The University of Calabar has announced the temporary suspension of admission into three health-related courses for the 2026/2027 academic session. According to information released by the school management, new admissions will not be offered for Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, and Medical Laboratory Science this session. The development affects thousands of prospective students who had listed the courses as their first choice in JAMB and were expecting to apply to UNICAL.

Why UNICAL Suspended Admission for These Courses  

The university has not published a full statement with all details, but based on common practice in Nigerian universities and regulatory requirements, the suspension is likely tied to the following:

1. Accreditation requirements: Regulatory bodies such as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and other councils require universities to meet standards for facilities, staffing, and student-lecturer ratio before admitting new students.

2. Facility and infrastructure upgrade: The university may need time to upgrade laboratories, lecture theatres, and teaching hospital facilities used for training.

3. Staffing: Like many federal institutions, UNICAL has also been affected by the migration of lecturers and clinical staff. The break will allow the school to address staffing gaps.

The management is expected to use this period to work toward meeting the requirements so that admission can resume in subsequent sessions.

What This Means for 2026/2027 Aspirants  

If you were planning to apply to UNICAL for MBBS, Dentistry, or MLS, take note of the following:

• No admission forms will be sold for these three courses for the 2026/2027 session.  
• Other courses in the College of Medical Sciences and other faculties may still be available. Check the UNICAL portal for the approved list.  
• Students who are already in 100 level to 600 level in these departments are not affected. The suspension applies only to new admissions.  
• For now, the suspension is stated for one academic session, but resumption will depend on accreditation and review outcomes.

Options for Affected Aspirants  

1. Consider other universities: Several federal and state universities still offer MBBS, Dentistry, and MLS. You can do a JAMB change of institution to any of them once the portal opens.  

2. Consider related courses in UNICAL: Courses such as Anatomy, Physiology, Nursing, and Public Health may still be available. You can also check if internal transfer policies will allow a switch later.  

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3. Wait for the next session: Continue to monitor the official UNICAL website and JAMB CAPS for updates on when admission will reopen for these courses.

Advice to Applicants  

Avoid paying anyone who promises special admission. Only follow information from the UNICAL official website and JAMB.  

Prepare your documents early in case you decide to apply to another school.  

Keep checking for updates because the situation may change after accreditation reviews.

Conclusion  

The suspension of admission into Medicine, Dentistry, and Medical Laboratory Science at UNICAL for 2026/2027 is disappointing for many aspirants, but it also shows the university’s effort to maintain training standards.  

Prospective students are advised to stay informed, consider alternatives, and avoid misinformation. We will update this post as soon as the university releases new information on when admission will resume.

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Are you affected by this suspension?  

Which alternative school or course are you considering?  

Drop your comments below and we will respond.