University of Maiduguri School Fees For Medicine And Surgery
The University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), now also referred to as Muhammadu Buhari University of Maiduguri following a July 2025 name update, is one of Nigeria’s leading federal universities and a premier destination for medical training in the North-East. Established in 1975 in Borno State, the university took over the premises of the former North East College of Arts and Science (NECAS) and has since grown into a multi-faculty institution enrolling about 25,000 students. Its College of Medical Sciences, home to the Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) programme, is one of the most respected and most competitive faculties on campus. This article provides a detailed look at what it costs to study Medicine and Surgery at UNIMAID, the admission requirements, and the full range of charges students should budget for.
Overview of the University and the College of Medical Sciences
UNIMAID’s College of Medical Sciences was fully established by 2016 alongside a School of Postgraduate Studies and twelve faculties, including Agriculture, Arts, Dentistry, Education, Engineering, Law, Management Sciences, Pharmacy, Science, Social Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. The Medicine and Surgery programme sits within this college and runs a six-year curriculum covering pre-clinical and clinical training, culminating in the award of the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree. Sister health programmes offered alongside Medicine and Surgery include Nursing Science, Human Anatomy, Physiotherapy, Medical Radiography, and Medical Laboratory Science, all of which share a similar fee structure due to their clinical and laboratory components.
As a federal university, UNIMAID’s tuition is heavily subsidised by the government, which keeps official tuition costs comparatively low next to private universities. However, students still pay a range of compulsory charges covering registration, library access, ICT services, laboratory usage, medical screening, and administrative processing, all of which add up to the total amount payable each session.
Admission Requirements for Medicine and Surgery
Gaining admission into UNIMAID’s Medicine and Surgery programme is highly competitive. Prospective candidates are expected to meet the following requirements:
A minimum of five O’Level credits in WAEC, NECO, or WASSCE, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings
A strong UTME score, with Medicine and Surgery generally requiring around 250 for candidates from non-catchment states, and about 220 for candidates from catchment states
UNIMAID must be selected as the candidate’s first-choice institution on the JAMB portal, as the university does not typically admit Medicine and Surgery candidates who chose it as a second choice
Successful participation in the university’s Post-UTME/screening exercise, with final admission based on a combined weighting system of UTME score, Post-UTME performance, and O’Level results
Direct Entry candidates require highly specific advanced qualifications, typically a minimum grade of “B” in Chemistry, Biology, and Physics at A-Level, or an equivalent IJMB/HND qualification with a strong point score
Remedial placement is also available through UNIMAID’s structured remedial pathway, though candidates need a high GPA threshold alongside a baseline UTME score to qualify for Medicine and Surgery specifically
School Fees Breakdown for Medicine and Surgery
UNIMAID’s fee structure distinguishes between fresh (new) students and returning students, with the Faculty of Medicine attracting somewhat higher charges than general arts and social science faculties because of its practical, laboratory, and clinical training components.
General departmental/tuition-related charges:
Fresh (100 Level) students in Medicine and Surgery, Nursing/Nursing Science, and Radiography: approximately ₦33,000
Returning students in the same category: approximately ₦18,000
Faculty of Medicine charges (based on faculty-specific breakdowns):
New students: approximately ₦65,000
Returning students: approximately ₦55,000
These figures reflect the core tuition-linked charges only. The total amount a Medicine and Surgery student pays each session is higher once other compulsory fees, discussed below, are factored in. Because federal university fees are reviewed periodically and can shift from one session to another, students are strongly advised to check the official UNIMAID student portal for the exact, current figures before making any payment.
