Kwara State University, commonly known as KWASU, is a state-owned institution located in Malete, Kwara State, Nigeria. Over the years, the university has expanded its health-related programmes beyond the basic sciences into full clinical training, including a Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) programme approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in October 2022. This article explains the medical and health-related courses currently offered at KWASU, the faculties that run them, and a realistic breakdown of what students pay in school fees, both as indigenes of Kwara State and as non-indigenes.
Which Faculty Handles Medical Courses at KWASU?
KWASU runs its health-related programmes mainly through two structures: the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences (sometimes referred to broadly as the Faculty of Basic Health Sciences) and the newer Faculty of Medicine, which was created specifically to house the MBBS programme. The Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences covers courses that support healthcare delivery without necessarily producing medical doctors, such as Nursing Science, Public Health, and Medical Laboratory Science. The Faculty of Medicine, on the other hand, is dedicated to producing doctors through the six-year MBBS degree, complete with preclinical and clinical training stages.
List of Medical and Health-Related Courses Offered at KWASU
KWASU offers the following courses under its medical and health sciences umbrella:
- Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)
- Nursing Science
- Public Health Science
- Medical Laboratory Science (B.MLS)
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology
- Human Kinetics and Health Education
- Environmental Health Science
- Physiology (offered under some sessions as part of the basic medical sciences cluster)
Not all of these programmes admit students through direct UTME every session. Nursing Science, in particular, has fluctuated between full UTME admission and Direct Entry/Top-Up admission in different academic years, so applicants should confirm current availability on the official KWASU admission portal before applying. KWASU does not currently run a Pharmacy programme, and prospective pharmacy students should not expect to find that option at KWASU as of the 2026/2027 session.
Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) at KWASU
The MBBS programme is the newest and most prestigious addition to KWASU’s health sciences offerings. It runs for six years, covering preclinical subjects (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry) in the earlier years and clinical rotations in teaching hospitals during the later years. Admission into MBBS at KWASU is highly competitive and merit-based, requiring a strong UTME score, credit passes in Mathematics, English Language, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at WASSCE/NECO/GCE level, and a high post-UTME screening score.
Because it is a professional and clinical programme, MBBS attracts significantly higher fees than the university’s regular undergraduate courses. This is standard across Nigerian public universities, since medical training involves laboratory consumables, clinical postings, teaching hospital access, and specialised equipment that other courses do not require.
School Fees for Medical Courses at KWASU
KWASU, like most Nigerian public universities, charges fees based on two main categories: whether the student is an indigene of Kwara State or a non-indigene, and the specific programme the student is enrolled in. Indigenes pay considerably less than non-indigenes across all courses, and this gap is even wider for professional programmes like MBBS, Nursing, and Public Health.
The figures below represent realistic estimates compiled from KWASU’s published fee patterns for the 2026/2027 session. Because tuition schedules can be reviewed periodically, students should always confirm the exact current figures on the official KWASU student portal (portal.kwasu.edu.ng) before making payment.
| Course | Indigene Fee (per session, estimate) | Non-Indigene Fee (per session, estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) | ₦210,000 – ₦300,000+ (varies by year of study) | ₦315,000 – ₦450,000+ (varies by year of study) |
| Nursing Science | ₦350,000 – ₦600,000 (split across two semesters) | ₦450,000 – ₦700,000+ |
| Public Health Science | ₦150,000 – ₦250,000 | ₦250,000 – ₦350,000 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | ₦150,000 – ₦250,000 | ₦250,000 – ₦350,000 |
| Biochemistry | ₦146,650 – ₦170,000 | ₦246,650 – ₦300,000 |
| Microbiology | ₦146,650 – ₦170,000 | ₦246,650 – ₦300,000 |
| Environmental Health Science | ₦150,000 – ₦250,000 | ₦250,000 – ₦350,000 |
| Human Kinetics and Health Education | ₦99,500 – ₦170,000 | ₦210,000 – ₦300,000 |
These figures cover tuition and standard departmental charges only. They do not include the acceptance fee, hostel accommodation, or other one-off charges that new students must budget for separately.
