The Catholic University of Central Africa (Université Catholique d’Afrique Centrale, UCAC) is a private Catholic university whose main campus is at Nkolbisson in Yaoundé. It was founded in July 1989 by the Association of Episcopal Conferences of the Central African Region (ACERAC), and teaching began on 30 September 1991.[1] It operates under the authority of the Holy See, and its diplomas are recognised in Cameroon by right.[1]
UCAC publishes annual tuition: in the 2025/26 documents on its admissions page, a bachelor’s costs 1,139,190 FCFA in Social Sciences and Management and Legal and Political Sciences, 889,190 FCFA in Philosophy; new students also pay a non-refundable registration fee of 239,190 FCFA.[2] We could not confirm a QS World University Rankings 2027 place; UCAC is not in QS Sub-Saharan Africa 2026.[3]
Key facts
| Official name | Université Catholique d’Afrique Centrale (UCAC)[4] |
| Location | Nkolbisson, Yaoundé, Cameroon (BP 11628); further campuses at Ekounou and Messa in Yaoundé[5] |
| Type | Private, Roman Catholic university under the authority of the Holy See[1] |
| Founded | July 1989 by the Association of Episcopal Conferences of the Central African Region (ACERAC); teaching began on 30 September 1991 at Nkolbisson[1] |
| Legal status | A 1989 seat agreement between Cameroon and the Holy See gives it international status; its diplomas are recognised in Cameroon by right[1] |
| Faculties | Social Sciences and Management; Legal and Political Sciences; Theology; Philosophy[4] |
| Other units | Department of Canon Law; School of Health Sciences; UCAC-ICAM Institute (engineering school); Higher Institute of Agronomy[4] |
| Campuses (older figure) | Five: Nkolbisson, Ekounou and Messa (Yaoundé), Douala and Pointe-Noire (Congo)[5] |
| Students (older figure) | 2,067 on the Ekounou and Nkolbisson campuses in 2013/14, from 28 nationalities in 2012/13[5] |
| Opening enrolment | 111 students in 1991, according to Wikipedia[6] |
| Graduates | About 10,000 since creation (undated figure)[5] |
| Registration fee, new students (2025/26) | 239,190 FCFA, non-refundable[2] |
| Annual tuition, bachelor’s (2025/26) | 1,139,190 FCFA (Social Sciences and Management; Legal and Political Sciences); 889,190 FCFA (Philosophy)[2] |
| QS Sub-Saharan Africa 2026 | Not among the 69 ranked institutions; QS World University Rankings 2027 could not be confirmed[3] |
| Official website | ucac-icy.net |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 10 November 2026.
About the Catholic University of Central Africa
UCAC traces the idea of a Catholic university for Central Africa to Cameroonian intellectuals in 1960; Pope John Paul II took it up in 1985. ACERAC, whose members are Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Chad, founded the university in July 1989. Teaching began on 30 September 1991 at Nkolbisson, and the School of Nursing joined in 1992. Canon Law (1993) and Philosophy (1994) followed, and management programmes began at Ekounou in October 1996.[1] Wikipedia lists a 1989 founding and a 1991 opening with 111 students.[6]
The university’s motto is “Au service de la Vérité et de la Justice”. It calls itself a sub-regional higher-education institution.[1]
How is the Catholic University of Central Africa ranked?
UCAC is not among the 69 institutions in QS’s inaugural Sub-Saharan Africa ranking (published 12 February 2026); the ranked Cameroonian universities are Dschang (40th), Buea and Douala (both 51+).[3] We found no source naming UCAC in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published 18 June 2026), so a position there could not be confirmed. uniRank has no page for UCAC that we could open. Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at UCAC?
