The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) runs one of the largest postgraduate schools among Nigerian federal universities, offering programmes at the Postgraduate Diploma (PGD), Master’s, M.Phil/Ph.D, and Ph.D levels across nearly every faculty on campus. This article explains the categories of postgraduate courses UNILORIN offers, the general admission requirements attached to each category, and a breakdown of what students should expect to pay in school fees for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Overview of the UNILORIN Postgraduate School
UNILORIN is a federal government-owned university located in Ilorin, Kwara State, established in 1975. Its postgraduate school operates as a distinct administrative arm that coordinates admissions, coursework, and research supervision for all postgraduate students across the university’s faculties, separate from the undergraduate admissions office. The postgraduate school runs programmes in disciplines spanning Agriculture, Arts, Education, Engineering and Technology, Environmental Sciences, Law, Life Sciences, Management Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, and Clinical Sciences, among others. Because of this spread, a candidate can pursue a PGD, Master’s degree, or Ph.D at UNILORIN in nearly any discipline offered at the undergraduate level, provided the department has an accredited postgraduate programme in that field.
The postgraduate school opens its application window once every academic session, usually publishing a formal advertisement listing the specific programmes available for that particular session. Not every postgraduate programme is advertised every year, so applicants need to check the current session’s advertisement rather than assume a programme offered in a previous year is automatically available again.
Categories of Postgraduate Courses Offered at UNILORIN
UNILORIN’s postgraduate offerings fall into four broad categories, each with a different entry point, duration, and academic purpose.
Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) programmes serve candidates who want to build foundational knowledge in a discipline different from their first degree, or who do not yet meet the CGPA requirement for direct entry into a Master’s programme. PGD is commonly used as a bridging qualification, particularly in fields like Computer Science, Statistics, Education, and Management Sciences, where candidates from unrelated first-degree backgrounds want to transition into a new specialisation before proceeding to a Master’s degree in that field.
Master’s degree programmes (M.Sc, M.A, M.Ed, M.Eng, LL.M, MBA, M.P.H, and similar variants depending on the faculty) are the most commonly pursued postgraduate qualification at UNILORIN. These are offered across essentially every department that runs undergraduate degrees, plus some specialised programmes such as the Master of Public Health, which is only open to candidates with specific health-related first degrees.
M.Phil/Ph.D is a combined pathway for candidates who do not hold a Master’s degree but want to proceed toward a doctorate. Candidates admitted into this track complete an M.Phil stage first, which is assessed before they are allowed to progress into the full Ph.D stage.
Ph.D is the terminal postgraduate qualification at UNILORIN, open to candidates who already hold a relevant Master’s degree with a strong CGPA, and it involves an extended period of independent research under academic supervision.
Table: UNILORIN Postgraduate Programme Categories
| Programme Level | Typical Duration (Full-Time) | Entry Qualification | Assessment for Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) | Up to 18 months (4–6 semesters max) | First degree (any class) or HND | Qualifying examination |
| Master’s Degree | 12–24 months, varies by faculty | Second Class Lower or above (Second Class Upper for some departments) | Qualifying examination (waived for UNILORIN First Class/2:1 graduates in same discipline) |
| M.Phil/Ph.D | 36–60 months | Bachelor’s degree, no Master’s yet | Interview/assessment |
| Ph.D | 36–48 months (full-time); 48–60 months (part-time) | Master’s degree, minimum 60% CGPA or equivalent | Departmental interview |
Admission Requirements for UNILORIN Postgraduate Programmes
Every applicant to the UNILORIN postgraduate school must meet a set of general requirements before department-specific conditions apply. These general requirements include a minimum of five O’Level credit passes, including English Language and Mathematics, obtained from WAEC, NECO, GCE, NABTEB, or an equivalent examination body. Applicants must also hold the minimum entry qualification specified for their intended programme, whether that is a first degree, HND, or an existing Master’s degree, depending on the level applied for.
For Master’s degree applicants, UNILORIN generally requires a Second Class Lower Division or better from a recognised university, though a number of competitive departments set their minimum at Second Class Upper Division. Applicants who hold a First Class or Second Class Upper Division from UNILORIN itself, and who are applying into the same discipline as their first degree, are exempted from sitting the postgraduate qualifying examination. All other Master’s and PGD applicants, regardless of their class of degree, must sit and pass the qualifying examination, with a minimum pass mark of 55 percent typically required for Master’s admission consideration.
Ph.D applicants must hold a relevant Master’s degree with a minimum CGPA equivalent to 60 percent, and instead of a written qualifying examination, they go through a departmental interview or interactive session, where a minimum score of 60 percent is generally required for a successful recommendation.
International applicants and candidates residing outside Nigeria at the time of application are typically exempted from the written qualifying examination but are still required to submit a short research proposal, usually not exceeding five pages, describing their intended area of study. This applies mainly to Ph.D and research-based Master’s applicants, since the research proposal establishes the direction of supervision before admission is finalised.
Applicants from non-English-speaking academic backgrounds must also submit evidence of English proficiency, typically through TOEFL or IELTS scores, alongside their other application documents.
