The Academic Registrar of Makerere University invites applications for admission to Graduate Programmes (Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters and Doctoral degree Programmes) for the 2020/2021 Academic Year. Applicants should have obtained at least a first class or second class degree or its equivalent from a recognised and chartered university/institution. Applicants should also possess a Ugandan Certificate of Education (UCE) with at least 5 Passes (or its equivalent) and a Ugandan Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) with at least two Principle Passes and one Subsidiary Pass obtained at the same sitting (or its equivalent).
All Graduate Programmes are PRIVATELY-SPONSORED. Applicants should note that the various fees payable to the University indicated for the various programmes EXCLUDE functional fees, accommodation, books, research and other expenses. Therefore applicants seeking sponsorship should have their applications endorsed by their respective sponsors where applicable.
PHD DEGREES BY RESEARCH ONLY:
All Colleges offer PhD degrees by Research. Applicants for PhD by research should have a Master’s degree in a field relevant to their area of further studies. Applicants will be required to submit their applications online any time or in Room 410, Level 4 with a synopsis.
How to apply
Visit the Makerere University’s Admissions URL http://admissions.mak.ac.ug and generate a Payment Reference Number (PRN) by following the guide below.
Sign up using full name, e-mail and Mobile No. Please note that your name must be similar to the one on your supporting academic documents for your application to be considered valid.
A password will be sent to both your e-mail and mobile number.
The system will prompt you to change the password to the one you can easily remember.
To fill a form the applicant clicks on the APPLY NOW button displayed on the appropriate scheme i.e. Postgraduate and Taught PhD or PhD Research
Obtain a payment advice slip by clicking on “Pay for Form” button
Make a payment at any of the following Banks:
Stanbic
Post Bank
Centenary Bank
DFCU Bank
UBA Bank
Print 2 copies of the filled biodata form and attach 2 certified copies of your academic documents, 2 copies of all other relevant academic documents, 2 passport photos and the three referees’ letters of recommendation.
Submit in office No. 307; level 3 Senate Building Or email scanned copies of the mentioned documents to drgt@rgt.mak.ac.ug.
PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A PAYMENT REFERENCE NUMBER FOR PAYMENT OF APPLICATION FEES
Go the payment reference site: https//:payments.mak.ac.ug
Fill in your name;
Fill in your email;
Fill in your telephone number – Go to the next
Click on the option number;
Application fee = Ugx 50,000 (East African applicants) or Ugx 151,500 (International Applicants)
the pay reference number
Go to the Bank and pay
For foreign applicants, application fees can be transferred either by EFT or any other means in UGX to a designated URA collection account in Bank of Uganda as follows:Account Name: UGANDA REVENUE AUTHORITY COLLECTIONS
Account No: 003410158000002
Swift Code: UGBAUGKAU
Strictly observe the closing date of Tuesday, 30th June, 2020
All Applicants for Master of Laws (LLM) will do a Graduate Admission Test (GAT) consisting of an oral Interview and written test. The fee is Ug. Shs. 100,000/= (One hundred thousand shillings) payable to the School Accountant. The GAT will be held on Saturday 20th June, 2020
All Applicants for Master of Business Administration (College of Business and Management Sciences and Makerere University Business School) will do a GMAT test on dates to be communicated by College of Business and Management Sciences and Makerere University Business School respectively.
All Applicants for PGD (Guidance and Counselling), MA.in Counselling and MSc. in Clinical Psychology (School of Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences) will do an admission interview on dates to be communicated by the School of Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The fee is UG. Shs. 60,000/= (Sixty thousand shillings) payable to the designated account to be provided by School.
In addition to the general admission requirements, applicants for Master of Public Infrastructure Management (MPIM) must have “Proven professional experience of at least 2 years at managerial/supervisory level or policy-decision making position in a government, parastatal organ, international organisation or non-governmental organisation” Applicants should attach a 2- page short CV and referee recommendations.
Detailed information about the Programmes’ admission requirements, content and regulations can be obtained from the Principals/College Registrars of the respective Colleges and Schools.
Further details of the advert including tuition fees for the advertised programmes are available in the document downloadable from the link below.
