Zamfara State University (ZAMSUT), located in Talata Mafara, offers a set of accredited medical and health-related courses under its Faculty of Medical Sciences, but it does not run a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme. Students searching for “medical courses” at ZAMSUT are typically looking for Nursing Science, Public Health, Physiotherapy, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, all of which the university offers as full degree programmes with National Universities Commission (NUC) accreditation.
This article explains exactly which health-related courses ZAMSUT offers, what each one costs per session for indigenes and non-indigenes, and what prospective students should know before applying.
Does Zamfara State University Offer Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)?
No. ZAMSUT does not currently run an MBBS programme, and it has no College of Medicine offering the six-year clinical degree that qualifies graduates as medical doctors. What the university does have is a Faculty of Medical Sciences that trains students in allied health and basic medical science disciplines rather than clinical medicine itself. This distinction matters because a Nursing Science, Public Health, or Physiotherapy degree leads to a different professional pathway and licensing body than an MBBS does; graduates of these ZAMSUT programmes register with bodies such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (for Nursing) or relevant allied health regulatory councils, not the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, which only licenses MBBS-trained doctors and dentists.
Students specifically seeking an MBBS programme in Zamfara State should note that the Federal University of Health Sciences and Technology, located in Tsafe, Zamfara State, is a separate federal institution built specifically around health sciences, medical sciences, and technology, and is distinct from Zamfara State University. Anyone confusing the two should confirm which institution they intend to apply to, since they have different ownership, accreditation status, and course offerings.
Medical and Health-Related Courses Offered at ZAMSUT
Zamfara State University’s Faculty of Medical Sciences currently runs the following accredited undergraduate programmes:
- B.Sc. Nursing Science – trains students for registration as professional nurses, covering human anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and clinical nursing practice.
- B.Sc. Public Health – focuses on disease prevention, health promotion, epidemiology, and community health management rather than direct clinical treatment.
- B.Sc. Physiotherapy – trains students in physical rehabilitation techniques used to treat injury, disability, and movement-related conditions.
- B.Sc. Human Nutrition and Dietetics – covers the science of food, nutrition, and dietary management as it relates to health and disease prevention.
- B.Sc. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – a basic medical science course that underpins clinical and laboratory medicine, covering the chemical processes that occur within living organisms.
These programmes sit within the broader science-based cluster of courses at ZAMSUT, alongside Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, but they carry higher fees than the purely arts and social science courses because of the laboratory work, clinical placements, and practical training each one requires.
School Fees for Medical Courses at Zamfara State University
ZAMSUT charges different fees depending on whether a student is a Zamfara State indigene or a non-indigene, and this difference is more pronounced for the medical and science-based courses than for arts-based ones. Indigene students benefit from a state-subsidised rate, while non-indigene students pay a considerably higher amount for the same programme.
| Course | Indigene Fee (Per Session) | Non-Indigene Fee (Per Session) |
|---|---|---|
| B.Sc. Nursing Science | ₦54,800 | ₦109,600 |
| B.Sc. Public Health | ₦54,800 | ₦109,600 |
| B.Sc. Human Nutrition and Dietetics | ₦54,800 | ₦109,600 |
| B.Sc. Physiotherapy | ₦54,000 | ₦109,600 |
| B.Sc. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | ₦34,800 | ₦69,600 |
Nursing Science, Public Health, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, and Physiotherapy fall into the university’s highest fee bracket among undergraduate courses, reflecting the cost of running clinical placements, laboratory sessions, and practical skills training that these programmes require. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, while still a medical science course, is priced closer to the standard science fee band since it involves less clinical/hospital-based practical work than the others.
These figures apply to fresh undergraduate students admitted through UTME or Direct Entry for the current academic session. Returning students typically pay a similar or slightly adjusted amount once one-time entry charges no longer apply, and all fees are subject to periodic review by the university’s governing council, so students should always confirm the exact current figure before making payment.
Why Indigene and Non-Indigene Fees Differ So Much
The gap between what an indigene and a non-indigene pays at ZAMSUT is significant, roughly doubling for most of the medical courses. This reflects a common funding model among Nigerian state universities, where the state government subsidises tuition for its own residents as part of its mandate to expand access to higher education within the state, while non-indigenes are charged closer to the university’s actual cost of running the programme. For a course like Nursing Science, the difference between ₦54,800 for an indigene and ₦109,600 for a non-indigene amounts to exactly double, which is consistent across all the courses priced in that band. Prospective applicants from outside Zamfara State should factor this higher cost into their budgeting before applying, since it applies for every session of the programme, not just the first year.
Admission Requirements for Medical Courses at ZAMSUT
Admission into any of ZAMSUT’s medical and health-related courses follows the standard university entry route used across Nigerian tertiary institutions, combined with subject-specific O’Level and UTME requirements suited to each course.
Candidates applying for Nursing Science, Public Health, Physiotherapy, or Human Nutrition and Dietetics generally need five O’Level credit passes, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, and Chemistry, obtained from WAEC, NECO, or an equivalent examination body in not more than two sittings. UTME subject combinations for these courses typically include English Language, Biology, and Chemistry, alongside either Physics or a related science subject depending on the specific programme. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology follows a similar science-based subject combination, given its overlap with the core sciences.
Beyond the O’Level and UTME requirements, candidates must also make ZAMSUT their first-choice institution on their JAMB registration and go through the university’s Post-UTME screening exercise, where the final admission decision is based on a combination of UTME score, O’Level results, and screening performance. Direct Entry candidates with a relevant OND, HND, NCE, or A’Level qualification may apply for admission into a higher level of the programme, subject to meeting the specific DE requirements for their chosen course.
Budgeting Beyond Tuition
Students admitted into any of ZAMSUT’s medical courses should plan for costs beyond the tuition figure listed on the fee schedule. These typically include an acceptance fee payable after admission is confirmed, accommodation charges for students who choose to live in university hostels, departmental practical or laboratory levies that may not be fully captured in the general tuition figure, uniform or clinical attire for courses such as Nursing Science and Physiotherapy that involve hospital-based practical sessions, and textbooks or reference materials specific to human anatomy, physiology, and clinical practice. None of these additional costs are usually included in the published tuition amount, so applicants should treat the fee figures in this article as the core academic charge rather than the full cost of a session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ZAMSUT offer Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)?
No. Zamfara State University does not run an MBBS programme. Its medical-related offerings are Nursing Science, Public Health, Physiotherapy, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Which ZAMSUT medical course is the most expensive?
Nursing Science, Public Health, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, and Physiotherapy are priced in the same top fee bracket at ZAMSUT, all costing more than Biochemistry and Molecular Biology per session.
Do non-indigenes pay significantly more for medical courses at
ZAMSUT? Yes. Non-indigenes generally pay double what indigene students pay for the same medical course, which is standard practice among Nigerian state-owned universities.
Where can students study MBBS in Zamfara State if not at ZAMSUT?
The Federal University of Health Sciences and Technology in Tsafe, Zamfara State, is a separate federal institution focused specifically on medical and health sciences training, and prospective MBBS applicants in the state should look into that institution instead.
Is Nursing Science at ZAMSUT the same as a nursing diploma?
No. ZAMSUT’s Nursing Science is a full university degree (B.Sc.) rather than the three-year diploma-level Basic Nursing programme offered by standalone colleges of nursing, and it typically takes longer to complete but leads to a more advanced academic qualification.