If you are searching for the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi (FUAM) school fees, one of the first things you should know is that the university is now widely referred to as Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM). However, many prospective and returning students still use the former name, FUAM, when searching for admission and school fee information online.
Knowing the amount you are expected to pay is an important part of preparing for university. It helps students and parents plan for tuition-related charges, acceptance fees, registration, accommodation, textbooks, transportation, feeding and other academic expenses.
This guide explains what students should know about FUAM school fees, including the difference between fresh students and returning students, postgraduate charges, acceptance fees, payment procedures and important precautions to take before making any payment.
Important: School fees can change from one academic session to another. The figures published by third-party websites should therefore be treated as a guide until they are confirmed through the university’s official portal or an official notice from the institution.
FUAM School Fees for 2026/2027 Academic Session
The amount payable at the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi depends on several factors. These may include your programme, student status, level of study and the charges applicable to your academic session.
Some online sources currently publish different figures for FUAM/JOSTUM fees. This is one reason students should not transfer money simply because they find a particular amount on a blog, social media page or WhatsApp group.
For undergraduate students, school charges may include registration, examinations, ICT services, library services, medical services, sports-related charges and other approved institutional or departmental charges.
The exact amount displayed on your student portal should be considered more reliable than an old fee schedule found elsewhere online.
How Much Is FUAM School Fees?
There is no single amount that applies to every student.
Fresh students can have additional charges because they are completing admission, registration and other first-time processes. Returning students may have fewer first-time charges, so their payable amount can be different.
Some published sources have reported undergraduate figures in the region of ₦53,000 to ₦55,000 for fresh students, while older information has placed returning students at lower amounts. However, these figures come from previously published schedules and should not automatically be treated as the confirmed fee for the current session.
For the 2026/2027 academic session, students should check their official payment invoice or student portal before making payment.
This approach is especially important because university charges can be reviewed by management and may differ between academic sessions.
FUAM School Fees for Freshers
Freshers are students who have newly gained admission into the university. They may be required to pay charges that returning students do not pay again.
For example, a newly admitted student may have expenses connected with admission processing, registration, identification, matriculation and other first-time university requirements.
This means you should not calculate your total university budget by looking at school fees alone.
A fresher may need to budget for:
- Acceptance fee
- School or approved institutional charges
- Registration
- Medical screening or health-related charges
- Course registration
- Accommodation, where applicable
- Textbooks and learning materials
- Transportation
- Feeding
- Departmental requirements
- Other approved charges shown on the student’s portal
The amount required for each item may change, so students should confirm the current figures before paying.
FUAM School Fees for Returning Students
Returning students are those who have already been registered at the university and are continuing their programmes.
Their charges may be lower than those of fresh students because some first-time payments do not have to be repeated.
However, returning students should not assume that their fees will remain exactly the same every year.
University management may introduce, remove or adjust certain charges. Your level and programme can also affect what appears on your payment invoice.
Before paying, log into the appropriate student portal and carefully review the charges listed against your account.
If the amount appears different from what you saw online, do not immediately assume that the portal is wrong. First confirm whether the online information you found relates to the same academic session, programme and student category.
Is FUAM Acceptance Fee the Same as School Fees?
No.
The acceptance fee and school fees are separate payments.
An acceptance fee is normally associated with newly admitted students and is paid to indicate acceptance of an admission offer. School fees or other approved institutional charges are paid as part of the registration process for the academic session.
Online sources have published different acceptance-fee figures for FUAM/JOSTUM over time. Because of these differences, prospective students should confirm the current amount displayed on the official admission or student portal before making payment.
Do not rely on a payment amount posted by an individual on social media without checking the official source.
Also remember that an acceptance fee does not necessarily represent the total amount you will spend before resuming school.
FUAM School Fees for Postgraduate Students
Postgraduate fees are usually different from undergraduate fees.
At the postgraduate level, the amount can depend on the programme and whether the student is enrolled in a full-time or executive programme.
