Makerere University
One of Africa's oldest universities, on Makerere Hill in Kampala, with 145 undergraduate programmes across ten colleges and a School of Law.
- Students
- 25,506
- International
- 4%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 19.3:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- UGX 2.9M
- From · 2026/27
- Founded
- 1922
About Makerere
Makerere University began in 1922 as a technical school that opened with 14 day students studying carpentry, building and mechanics. It became a University College affiliated to the University of London in 1949, a constituent college of the University of East Africa in 1963, and an independent national university of Uganda on 1 July 1970. Its main campus of 350 acres sits on Makerere Hill, 5 km from the centre of Kampala, with the College of Health Sciences on Mulago Hill beside the National Referral Hospital and the Agricultural Research Institute at Kabanyolo, 17 km north of the city.
Since December 2011 Makerere has been a collegiate university. Its own figures list 145 undergraduate programmes (11 diplomas and 134 bachelor's degrees) and more than 139 postgraduate programmes, and every academic unit can supervise doctorates. THE's 2026 profile counts 25,506 students, 4% of them international, with a student-staff ratio of 19.3.
Makerere is a large, teaching-heavy public university and a serious choice for students who want medicine, veterinary science, agriculture, law, computing or social sciences in an English-taught setting in East Africa. International applicants apply through the online portal, pay tuition in Uganda shillings on the published international scale, and need health insurance that they arrange themselves.
We build for the future
University motto
Why students choose Makerere
Ten colleges plus a School of Law give a broad choice, from Medicine and Veterinary Medicine to Computer Science, Architecture and Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Tuition for each undergraduate programme is published on an official international scale per semester, so the cost is clear before applying.
The main campus has nine halls of residence for undergraduates, and postgraduates are attached to the Dag Hammarskjold Postgraduate Hall.
Teaching is in English, and the main campus is only 5 km from Kampala's city centre.
Admissions
2026/27 private-sponsorship intake (2027/28 not yet announced)
Selectivity
Makerere does not publish an overall acceptance rate. Admission is by a weighting system that combines O-level and A-level results; the best-weighted candidate for each programme is selected, and candidates are considered for their first choice and any later choices if they were not admitted earlier.
Typical entry requirements
| Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Advanced Level (UACE) | At least five passes at UCE or equivalent and at least two principal passes at UACE in the same sitting; for day programmes only candidates who sat A-level in the last three years (2025, 2024 and 2023 for 2026/27) were eligible |
|---|---|
| Other qualifications | Applicants with qualifications obtained outside Uganda should follow the Uganda National Examinations Board guidelines on equating academic documents; non-English documents must be translated by the School of Languages |
| Diploma or degree holders | A separate diploma holders' application route exists, with certified transcripts attached to the online application |
| English language | Applicants from countries where English is not the language of instruction must bring evidence of English proficiency; no test score is stated, and Makerere's School of Languages can test on request. |
Deadlines
- Undergraduate private sponsorship, 2026/27 (previous cycle) Non-binding PassedApplications from 20 April 2026; closing date extended to 28 May 2026
For A-level leavers applying for day, evening, afternoon and external programmes. The university says applications generally open in mid-May and close by the end of July each year.
The 2027/28 call for applications had not been published when checked on 30 September 2026. The dates above are from the 2026/27 cycle, and the academic year normally starts in August.
How to apply
Register at apply.mak.ac.ug with your full name as on your academic documents, an email address and a mobile number, fill in the application, choose the running scheme, and pay the application fee using a Payment Reference Number at a bank used by Uganda Revenue Authority, by card or by mobile money. International applicants pay US$75 or the equivalent in Uganda shillings. International students must also present a health insurance certificate from a reputable insurer when they are admitted.
What admissions looks for
- A minimum of two principal passes at A-level, with Essential subjects passed at principal level for the chosen programme.
- A high combined weight from O-level and A-level grades, where O-level distinctions and credits score points and A-level grades convert on a fixed scale.
- Passing the Bachelor of Laws pre-entry examination for Law applicants.
- Valid, genuine documents: the university warns strongly against forged or borrowed academic documents.
Tips for applying to Makerere
- 1 Read the weighting system before choosing programmes: A-level subjects are grouped as Essential (weight 3), Relevant (2), Desirable (1) and Others (0.5).
- 2 Name on the application must match your academic documents exactly, or the application may be treated as invalid.
- 3 Get any non-English documents translated by the School of Languages and check UNEB equation rules for foreign qualifications.
- 4 Plan health insurance in advance; the university requires an insurance certificate at admission and does not provide the cover.
Costs & financial aid
2026/27 · figures in UGX
The university's scholarships page lists the Makerere University Female Scholarship Foundation, a Chinese Embassy scholarship for 30 continuing students, and the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program, which ran for a cohort from 2013 to 2023. It also links a student loan schemes page. No scholarships specific to international undergraduates were found on the pages checked.
