Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), formerly Anambra State University, runs one of the more established medical training programs among Nigerian state universities. Its College of Medicine sits on the Awka (Amaku) campus, alongside the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), which serves as the clinical training ground for students in the health sciences. This article explains the medical and health-related courses the university offers, the admission requirements attached to them, and the school fees candidates and parents should budget for in the 2026/2027 academic session.
Overview of the College of Medicine at COOU
The College of Medicine and Teaching Hospital is a distinct academic unit within COOU, separate from the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences that handles pre-clinical instruction. Students admitted into Medicine and Surgery spend their early years studying foundational subjects such as anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry before moving into clinical rotations at COOUTH in Amaku, Awka. This structure mirrors the standard pattern used across Nigerian medical schools, where a student progresses from pre-clinical to clinical training over roughly six years.
Beyond Medicine and Surgery, COOU also runs several allied health programs that fall under the broad category of “medical courses.” These programs share overlapping admission requirements and, in most cases, higher tuition brackets than non-professional courses.
Medical and Health-Related Courses Offered at COOU
COOU offers the following medical and health science programs at the undergraduate level:
- Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) — a six-year program under the College of Medicine.
- Nursing Science — a five-year program combining classroom instruction with clinical placement.
- Pharmacy (Pharmaceutical Sciences) — a five-year professional program.
- Medical Laboratory Science — a five-year program focused on diagnostic laboratory practice.
- Physiology — offered under the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences.
- Anatomy — also offered under the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences.
- Public Health / Community Health-related programs, where accredited, under the health sciences cluster.
Each of these programs requires science-based O’level and UTME subject combinations, typically English Language, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, along with a satisfactory UTME score and a passing grade in the university’s Post-UTME screening.
Admission Cut-Off Marks for Medical Courses
COOU classifies Medicine, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, and Pharmaceutical Science as “professional courses,” which carry a higher entry requirement than other programs in the university.
| Course category | Minimum UTME score required |
|---|---|
| Medicine and Surgery | 200 |
| Nursing Science | 200 |
| Pharmaceutical Science | 200 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | 200 |
| Other (non-professional) courses | 150 |
Candidates who score between 150 and 165 fall into a category the university encourages to consider alternative, less competitive courses, since such scores rarely secure a place in the professional programs listed above. A candidate must also have chosen COOU as their first-choice institution in the UTME, or complete a change of institution through a JAMB CBT centre before applying.
School Fees for Medical Courses at COOU (2026/2027)
School fees at COOU are not uniform across all courses. Professional and medical-related programs attract higher charges than arts, humanities, or general science courses, because they involve laboratory work, clinical exposure, specialized equipment, and accreditation costs. Fees also differ depending on whether a student is an indigene of Anambra State, a non-indigene, and whether the student is a fresher or a returning student.
The table below gives an estimated fee range for medical and health science courses at COOU, based on the university’s published fee structure and recent sessional patterns. Because tuition figures are reviewed periodically by the university senate, candidates should treat these as guiding estimates and confirm exact figures on the official COOU portal before making payment.
| Course | Estimated fees for fresh students (per session) | Estimated fees for returning students (per session) |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Surgery | ₦150,000 – ₦401,815 | ₦120,000 – ₦380,000 |
| Pharmacy | ₦140,000 – ₦380,000 | ₦115,000 – ₦350,000 |
| Nursing Science | ₦130,000 – ₦350,000 | ₦110,000 – ₦320,000 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | ₦127,465 – ₦350,000 | ₦113,315 – ₦320,000 |
Non-indigenes of Anambra State generally pay more than indigenes across every course, and this gap is usually more noticeable in the professional programs. As a general guide, indigene students in health-related departments should budget between ₦90,000 and ₦200,000 for the base tuition component, while non-indigenes budget between ₦130,000 and ₦402,000, before adding other mandatory charges.
Other Charges Medical Students Should Budget For
School fees alone do not cover everything a new medical, pharmacy, nursing, or medical laboratory science student pays in their first year. The following additional charges commonly apply:
- Acceptance fee: approximately ₦26,000 – ₦30,000, paid once admission is confirmed, before registration begins.
- Medical fee: ₦10,000 per semester, covering basic healthcare services such as consultations, medication, and laboratory tests provided to students by the university clinic.
- Hostel/accommodation fee: ₦25,000 – ₦40,000 per session, depending on hostel type, for students who choose to live on campus.
- Clinical/practical fee: ₦15,000 – ₦30,000 per session for students in clinical years, particularly Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, and Medicine, to cover ward exposure and practical sessions.
- Uniform and equipment costs: ₦10,000 – ₦25,000 for lab coats, scrubs, or diagnostic tools required in Nursing and Medical Laboratory Science.
- Student Union dues and other departmental levies, which vary by session and are set locally within each faculty.
Returning students do not pay the acceptance fee again, but they continue to pay tuition, medical fees, clinical/practical charges, and any applicable hostel fees each session.
Fees for Changing Into a Medical Course
A student who is already admitted into COOU and wishes to switch into a professional course such as Medicine and Surgery, Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Science, or Nursing Science pays a change-of-course fee. This fee is higher for professional courses than for general courses, reflecting the additional review the university carries out before approving a transfer into a program with a higher entry requirement. Students interested in this route should apply directly through their faculty and confirm the current rate with the Office of the Registrar, since transfer fees are reviewed from time to time and differ from ordinary tuition.
Factors That Influence How Much a Medical Student Pays at COOU
Several factors determine the exact figure a student pays in a given session:
- Course of study — Medicine and Surgery generally sits at the top of the fee bracket, followed by Pharmacy, Nursing Science, and Medical Laboratory Science.
- Level of study — First-year (100 level) students pay more than returning students because of one-time charges such as acceptance fees, ID cards, and orientation levies.
- Residency status — Indigenes of Anambra State pay less than non-indigenes across every medical course.
- Mode of entry — Direct Entry students, who typically enter at 200 level, pay a different fee structure from UTME entrants who start at 100 level.
- Clinical year status — Students in clinical or practical-heavy years (such as final-year Nursing or Medicine students on ward rotation) pay additional practical charges not required of pre-clinical students.
How to Pay COOU School Fees
Payment of school fees, acceptance fees, and medical fees is done exclusively through the official COOU student portal at portal.coou.edu.ng. A student logs in using their JAMB registration number and password, selects the relevant payment category, and completes the transaction using a debit card or approved bank channel. The university does not authorize payment through agents or third-party platforms, and students who pay outside the official portal risk losing their payment without any record of it on their academic file.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Medicine and Surgery fees in COOU for fresh students?
Fresh students in Medicine and Surgery pay within the range of ₦150,000 to ₦401,815 per session, depending on residency status, plus the acceptance fee and other one-time charges.
What is the cut-off mark for Medicine and Surgery in COOU?
COOU requires a minimum UTME score of 200 for Medicine and Surgery, along with a satisfactory Post-UTME screening result.
Do returning medical students pay the acceptance fee again?
No. The acceptance fee applies only once, at the point of first admission. Returning students pay tuition, medical fees, and any applicable practical or clinical charges without repeating the acceptance fee.
Is Nursing Science more affordable than Medicine and Surgery at COOU?
Yes. Nursing Science fees generally fall below Medicine and Surgery fees, though both remain within the university’s professional-course fee bracket, which is higher than general courses.
Where can a student confirm the exact current fee for their course?
The most accurate figures are on the official COOU student portal, since fees are subject to periodic review by the university senate and may change between sessions.