KAMPALA, Uganda — Makerere University has officially opened the application process for undergraduate programs under the private sponsorship scheme for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The announcement, issued Friday by Academic Registrar Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, invites qualified Ugandan, East African and international applicants to apply for a variety of courses. The call is specifically tailored for Advanced Level leavers who meet the university’s stringent academic criteria.
To qualify for admission, a candidate must hold a Uganda Certificate of Education with at least five passes, or an equivalent qualification, along with at least two principal passes obtained at the same sitting of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education.
The university has implemented specific eligibility windows based on the mode of study. For day programs, only those who sat for their A-Levels in 2023, 2024 or 2025 are eligible to apply. However, the university noted that there are no year-of-sitting restrictions for students applying to evening, afternoon or external programs.
Prospective students are required to pay a nonrefundable application fee. Ugandan, East African and South Sudanese applicants will pay 50,000 shillings, while international students are charged $75 or its equivalent. Payments are to be made through banks used by the Uganda Revenue Authority.
The application process has been fully digitized. Candidates must register through the university’s online admissions portal using names that exactly match their academic documents. After signing up, applicants will receive a password via mobile phone and email to complete the formal submission and generate a payment reference number. For added convenience, the university has integrated mobile money payment options for both MTN and Airtel users.
University officials emphasized that candidates holding grades X, Y, Z, 7 or 9 at the Ordinary Level are ineligible for admission and should not apply.
The Academic Registrar issued a stern warning against the presentation of forged documents or the use of unauthorized third-party agents. The notice clarified that the university has not appointed any individuals to solicit extra funds beyond the official application fees.
Detailed information regarding the weighting system and specific course codes will be available at the Senate Building and on the university website starting Monday, April 20.
The deadline for all applications is Friday, May 22, 2026.