Additional Requirements by Programme Type
Beyond the general conditions, certain UNILORIN postgraduate programmes carry additional entry conditions specific to the discipline:
- Master of Public Health (MPH): open only to candidates whose first degree is in Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Veterinary Medicine, Medical Laboratory Science, Health Information Management, Public Health, or Microbiology, and applicants must also show at least two years of relevant work experience in a health facility, ministry of health, UN agency, or comparable health-related organisation.
- PGD in Computer Science and PGD in Statistics: designed as bridging programmes for candidates whose first degree is outside these fields, allowing them to build the foundation needed before proceeding to a Master’s degree in the subject.
- NYSC discharge requirement: Nigerian applicants under the mandatory service age are generally required to have completed the National Youth Service Corps programme and be able to present a discharge or exemption certificate before final admission is confirmed.
Applicants should always confirm department-specific requirements directly from the current session’s postgraduate advertisement, since additional conditions can be added or modified between sessions.
UNILORIN Postgraduate School Fees Structure
Postgraduate school fees at UNILORIN are charged per programme and per session, and the amount varies depending on the faculty, the specific department, and whether the applicant is a fresh or returning postgraduate student. Fees are generally higher for programmes with a laboratory, fieldwork, or clinical component compared to purely theory-based programmes in the arts and humanities.
| Programme Level | Approximate Fee Range (per session/semester) |
|---|---|
| Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) | ₦60,000 – ₦180,000 |
| Master’s Degree | ₦80,000 – ₦230,000 |
| M.Phil/Ph.D and Ph.D | ₦120,000 – ₦230,000 |
Fees also differ noticeably by faculty. Programmes under the Faculty of Agriculture, for instance, tend to sit toward the higher end of the range because of fieldwork and laboratory costs, generally falling between ₦150,000 and ₦230,000 per semester. Programmes under the Faculty of Arts sit closer to the lower end, typically between ₦130,000 and ₦180,000 per semester, since these programmes rely mainly on coursework, seminars, and library-based research rather than laboratory work.
Beyond the core programme fee, postgraduate students at UNILORIN should budget for the following additional charges:
- Application fee: paid at the point of applying for the postgraduate form, generally around ₦25,000 for Nigerian applicants and about $200 for international applicants.
- Acceptance fee: a separate, non-refundable charge paid once an admission offer has been confirmed.
- ICT and library fees: charged alongside tuition to cover access to digital learning platforms and library resources.
- Accommodation: postgraduate hostel accommodation, where available, is billed separately and is not included in the core tuition figure.
- Departmental and research fees: applicable mainly to Ph.D and M.Phil/Ph.D candidates, covering supervision costs, seminar registration, and, in later stages, external examination costs tied to thesis defence.
Because fees are reviewed periodically and can be adjusted between sessions, and because the amount for a specific department depends on internal faculty decisions, applicants should treat the ranges above as a planning guide. The definitive figure for a specific programme is generated on the UNILORIN postgraduate portal once an applicant has been formally admitted, broken down by department and level of study.
How to Apply for a UNILORIN Postgraduate Programme
The general application process for UNILORIN postgraduate admission follows this sequence:
- Wait for the postgraduate school to publish its official advertisement for the session, listing the specific programmes open for application.
- Confirm that the intended programme is included in the current advertisement, since not all programmes are advertised every session.
- Complete the online application form on the UNILORIN postgraduate portal and pay the non-refundable application fee.
- Upload scanned copies of academic credentials, including O’Level results, first-degree certificate and transcript, and, where applicable, a Master’s degree certificate and transcript for Ph.D applicants.
- Submit a research proposal, where required, particularly for Ph.D and research-track Master’s applications, sent to the postgraduate school’s official email address before the stated deadline.
- Sit the qualifying examination on the scheduled date, unless exempted due to a First Class or Second Class Upper Division from UNILORIN in the same discipline, or exempted due to international applicant status.
- Attend a departmental interview, applicable mainly to Ph.D applicants, where research direction and academic readiness are assessed.
- Check the postgraduate portal for the admission list and, once admitted, proceed to pay the acceptance fee followed by the full school fees for the session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UNILORIN offer postgraduate programmes in every department?
Not every department runs a postgraduate programme every session. UNILORIN advertises the specific programmes available each academic session, so applicants need to confirm that their intended course appears in the current advertisement before applying.
Is the postgraduate qualifying examination compulsory for all applicants?
It is compulsory for PGD and Master’s applicants except UNILORIN graduates with a First Class or Second Class Upper Division applying into the same discipline as their first degree, and except international applicants residing outside Nigeria.
What is the minimum CGPA required for a Ph.D at UNILORIN?
Ph.D applicants generally need a Master’s degree with a minimum CGPA equivalent to 60 percent, along with a successful departmental interview.
How much does a UNILORIN postgraduate programme cost per session?
Fees vary by programme level and faculty, generally ranging from about ₦60,000 for some PGD programmes to around ₦230,000 for certain Master’s, M.Phil/Ph.D, or Ph.D programmes per session, in addition to application, acceptance, and other mandatory charges.
Can a candidate without a Master’s degree apply directly for a Ph.D at UNILORIN?
Not directly. A candidate without a Master’s degree who wants to work toward a doctorate applies through the M.Phil/Ph.D track instead, which combines an M.Phil stage before progression into the full Ph.D stage.