Osun State carries one of the highest concentrations of medical training institutions in South-West Nigeria, spanning federal, state, and private ownership. A candidate researching medicine in Osun State has more variety to choose from than in most other states, ranging from one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious medical faculties to a dedicated federal health sciences university and a long-established private medical college. This article sets out each accredited medical school in Osun State, their approximate fees for the 2026/2027 academic session, and the factors that separate one option from another.
Medical Schools Located in Osun State
Four institutions in Osun State currently run National Universities Commission-approved, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria-recognized Medicine and Surgery programmes:
- Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) College of Health Sciences – a federal university, with its medical training centered at the Ile-Ife campus and the Ede campus.
- Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun (FUHSI) – a federal university dedicated specifically to health sciences training, located in Ila-Orangun, Osun State.
- Osun State University (UNIOSUN) College of Health Sciences – a state university headquartered in Osogbo, with campuses spread across several towns in Osun State.
- Bowen University College of Health Sciences – a private university located in Iwo, Osun State, owned by the Nigerian Baptist Convention.
Each of these institutions maintains a teaching hospital affiliation that anchors the clinical training component of the MBBS programme. OAU students train primarily through the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, FUHSI is affiliated with health facilities in and around Ila-Orangun, UNIOSUN students train through university teaching hospital arrangements linked to its College of Health Sciences, and Bowen students complete clinical rotations at the Bowen University Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso.
Why Fees Vary Across These Four Schools
The spread in fees between these institutions is wide, and it follows a predictable pattern based on ownership and funding structure.
- Federal universities (OAU and FUHSI): Both receive government subvention, which keeps tuition considerably lower than what private institutions charge. OAU applies a uniform fee structure by faculty rather than by state of origin, while FUHSI, as a specialized health sciences institution, applies a fee schedule that increases at 100 Level due to one-time charges before settling into a steadier rate for subsequent years.
- State university (UNIOSUN): Receives subvention from the Osun State Government, but its fees for medicine sit noticeably higher than the federal options, reflecting the added cost state universities often carry for science and health-related programmes compared to arts and social science courses.
- Private university (Bowen): Operates without government subvention, and its Medicine and Surgery programme, like most private medical programmes in Nigeria, carries a tuition rate running into millions of naira per session.
Fee Comparison Table for Medical Schools in Osun State (2026/2027)
| Institution | Ownership | Location | Approx. Fee per Session (₦) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) College of Health Sciences | Federal | Ile-Ife / Ede, Osun State | 190,200 (freshers); 128,200 (returning) | Highest fee bracket among OAU’s faculties, reflecting laboratory and clinical charges |
| Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun (FUHSI) | Federal | Ila-Orangun, Osun State | 500,000 (100 Level); 320,000 (200–500 Level) | Dedicated health sciences university; 100 Level carries higher one-time charges |
| Osun State University (UNIOSUN) College of Health Sciences | State | Osogbo, Osun State | Approx. 752,500 | Highest fee among UNIOSUN’s programmes; total first-year cost with hostel and extras can exceed ₦1.4 million |
| Bowen University College of Health Sciences | Private | Iwo, Osun State | Above 3,700,000 | Uniform rate regardless of state of origin; among the higher-cost private medical programmes in the region |
These figures reflect tuition and standard obligatory charges. They exclude accommodation, feeding, and personal medical supplies such as lab coats and stethoscopes, which add further cost, particularly from the clinical years onward. Because fee schedules are reviewed periodically at each institution, students should confirm the exact amount for their department and level through the relevant official student portal before making payment.
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) College of Health Sciences
OAU is one of Nigeria’s oldest and most respected institutions for medical training, and its College of Health Sciences, based mainly at the Ile-Ife campus, runs Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, Nursing Science, and Pharmacy programmes. As a federal university, its fee structure is organized by faculty rather than by student residency, and the College of Health Sciences and Faculty of Pharmacy sit at the top of OAU’s fee bands, above the Faculties of Arts, Law, and Humanities, and the Faculties of Technology and Science.
Fresh students pay a non-refundable acceptance fee shortly after their admission is confirmed, along with hostel charges where accommodation is available, since space is allocated on a limited basis. Admission into OAU’s medicine programme is intensely competitive, and the university applies a weighted aggregate combining UTME score, post-UTME performance, and O’Level results, with post-UTME carrying the heaviest weight in the final calculation.
Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun (FUHSI)
FUHSI represents a newer category of federal institution in Nigeria: a university built specifically around health sciences training rather than a general university with a medical faculty attached. Located in Ila-Orangun, Osun State, FUHSI runs Medicine and Surgery, Nursing Science, and related health programmes, with its fee schedule structured by level of study rather than a flat annual charge.
The 100 Level fee for Medicine and Surgery at FUHSI sits notably higher than subsequent years, largely due to one-time admission-related charges bundled into the first session. From 200 Level onward, the fee settles into a steadier, lower figure that remains consistent through to the final year, which makes FUHSI a comparatively predictable option for budgeting across the full duration of the programme once a student clears their first year.
Osun State University (UNIOSUN) College of Health Sciences
UNIOSUN operates a multi-campus system spread across Osogbo, Ikire, Okuku, Ifetedo, Ipetu-Ijesha, and Ejigbo, with its College of Health Sciences forming one of ten colleges under the university’s structure. Medicine consistently ranks as UNIOSUN’s most expensive undergraduate programme, sitting well above Law, Accounting, and other professional courses offered at the university, due to the laboratory equipment, clinical placement costs, and specialized staffing that a medical programme requires.
Students should budget beyond the core tuition figure, since UNIOSUN applies additional charges such as ICT fees and accommodation costs that are billed separately from the main school fees invoice. When these extras are combined with the core medicine tuition, a fresh student’s total first-year cost at UNIOSUN can run notably higher than the base tuition figure alone suggests, which makes it important to plan for the full package of charges rather than the headline tuition figure in isolation.
Bowen University College of Health Sciences
Bowen University, located in Iwo, Osun State, is one of Nigeria’s most established private universities and has run a Medicine and Surgery programme for a considerable number of years, producing graduates who have gone on to practice across Nigeria and internationally. As with most private medical programmes, Bowen’s tuition reflects the full operating cost of running a medical curriculum without government subvention, placing it firmly in the multi-million naira range per session.
Bowen’s fee structure typically varies slightly by level of study, generally trending lower after the first year once one-time admission charges fall away, though it remains substantially above what any of the state or federal options in Osun State charge. Families considering Bowen typically weigh this cost against benefits such as a stable academic calendar, modern facilities, and a faith-based campus environment that some students and parents specifically seek out.
Admission Requirements Common to All Four Schools
While cut-off marks and screening formats vary by institution, medicine and surgery admission across Osun State’s medical schools generally requires the following:
- Five credit passes at O’Level, including English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, obtained in not more than two sittings (OAU specifically requires this within two sittings as well, despite its otherwise distinct aggregate scoring method).
- A UTME score that clears the specific cut-off mark set for medicine at the chosen institution, which sits well above the general baseline cut-off applied to non-competitive courses.
- A post-UTME screening exercise, which may include a written computer-based test, and in OAU’s case, a physical CBT held on its Ile-Ife main campus.
- Selection of the university as first choice on the JAMB portal, since most of these institutions, particularly OAU, do not consider second-choice candidates for admission.
How to Pay Fees at These Institutions
All four universities process payments electronically through their respective student portals. The general process follows this pattern:
- Log in to the university’s student portal using the matriculation number or JAMB registration number and assigned password.
- Select the current session (2026/2027) and generate an invoice for the applicable fee category.
- Retrieve the payment reference number generated by the portal, typically a Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR).
- Complete payment through a debit card, bank transfer, USSD, or a designated bank branch linked to the payment platform.
- Print or save the payment receipt for registration and clearance purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which medical school in Osun State is the cheapest?
Obafemi Awolowo University generally has the lowest fees among the four, followed by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun once a student moves past the first year. Both remain far more affordable than UNIOSUN’s medicine programme and considerably cheaper than Bowen University.
Is UNIOSUN more expensive than OAU for medicine?
Yes. As a state university, UNIOSUN’s medicine fees sit above OAU’s, largely because OAU benefits from the broader federal subvention structure applied across its faculties, while UNIOSUN’s fees for science and health-related courses run higher relative to its other programmes.
Does Bowen University offer any fee reduction for Osun State indigenes?
No. Bowen is a private university and applies its fee structure uniformly to all admitted students, regardless of their state of origin.
Is FUHSI a good alternative to the older, more established medical schools in Osun State?
FUHSI is a newer federal institution built specifically for health sciences training, and it offers a comparatively affordable and predictable fee structure once a student moves past the first year. Prospective applicants should confirm its current accreditation status for the specific level or class they intend to join directly with the university’s admissions office, as is advisable with any newer medical programme.