ₦50,000 for a full bed space and ₦25,000 for a half bed space per session.
5. Where can I pay my ABSU school fees?
All payments are made electronically through the official ABSU student portal, using any of the university’s approved partner banks, including ABSU Microfinance Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank, Fidelity Bank, Union Bank, and others.