Total Cost of Studying MBBS at KWASU Over Six Years
Since MBBS is a six-year programme, prospective students and their sponsors often want to know the cumulative cost rather than just the per-session figure. Based on current fee patterns, indigene students can expect to pay an estimated total of about ₦1.26 million to ₦1.81 million across the full six years of the programme. Non-indigene students, on the other hand, should budget approximately ₦1.89 million to ₦2.74 million for the same six-year period. These totals factor in the gradual increase in clinical training costs as students move from preclinical years into hospital-based clinical postings, where laboratory and practical fees tend to rise.
Even with these figures, KWASU’s MBBS programme remains considerably cheaper than what private universities in Nigeria charge for the same degree, which often runs into several million naira per session alone. This affordability, combined with NUC accreditation and access to a dedicated teaching hospital, makes KWASU an attractive option for students who want quality medical training without the financial burden associated with private medical schools.
Additional Fees Every Medical Student Should Budget For
Beyond tuition, KWASU students, including those in medical and health-related courses, are required to pay several other charges:
- Acceptance Fee: New students pay an acceptance fee once offered provisional admission, and this must be settled before tuition payment. This fee has historically ranged between ₦30,000 and ₦50,000, with non-indigenes sometimes paying at the higher end.
- Hostel Accommodation: On-campus hostel fees typically range from ₦20,000 to ₦65,000 per session, depending on the hostel type and room arrangement. Off-campus accommodation in the Malete area is also available for students who prefer to live outside the school hostels.
- Departmental and Laboratory Levies: Medical and health-related courses attract extra departmental levies to cover laboratory consumables, practical sessions, and in the case of MBBS and Nursing, clinical posting costs at affiliated teaching hospitals.
- Late Payment Penalty: Students who miss the payment deadline may attract additional charges, which can range from ₦10,000 to ₦20,000, and in some cases can affect eligibility to sit for examinations.
Students are advised to complete their payments early in the session to avoid these penalties and to keep their examination eligibility intact.
How Payment Works at KWASU
School fees at KWASU are paid through the university’s official student portal using Remita, which supports debit card payments and direct bank transfers. Some students may also pay at designated banks using a generated Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) code. Payment is typically structured in two instalments within a session, commonly around 60% before the semester begins and the remaining 40% before the semester ends, although full payment is required before a student is permitted to sit for examinations. Students should always keep proof of payment and verify that their payment reflects correctly on the portal, since fee schedules and payment structures can be updated from one session to another.
Admission Requirements for Medical Courses at KWASU
To gain admission into any of KWASU’s medical or health-related courses, prospective students generally need the following:
- A minimum of five credit passes in WASSCE, NECO, GCE, or NABTEB, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings.
- A valid UTME result with a competitive score, particularly for MBBS, which demands one of the highest cut-off marks in the university.
- A satisfactory score in KWASU’s post-UTME screening exercise.
- For Direct Entry candidates, relevant A-Level, IJMB, or JUPEB qualifications may be accepted depending on the specific course and current admission guidelines.
Because MBBS admission is strictly merit-based and highly competitive, candidates aiming for this course should target scores well above the general cut-off mark used for other faculties at KWASU.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does KWASU offer Pharmacy as a medical course?
No. As of the 2026/2027 academic session, KWASU does not run a Pharmacy programme. Students interested in Pharmacy would need to apply to another accredited institution.
How much does MBBS cost at KWASU in total?
Indigene students pay an estimated ₦1.26 million to ₦1.81 million across the full six-year programme, while non-indigenes pay approximately ₦1.89 million to ₦2.74 million for the same period, excluding hostel and miscellaneous charges.
Is Nursing Science always available through UTME at KWASU?
Not consistently. Nursing Science admission at KWASU has fluctuated between UTME and Direct Entry/Top-Up routes across different sessions, so applicants should confirm the current admission mode on the official portal before applying.
Is the MBBS programme at KWASU accredited?
Yes. The National Universities Commission approved the MBBS programme at KWASU in October 2022, and the university maintains its accreditation for Nursing and Public Health as well.
Where can students confirm the exact current fees?
The most accurate and up-to-date fee schedule is always published on the official KWASU student portal at portal.kwasu.edu.ng, since fees are subject to periodic review by the university management.