Brands.Ng Editorial Team
The University of Ibadan is Nigeria’s most prestigious university. It is also, by a significant margin, one of the most affordable federal universities in the country.
That combination — elite academic reputation and genuinely low fees — is not accidental. It is a direct consequence of UI’s status as Nigeria’s number one university, fully funded by the federal government and shielded from the fee escalation that has hit state and private universities over the past decade.
But “affordable” means nothing without numbers. This article gives you the exact numbers.
It covers the full University of Ibadan school fees structure for 2026 — freshers fees by faculty, returning student fees by year level, acceptance fee, hostel fees by hall of residence, postgraduate fees by programme, Distance Learning Centre fees, and the total first-year cost you should actually budget for before resumption. It also covers how and where to pay, and the deadlines you cannot afford to miss.
Why UI School Fees Are So Low
Before the numbers, the context — because the numbers only make sense when you understand what is behind them.
The University of Ibadan is the oldest and one of the most prestigious universities in Nigeria. Established in 1948 as a college of the University of London, UI became an independent institution in 1962. As Nigeria’s premier federal university — carrying the institution number “001” in the Nigerian university system — the Nigerian Federal Government ensured that the institutional name became synonymous with its unique status.
Federal universities in Nigeria receive substantial annual subventions from the Federal Government to cover staff salaries, infrastructure maintenance, and academic operations. This government funding reduces the burden that would otherwise fall entirely on student fees. The result is a fee structure that has remained remarkably stable over the years — a structure that makes UI accessible to qualified Nigerians from all economic backgrounds, which has historically been a deliberate policy objective.
The practical implication for students and parents: UI’s fees are not a reflection of the quality of education on offer. They are a reflection of the funding model behind it.
University of Ibadan School Fees 2026: Freshers (100 Level)
The current school fees of the University of Ibadan range from ₦34,300 to ₦36,800 for new and returning students across all disciplines.
For 100 Level freshers specifically, the fee is at the higher end of this range — reflecting the additional levies applied to new students for registration, matriculation, and first-time administrative processing.
Undergraduate fresher fees by faculty (100 Level — 2026 session):
| Faculty / Faculty Group | Fresher Fee (Per Session) |
|---|---|
| Arts, Social Sciences, Education and Law | ₦34,300 |
| Science, Agriculture and Forestry | ₦34,300 – ₦35,500 |
| Renewable Natural Resources | ₦34,300 – ₦35,500 |
| Technology and Engineering | ₦35,500 – ₦36,800 |
| Environmental Design and Management | ₦35,500 – ₦36,800 |
| Pharmacy | ₦36,800 |
| Veterinary Medicine | ₦35,500 – ₦36,800 |
| Basic Medical Sciences | ₦36,800 |
| Clinical Sciences (Medicine and Dentistry) | ₦36,800 |
| Public Health | ₦34,300 – ₦35,500 |
| Economics and Management Studies | ₦34,300 – ₦35,500 |
This fee encompasses tuition, course registration, examination fees, library services, and other academic necessities.
Important note on professional courses: Students should note that payment for professional accreditation and field trips will be applied where necessary. Students in Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, Law, and Engineering should expect additional professional body levies on top of the base session fee. These vary by faculty and are communicated through the student portal at the start of each session.
University of Ibadan School Fees 2026: Returning Students (200 Level and Above)
Returning students pay a reduced session fee compared to freshers — reflecting the removal of first-time registration and matriculation charges.
Returning undergraduate fees by level and faculty (2026 session):
| Faculty Group | 200 Level | 300 Level | 400 Level | 500/600 Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arts, Social Sciences, Education and Law | ₦19,700 | ₦21,000 | ₦23,500 | ₦25,000 |
| Sciences, Technology and Agriculture | ₦22,000 | ₦24,000 | ₦26,000 | ₦28,000 |
| Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry | ₦26,000 | ₦28,000 | ₦29,700 | ₦32,000 |
| Veterinary Medicine | ₦24,000 | ₦26,000 | ₦28,000 | ₦32,000 |
Note: These figures are indicative ranges based on published 2025/2026 data. Any updates to UI fees for first and second semesters will be published on the official UI website. For new students, check the fees by department on the official website of the school.
The fee progression across year levels reflects additional departmental levies for laboratory materials, clinical training costs, and professional assessments that accumulate as students advance through practical-heavy programmes.
University of Ibadan Acceptance Fee 2026
The acceptance fee for UI is ₦50,000 for all candidates. This fee is for all new students regardless of their indigene status. It is mandatory and non-refundable for every newly admitted 100 Level student. Fccpc
This is the first payment every newly admitted UI student must make. It serves as your formal confirmation of the admission offer — without paying it, your admission is not secured and another candidate on the waiting list may be offered your place.
Critical points about the acceptance fee:
It is paid before your session fees — not alongside them. The payment sequence is: acceptance fee first, then session fees, then course registration. Reversing this sequence causes registration problems on the portal.
It is non-refundable under any circumstances. If you pay the acceptance fee and subsequently decide not to attend UI — whether because of a change of institution, personal circumstances, or any other reason — the ₦50,000 is not returned.