The home page lists:[4]
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Management
- Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences
- Faculty of Theology
- Faculty of Philosophy
- Department of Canon Law
- School of Health Sciences (own website)
- UCAC-ICAM Institute, an engineering school with its own website
- Higher Institute of Agronomy
- Continuing education
An older statistics page counts 31 training programmes within the Catholic Institute of Yaoundé and three faculties, before the legal faculty was added.[5] Wikipedia lists a School of Engineering and Technology and a School of Health Sciences among the units.[6] The fee table includes bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral cycles.[2]
How much does UCAC cost?
| Faculty | Bachelor’s | Master’s | Doctorate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences and Management; Legal and Political Sciences | 1,139,190 | 1,439,190 | 1,608,500 |
| Philosophy | 889,190 | 989,190 | Not listed |
| Theology | Misprint on the page | 938,190 | 1,108,500 |
| Canon Law (department) | Misprint on the page | 938,190 | Not listed |
Amounts are annual tuition in FCFA from the fee documents on UCAC’s admissions page, which are filed for 2025/26. The Theology and Canon Law bachelor’s figure is printed as “839 1900” on the page, which looks like a typo for 839,190; we do not rely on it.[2]
Registration and extras
New students pay a non-refundable registration fee of 239,190 FCFA, which includes insurance (29,890), student associations (5,000), a compulsory medical visit (4,000) and internal regulations (300). Students who already hold an individual insurance certificate for the year are exempt from the insurance after presenting it. Continuing students pay 238,390, and their first tuition instalment is 250,000 and includes registration.[2] Payment is by bank or transfer and is validated at the cashier at Nkolbisson or Ekounou, depending on your campus.[2] The page does not say whether the tuition amounts already include the registration fee for new students, so confirm with the university. For living costs see our Cameroon guide.
How do you apply to UCAC?
New students obtain the registration form from their faculty secretariat or download it, have it approved by the head of the faculty and submit it to the Secrétariat des Affaires Universitaires (SAU) with proof of payment.[2] Documents for new students are the form validated at the cashier, three passport-style photos (4×4), the original bank receipt plus two photocopies, a certified copy of the birth certificate, a certified copy of the Baccalauréat or equivalent, and, for mid-programme entrants, certified diplomas and transcripts.[2] The admissions page links to entrance competitions and results but does not set out the competition requirements.[2]
Foreign students on exchange programmes who come from a country with a Cameroonian diplomatic mission get a registration certificate from their faculty or the student office (S.O.U.S.) and apply at the Cameroonian embassy. If there is no mission, they send a passport copy and a flight reservation to chefsous@ucac-icy.net.[2] We give no deadlines because they change every year.
Which language do you need?
The admissions page states no language requirement or test, and the registration procedure is available in French and English.[2] The university’s website is mainly in French with an English option.[4] The pages do not name the language of instruction, so ask the faculty before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Catholic University of Central Africa a private university?
Yes. It is a private Catholic university under the authority of the Holy See, and its diplomas are recognised in Cameroon by right.[1]
How much does UCAC cost per year?
The 2025/26 documents list a bachelor’s at 1,139,190 FCFA in Social Sciences and Management and Legal and Political Sciences and 889,190 FCFA in Philosophy, plus a registration fee of 239,190 FCFA for new students.[2]
What is the difference between UCAC and UCAC-ICAM?
UCAC-ICAM is an engineering school linked to UCAC with campuses in Douala and Pointe-Noire and its own admissions competition.[7]
When was UCAC founded?
ACERAC founded it in July 1989; teaching began on 30 September 1991.[1]
Is UCAC ranked?
It is not in QS Sub-Saharan Africa 2026, and a QS World University Rankings 2027 place could not be confirmed.[3]
More about studying in Cameroon
- Cameroon: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Cameroon
Sources
[1] UCAC: L’Université (history and status) (page without a date)
[2] UCAC: Admissions et inscriptions (page without a date; fee documents filed for 2025/26)
[3] xuanxiao.org: QS Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings 2026 (aggregator of the QS list, pages 1 and 2 of 69 entries; QS itself blocks automated access) (QS edition published 12 Feb 2026)
[4] UCAC: official website (Université Catholique d’Afrique Centrale) (page without a year; news items up to 10 Nov 2026)
[5] UCAC: Quelques chiffres de l’UCAC (page without a date; the latest dated figure is for 2013/14, so the numbers are out of date)
[6] Wikipedia: Catholic University of Central Africa (page last edited 16 Jun 2026)
[7] Institut UCAC-ICAM: official website (page without a date; 2026/27 intake listed)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.