Veritas University, Abuja (VUA), also known as the Catholic University of Nigeria, runs a Faculty of Medicine and Surgery among its degree-awarding faculties. Because medical training carries some of the highest costs in Nigerian private university education, prospective students and their sponsors need a clear, accurate picture of what to expect financially before applying. This article explains the school fees structure for Medicine and Surgery at Veritas University, what the figures cover, and what other costs and requirements apply alongside tuition.
Overview of Veritas University and Its Medicine and Surgery Programme
Veritas University was founded through a resolution of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at a meeting held in March 2002. The university received its provisional operating licence from the National Universities Commission (NUC) in 2007 and admitted its first set of students in October 2008 at a temporary campus in Obehie, Abia State, before relocating to its permanent site on Bwari Area Council, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. As a faith-based private institution without exclusive religious restrictions on admission, Veritas draws students from across Nigeria into a range of faculties, including Medicine and Surgery, Pharmacy, Health Sciences, Law, Engineering, Natural Sciences, Management Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
The Medicine and Surgery programme at Veritas trains students toward the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree over the standard six-year duration used across Nigerian medical schools. The programme combines pre-clinical coursework in the early years with clinical rotations and hospital-based training in later years, following the same broad structure MDCN-recognised medical schools use nationwide. Given how capital-intensive medical training is, involving laboratories, teaching hospital partnerships, and specialised equipment, Medicine and Surgery consistently carries the highest tuition of any course Veritas offers.
Veritas University Medicine and Surgery School Fees
Tuition for Medicine and Surgery at Veritas University sits considerably above the university’s general fee range for other courses. While most non-medical programmes at Veritas fall between roughly ₦415,000 and ₦2,359,000 per session depending on faculty and level, Medicine and Surgery is priced well beyond this bracket due to the added cost of clinical training, laboratory access, and specialised faculty. Based on the university’s most recently published fee schedules, new students admitted into Medicine and Surgery pay approximately ₦4,063,000 per session, while returning students in the programme pay a slightly reduced figure of approximately ₦3,983,000 per session, with both figures typically inclusive of accommodation.
The table below breaks this down alongside the general fee range for other faculties at Veritas, to give a clearer sense of how much more expensive medical training is relative to the university’s other offerings.
| Category | Approximate Fee (Per Session) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Surgery (new students) | ₦4,063,000 | Typically includes accommodation |
| Medicine and Surgery (returning students) | ₦3,983,000 | Typically includes accommodation |
| Other faculties (general range) | ₦415,000 – ₦2,359,000 | Varies by faculty, level, and programme |
| Application form fee | ₦10,000 | Paid through the university admission portal before screening |
These figures represent the most recently available published estimates and should be treated as a guide rather than a fixed, unchanging amount. Private university tuition in Nigeria is reviewed periodically, and Medicine and Surgery fees in particular tend to be adjusted from one session to the next in response to rising costs of laboratory consumables, clinical training partnerships, and general institutional overheads. Prospective students and parents should always confirm the exact current figure directly with the university’s bursary department or through the official admission portal before making any financial commitment.
What the Medicine and Surgery Fees Typically Cover
The published fee for Medicine and Surgery at Veritas generally functions as an all-inclusive figure rather than tuition alone. According to the university’s own fee documentation, most of the standard charges that other Nigerian universities itemise separately, such as library fees, medical fees, sports fees, and similar routine charges, are already built into the quoted amount rather than billed as additional line items. This means students admitted into Medicine and Surgery are not typically expected to pay a long list of separate miscellaneous charges beyond the core session fee, which simplifies financial planning considerably compared to universities that itemise dozens of small charges individually.
Accommodation is also generally bundled into the quoted Medicine and Surgery fee at Veritas, unlike some other faculties where accommodation is billed as a distinct charge ranging roughly between ₦140,000 and ₦300,000 per session depending on the hall of residence. Because medical students often need to remain close to campus and any affiliated clinical training sites, having accommodation built directly into the overall fee reduces the uncertainty around total cost of attendance for this specific programme.
Students should still budget separately for items that fall outside the standard session fee, including textbooks, personal upkeep, transportation to clinical placement sites once training reaches that stage, and any professional equipment specific to medical training, such as a stethoscope or lab coat, which most medical programmes require students to acquire individually rather than through the university.
Additional Charges Before Resumption
Beyond the main session fee, all candidates seeking admission into Veritas University, including those applying for Medicine and Surgery, must pay a non-refundable application fee of ₦10,000 through the university’s admission portal before their application can proceed to the screening and interview stage. This fee applies uniformly across all faculties and is separate from the tuition figure charged once a candidate is formally admitted.
Candidates should also be prepared for the standard documentation and verification steps required at the point of registration, which typically include submitting a JAMB result slip confirming Veritas as the first-choice institution, O’Level results uploaded to the JAMB portal, a birth certificate, and passport photographs. While these steps do not carry significant additional cost, delays in assembling correct documentation can affect the timeline for completing registration and payment.
Admission Requirements for Medicine and Surgery at Veritas
Gaining admission into Medicine and Surgery at Veritas requires meeting both the university’s general entry conditions and the specific academic threshold set for this competitive programme. Candidates need a minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained through WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB at not more than two sittings. Direct entry applicants require a verified Advanced Level result alongside their direct entry slip.
Veritas sets a general UTME cut-off mark of 170 across most of its courses, but competitive programmes such as Law, Nursing, and Pharmacy carry higher thresholds, with Law requiring a minimum of 220 and Nursing and Pharmacy requiring 200 and above. Although Medicine and Surgery is not always separately listed alongside these figures in every published cut-off schedule, it is widely regarded as one of the university’s most competitive courses given the limited number of admission slots available for medical training, and candidates should expect to need a strong UTME score alongside solid academic performance at the post-UTME screening and interview stage. Since Veritas does not rely on JAMB scores alone, candidates should also prepare well for the university’s own screening and interview process, which forms a meaningful part of the final admission decision for Medicine and Surgery applicants.
Accreditation Status of Medicine and Surgery at Veritas
Because medical education in Nigeria is regulated by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), prospective students should confirm the current accreditation status of any medical programme before committing to admission, since accreditation determines whether graduates can eventually sit for the professional licensing examinations required to practise as doctors in Nigeria. MDCN periodically publishes and updates its list of accredited and partially accredited medical schools across the country, and this list can change as universities complete additional resource verification requirements. Candidates interested in Medicine and Surgery at Veritas should verify the university’s current MDCN accreditation status directly through the university or the council before finalising their application, since a fully accredited status carries different implications for a student’s eventual licensing pathway compared to a provisional or partially accredited one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the school fee for Medicine and Surgery at Veritas University?
New students in the Medicine and Surgery programme pay approximately ₦4,063,000 per session, while returning students pay approximately ₦3,983,000 per session, with both figures typically including accommodation.
Does the Medicine and Surgery fee at Veritas include accommodation?
Yes. Based on the university’s published fee structure, accommodation is generally bundled into the overall session fee for Medicine and Surgery, unlike some other faculties where it is billed separately.
What is the cut-off mark for Medicine and Surgery at Veritas University?
Veritas sets a general UTME cut-off mark of 170 across most courses, with higher thresholds for competitive programmes. Medicine and Surgery is highly competitive due to limited admission slots, so candidates should aim well above the general minimum and prepare thoroughly for the university’s post-UTME screening and interview process.
Is Veritas University’s Medicine and Surgery programme accredited?
The Faculty of Medicine and Surgery is listed among the university’s degree-awarding faculties, but accreditation status with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria can change over time. Candidates should verify the current accreditation status directly with the university or the MDCN before applying.