Federal University, Gusau (FUGUS) is a federal institution established in Zamfara State in 2013. The university runs its postgraduate operations through its School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS), a relatively young division that only began academic activities in January 2024 but has already grown to run programmes across four faculties. This article covers the postgraduate courses available at FUGUS, how admission into the school works, what the school fees involve, and what prospective candidates should know before applying for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Overview of FUGUS School of Postgraduate Studies
The School of Postgraduate Studies at FUGUS was established by the university Senate in 2022, with its Board formally inaugurated in November 2023 before academic activities commenced in January 2024. In its first academic session, the school ran 49 programmes across four faculties: Education, Management and Social Sciences, Science, and Humanities. That number has since grown, with the school currently running 58 approved postgraduate programmes across the same four faculties. This makes FUGUS one of the newer postgraduate schools among Nigeria’s federal universities, and its programme offerings continue to expand as more departments gain approval to admit postgraduate students.
Postgraduate Courses Offered at FUGUS
FUGUS structures its postgraduate offerings into Postgraduate Diploma (PGD), Master’s Degree, and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programmes, spread across four faculties.
Faculty of Science
This faculty carries some of the broadest postgraduate offerings at FUGUS, spanning both the Master’s and PGD levels along with a full slate of Ph.D. programmes:
- M.Sc. Biochemistry
- M.Sc. Chemistry
- M.Sc. Mathematics
- M.Sc. Microbiology
- M.Sc. Plant Science and Biotechnology
- M.Sc. Zoology
- M.Sc. Physics
- PGD Biochemistry
- PGD Biological Science
- PGD Computer Science
- PGD Microbiology
- Ph.D. Biochemistry
- Ph.D. Chemistry
- Ph.D. Computer Science
- Ph.D. Geology
- Ph.D. Mathematics
- Ph.D. Microbiology
- Ph.D. Physics
- Ph.D. Plant Science and Biotechnology
- Ph.D. Zoology
Faculty of Education
Education postgraduate offerings at FUGUS cover both the core Master of Education route and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education for candidates without an existing teaching qualification:
- M.Ed. Educational Management
- M.Ed. Educational Psychology
- M.Sc.Ed. Mathematics
- M.Sc.Ed. Science Education
- M.Ed. Guidance and Counseling
- M.Ed. Research, Measurement and Evaluation
- M.Ed. Sociology of Education
- Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
- Ph.D. Research, Measurement and Evaluation
- Ph.D. Educational Mathematics
- Ph.D. Educational Management
- Ph.D. Educational Psychology
- Ph.D. Guidance and Counseling
- Ph.D. Science Education
- Ph.D. Sociology of Education
Faculty of Management and Social Sciences
This faculty runs a strong mix of business, administration, and social science postgraduate tracks:
- M.Sc. Business Administration
- M.Sc. Economics
- M.Sc. Political Science
- M.Sc. Public Administration
- Master of Public Administration (MPA)
- M.Sc. Accounting and Finance
- M.Sc. Sociology
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master’s in International Politics and Diplomacy
- PGD Accounting and Finance
- PGD Public Administration
- PGD Business Administration
- Ph.D. Sociology
Faculty of Humanities
The Humanities postgraduate offerings at FUGUS currently center on language and religious studies:
- M.A. Arabic
- Ph.D. Arabic
- M.A. Islamic Studies
- Ph.D. Islamic Studies
Candidates should note that not every listed programme runs an intake in every admission cycle, since departments periodically review their capacity to admit new postgraduate students. Confirming which specific specializations are open for the current session directly through the School of Postgraduate Studies portal is the most reliable way to avoid applying into a programme not currently receiving applications.
Admission Requirements for FUGUS Postgraduate Programmes
Entry requirements at FUGUS vary by qualification level:
- Postgraduate Diploma (PGD): candidates generally need a first degree from FUGUS or another recognized institution, or an HND with a minimum of Lower Credit in a relevant field.
- Master’s Degree: candidates typically need a first degree with a minimum of Third Class, or a University PGD with a CGPA of at least 3.0 on a 5-point scale, in a relevant discipline. The programme runs full-time over a minimum of 18 months and a maximum of 24 months, or part-time over a minimum of 24 months and a maximum of 36 months.
