Makerere University’s Academic Registrar’s Department has released the proposed cut off points for Private Sponsorship admissions for the 2026/2027 academic year, giving thousands of self sponsored applicants a clearer picture of where they stand across the university’s Day, Evening, Afternoon, and outreach campus programmes in Jinja, Mbarara, Mbale, and Arua.
Unlike the Government National Merit Scholarship list, the Private Sponsorship scheme covers a much wider spread of programmes, including MUBS courses, external and evening options, and campuses beyond the main Kampala hill, making it the entry point for the largest share of admitted students each year.
Highest Cut Off Points
Health sciences programmes once again lead the pack under private sponsorship, though at notably lower points than the government scheme. Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MAM) tops the list at 52.9 for male applicants and 53.5 for female applicants.
Other programmes with the steepest competition this cycle include:
- Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS): 52.7 (Male), 52.4 (Female)
- Bachelor of Optometry (BPT): 52.5 (Male), 52.3 (Female)
- Bachelor of Pharmacy (PHA): 52.8 (Male), 52.4 (Female)
- Bachelor of Nursing Science (NUR): 52.3 (Male), 51.3 (Female)
- Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering (BBI): 50.9 (Male), 49.7 (Female)
- Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (VET): 50.0 (Male), 49.3 (Female)
- Bachelor of Biomedical Laboratory Technology (MLT): 50.0 (Male), 49.3 (Female)
- Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (CIV): 50.0 (Male), 47.2 (Female)
Notably, Bachelor of Laws (LAW and LAA) does not follow the standard weighted points system under private sponsorship. Instead, admission is pegged at 50 percent of the maximum obtainable aggregate, a distinct method reserved for the programme.
Lower Cut Off Points
At the opposite end, several evening and outreach programmes recorded the lowest cut off points on the list, reflecting lower demand at those specific campuses or study times. Bachelor of Business Administration (Evening) at MUBS (BBA) posted the lowest figure at 13.3, while Bachelor of Commerce (Evening) at MUBS (COB) followed closely at 8.8, and Bachelor of Arts in Economics (Evening) at MUBS (BEC) came in at 8.4.
Other comparatively accessible programmes include Bachelor of Business Administration (Evening) Mbarara-MUBS (BNM) at 9.6, Bachelor of Business Statistics (Evening) MUBS (BST) at 9.0, and Bachelor of Commerce (Jinja-MUBS) Evening (BJJ) at 10.8.
Among STEM programmes specifically, Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology (BCB) had the lowest cut off at 25.5 for both male and female applicants, while Bachelor of Science (Physical) Day (SCP) required only 16.0 (Male) and 17.1 (Female).
Notable Differences from the Government Scheme
Applicants comparing this list to the earlier released National Merit Scholarship cut off points will notice private sponsorship figures sit considerably lower across nearly every programme. This is expected, since private sponsorship draws from a much larger applicant pool competing for self sponsored slots rather than the limited government funded positions.
The list also includes several programmes not offered under government sponsorship at all, particularly MUBS evening and outreach options, Jinja and Mbarara campus variants, and specialised courses such as Bachelor of Chinese and Asian Studies, Bachelor of Youth Development Work, and Diploma in Performing Arts.
Private sponsorship applicants should weigh their weighted UACE points against the cut off for their specific programme and campus variant, keeping in mind that Day, Evening, and Afternoon options for the same course often carry very different cut off points. Candidates are encouraged to confirm their status directly with the Academic Registrar’s office, as private sponsorship intake often runs in phases depending on available capacity.
CampusBee will continue tracking updates on the 2026/2027 admissions cycle as the university releases further guidance.