Previously published FUAM postgraduate schedules have included programmes such as:
- PGD
- M.Sc.
- PhD
- PGDA
- PGDM
- MPA
- MBA
Older published schedules have reported different amounts for newly admitted and returning postgraduate students. For example, one previously published schedule listed full-time newly admitted fees of ₦73,900 for PGD, ₦83,900 for M.Sc., and ₦93,900 for PhD. The same source listed different figures for returning students.
For weekend executive programmes, published figures have also differed by programme, with MBA, MPA, PGDM and PGDA having separate charges.
These figures demonstrate why postgraduate applicants should confirm the current schedule for their particular programme rather than assuming that one amount applies to every postgraduate student.
What Does FUAM School Fees Cover?
The phrase “school fees” can sometimes be confusing because students may think it refers only to tuition.
At a public university, the amount payable may contain several approved charges.
Depending on the academic session and programme, students may see charges connected with:
Registration
Registration allows the student to complete the necessary academic registration for the session.
Examinations
Examination-related charges may cover administrative and examination services.
Library Services
Students may be required to contribute towards library services and access to academic resources.
ICT Services
Information and communication technology services are an important part of modern university education and may appear among institutional charges.
Medical Services
Some university payment schedules include health-related charges or medical services.
Sports and Student Activities
Sports and related student activities may also form part of approved institutional charges.
Departmental or Faculty Charges
Certain programmes may have additional requirements because of laboratory work, fieldwork, practical training or other academic activities.
The best way to know what you are actually paying for is to examine the detailed payment invoice generated for your student account.
How to Pay FUAM School Fees
Students should use the payment method officially provided by the university.
The general process normally involves the following steps:
- Visit the official university website or student portal.
- Log into your student account with the required details.
- Navigate to the school-fee or payment section.
- Select the appropriate academic session.
- Review the charges displayed on the invoice.
- Generate the required payment reference or invoice.
- Complete payment through the approved payment channel.
- Confirm that the payment was successfully recorded.
- Print or save your payment receipt.
- Complete course and other registration requirements where applicable.
The exact arrangement of the portal may change, so follow the instructions displayed on the current university website.
Do Not Pay Through Random Agents
Students should be particularly careful about online fraud.
If somebody contacts you and claims to be a university staff member, admission agent or student representative asking you to transfer school fees into a personal bank account, stop and verify the information.
Never assume that a payment request is genuine simply because the person knows your name, admission number or course.
Use only payment instructions provided through official university channels.
What Happens If You Pay the Wrong Amount?
If you accidentally pay the wrong amount or use an unofficial payment channel, resolving the problem can be difficult.
Before making payment, check:
- Your name
- Matriculation or application details
- Academic session
- Programme
- Student category
- Amount payable
- Payment reference
- Official payment channel
Take a screenshot or download your invoice before completing the transaction.
After payment, keep your receipt in a safe location. It is also a good idea to store a digital copy in your email or cloud storage so that you can access it when needed.
FUAM School Fees and Accommodation
School fees are not the same as accommodation expenses.
If you intend to stay in a university hostel or private accommodation around Makurdi, you should prepare a separate budget.
Accommodation availability, prices and allocation arrangements can change. Students should therefore wait for official accommodation information before paying anyone who claims to have a guaranteed hostel space.
You should also budget for everyday expenses such as food, transportation, electricity, internet access, laundry and learning materials.
For many students, these recurring expenses can become a significant part of the total cost of attending university.
How Parents Can Plan for FUAM Expenses
Parents and guardians should avoid planning around school fees alone.
A better approach is to create a complete academic budget.
For a newly admitted student, consider the following categories:
| Expense | What to Budget For |
|---|---|
| Acceptance | Confirm the current official amount |
| School charges | Amount displayed on the official portal |
| Accommodation | Hostel or private accommodation |
| Feeding | Daily or monthly food expenses |
| Transportation | Movement to and from campus |
| Books | Textbooks and academic materials |
| Data | Internet and communication |
| Medical needs | Personal health expenses |
| Departmental needs | Practical or programme-related expenses |
| Emergency fund | Unexpected academic or personal costs |
Having an emergency fund can make university life easier because unexpected expenses can occur during the academic year.