- US$75 or equivalent in UGX, paid via Payment Reference Number
- Application fee, international applicants
- UGX 50,000
- Application fee, Ugandan, East African and South Sudanese applicants
- 40 scholarships approved for female learners from 2021/22 by the University Council
- Female Scholarship Foundation
- About UGX 1,670,503 / UGX 1,015,204, in addition to tuition
- Functional fees per year, international / Ugandan and East African (main campus)
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters a year plus recess terms for some programmes; the academic year normally starts in August
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB, 5 years)
Taught at the College of Health Sciences beside the National Referral Hospital; international tuition UGX 3,406,760 per semester.
Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (5 years)
Run by the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, which has a 350-acre stock farm at Buyana.
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Offered by the College of Computing and Information Sciences; international tuition UGX 2,874,454 per semester.
Bachelor of Laws (4 years)
Applicants must pass the university's pre-entry examination; international tuition UGX 2,459,255 per semester.
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
A four-year programme in the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology at UGX 2,714,762 per semester for international students.
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
Offered by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, with the Kabanyolo research institute 17 km north of Kampala.
Research
- The university's research menu lists the Graduate Research Directorate, the Research and Innovation Fund, the ResilientAfrica Network and the Mak-Sweden Research Cooperation.
- Field stations include the Makerere University Biological Field Station and the Budongo Conservation Field Station, both run under the School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences.
- The Agricultural Research Institute at Kabanyolo and the Buyana Stock Farm support agriculture and veterinary research.
Schools & faculties
- College of Health Sciences
- School of Public Health
- College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
- College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology
- College of Business and Management Sciences
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- College of Education and External Studies
- College of Natural Sciences
- College of Computing and Information Sciences
- School of Law
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity
Student life
Makerere's main campus has nine halls of residence for undergraduates, six for men (Lumumba, Livingstone, Mitchell, Nkrumah, Nsibirwa and University Hall) and three for women (Africa, Complex and Mary Stuart). Together they hold 4,400 students, about 10% of the undergraduate population, so places are limited and never automatic. Every admitted student is attached to a hall as part of their identity, even without a room. Students who do not get a bed can ask the Dean of Students for an affiliated or private hostel. The university also runs a Students' Guild and lists catering, counselling, sports and recreation, and health services on its site.
- Nine halls of residence house 4,400 students, about 10% of the undergraduate population.
- Every student is attached to a hall, even without a room.
- Final-year medical students can live in Galloway Hostel at Mulago; Kabanyolo Hostel houses students of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
- The Dag Hammarskjold Postgraduate Hall is the centre of attachment for all postgraduate students.
Housing. Nine halls on the main campus house about 10% of undergraduates; bed space is limited and must be confirmed with the Dean of Students and the warden, and other students use affiliated or private hostels.
Location
Kampala is Uganda's capital and largest city, with a city population of 1,797,722 at the 2024 census. The main campus is on Makerere Hill, 5 km from the city centre, and the health sciences campus on Mulago Hill is 2 km away.
Nearest airport: Entebbe International Airport (EBB), about 40 km by road from central Kampala
Notable alumni
- JS John SentamuRetired Archbishop of York; LLB from Makerere University (1971)
- JN Julius NyerereFirst president of Tanzania; studied a teacher-training course at Makerere College (1943-1947), not a degree
- NW Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'oKenyan novelist (1938-2025); studied at Makerere University College (1959-1963)
- JR Jane Ruth AcengPediatrician and politician who was appointed Uganda's Minister of Health in 2016; MBChB from Makerere
- OO Olara OtunnuUgandan diplomat and politician; president of the Students' Guild at Makerere
Frequently asked questions
How much does Makerere University cost for international students?
For 2026/27 the published international tuition for day degree programmes at the main campus is UGX 1,437,227 to 5,000,000 per semester, for example UGX 3,406,760 per semester for Medicine. With two semesters a year that is about UGX 2.9 million to 10 million a year, plus functional fees of about UGX 1.67 million a year for international students. Makerere University Business School prices international fees in US dollars.
How do I apply to Makerere as an international student?
Apply at apply.mak.ac.ug, pay the US$75 application fee (or equivalent in UGX) using a Payment Reference Number, and upload your academic documents. International students must also show a health insurance certificate at admission.
What are the entry requirements for Makerere?
At least five passes at UCE or equivalent and at least two principal passes at UACE in the same sitting. Foreign qualifications should be equated with Uganda National Examinations Board guidelines, and non-English documents translated by the School of Languages.
When does the academic year start at Makerere?
Normally in August. The 2026/27 private-sponsorship applications opened on 20 April 2026; the announcement set a closing date of 22 May 2026, which was later extended to 28 May 2026. 2027/28 dates have not been announced.
What is Makerere University's ranking?
QS World University Rankings 2027 places Makerere in the 1001-1200 band, and THE World University Rankings 2026 places it in the 801-1000 band.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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