It is paid through the official UI student portal at students.ui.edu.ng — not through any agent, third party, or bank teller operating outside the official system. Any instruction to pay the acceptance fee through an unofficial channel is fraudulent.
New postgraduate students pay a separate acceptance fee of ₦20,400 upon admission — lower than the undergraduate acceptance fee but equally non-refundable.
University of Ibadan Hostel Fees 2026
Hostel accommodation at UI is not compulsory — but it is highly sought after. The hostel fee is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Students who want on-campus accommodation need to apply as soon as the portal opens — late applications are almost always unsuccessful due to limited spaces.
Hostel fees by hall of residence (2026 session):
| Hall of Residence | Fee Per Session | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General undergraduate halls | ₦30,000 | Applies to most halls on campus |
| Alexander Brown Hall | ₦80,000 | Primarily for medical students |
For most halls, the fee is ₦30,000 per session, but for Alexander Brown Hall, which is primarily for medical students, the fee is ₦80,000.
The halls of residence at UI include:
- Kuti Hall (male)
- Mellanby Hall (male)
- Tedder Hall (male)
- Independence Hall (male)
- Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall (male)
- Queen Elizabeth II Hall (female)
- Sultan Bello Hall (male)
- Idia Hall (female)
- Alexander Brown Hall (medical students)
Hall allocation is managed through the student portal. Students who secure a hall space pay the hostel fee as a separate payment from their session fees.
Students who do not get hostel space must arrange private accommodation off campus in the surrounding Ibadan communities — areas like Agbowo, Bodija, and Sango, where student-facing accommodation is widely available at varying price points.
University of Ibadan Postgraduate School Fees 2026
For postgraduate students, fees range from ₦75,000 to ₦120,000 for new students, and from ₦50,000 to ₦100,000 for returning students, depending on the specific programme.
The postgraduate fee structure is significantly more variable than undergraduate fees because it reflects the cost differences between programmes — a Masters in Arts has lower laboratory and materials costs than a Masters in Science or a clinical medical programme.
Postgraduate fees by programme category (2026 session):
| Programme | Fresh Student Fee | Returning Student Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) | ₦75,000 – ₦90,000 | ₦50,000 – ₦70,000 |
| Masters (MA, MSc, MBA, MEd, LLM, MPH) — Arts, Social Sciences, Law, Education | ₦120,000 – ₦170,000 | ₦75,000 – ₦100,000 |
| Masters — Science, Technology, Agriculture, Medicine | ₦150,000 – ₦200,000 | ₦100,000 – ₦150,000 |
| PhD — All disciplines | ₦150,000 – ₦200,000 | ₦100,000 – ₦150,000 |
| Professional Masters programmes | ₦250,000 – ₦500,000 | ₦200,000 – ₦400,000 |
Some programmes pay as high as ₦400,000 to ₦500,000 per session — the above is the average UI postgraduate school fees. Professional programmes including the MBA and specialist clinical Masters programmes typically fall in the higher range.
UI PG Acceptance Fee for 2025/2026 is ₦30,000 for all newly admitted PG students.
The postgraduate fee structure also provides for instalment payment. The fee is arranged with options for first instalment, second instalment, and total fee payable. Students who cannot pay the full session fee upfront should confirm the instalment schedule and deadlines on the UI postgraduate school portal at pgcollege.ui.edu.ng.
University of Ibadan DLC (Distance Learning Centre) Fees 2026
The Distance Learning Centre at UI offers undergraduate programmes in Arts, Social Sciences, Education, and Business disciplines through a flexible study mode designed for working professionals.
DLC fees differ from regular undergraduate fees. The DLC operates on a cost-recovery basis with less federal subvention than the regular university programmes, resulting in higher per-session fees.
DLC students should check current fees directly on the DLC portal at dlc.ui.edu.ng — DLC fees are published and updated separately from the main university fee schedule and are not included in the figures in this article.
Total First-Year Cost: What to Actually Budget
The figures most articles give are incomplete because they quote session fees alone. Here is the true first-year cost at UI — what a parent or student should actually plan for before resumption.
For a fresh undergraduate student (100 Level, 2026):
| Payment | Amount |
|---|---|
| Acceptance fee | ₦50,000 |
| Session fees (faculty-dependent) | ₦34,300 – ₦36,800 |
| Hostel fee (if allocated) | ₦30,000 – ₦80,000 |
| Professional body levies (where applicable) | ₦5,000 – ₦20,000 |
| Books, materials, and stationery | ₦15,000 – ₦40,000 |
| Total first-year estimate (without hostel) | ₦84,300 – ₦106,800 |
| Total first-year estimate (with hostel) | ₦114,300 – ₦186,800 |
Additional costs include an acceptance fee of ₦50,000 and hostel accommodation fees, which range from ₦30,000 to ₦80,000 depending on the hall of residence.
This is the most affordable first-year cost structure of any federal university with UI’s academic standing in Nigeria. Students at private universities in comparable programmes typically pay ₦500,000 to ₦2,000,000 for the same academic year.