The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released admission lists of candidates admitted under the Talented Sports Men & Women, Disability and District Quota Schemes with Government sponsorship 2026/27 Academic Year including appeals and remarked cases.
Other admission lists released include A-Level Applicants with Ugandan and those with Foreign Qualifications, Diploma in Performing Arts, Mature-Age Entry and Bachelor of Education (EXTERNAL Batch 2) for the Academic Year 2026/2027 under self sponsorship.
Makerere University has officially launched its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, marking a major milestone in its commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and human capital development in line with Uganda’s national development priorities.
The launch brought together senior government officials, university leadership, and development planners, including the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, and a representative from the National Planning Authority (NPA), alongside the University Vice Chancellor.
Hon. Henry Musasizi unveils the Makerere University Strategic Plan (2025-2030).
A Vision Anchored in National Transformation
Speaking at the launch, the Vice Chancellor underscored the University’s ambition to significantly expand graduate training and strengthen its contribution to national development. He noted that the institution is targeting a return to pre-COVID enrolment levels and a substantial increase in postgraduate numbers by 2030, with a focus on producing highly skilled graduates, innovators, and researchers.
He emphasized that the Strategic Plan positions the University as a key driver of Uganda’s transformation through knowledge generation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, aligned with national priorities.
“The staffing distribution is shown here. Under the approved establishment, we intended to have 419 Professors, but we currently have only 75. We planned for 473 Associate Professors, but currently have only 144. This clearly demonstrates that we still have considerable room for growth in strengthening our academic staff profile,” the VC said.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
The VC appreciated researchers and research centres, that continue to attract substantial research funding. He highlighted the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and the Makerere University Walter Reed Project which attracted approximately US$70 million in international research funding into Uganda.
“When you combine the grants won by all our researchers through competitive international funding, the total exceeds US$200 million,” he said.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the University Council, Dr. Lorna Magara, described the Strategic Plan as more than an institutional roadmap, calling it “a public covenant with the people of Uganda.”
She noted that the Plan marks “the launch of Makerere University’s next chapter,” adding that decisions taken over the next five years will shape not only the future of the institution, but also Uganda’s development trajectory through graduates, research, innovations, and leadership.
Dr. Lorna Magara.
Dr. Magara emphasized Makerere’s unique national role as Uganda’s premier public university, entrusted with public resources and public confidence.
“Every investment made in Makerere must produce measurable value for the people of Uganda,” she said, underscoring the need for accountability, integrity, and impact.
Ambitious Targets for Transformation
The Council Chairperson and the Vice chancellor outlined bold performance targets under the Strategic Plan, including doubling postgraduate enrolment, increasing STEM enrolment from 30% to 55%, improving PhD completion rates from 10% to 35%, and more than doubling peer-reviewed research output, alongside a significant rise in patents and innovations.
Dr. Magara stressed that these targets are not aspirations alone but binding commitments against which institutional performance will be measured.
Hon. Henry Musasizi (3rd R) and Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (2rd L) display an autographed dummy of the signed Strategic Plan as L-R: Hon. Kadondi Gracious, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, Rt. Hon. Daniel Kidega, Dr. Lorna Magara, H.E. Mubiru John Bosco and Prof. Sarah Ssali witness.
“Ambition is precisely what this moment demands. A strategic plan is not measured by the elegance of its language, but by the lives it transforms,” she said.
Call for Stronger Governance and Legal Reform
Dr. Magara also highlighted the need for reform of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, Cap. 262, noting that the current legal framework has not kept pace with the evolving realities of university governance and innovation.
She called on Government and Parliament to support a timely review of the Act to enable universities to better optimise knowledge systems, productive assets, and innovation capacity in support of national development.
Government Endorsement and Strategic Alignment
Hon. Henry Musasizi commended the University for developing a forward-looking Strategic Plan aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), which serves as the foundation for the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
He explained that Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy from about USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion requires accelerated growth driven by productivity gains, innovation, and strong human capital development.
Hon. Henry Musasizi.
“Universities are central actors in national transformation. They are engines of knowledge creation, innovation, and human capital development,” he said.
The Minister stressed that government priorities include strengthening research, promoting industrialization, and ensuring that knowledge generated in universities is translated into practical solutions that support economic growth. He further highlighted the importance of accountability, efficiency, and value for money in public investments in higher education.