- Ph.D.: candidates must hold a Master’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.5 on a 5-point scale from FUGUS or another approved institution, and must also satisfy the university’s basic matriculation requirements, including a credit pass in Mathematics and English Language at the O’Level.
To be awarded a Master’s degree at FUGUS, a candidate must satisfy every requirement of the Postgraduate School, pass the written examinations for all prescribed courses, and pass an oral examination (viva voce) on their chosen dissertation topic, along with any other condition the university determines from time to time.
How to Apply for FUGUS Postgraduate Admission
The general application process for postgraduate admission at FUGUS follows these steps:
- Visit the official Postgraduate School portal and select the option to apply for a new application.
- Generate an invoice for the non-refundable application fee, currently set at ₦15,000.
- Pay the application fee through any commercial bank or the Remita online payment platform linked to the portal.
- After successful payment, use the generated Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) as both username and password to access the application profile on the portal.
- Complete the online application form with the required academic and personal details, then select the specific programme and specialization of interest.
- Submit the completed application before the stated deadline and monitor the portal for updates on screening or admission status.
FUGUS Postgraduate School Fees
FUGUS charges its postgraduate school fees per session, structured by qualification level, similar to the pattern followed by most Nigerian federal universities. As with many public universities, the specific naira figure for tuition and other components differs by programme, faculty, and whether a candidate is a full-time or part-time student, and the School of Postgraduate Studies updates these figures from one admission cycle to the next.
| Fee Component | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Application fee | ₦15,000, paid once at the point of application, before an applicant can be considered for the programme |
| Tuition | Charged per session, and varies by qualification level (PGD, Master’s, or Ph.D.) and by faculty |
| Registration | Covers processing of enrollment into the programme each session |
| Other departmental charges | May include examination, library, ICT, and thesis/dissertation supervision fees, consistent with what most Nigerian postgraduate schools charge |
Because FUGUS’s Postgraduate School is still a relatively young division of the university, its published fee schedule is not as widely available in a single consolidated document as it is at some older federal universities. Prospective students should generate their specific programme invoice directly through the postgraduate portal after completing their application, since this is the most accurate way to see the exact current session fee for a chosen course. Candidates can also confirm figures by contacting the School of Postgraduate Studies office directly through the contact details published on the portal.
What to Expect Cost-Wise Relative to FUGUS’s General Fee Structure
For context, FUGUS’s undergraduate school charges generally fall within a range of roughly ₦45,000 to ₦120,000 per session, depending on the faculty and student category, with science and laboratory-based departments attracting higher charges than arts and social science programmes. Postgraduate fees at Nigerian federal universities typically sit above the undergraduate range for the equivalent faculty, since postgraduate study involves smaller class sizes, closer academic supervision, and, at the Master’s and Ph.D. levels, dissertation or thesis supervision costs that undergraduate fees do not carry. Candidates budgeting for a FUGUS postgraduate programme should expect their session fee to be noticeably higher than what an undergraduate student in the same faculty would pay, particularly at the Ph.D. level, where supervision and research-related charges add to the base tuition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many postgraduate programmes does FUGUS currently run?
The School of Postgraduate Studies at FUGUS runs 58 approved programmes across four faculties: Science, Education, Management and Social Sciences, and Humanities.
How much is the FUGUS postgraduate application fee?
The application fee is ₦15,000, paid once through the postgraduate portal before an applicant’s profile becomes active for the current admission cycle.
Does FUGUS offer Ph.D. programmes?
Yes. FUGUS runs Ph.D. programmes across all four of its postgraduate faculties, including Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, and several Education and Social Science specializations.
How long does a Master’s programme take at FUGUS?
Full-time Master’s programmes run a minimum of 18 months and a maximum of 24 months, while part-time programmes run a minimum of 24 months and a maximum of 36 months.
Where can I find the exact current school fee for my chosen FUGUS postgraduate programme?
The most accurate way is to generate a programme-specific invoice through the official FUGUS Postgraduate School portal after submitting an application, or to contact the School of Postgraduate Studies office directly, since exact tuition figures vary by programme and are reviewed periodically.