Are FUAM School Fees Affordable?
Affordability depends on the student’s personal circumstances.
Compared with many private universities in Nigeria, federal universities generally have a different cost structure. However, students should remember that the amount paid to the university is only one part of the total cost of education.
A student who pays a relatively modest institutional fee can still spend considerably more on accommodation, feeding, transportation, books and other living expenses.
The most useful question is therefore not only, “How much is FUAM school fees?” but also, “How much should I budget for the entire academic year?”
Planning for the full cost can help students avoid financial pressure after resumption.
Important Things to Check Before Paying FUAM School Fees
Before making any payment, use this simple checklist.
1. Confirm the Academic Session
Make sure the fee schedule applies to the academic session in which you are registered.
An old article can continue appearing in search results even after a new fee schedule has been introduced.
2. Confirm Your Student Category
Check whether the information applies to a fresher, returning student, Direct Entry student or postgraduate student.
3. Confirm Your Programme
Some charges can differ according to the programme or academic requirements.
4. Check Your Portal
The amount generated specifically for your account is important because it reflects your current registration status.
5. Keep Your Receipt
Do not delete your payment confirmation after paying.
6. Avoid Unverified Payment Links
Only use payment channels confirmed by the university.
Why Online FUAM School Fee Figures May Differ
If you search for “FUAM school fees” on Google, you may see different figures on different websites.
This does not necessarily mean that every website is deliberately publishing false information.
There are several possible reasons for differences.
First, the pages may relate to different academic sessions. Second, some websites may publish estimated figures instead of officially approved schedules. Third, a university may revise its charges after an article has already been published.
Another reason is that some articles combine school fees with other charges while others list only specific institutional charges.
This is why students should always check the date and source of any fee information they find online.
Frequently Asked Questions About FUAM School Fees
How much is FUAM school fees for freshers?
The amount varies according to the applicable academic session, programme and approved charges. Older published sources have reported undergraduate fresher figures around ₦53,000 to ₦55,000, but students should confirm the current 2026/2027 amount through the official university payment portal before paying.
How much is FUAM school fees for returning students?
Returning-student charges can differ from fresher charges because some first-time expenses may not apply. The current amount should be confirmed from the student’s official portal for the relevant session.
Is FUAM still called Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi?
The institution is now widely known as Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM), although the former FUAM name remains common in online searches and among students.
Is acceptance fee included in school fees?
No. Acceptance fee is generally treated as a separate payment from the main school charges.
Can FUAM school fees change?
Yes. University charges can be reviewed or changed between academic sessions. Always confirm the latest approved amount before payment.
Where should I confirm FUAM school fees?
The safest place to confirm your exact payable amount is the university’s official website, student portal, admission portal or an official notice issued by the institution.
Do postgraduate students pay the same fees as undergraduates?
No. Postgraduate charges are different and may vary according to the programme and study mode.
Should I trust a school-fee figure I find on social media?
Not without verification. Social media posts can be outdated, incomplete or incorrect. Use them only as a starting point and confirm the information through an official university channel.
Final Advice for FUAM Students
Searching for FUAM school fees is only the first step in preparing financially for university.
Whether you are a newly admitted student, returning undergraduate or postgraduate applicant, take time to confirm the exact charges applicable to your programme and academic session.
Do not make payment based solely on an old blog post, forwarded message or information from an unofficial agent. University fees can change, and different students may have different charges.
The safest approach is simple: check your official student portal, review the payment invoice carefully, use an approved payment channel and keep your receipt after payment.
If you are preparing for admission, also remember to budget for expenses outside school fees. Accommodation, feeding, transportation, books, internet access and personal needs can make up a substantial part of your yearly education costs.
By checking your fees early and planning your finances carefully, you can begin your academic journey at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi with greater confidence and fewer financial surprises.
