Masters, PhD, And Postgraduate Diploma Applications Now Open As University Extends Closing Date By One Month
If pursuing a postgraduate degree at Makerere University has been on your academic roadmap, the window is now open — and following an update issued on March 31, 2026, you have until Thursday, April 30, 2026 to submit your application.
The Academic Registrar of Makerere University has formally invited applications for admission to Graduate Programmes — covering Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters Degrees, and Doctoral Degree Programmes — for the 2026/2027 Academic Year. The deadline was extended from its original date, giving prospective applicants additional time to prepare their submissions.
Who Qualifies
To be eligible for consideration, applicants must hold at least a First or Second Class degree — or its equivalent — from a Chartered University at the time of completion. Applicants must also possess a Uganda Certificate of Education and a Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education, or their respective equivalents.
It is important to note that all graduate programmes at Makerere University are privately sponsored. There is no government sponsorship available for postgraduate programmes. Applicants who have secured sponsorship from an employer or external organisation must have their applications formally endorsed by their respective sponsors. The tuition fees listed for each programme exclude functional fees, accommodation, books, research costs, and other personal expenses — meaning applicants should budget for the full cost of postgraduate study, not just tuition.
How To Apply
The application process is conducted entirely online through Makerere University’s admissions portal. Here is the step-by-step procedure:
Step 1: Visit the Makerere University Admissions portal at https://apply.mak.ac.ug
Step 2: Sign up using your full name, email address, and mobile number. Your name on the portal must exactly match the name on your academic documents — any discrepancy will render your application invalid.
Step 3: A password will be sent to both your email and mobile number. You will then be prompted to change it to one you can easily remember.
Step 4: Click the APPLY NOW button if you are a first-time applicant, or the MY PORTAL button if you are renewing a previous application. Select the appropriate scheme — either Taught PhDs, Masters and Postgraduate Diplomas, or PhD by Research.
Step 5: Complete all sections of the application form. Incomplete forms will not be considered.
Step 6: Scan and upload all academic transcripts, certificates, and a passport photograph directly onto the system.
Step 7: Download the referee’s letter of recommendation template from https://dgt.mak.ac.ug/resources/referees-letter-of-recommendation-for-admission-to-a-graduate-programme/ — have it filled, scanned, and uploaded as part of your application.
Step 8: Generate a Payment Reference Number (PRN) by clicking the Pay for Form button on the portal.
Step 9: Pay the application fee at any URA-designated bank using the following details — Account Name: Uganda Revenue Authority Collections, Account Number: 003410158000002. The fee is UGX 50,000 for East African applicants and UGX 151,500 for international applicants. International applicants may also transfer payment via EFT or other means in Uganda Shillings to the designated URA collection account at Bank of Uganda — Swift Code: UGBAUGKAU.
Step 10: Submit before the deadline of Thursday, April 30, 2026.
Special Requirements For LLM And MBA Applicants
Two programmes carry additional admission requirements beyond the standard application process.
All applicants for the Master of Laws (LLM) will be required to sit a Graduate Admission Test (GAT) consisting of both an oral interview and a written test. Dates and further requirements will be communicated by the School of Law directly.
All applicants for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) — whether through the College of Business and Management Sciences or Makerere University Business School — will be required to sit a GMAT test. Dates will be communicated separately by the respective colleges.
If you are applying for either of these programmes, factor the additional test requirement into your preparation timeline.
Available Programmes And Fees
The full list of available postgraduate programmes — including the specific tuition fees applicable to each — is contained in the official programme advert document available for download on the Makerere University postgraduate admissions website at https://dgt.mak.ac.ug. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to review this document carefully before submitting their applications, to confirm both programme availability and the full cost of study.
Why This Matters
With Uganda’s National Development Plan IV identifying postgraduate education — particularly at master’s and PhD level — as critical to driving national economic development, the timing of this admissions cycle is significant. Makerere University has also committed to doubling its postgraduate student population from approximately 5,000 to 10,000 by 2030, meaning the institution is actively expanding its capacity to accommodate more postgraduate students than at any previous point in its history.
For professionals looking to advance their careers, recent graduates considering academic or research pathways, and Ugandans seeking to position themselves in high-demand sectors identified by the government’s human resource forecast, a Makerere postgraduate qualification remains one of the most credible and widely recognised credentials available in the region.
The portal is open. The deadline is April 30. Apply.
