University of The Bahamas

About University of The Bahamas

University of The Bahamas is a statutory, degree-granting institution serving as the national university of The Bahamas. Its institutional lineage begins in 1974, when the College of The Bahamas was created by combining several existing educational institutions. The University of The Bahamas Act came into force on 10 November 2016, continuing the former institution under its university identity and authorizing it to confer degrees and other academic distinctions. The governing structure includes a Board of Trustees and an Academic Senate responsible for academic standards. The main Oakes Field Campus is in Nassau on New Providence. University of The Bahamas–North serves Grand Bahama, while the Gerace Research Institute on San Salvador functions as a field station. Because these locations have different roles and offerings, applicants should confirm that their intended programme is delivered at their preferred campus. The university’s official programme list identifies both undergraduate and graduate awards, and its Fall 2026 academic calendar documents active registration, classes, examinations, and graduation processes. UB’s academic mission is closely connected to national development. Its programme mix addresses major Bahamian sectors and public needs, including education, nursing, business, tourism and hospitality, law, engineering technology, sustainability, and public administration. The institution is therefore particularly relevant to students seeking a Bahamian public-university education with curricula grounded in local and Caribbean contexts. Students considering study from outside The Bahamas should account for immigration permission, the international tuition rate, and the practical implications of island-specific study and housing.

Undergraduate applicants apply through the Office of Recruitment and Admissions and must submit the application and required supporting documents. UB’s published freshman routes include five BGCSE or equivalent passes at grade C or higher covering English, mathematics, a social science, a natural science, and another academic subject. The university also publishes alternative pathways based on four relevant BGCSE passes, specified SAT or ACT results combined with school grades, IB or AP results, prior school GPA with UB placement results, or successful completion of a recognized academic-enhancement programme. These routes should not be treated as interchangeable without an admissions review. Some degrees impose additional selection requirements. Art applicants submit a portfolio, music applicants may need specified prior preparation and an audition or interview, and nursing has additional competitive requirements. Applicants should therefore check both the general requirements and the page for their intended programme. The admissions procedures page states recurring deadlines of the first Friday in February for an August start and the last Friday in September for a January start. Because that page does not label these as a specific admissions cycle, applicants for 2026–2027 should obtain written confirmation from UB before relying on them. International applicants must satisfy direct-entry requirements, demonstrate English proficiency when English is not their first language, and obtain permission to study from the Bahamian immigration authorities. UB advises provisionally admitted international students to begin the immigration process at least six months before expected enrollment.

UB offers bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, certificates, graduate certificates and diplomas, and master’s degrees. Its current degree directory lists bachelor’s awards in arts, business administration, education, law, architecture, and science. Specific fields include biology, nursing, mathematics, hospitality management, tourism management, electrical engineering technology, and small-island studies with a marine-sciences focus. Programme availability is not uniform across locations; for example, the published directory identifies Computer Information Systems at the associate level as available only at UB North. A bachelor’s degree normally requires at least 120 credit hours, including major, general-education, and elective study. UB states that bachelor’s students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 and a minimum 2.00 GPA in major courses, although individual professional programmes may impose higher standards. Most courses carry three credits, while laboratories, practical courses, and internships may use different credit values. Minors are normally available to bachelor’s students, but tightly structured professional programmes such as nursing or education may restrict them because of certification or licensure requirements. Graduate offerings include MBA concentrations, research-based MA or MSc study, an MSc in Reading with Inclusive Education, and an MSc in Counselling with mental-health and school-counselling tracks. Public-administration graduate certificates and diplomas are also listed. The official sources reviewed do not document a doctoral programme, so the database’s supplied PhD level should not be repeated. Students should consult the current programme page and the relevant academic unit for entry requirements, delivery format, campus, professional recognition, and the precise curriculum applying to their intake.

Key Highlights

• Established as the College of The Bahamas in 1974 and transitioned to university status in 2016
• Independent statutory institution authorized to award degrees
• Main campus in Nassau, with additional operations on Grand Bahama and San Salvador
• Active Fall 2026 academic calendar confirms continuing operation

Student Life & Environment

Student life combines organized activities, recreation, student representation, support services, and limited university housing. The official clubs directory includes academic and professional societies, service organizations, cultural and faith-based groups, dance organizations, fraternities and sororities, environmental interests, and the Student Nurses Association. Available organizations can change, so students should confirm which groups are active when they enroll. UB’s intramural programme advertises team and individual activities such as basketball, flag football, soccer, swimming, volleyball, yoga, dodgeball, and archery. Participation is open to current students, faculty, and staff, with activities intended for different experience and fitness levels. Campus-life arrangements differ by location: UB North publishes its own clubs, student-government operations, food-service information, counselling contacts, and residence-life services. At Oakes Field, university housing is situated on Gregory Street, approximately a five-minute walk from the campus. The residence information describes furnished apartments with air-conditioned bedrooms, laundry facilities, a computer laboratory, controlled access, and security monitoring. Capacity is limited, and published charges and deposits should be reconfirmed before making a budget or travel commitment. Students moving between islands should investigate housing early, particularly because government accommodation support is eligibility-based and university space is not guaranteed. Career counselling, academic advising, health-related support, and student-government offices provide additional points of contact beyond the classroom.

Location & Surroundings

The principal Oakes Field Campus is in Nassau on New Providence, placing students in the national capital and the country’s largest centre of government, commerce, health services, and cultural activity. The university’s housing complex on Gregory Street is within walking distance of Oakes Field and near supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, and casual food outlets. Applicants should nevertheless budget for transportation and daily living costs independently because the tuition estimate does not include subsistence or housing. University of The Bahamas–North is located in East Grand Bahama and serves students in the northern Bahamas. Its campus-life pages identify nearby residence facilities and services separate from those in Nassau. The Gerace Research Institute in Cockburn Town, San Salvador, is a field station supporting tropical and environmental study rather than a full substitute for the main teaching campuses. The multi-island structure can be academically valuable, especially for subjects connected to marine environments, sustainability, tourism, and small-island societies. It also makes programme-level planning essential: applicants should verify the teaching location, housing availability, transport needs, and whether required courses can be completed at one campus.

Costs & Career Outcomes

UB charges tuition by contact hour and distinguishes between Bahamian and international rates. On the currently posted schedule, students admitted from Fall 2019 are charged B$115 per contact hour for lower-level courses and B$172.50 for upper-level courses at the Bahamian rate; the international rate is B$230 per contact hour at both levels. The page also lists compulsory and programme-related charges, including application, capital-development, laboratory, insurance, and graduate or LLB administrative fees. All fees are stated to be subject to change and may exclude applicable VAT, so students should request a term-specific bill before committing. The university’s sample budget assumes 15 credits in each of the fall and spring semesters but excludes housing, subsistence, and local taxes. Residence charges and deposits are listed separately, and accommodation is capacity-dependent. Government tertiary grants, university assistance, and private awards are available under different criteria. Major government and need-based provisions described by UB primarily target Bahamian citizens, full-time undergraduates, or students meeting specified academic and financial conditions; international applicants should not assume eligibility. Career and Placement Services supports students and alumni with career counselling, career exploration, résumé preparation, interview practice, job-search techniques, referrals, and workplace orientation. Some curricula also incorporate practical learning: UB explains that credits may be attached to laboratories, practical courses, and internships, while individual programme pages describe placements or capstone experiences. No current institution-wide employment rate or graduate-salary figure was found, so applicants should assess career preparation at the programme level rather than infer guaranteed outcomes.