Makerere University has released its admission lists for the academic year set to commence in August, amid rising concern over the growing number of high-performing students missing out on government-sponsored placements.
The release follows a recent meeting of the Admissions Board, which deliberated on the selection of candidates for this year’s highly competitive intake.
According to the official cut-off points, a significant number of applicants were left out, underscoring the intensifying competition for limited government-funded slots.
Programmes such as Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Bachelor of Nursing Science, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology, Bachelor of Cytotechnology, Bachelor of Architecture, and Bachelor of Science in Forestry emerged among the most competitive, with cut-off points exceeding 52.
This comes despite strong performances in the latest Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations, where many candidates attained top grades.
Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, the Academic Registrar at Makerere University, said that for highly sought-after programmes such as the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, attaining AAA or 20 points at A-Level is no longer sufficient to secure admission.
He explained that successful candidates are increasingly distinguished by exceptional O-Level performance, often with aggregates as low as 9 in 9.
“The official lists for government-sponsored admissions have now been published. We appreciate the patience and understanding of applicants during this highly competitive process,” he said.
It is understood that cut-off points for most professional programmes are becoming increasingly similar across public universities, reflecting the intense competition for a limited number of places.
