Receiving a university admission offer is exciting, but students must prepare for several payments before they can fully begin their studies. One of the first is the acceptance fee, which confirms that a candidate accepts the admission offer.
Acceptance fees vary significantly across Nigerian universities. Some popular institutions charge relatively low amounts, while others charge more than ₦100,000. The amount can also depend on the course, especially for Medicine, Nursing and other professional programmes.
University Acceptance Fees in Nigeria 2026/2027
The table below compares universities with current fee information available for the 2026/2027 academic session. It focuses on the acceptance fee itself and the additional amount students may need to keep available for immediate admission-related payments.
| University | Acceptance Fee | Programme Variation | What to Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) | ₦0 | No acceptance fee | Other registration and admission charges |
| Lagos State University (LASU) | ₦30,000 | General undergraduate | About ₦60,000 including medical fee |
| Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) | ₦35,000 | Undergraduate | At least ₦35,000 plus other charges |
| Wellspring University | ₦50,000 | ₦100,000 Nursing; ₦150,000 MBBS | From ₦50,000 plus freshers’ charges |
| Maduka University | ₦50,000 | General undergraduate | At least ₦50,000 |
| Achievers University | ₦50,000 | Fresh students | At least ₦77,500 with selected basic fresher charges |
| Fountain University | ₦75,000 | Regular undergraduate | At least ₦75,000 plus other charges |
| Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) | ₦80,000–₦100,000 | Depends on faculty | ₦80,000–₦100,000 plus other charges |
| Elizade University | ₦100,000 | General undergraduate | At least ₦110,000 including Parents’ Forum levy |
| University of Benin (UNIBEN) | ₦115,670–₦122,820 | Non-Science vs Science/Medical | About ₦116,000–₦123,000 |
| Clifford University | ₦150,000 | Undergraduate | At least ₦150,000 plus other charges |
This comparison shows that acceptance fees can range from nothing at UNIPORT to ₦150,000 at Clifford University among the schools with current figures reviewed. The amount alone, however, does not tell the complete story because some universities add medical, registration, matriculation or other compulsory charges.
Cheapest University Acceptance Fees
Among the universities compared, UNIPORT has the lowest acceptance fee because it does not charge an acceptance fee to new students. The university has specifically warned newly admitted students and their guardians to disregard requests for acceptance-fee payments because the charge is not part of its official admission process.
LASU follows with a ₦30,000 acceptance fee for 2026/2027 UTME candidates. However, LASU also requires a separate ₦30,000 medical fee, meaning a newly admitted student should have about ₦60,000 available for those two immediate payments.
OAU’s published 2026/2027 fee information places its undergraduate acceptance fee at ₦35,000. This makes it one of the lower acceptance charges among the major universities currently covered in this comparison.
Wellspring, Maduka and Achievers University
Several private universities have acceptance fees around ₦50,000, but their overall admission budgets differ.
Wellspring University charges ₦50,000 for most undergraduate programmes, ₦100,000 for Nursing and ₦150,000 for MBBS. Its 2026/2027 schedule also lists ₦7,500 for result verification, ₦35,000 matriculation, ₦20,000 caution and ₦5,750 for an identity card. This means a student on the standard ₦50,000 acceptance category already needs more than the acceptance fee alone before considering tuition and accommodation.
Maduka University charges a ₦50,000 non-refundable acceptance fee for its 2026/2027 undergraduate admission. The university states that it does not add other general charges, although students still have to pay the tuition applicable to their programmes.
Achievers University also lists a ₦50,000 acceptance fee for fresh students. Its 2026/2027 fee structure separately lists a ₦10,000 matriculation fee, ₦7,500 identification card and ₦10,000 lab coat, while its wider sundry charges are much higher. Students should therefore look beyond the acceptance fee when calculating their first payment.
Fountain University and FUOYE
Fountain University charges ₦75,000 for regular undergraduate acceptance in the 2026/2027 session. Its approved fee schedule also lists separate charges for medical testing, drug screening, laboratory coats, matriculation, portal access and other services.
FUOYE has different acceptance fees according to programme. Its current undergraduate portal lists ₦80,000 for Agriculture, Arts, Education and Science; ₦90,000 for Communication and Media Studies, Engineering, Environmental Design and Management, Management Sciences and Social Sciences; and ₦100,000 for Basic Medical Sciences, Law, Medicine and Pharmacy.
This is an important example of why students should not search only for the university’s general acceptance fee. The amount payable can depend directly on the course offered.
Elizade and UNIBEN
Elizade University lists a ₦100,000 non-refundable acceptance fee for its 2026/2027 undergraduate admission. It also requires a ₦10,000 Parents’ Forum levy per session, putting the immediate amount at at least ₦110,000 before other academic expenses.
UNIBEN has one of the higher acceptance costs among the major universities with a currently published 2026/2027 figure. Current admission information places the payment at ₦115,670 for non-Science candidates and ₦122,820 for Science and Medical candidates, with payment required during the admission acceptance process.
This means a UNIBEN candidate should prepare more than ₦100,000 before starting the acceptance and clearance process.
Acceptance Fee Is Not School Fees
Students should understand the difference between acceptance fees and school fees. The acceptance fee is generally a one-time payment made after admission to confirm acceptance of the offer, while school fees cover academic and other approved charges for the session.
A low acceptance fee therefore does not automatically mean that a university is cheap. UNIPORT, for example, has no acceptance fee, but students still have other university expenses to meet.
Similarly, a university with a ₦100,000 acceptance fee may have a different overall cost structure from another school charging ₦30,000. Students should compare the complete financial requirement rather than ranking universities by acceptance fee alone.
What Should Students Budget After Admission?
A fresh student should ideally prepare for more than the acceptance fee. The immediate admission budget may include:
- Acceptance fee
- Medical screening
- Clearance charges
- Registration
- Result verification
- Matriculation
- Identity card
- ICT or portal charges
- Faculty or departmental charges
- Accommodation
- School fees
For example, Wellspring’s fresh-student charges show how quickly the initial budget can increase after adding verification, matriculation, caution and ID card fees.
Students should also keep separate money for transportation, feeding, textbooks and personal expenses. These are not normally included in the acceptance fee.
How to Confirm the Correct Acceptance Fee
Students should always check the university’s official admission portal before making payment. The amount displayed on the portal for the candidate’s admission session and programme should take priority over figures found on blogs, social media or older fee articles.
Candidates should also check whether the acceptance fee is refundable, whether medical or clearance charges are separate, and the deadline for payment. Missing the deadline can put an admission offer at risk.
Students should make payments only through the university’s approved payment platform. They should keep the payment receipt and other evidence because these documents may be required during clearance.
Read More: Cheapest Private Universities in Nigeria: Tuition, Accommodation and Other Fees
Conclusion
University acceptance fees in Nigeria vary widely for the 2026/2027 admission cycle. Among the universities compared, UNIPORT currently has no acceptance fee, while LASU and OAU have relatively low charges of ₦30,000 and ₦35,000 respectively. Private universities such as Wellspring, Maduka and Achievers charge ₦50,000 in their general undergraduate categories, while Fountain charges ₦75,000.
At the higher end, FUOYE charges up to ₦100,000 depending on programme, Elizade charges ₦100,000, UNIBEN charges between ₦115,670 and ₦122,820, and Clifford University lists ₦150,000.
However, the acceptance fee should only be the starting point when planning for university admission. Students should calculate the acceptance fee together with medical, clearance, registration, school fees, accommodation and other compulsory expenses before deciding how much money to set aside.
