Lagos State University (LASU) is a state-owned institution, and this status shapes how it structures its fees. Unlike privately owned universities, LASU sets its charges under the supervision of the Lagos State Government, and the fee structure reflects a distinction between students who are indigenes of Lagos State and those who are not. This article explains how the fee structure works for the 2026/2027 academic session, what indigene and non-indigene students should expect to pay, and the additional charges that come with admission and registration.
Understanding the Indigene and Non-Indigene Fee Structure
At LASU, “indigene” refers to a student whose state of origin, as documented through their local government area, is Lagos State. A “non-indigene” is a student whose state of origin falls outside Lagos State. Many Nigerian state universities charge non-indigenes substantially more than indigenes, sometimes double or triple the amount, but LASU does not follow that pattern strictly. The core tuition for regular academic programs is largely uniform across both categories. The distinction between indigenes and non-indigenes at LASU shows up mainly in three areas:
- Development levy – non-indigenes typically pay a higher development fee than indigenes.
- Subsidy and refund eligibility – indigenes may qualify for partial fee refunds or subsidies through Lagos State Government education support schemes, while non-indigenes generally do not.
- Entrepreneurship/Special Programme fees – both categories pay the same rate here, but the amount is significantly higher than the standard programme fee.
This means a non-indigene admitted into a regular programme at LASU does not pay a drastically different tuition figure from an indigene in the same programme, but the smaller charges attached to registration (development levy, certain administrative charges) do differ.
LASU School Fees Breakdown for 2026/2027
The figures below represent the fee ranges reported for the 2026/2027 session. Because LASU reviews its fee schedule periodically and departments sometimes carry slightly different charges, students should treat these as guiding figures and confirm the exact amount for their specific faculty and level through the official student portal before making payment.
| Category | Indigene (₦) | Non-Indigene (₦) |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programme (100 Level, without entrepreneurship stream) | Approx. 57,000 | Approx. 90,000 – 120,000 |
| Regular programme (returning students, 200 Level and above) | Approx. 40,000 – 60,000 | Approx. 90,000 – 150,000 |
| Special/Entrepreneurship Training Programme | Approx. 150,000 | Approx. 150,000 – 241,000 |
| Development levy | Approx. 10,000 | Approx. 40,000 |
| Acceptance fee (fresh students only) | 20,000 – 30,000 | 20,000 – 30,000 |
| Medical fee (fresh students only) | 30,000 | 30,000 |
Faculties with professional training requirements, such as Medicine, Law, and Engineering, generally sit at the higher end of these ranges because of laboratory charges, clinical training costs, and accreditation-related expenses. Once a student moves past their first year, fees typically reduce slightly since one-time charges like the acceptance fee and medical fee no longer apply.
What Makes Up the Total School Fees
The amount a student sees as “school fees” on the LASU portal is not a single flat charge. It is a combination of several smaller fees bundled together. These typically include:
- Tuition fee – the core academic charge for the session.
- Development levy – a fee that goes toward infrastructure and facility maintenance, and this is where the clearest indigene/non-indigene gap appears.
- ICT fee – covers access to the university’s digital learning platforms and systems.
- Library fee – grants access to library resources and services.
- Sports and student union fees – support extracurricular and student body activities.
- Departmental/faculty charges – vary by course; laboratory-based and professional courses (Medicine, Engineering, Law, Nursing) tend to have additional charges here.
- Identity card fee – a minor charge for issuing the student ID.
For fresh (newly admitted) students, two extra one-time charges apply on top of the above: the acceptance fee, which confirms that a candidate is taking up their admission offer, and the medical fee, which covers the mandatory medical screening every new student undergoes before registration.
Fresh Students vs. Returning Students
Fresh students pay more in their first session because of the additional one-time charges attached to new admissions. The acceptance fee alone, ranging between ₦20,000 and ₦30,000, is paid before a candidate can proceed with any other stage of registration, and it is non-refundable once paid, regardless of whether the student eventually completes registration or not.
