education 26 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Makerere and Kyambogo Lead Government Sponsorship Allocations for 2026/2027
Makerere University and Kyambogo University have secured the largest shares of the 4,000 government scholarships for the 2026/2027 academic year, with Makerere getting 1,672 slots despite a slight decline from the previous year. Male students dominate admissions in science programs, highlighting ongoing gender gaps in STEM fields. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/makerere-kyambogo-dominate-govt-sponsorships-5437580
The Ugandan government has allocated 4,000 sponsorship slots to public universities for the 2026/2027 academic year. Makerere University received the highest number at 1,672, followed by Kyambogo University with 750 and Makerere University Business School with 388.
Other institutions sharing the slots include Gulu University (235), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (205), and several others like Mountains of the Moon, Muni, Kabale, Lira, Soroti, and UNITE, each with 100 slots.
Makerere’s Academic Registrar, Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza, noted a minor drop from 1,732 slots last year, attributing it to the growth of public universities requiring a fairer distribution. Cutoff points remain stable and comparable to previous levels, reflecting improved student performance.
For instance, Bachelor of Business Administration at Makerere has a cutoff of 48.3 points, while Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering stands at 50.6 for males and 48.4 for females.
Admissions data reveals a gender imbalance, particularly in science courses. At Makerere, 79 males and 51 females were admitted to Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery out of 130 total. Similar trends appear at Mbarara (20 males, 15 females) and Busitema (7 males, 4 females).
This disparity underscores persistent gender gaps in STEM, where females represent less than a third of science researchers in Uganda, per UNESCO.
Provisional admission letters at Busitema University will be emailed starting April 30, 2026.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)