How to Pay University of Ibadan School Fees
All fee payments at UI — acceptance fee, session fees, and hostel fees — are processed through the official student portal. There is no legitimate reason to pay UI fees through any other channel.
Step 1 — Go to students.ui.edu.ng and log in with your registration number and portal password.
Step 2 — Navigate to the Fees or Payments section of the portal dashboard.
Step 3 — Select the current academic session and confirm the payment invoice generated for your specific faculty, department, and year level.
Step 4 — Review the amount displayed carefully. The portal calculates your specific fee based on your department — it may differ slightly from the general figures in this article due to departmental levies.
Step 5 — Pay using your debit card through the portal’s integrated payment gateway, or via Remita using the RRR generated by the portal. Keep your RRR after generating it — you need it to complete and confirm the payment.
Step 6 — Download and save your payment receipt immediately after confirmation. The receipt is required for course registration, examination entry, and any administrative clearance process during the session.
The University of Ibadan has stated that school fees for each session should be paid before the deadline date. Students should try as much as possible to pay their fees before portal closure. Portal closure after the payment deadline locks out late payers and typically requires a formal petition to the Bursary and registry to reopen — a process that delays registration and can affect examination eligibility.
Payment Deadlines and What Happens If You Miss Them
UI publishes fee payment deadlines at the start of each academic session through the student portal, the university’s official website at ui.edu.ng, and the Students’ Union noticeboard. The specific deadline for the 2026/2027 session will be published when the session formally opens.
What happens if you miss the deadline:
Portal closure — the payment portal closes on the deadline date, preventing new payments until officially reopened. Reopening requires a formal application to the Bursary.
Course registration blockade — students who have not paid fees cannot complete online course registration. Unregistered courses are not eligible for examinations.
Carry-over risk — in faculties with strict attendance and examination eligibility requirements, a fee payment delay can trigger a carry-over that extends your programme duration. This is most consequential in the College of Medicine and the Faculty of Law.
The practical advice: pay your fees within the first two weeks of the session opening, regardless of the stated deadline. Early payment eliminates the risk of technical issues, bank processing delays, or portal congestion as the deadline approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are University of Ibadan school fees in 2026? University of Ibadan school fees for fresh undergraduate students (100 Level) range from ₦34,300 to ₦36,800 per session depending on faculty. Returning students pay between ₦20,000 and ₦32,000 depending on year level and department. A mandatory ₦50,000 acceptance fee applies to all new undergraduate students. Postgraduate fees range from ₦75,000 to ₦500,000 depending on programme level and specialisation.
Is UI school fees the same for all courses? No. UI school fees vary by faculty, programme type, and year level. Science, Technology, Medicine, and Engineering faculties generally pay slightly higher fees than Arts, Social Sciences, and Education faculties due to laboratory and equipment levies. Professional programmes at postgraduate level can cost significantly more than standard Masters programmes.
What is the UI acceptance fee for 2026? The acceptance fee for newly admitted undergraduate students at the University of Ibadan is ₦50,000 for all candidates regardless of state of origin. Postgraduate acceptance fee is ₦30,000 for all newly admitted postgraduate students. Both fees are mandatory, non-refundable, and must be paid through the official UI student portal.
How much is UI hostel fee in 2026? Most University of Ibadan halls of residence charge ₦30,000 per session. Alexander Brown Hall, which primarily accommodates medical students, charges ₦80,000 per session. Hostel accommodation is not compulsory and is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis through the student portal.
How do I pay UI school fees online? Log into the UI student portal at students.ui.edu.ng using your registration number and password. Navigate to the Fees section, confirm your payment invoice, and pay by debit card or Remita using the RRR generated by the portal. Download your receipt immediately after confirmation — it is required for course registration.
What is the total cost of studying at UI for one year? A fresh undergraduate student should budget approximately ₦84,300 to ₦106,800 for the first year excluding hostel — covering the acceptance fee, session fees, professional levies, and study materials. With hostel accommodation, the total rises to approximately ₦114,300 to ₦186,800. This remains one of the most affordable first-year cost structures for a federal university of this academic standing in Nigeria.
When is the deadline to pay UI school fees? UI publishes fee payment deadlines at the start of each academic session through the student portal at students.ui.edu.ng and the university’s official website at ui.edu.ng. The 2026/2027 deadline will be published when the session formally opens. Pay within the first two weeks of the session regardless of the stated deadline to avoid portal congestion and processing delays.
Are UI school fees higher for postgraduate students? Yes. Postgraduate fees at UI are higher than undergraduate fees, reflecting the research supervision, laboratory access, and specialised academic resources that postgraduate programmes require. Fresh Masters students pay between ₦120,000 and ₦250,000 depending on programme. PhD students pay between ₦150,000 and ₦200,000. Some professional postgraduate programmes cost ₦400,000 to ₦500,000 per session.
Sources: BackToSchool.com.ng, May 2026; Edusko.com, 2025; Multischolar.com, March 2025; NJPS.org.ng, May 2025; MyTertiaryNews.org.ng, July 2025; O3Schools.com, November 2025; University of Ibadan official portal — ui.edu.ng.