Returning students, by contrast, do not pay the acceptance or medical fees again. Their fees for subsequent sessions consist mainly of tuition, development levy, and the standard academic charges listed above, which brings their total below what fresh students pay in the same faculty.
Postgraduate School Fees at LASU
Postgraduate charges at LASU follow a separate structure from undergraduate fees and are generally higher across board, regardless of indigene or non-indigene status, though non-indigenes still tend to pay somewhat more depending on the programme. Approximate figures for the 2026/2027 session are:
| Programme | Approximate Fee Range (₦) |
|---|---|
| Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) | 150,000 – 200,000 |
| Master’s Degree | 180,000 – 280,000 |
| M.Phil | 200,000 – 300,000 |
| Ph.D | 250,000 – 350,000 |
Postgraduate students should confirm exact figures with their respective faculty or postgraduate school office, since charges vary by department and by whether the programme is full-time or part-time.
How to Pay LASU School Fees
LASU processes fee payments electronically through its official student portal, and candidates are strongly advised to avoid any payment channel outside this platform to prevent falling victim to scams. The general payment process works as follows:
- Visit the official LASU website and locate the student portal login page.
- Log in using the student’s matriculation number or JAMB registration number, along with the assigned password.
- Navigate to the school fees or e-payment section of the portal.
- Generate an invoice or payment reference number for the specific fee category (acceptance fee, school fees, or postgraduate fees).
- Proceed to make payment through the linked payment gateway using a debit card, bank transfer, or USSD, depending on what the portal supports.
- Print or save the payment receipt, as it is required for physical or online registration and course allocation.
Students should keep their payment receipts and transaction references safe until registration and clearance are fully completed, since bursary or registration offices may request proof of payment at multiple stages.
Why Indigenes Pay Less
The lower rate for indigenes is not arbitrary. As a state-funded institution, LASU receives subvention from the Lagos State Government, and part of the government’s policy rationale is to make tertiary education more affordable for residents of the state whose taxes and levies help fund the university. Non-indigenes, being outside this direct funding relationship, absorb a larger share of the real cost of running their academic programmes. This is a standard practice across most state universities in Nigeria, though the gap at LASU is comparatively narrower than what applies at many other state institutions, where non-indigene fees can run two to three times higher than indigene fees.
Factors That Can Affect the Final Amount a Student Pays
Several variables affect what an individual student ultimately pays beyond the indigene/non-indigene distinction:
- Faculty and course of study – Medicine, Law, Engineering, and other professional or laboratory-intensive courses attract higher departmental charges than Arts or Social Science courses.
- Level of study – 100 Level students pay more due to one-time admission charges; returning students pay less.
- Programme stream – students under the standard academic stream pay less than those under the Special Programme with Entrepreneurship Training, which includes additional vocational and skills-based training components.
- Mode of study – part-time and distance learning programmes typically carry their own separate fee schedule, distinct from full-time regular programmes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a big difference between what indigenes and non-indigenes pay at LASU?
Not for standard tuition. The main difference appears in the development levy, where non-indigenes generally pay more than indigenes. Core tuition for regular programmes is close for both groups, though non-indigenes may pay somewhat more overall once all charges are added together.
Does the entrepreneurship/special programme cost the same for both categories?
Largely yes. Both indigene and non-indigene students in the Special Programme with Entrepreneurship Training pay a similar, higher tuition rate compared to the standard programme, since this stream includes additional training components.
Can LASU school fees be paid in installments?
Instalment payment is not the university’s default policy and is typically only permitted where management grants special approval. Students should plan to pay the full amount by the deadline stated on the portal to avoid late registration penalties.
Is the acceptance fee refundable if a student changes their mind about the admission?
No. The acceptance fee is non-refundable once paid, so candidates should be certain about accepting their admission offer before making this payment.
Where can a student find the exact fee for their specific course?
The official LASU student portal displays the specific invoice for a student’s faculty, department, and level once they log in with their credentials. This is the most accurate source, since fees can vary slightly by department even within the same faculty.