Choosing between Cambridge and UNEB in 2026
Parents keep asking the same question. Here's the honest answer, university outcomes, cost, and the part nobody mentions.
Makerere Hill, Kampala Central, Kampala
Founded
1922
Enrolment
35,000
Teaching staff
1400
Class size
~60
About
Founded in 1922 as a technical school, Makerere is Uganda's oldest and most prestigious university and one of Africa's leading research institutions. Its ten colleges span the humanities, sciences, health, engineering, agriculture, business and law, awarding undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral degrees.
A message
“For a century Makerere has been the intellectual engine of Uganda and the region. We build knowledge in service of society, rigorous, independent and unafraid.”
Performance
Graduate outcomes 2024
Over 13,000 students graduated across ten colleges at the latest graduation ceremony
Research 2024
Uganda's top-ranked university and a leading research-output institution in East Africa
What this school emphasises
The Praecip verdict
Makerere's scale, research depth and alumni network are unmatched in Uganda. A degree from "the Hill" still opens doors across East Africa and beyond.
Large class sizes and stretched facilities are the trade-off for prestige and breadth. For self-directed students it remains the most consequential choice in the country.
Praecip ratings
Fees
| Level | Class | Residency | Amount | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tertiary | Humanities (per year, govt) | day | USh 1,500,000 | / year |
| Tertiary | Sciences (per year, private) | day | USh 3,200,000 | / year |
| Tertiary | Medicine (per year, private) | day | USh 6,500,000 | / year |
Term-fee installment plans available.
Government Sponsorship
Merit-based state scholarships allocated on UACE results through the national admissions cycle.
Need-based & donor scholarships
Mastercard Foundation, Female Scholarship Initiative and various faculty-specific awards.
Application & registration
Application fee: USh 50,000
Competitive courses (Medicine, Law, Engineering) typically require 17–20 points for government sponsorship; private admission from two principal passes upward.
Admissions open
2025: 45,000 applied · 16,000 offered places
Diary
Private admissions deadline (2026/27)
2 August 2026
In the news
Makerere marks a century of scholarship
Centenary programmes continue with new research-chair appointments and an expanded postgraduate intake.
9 April 2026
News & insights
Parents keep asking the same question. Here's the honest answer, university outcomes, cost, and the part nobody mentions.
A close read of UCE and UACE 2024, what the topline misses, and which schools earned the bragging rights.
Across 40+ schools we tracked, average termly tuition rose 6.4%, but the dispersion tells the real story.
Where alumni go
Multiple heads of state, scholars and business leaders
Across East Africa and the Commonwealth
Campus
curricular
extracurricular
safety
Gallery
On social
Parent reviews
The Makerere name carries weight everywhere in the region. You make your own path here.
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