Federal University, Lokoja (FULokoja) runs its postgraduate programmes through the School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS), also referred to on the university’s platform as the College of Postgraduate Studies. The school coordinates admissions, course registration, and academic supervision for every postgraduate candidate across the university’s faculties. This article explains the postgraduate courses currently available at FULokoja, the general admission requirements for each category of programme, and the fee ranges candidates should budget for in the 2026/2027 academic session.
Overview of Postgraduate Studies at FULokoja
FULokoja offers postgraduate study at three levels: Postgraduate Diploma (PGD), Master’s degree, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). These programmes run across faculties such as Arts, Social Sciences, Education, Science, Environmental Sciences, Management Sciences, and Law, among others. Some departments run both full-time and part-time versions of the same programme, which gives working-class candidates and civil servants the option to study without necessarily leaving their jobs.
The university also runs specialised professional postgraduate programmes outside the conventional academic departments. One example is the Professional Master’s Degree in Environmental Safety and Health, which runs for twelve months, and other short professional programmes offered under bodies such as the Global Institute for Infectious Diseases Control domiciled at FULokoja. Professional programmes of this kind sit under specialised institutes rather than the regular academic departments, and they typically follow their own separate fee structure.
Postgraduate Courses Offered at FULokoja
The list of postgraduate courses changes slightly from one admission cycle to the next as new programmes gain accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC). FULokoja is officially accredited and recognised by the NUC for the postgraduate diploma, master’s, and doctorate programmes it runs. As of the current admission cycle, postgraduate courses are spread across departments in the following manner:
| Faculty/Department Area | Example Postgraduate Courses Offered |
|---|---|
| Languages and Literary Studies | M.A. English (Language), M.A. English (Literature), Ph.D. English (Language), Ph.D. English (Literature) |
| History and International Studies | M.A. History and International Studies, Ph.D. History and International Studies |
| Theatre and Media Arts | M.A./M.F.A. Theatre Arts, Ph.D. Theatre Arts |
| Peace and Security Studies | PGD in Peace and Conflict Studies, M.Sc. Peace and Conflict Studies |
| Political Science | PGD in Political Science, M.Sc. Political Science |
| Geography and Environmental Management | M.Sc. Geography, Ph.D. Geography |
| Computer Science | PGD Computer Science, M.Sc. Computer Science, Ph.D. Computer Science |
| Education | M.Ed. Guidance and Counselling, M.Sc.Ed Business Education, Ph.D. Business Education |
| Gender and Development Studies | M.A./M.Sc. Gender Studies, Ph.D. Gender Studies (with specialised research tracks) |
| Environmental Safety and Health | Professional Master’s Degree in Environmental Safety and Health |
This table is illustrative rather than exhaustive. Departments within Management Sciences, Law, Basic Medical Sciences, and Agriculture also run postgraduate diploma and master’s-level programmes, and candidates are advised to check the current programme list published by the School of Postgraduate Studies before applying, since departmental offerings are reviewed periodically.
General Admission Requirements for FULokoja Postgraduate Programmes
Requirements differ slightly by programme level, but the broad pattern across FULokoja’s postgraduate offerings follows this structure:
For Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) admission, candidates generally need a first degree from a recognised university in a relevant or related field, along with the minimum number of O’Level credits (usually five, including English Language and Mathematics) required for entry into the corresponding undergraduate programme.
For Master’s degree admission, candidates typically need a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of Second Class Lower division, or a PGD with an acceptable grade, in a discipline related to the intended master’s programme, in addition to the standard O’Level credit requirements.
For PhD admission, the requirements are stricter. Candidates who already hold a Master’s degree with a CGPA below 3.0 on a 4-point scale, or below 4.0 on a 5-point scale, may still qualify, while candidates with a Master’s CGPA of 4.0 and above in a related discipline are also eligible, provided they hold the standard five O’Level credits including English and Mathematics. Candidates whose qualifications do not fit neatly into the listed categories may still be considered if the School of Postgraduate Studies board and the University Senate approve the qualification as acceptable. The PhD programme itself runs for a minimum of six semesters and a maximum of ten semesters, whether the candidate studies full-time or part-time, with a thesis required for completion. Some departments additionally conduct a qualifying examination or interview to assess a candidate’s readiness for research-level work before admission is confirmed.
