Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin runs a Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) program under its Faculty of Health Sciences, and it is one of the more expensive courses offered at the institution. This article breaks down the exact tuition candidates should expect for the MBBS program, compares it with related health science courses at the university, and covers admission requirements, cut off marks, and the full range of charges a fresh medical student needs to budget for.
How Much Is Medicine and Surgery School Fees at Al-Hikmah University?
Tuition for the Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) program at Al-Hikmah University is set at approximately ₦4,025,000 per session for new students in the 2026/2027 academic session, making it the single most expensive course at the university. This figure represents a rise from the previous session, where new MBBS students paid around ₦3,500,000, reflecting the general upward adjustment in tuition that Al-Hikmah University has applied across its programs in recent years. Because Medicine and Surgery is a clinical program that runs for six years, this tuition amount is paid every session for the duration of the course, meaning a student should plan for a substantial cumulative cost across the full length of the program, not just the first year.
Why Medicine and Surgery Costs More Than Other Courses at Al-Hikmah
Medicine and Surgery consistently carries the highest tuition fee at Al-Hikmah University because it is the most resource-intensive program the university runs. Training doctors requires specialized laboratories, cadavers and anatomical models, clinical equipment, affiliations with teaching hospitals for practical postings, and a higher ratio of specialist faculty per student compared to non-clinical courses. These operational costs are reflected directly in the tuition. Other Faculty of Health Sciences programs at Al-Hikmah, while still costly compared to arts and social science courses, are noticeably lower than MBBS because they do not carry the same six-year clinical training structure or the same level of specialized equipment and hospital affiliation requirements.
Comparing MBBS Fees With Other Health Science Courses at Al-Hikmah University
The table below places the Medicine and Surgery tuition fee alongside other health-related programs at Al-Hikmah University, giving prospective students a clear sense of where MBBS sits relative to related courses within the same faculty.
| Course | Estimated Tuition (New Student, Per Session) |
|---|---|
| Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) | ₦4,025,000 |
| Nursing Science | ₦1,718,750 |
| Medical Laboratory Science (B.MLS) | ₦1,612,500 |
| Public Health | ₦1,380,000 |
As the table shows, MBBS costs more than double the tuition of the next most expensive health science program at the university. This gap is consistent with the pattern seen across most Nigerian private universities that run a Medicine and Surgery program, since MBBS is universally the costliest course at nearly every private institution offering it.
What the Medicine and Surgery Tuition Covers
The published tuition figure for MBBS at Al-Hikmah University generally covers lectures, laboratory practicals, library access, basic medical care for the student, examinations, and access to sporting and extracurricular facilities. It does not typically include hostel accommodation, the acceptance fee, or other one-off charges that a fresh medical student must pay separately. Because Medicine and Surgery students also undergo clinical postings in later years of the program, some departmental or teaching hospital-related charges may apply at specific stages of the course, separate from the standard session tuition.
Additional Charges for New Medicine and Surgery Students
Beyond the core tuition, a fresh MBBS student at Al-Hikmah University should budget for the following recurring or one-off charges:
- Acceptance fee of ₦50,000, paid once admission is confirmed, to secure the offered slot
- Hostel accommodation, which ranges from roughly ₦75,000 to ₦350,000 per session depending on the specific hostel, campus, and gender, noting that Al-Hikmah requires new students, 200 Level students, and final-year students to reside in the hostel
- Departmental and clinical practical charges that may apply once the student advances into the clinical years of the MBBS program
- Miscellaneous charges such as identity card processing, medical screening at registration, and student union dues, which are typically modest compared to tuition and hostel costs
Because tuition at Al-Hikmah is paid on an instalment basis, with an approved pattern of 60% in the first semester and 40% in the second semester, a new MBBS student does not need to raise the full ₦4,025,000 at once, though the first instalment alone still represents a significant sum.
Admission Requirements for Medicine and Surgery at Al-Hikmah University
Gaining admission into the MBBS program at Al-Hikmah University requires meeting both the general university-wide entry requirements and the more demanding conditions attached to a clinical medical program.
A candidate needs a minimum of five credit passes in relevant O’Level subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings of WAEC, NECO, GCE, NABTEB, or an equivalent examination. The candidate must also hold a valid UTME result with Al-Hikmah University selected as the first choice institution, since the university, like most private institutions running competitive clinical programs, gives priority to first-choice applicants during screening. Direct Entry applicants are considered where they hold suitable A-Level qualifications, such as JUPEB, IJMB, or NABTEB, with at least two passes meeting the minimum point requirement set by the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Cut Off Mark for Medicine and Surgery at Al-Hikmah University
While Al-Hikmah University’s general JAMB cut off mark for most courses sits between 140 and 160, Medicine and Surgery requires a considerably higher score due to its highly competitive nature. Candidates aiming for MBBS at Al-Hikmah should target a UTME score of at least 190, since courses within the Faculty of Health Sciences carry cut off marks that range as high as 200 or more depending on the admission cycle. Meeting the cut off mark alone does not guarantee admission, since candidates must also pass the university’s post-UTME screening exercise and satisfy departmental interview requirements that are typically applied to clinical programs like Medicine and Surgery.
How Al-Hikmah’s MBBS Fees Compare to Other Private Universities Offering Medicine
Al-Hikmah University’s MBBS tuition of roughly ₦4,025,000 per session places it within the broad range charged by Nigerian private universities offering Medicine and Surgery, most of which set fees well above ₦2,000,000 per session due to the specialized nature of clinical medical training. Public federal and state universities that run MBBS programs typically charge a fraction of this amount because their operations are subsidized by government funding, but they also come with far higher competition for limited admission slots and, in many cases, longer average years to graduation due to strikes and academic calendar disruptions. Candidates weighing a private university option like Al-Hikmah against a public university MBBS program should factor in not just the tuition difference but also the relative predictability of the academic calendar and the availability of admission slots.
Payment Structure and How Fees Are Reviewed
Al-Hikmah University reviews its tuition schedule from one academic session to the next, and Medicine and Surgery fees have shown a clear upward trend across recent sessions. Students are expected to pay according to the university’s approved instalment pattern, generally 60% of the session’s fee in the first semester and the remaining 40% in the second semester, through the university’s official online student portal or designated bank channels. Because fees can change from year to year, a prospective MBBS candidate should always confirm the exact current tuition figure directly from the university’s finance or bursary office before making firm financial plans, since figures found in general references may reflect a previous session’s rate rather than the current one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) tuition at Al-Hikmah University for new students?
MBBS tuition for new students is approximately ₦4,025,000 per session for the 2026/2027 academic session, making it the most expensive course at the university.
What is the cut off mark for Medicine and Surgery at Al-Hikmah University?
While the university’s general cut off mark ranges from 140 to 160, candidates should target at least 190 in the UTME for Medicine and Surgery, since it is one of the most competitive courses in the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Does the MBBS tuition fee include hostel accommodation?
No. Hostel accommodation is billed separately from tuition and ranges from about ₦75,000 to ₦350,000 per session depending on the hostel and campus, and new students are generally required to live on campus.
Can Medicine and Surgery fees be paid in instalments at Al-Hikmah University?
Yes. The university follows an approved payment pattern of 60% in the first semester and 40% in the second semester, rather than requiring the full session fee upfront.
Is Al-Hikmah University’s MBBS program accredited?
Yes. Al-Hikmah University’s Medicine and Surgery program holds approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) and relevant professional regulatory bodies, meaning graduates are eligible to proceed through the standard licensing pathway for medical practice in Nigeria.