Universities as Drivers of the Tenfold Growth Strategy
In his presentation, the Senior Planner at the National Planning Authority, Samuel Kasule, emphasized that the Strategic Plan is firmly anchored in Uganda’s comprehensive development framework under Vision 2040 and NDP IV.
He noted that the Tenfold Growth Strategy seeks to accelerate Uganda’s economic growth into double-digit territory, enabling the country to achieve structural transformation and reach upper middle-income status.
Mr. Samuel Kasule.
Kasule underscored that universities play a critical role in this transformation through labour productivity, research, and innovation. He pointed out that priority sectors such as agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, and ICT depend heavily on skilled graduates and strong research ecosystems.
He also highlighted the importance of competency-based education, alignment of academic programmes with national human resource needs, and strengthening postgraduate training and research outputs.
A Shared Commitment to Transformation
Across all speeches, a strong message emerged: universities are central to Uganda’s development agenda and must evolve into research-intensive institutions that directly contribute to economic transformation.
The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 was widely commended for its focus on innovation, industry collaboration, digital transformation, and the commercialization of research outputs.
Government leaders reaffirmed continued support for higher education institutions through research funding, innovation ecosystems, and strengthened university–industry partnerships.
Conclusion
The launch of the Strategic Plan 2030 signals a renewed commitment to positioning the University as a key partner in Uganda’s development journey. With strong alignment to national priorities, the Plan is expected to accelerate research, innovation, and skills development necessary for achieving Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions. The Strategic Plan may be accessed at: https://mak.ac.ug/about/strategic-plan
Visionary Blueprint to Drive Excellence, Innovation, and National Development.
Kampala, Uganda – July 2, 2026. — Makerere University today officially launched its Strategic Plan 2026–2030, outlining a bold roadmap for academic excellence, research innovation, and transformative impact on Uganda and the region. The high-profile launch event, held at Makerere University Main Campus, brought together government leaders, university stakeholders, development partners, and academia.
The Chief Guest, Hon. Henry Musasizi, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, presided over the official launch. In his presentation, Vice Chancellor Prof. Nawangwe Barnabas highlighted the University’s past achievements and the new Plan’s strategic vision. “This Strategic Plan builds on our rich legacy while positioning Makerere University as a leader in addressing contemporary challenges through cutting-edge research, quality education, and innovation,” he stated.
The Plan was developed through an inclusive process led by the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, with input from across the University community. It aligns closely with national development priorities, as affirmed by Dr. Joseph Muvawala, Executive Director of the National Planning Authority.
University Council Chairperson Dr Lorna Magara emphasised the Council’s oversight role and commitment: “The University Council is fully committed to providing the strategic leadership and oversight necessary for the successful implementation of this Plan. It will strengthen Makerere’s role as a driver of Uganda’s socio-economic transformation and ensure we remain a beacon of excellence in higher education across Africa.”
Development partners, Vice Chancellors from other public universities, college principals, deans, professors, and student representatives attended the event, underscoring broad stakeholder support.
Key Pillars of the Strategic Plan 2026–2030 include enhancing excellence in teaching and learning, advancing research and innovation, strengthening infrastructure and sustainability, promoting inclusivity, and deepening engagement with industry and government. Following the formal proceedings, guests participated in a networking breakfast and media engagement session.
Additional Quotes:
“Makerere University remains Uganda’s flagship institution. This Strategic Plan will further harness our intellectual capital to contribute meaningfully to the National Development Plan and Vision 2040.” — Hon. Henry Musasizi, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
“We are excited to embark on this new strategic journey. With the support of our dedicated staff, students, alumni, and partners, we will achieve even greater heights in the next five years.” — Prof. Nawangwe Barnabas, Vice Chancellor, Makerere University
Makerere University is Uganda’s oldest and largest public university, established in 1922. It is a world-class institution recognised for academic excellence, groundbreaking research, and cross-disciplinary innovation. With over 35,000 students and a strong alumni network, Makerere continues to shape leaders and solutions for Africa and beyond.
For more information, contact:
Ms. Eunice Rukundo, Deputy Chief, Public Relations