FULokoja Postgraduate School Fees for 2026/2027
Postgraduate school fees at FULokoja vary by programme level, by faculty, and by whether a candidate studies full-time or part-time. Science-based and technical programmes attract higher charges than programmes in the humanities and social sciences because of laboratory and practical-based costs. Based on the fee ranges applicable for the 2026/2027 session, candidates should expect the following:
| Programme Level | Estimated Fee Range (Per Session) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) | ₦130,000 – ₦200,000 | Science and engineering-based PGDs may attract an additional ₦10,000–₦20,000 laboratory charge |
| Master’s Degree | ₦180,000 – ₦320,000 | Fees vary with faculty; professional and technical master’s programmes sit at the higher end |
| Ph.D. Programme | ₦280,000 – ₦480,000 | Fees typically increase slightly in the second and later years due to supervision and research levies |
These figures cover tuition and standard departmental charges for a full academic session. They do not include the one-off acceptance fee, which is fixed at ₦20,000 for newly admitted postgraduate students, in line with the acceptance fee charged to undergraduate admissions across the university. Candidates should also budget separately for items such as identity card processing, medical screening, library registration, and, where applicable, thesis or project supervision charges in the final stages of the programme.
It is worth noting that fee figures for postgraduate programmes at Nigerian federal universities are reviewed periodically by university management and may be adjusted before or during an admission cycle. Because of this, candidates who have received admission should always generate their invoice directly from the FULokoja student portal rather than relying solely on previously published figures, since the portal reflects the exact amount payable for the specific programme and department at the time of payment.
Payment Structure and Related Charges
FULokoja processes postgraduate fee payments online through the Remita platform, in the same way undergraduate fees are handled. A candidate logs into the student portal with their registration details, selects the correct academic session, generates a Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR), and completes payment either through a bank or directly with a card online. Once payment reflects, the candidate proceeds to complete course registration for the session.
Beginning from a recent academic session, FULokoja discontinued the option of paying school fees in instalments for its students. This means postgraduate candidates, like their undergraduate counterparts, are expected to clear the full session’s fee before registering for courses, rather than splitting payment across the session. Candidates who cannot raise the full amount at once should plan their finances well ahead of the registration deadline, since late registration typically attracts penalty charges and can affect a candidate’s academic standing for that session.
Factors That Affect the Exact Amount a Candidate Pays
Not every postgraduate candidate at FULokoja pays the same amount, even within the same programme level. The exact figure a candidate is billed depends on:
- The specific department and faculty, since science, engineering, and technical programmes carry laboratory and equipment charges that arts and social science programmes do not.
- Whether the candidate is a fresh admission or a returning student, since fresh postgraduate students pay a one-off acceptance fee and other first-year charges that returning students do not pay again.
- Whether the programme is a regular academic programme or a professional/executive programme run under a specialised institute, since professional programmes often carry a separate, sometimes higher, fee structure.
- The mode of study, since some part-time or weekend postgraduate programmes are priced differently from their full-time equivalents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does FULokoja offer part-time postgraduate programmes?
Yes. Several departments run part-time versions of their PGD and Master’s programmes alongside the full-time option, mainly to accommodate working candidates.
Can postgraduate fees be paid in instalments?
No. Full payment is required before a candidate can complete course registration for the session.
Is the acceptance fee refundable?
No. The ₦20,000 acceptance fee for newly admitted postgraduate students is non-refundable once paid.
Do PhD fees increase after the first year?
In many departments, yes, mainly because of added supervision, seminar, and research-related levies in the later stages of the programme.
Where can a candidate confirm the exact fee for their specific programme?
The accurate, department-specific figure appears only after admission, when the candidate generates an invoice on the FULokoja student portal for the 2026/2027 session.