Prospective applicants searching for medical courses at Taraba State University (TASU), Jalingo, usually want to know two things: which health-related programmes the university actually runs, and how much those programmes cost. This article answers both questions directly, clarifies a common misunderstanding about TASU’s academic offerings, and gives an accurate picture of the fee structure for the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 academic sessions.
Does Taraba State University Offer Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)?
No. Taraba State University does not currently run a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme, and it has no College of Medicine or teaching hospital of its own attached to the main campus. The university, established by the Taraba State Government in 2008, is organised around faculties such as Science, Arts, Education, Law, Social and Management Sciences, Engineering, and Agriculture. A full clinical medicine and surgery degree requires years of hospital-based training under a dedicated teaching hospital, along with specific National Universities Commission (NUC) accreditation for that programme, and TASU has not reached that stage for an MBBS track.
This is an important distinction because search results and casual online references sometimes lump “medical courses” together with any science or health-related programme a university offers. At TASU, the health-related programme that does exist is Nursing Science, not Medicine and Surgery, and the two are not equivalent in scope, duration, or professional outcome.
The Health-Related Programme TASU Actually Runs: Nursing Science
Taraba State University offers a Nursing Science department, awarding a Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) degree, typically under the Faculty of Science or a designated health sciences unit within the university’s academic structure. This programme trains students in patient care, community health practice, and clinical nursing procedures, combining classroom instruction with supervised clinical placement in hospitals within Taraba State.
Nursing Science candidates apply through JAMB like every other TASU undergraduate applicant, and the subject combination generally required includes English Language, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at credit level in WAEC or NECO, alongside a competitive UTME score. Because Nursing Science is a science-based, lab- and clinical-intensive programme, it typically falls into the category of courses that attract slightly higher fees than purely arts-based or social science courses at TASU, due to laboratory charges, practical sessions, and clinical placement costs.
Distinguishing TASU From Other Health Training Institutions in Taraba State
A student searching for “medical courses in Taraba State” will often come across other institutions in the state that are frequently confused with Taraba State University itself. These are separate institutions with their own admission processes, accreditation bodies, and fee schedules:
| Institution | Type of Training | Governing Body |
|---|---|---|
| Taraba State University (TASU), Jalingo | Degree-level Nursing Science (BNSc) | National Universities Commission (NUC) |
| Taraba State College of Nursing and Midwifery, Jalingo | Diploma/certificate-level Nursing and Midwifery | Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) |
| Taraba State College of Health Technology, Takum | Health technology and allied diploma courses | National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) |
| Muwanshat College of Health Science and Technology, Jalingo | Diploma-level health science courses | NBTE |
| College of Health Sciences and Technology, Mutum Biyu | Diploma-level health science courses | NBTE |
If your goal is a full university nursing degree, TASU’s Nursing Science department is the correct pathway within the state. If your goal is a diploma-level nursing or health technology qualification with a shorter duration, the standalone colleges listed above are separate options entirely, each requiring its own application and screening process.
TASU General School Fees Structure
Taraba State University charges tuition on a tiered basis that depends on the student’s faculty, level of study, and indigene status. Indigenes of Taraba State pay a subsidised rate compared with non-indigene students, which is standard practice across Nigerian state-owned universities. For the current academic session, total school fees across TASU’s programmes generally fall between ₦40,000 and ₦110,000 per session, with the exact figure depending on which of the factors above apply to a given student.
| Fee Component | Approximate Amount (₦) | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition/school fees range | 40,000 – 110,000 | Varies by faculty, level, and indigene status |
| Acceptance fee | 10,000 – 15,000 | One-time payment for newly admitted students |
| Science/lab-based course surcharge | Included within the upper end of the range | Programmes such as Nursing Science, other science, and engineering courses |
| Indigene rate | Lower end of the range | Students indigenous to Taraba State |
| Non-indigene rate | Higher end of the range | Students from outside Taraba State |
Nursing Science students should expect their fees to sit toward the higher end of this range, since the programme carries laboratory and clinical training costs that purely theoretical courses do not. Beyond tuition, students in any TASU programme, including Nursing Science, should budget separately for accommodation, departmental levies, textbooks, uniform or lab coat requirements for clinical courses, and personal upkeep, since these are not usually bundled into the headline tuition figure.
Why TASU’s Fees Are Lower Than Private Medical Schools
Because TASU is a state-government-owned institution, its fees are considerably lower than what a private university charges for degree programmes, including nursing or any science-based course. Private universities in Nigeria that run medicine and surgery or nursing science programmes often charge fees running into hundreds of thousands or millions of naira per session, since they receive no government subvention and must fund their own facilities, staffing, and clinical training partnerships. TASU, by contrast, benefits from state government funding, which keeps tuition within a modest range while still requiring students to plan for the additional costs mentioned above.
What To Do If Your Goal Is Specifically Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)
If you are set on becoming a medical doctor rather than a nurse, Taraba State University is not currently the right institution, since it has no MBBS programme. A more direct path involves the following steps:
- Look toward institutions with an established College of Medicine. Federal universities such as the University of Maiduguri and Ahmadu Bello University, both accessible to candidates from the North-East and North-West geopolitical zones, run full MBBS programmes with teaching hospitals attached.
- Confirm current NUC accreditation status before applying, since accreditation for medical programmes is reviewed periodically and can change.
- Meet the significantly higher JAMB cut-off and subject requirements that medicine programmes demand, which are typically higher than the cut-off for Nursing Science or other science courses at TASU.
- Budget for a longer duration of study. MBBS programmes in Nigeria typically run for six years, compared with the four to five years required for a Nursing Science degree.
- Consider Nursing Science at TASU as a related but distinct health career path if your interest lies broadly in healthcare rather than specifically in becoming a physician, since nursing offers a shorter, more affordable route into the health sector within the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Taraba State University offer Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)?
No. TASU does not currently have a College of Medicine or an MBBS programme. Applicants interested in becoming medical doctors need to apply to a university with an established medical school.
What health-related course does TASU actually offer?
Taraba State University runs a Nursing Science department, awarding a Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) degree.
How much are TASU school fees for the current session?
TASU school fees generally range between ₦40,000 and ₦110,000 per session, depending on faculty, level, and whether the student is an indigene of Taraba State.
Is Nursing Science at TASU more expensive than other courses?
Yes, typically. Science and lab-based programmes, including Nursing Science, tend to fall toward the higher end of TASU’s fee range due to laboratory and clinical practical costs.
Is TASU the same institution as Taraba State College of Nursing and Midwifery?
No. They are separate institutions. TASU awards a university-level Nursing Science degree accredited by the NUC, while the College of Nursing and Midwifery offers diploma-level training regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.