Other Compulsory Fees
Beyond the core tuition charge, Medicine and Surgery students at UNIMAID are required to pay several additional fees, particularly in their first year:
Acceptance fee: typically between ₦20,000 and ₦25,000, payable once admission is confirmed and before any other fee can be processed
Post-UTME/screening form: approximately ₦2,000, paid during the admission screening stage
Medical screening/registration fee: charged to fresh students as part of clearance and matriculation
Laboratory and practical charges: applicable to medical and other science-based courses due to the equipment and consumables used in practicals and clinical sessions
Departmental/faculty-specific charges: these can range from a few thousand naira depending on the specific requirements of the College of Medical Sciences
Library, ICT, and administrative charges: standard charges applied across most faculties to cover access to library resources, e-learning platforms, and administrative processing
Hostel Accommodation Fees
Hostel accommodation at UNIMAID is charged separately from academic fees and is generally treated as optional, though the university strongly encourages fresh students and final-year students to take up hostel spaces due to the benefits of easy access to lecture halls, tutorials, and fellow students.
Hostel accommodation fee: approximately ₦30,000 to ₦40,000 per session, depending on the specific hostel selected
Some fee guides place the range slightly lower, at around ₦10,000 to ₦15,000 for certain hostel categories, reflecting variation between different halls of residence
UNIMAID operates seven hostels for male students and seven for female students. Priority for accommodation is typically given to 100 Level students and final-year students, with allocation generally run on a first-come, first-served basis once a student completes the online hostel application and payment process.
How to Pay UNIMAID School Fees
Payment of school fees, acceptance fees, and hostel accommodation fees at UNIMAID is processed exclusively through the university’s official student portal. The general procedure is as follows:
Visit the official UNIMAID portal
Log in using your JAMB Registration Number (for freshers) or Matriculation Number (for returning students), along with your password
Select the appropriate academic session and current level of study
Choose the specific fee category to be paid, such as tuition, acceptance fee, or hostel accommodation
Complete payment through the approved online payment channels and print or save the payment confirmation slip
For hostel accommodation specifically, take the payment proof to the Student Affairs Division for verification, after which a hostel permit is issued
Students are strongly cautioned to only make payments through the official portal and never into personal or unverified accounts, as fraudulent payment requests are common around admission periods.
Why Fee Figures May Vary
It is worth noting that publicly available fee breakdowns for UNIMAID sometimes differ slightly across sources and academic sessions. This is because federal universities in Nigeria periodically revise components of their fee schedules, and faculties with practical or clinical components, such as Medicine and Surgery, may see targeted adjustments to laboratory or clinical posting charges independent of the general tuition rate. For this reason, prospective and current Medicine and Surgery students should treat published figures as a useful guide for financial planning, while confirming the definitive, current-session breakdown directly from the official UNIMAID portal or the College of Medical Sciences administrative office.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much does a fresher pay for Medicine and Surgery at UNIMAID?
Fresh students in the Faculty of Medicine typically pay in the region of ₦33,000 to ₦65,000 in core tuition-related charges, depending on which fee schedule applies, in addition to the acceptance fee, screening fee, and other compulsory charges for new students.
2. Is the Medicine and Surgery fee different for returning students?
Yes. Returning students generally pay a lower amount than fresh students, often close to half of what new students pay, since freshers bear additional one-time costs such as acceptance fees, medical screening, and registration charges that returning students do not repeat.
3. What is the UNIMAID acceptance fee?
The acceptance fee has typically ranged between ₦20,000 and ₦25,000 in recent sessions. It must be paid once a candidate’s admission is confirmed and before any other academic fee can be processed on the portal.
4. What UTME score is required for Medicine and Surgery at UNIMAID?
Medicine and Surgery is one of the most competitive courses at UNIMAID, generally requiring a UTME score of around 250 for candidates from non-catchment states and about 220 for candidates from catchment states, along with a strong Post-UTME and O’Level performance.
5. Is hostel accommodation compulsory or included in the Medicine and Surgery fees?
Hostel accommodation is charged separately from tuition and other academic fees and is generally optional, costing approximately ₦30,000 to ₦40,000 per session depending on the hostel selected. Priority is usually given to 100 Level and final-year students, and interested students must apply and pay through the official portal to secure a space.