The University of Douala (Université de Douala, UDla) is a public university in Cameroon’s economic capital. It was created by presidential decree No. 93/030 of 19 January 1993 and inherited the Centre universitaire de Douala, founded on 28 April 1977.[1] It has five faculties plus the polytechnic, teacher-training, commerce, fine-arts, fisheries and technology schools and institutes.[1]
The university says it has trained more than 20,000 students.[2] Wikipedia gives “around 40,000”, and uniRank gives 8,000–8,999, so the size is not settled.[3][4] In QS Sub-Saharan Africa 2026 it sits in the 51+ band.[5] The pages we read do not publish tuition amounts.
Key facts
| Official name | Université de Douala (UDla)[1] |
| Location | Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon (address given as Ange Raphaël, BP 2701)[2] |
| Type | Public university[3] |
| Created | Presidential decree No. 93/030 of 19 January 1993, together with the other state universities[1] |
| Predecessor | Centre universitaire de Douala, founded 28 April 1977 (with ESSEC from 1977 and ENSET from 1979); made a university by decree No. 92/74 of 13 April 1992, according to the site[1] |
| Faculties | Sciences (FS); Arts and Human Sciences (FLSH); Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FMSP); Legal and Political Sciences (FSJP); Economics and Applied Management (FSEGA)[1] |
| Schools and institutes | National Advanced Polytechnic School (ENSPD); Higher Teacher Training College for Technical Education (ENSET); Higher School of Economics and Commerce (ESSEC); Institute of Fine Arts (IBA); Institute of Fisheries Sciences (ISH); University Institute of Technology (IUT)[1] |
| Students | “20,000+ students trained” (university); around 40,000 (Wikipedia); 8,000–8,999 (uniRank). The sources do not agree[2] |
| Teaching staff | More than 500 teachers and more than 300 agrégé professors (university); 200–299 academic staff (uniRank)[2] |
| Programmes | The site claims “900+” professional programmes; the pages do not list them[2] |
| QS Sub-Saharan Africa 2026 | 51+ band (of 69 ranked institutions)[5] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Could not be confirmed[5] |
| Language | Bilingual practice is a stated mission; the language of instruction is not specified[1] |
| Official website | univ-douala.cm |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 10 November 2026.
About the University of Douala
According to its website, the University of Douala was created by decree No. 93/030 of 19 January 1993, in the same reform that created Cameroon’s other state universities. It inherited the Centre universitaire de Douala (28 April 1977), which already included the Higher School of Economics and Commerce (ESSEC, 1977) and the Higher Teacher Training College for Technical Education (ENSET, 1979).[1] The site also records a transformation of the centre into a university on 13 April 1992 (decree No. 92/74).[1] Wikipedia says the current structure dates from 1993 and counts five faculties, four institutes and three professional schools; the university’s own site lists five faculties and six schools and institutes.[3][1]
The website states these missions: transmitting knowledge, research, access to higher education, social and cultural contribution and the development of bilingual practice.[1] Contact details on the site: Ange Raphaël, BP 2701, Douala; office hours Monday to Friday, 7:30 to 15:30.[2]
How is the University of Douala ranked?
In QS’s inaugural Sub-Saharan Africa ranking (published 12 February 2026, 69 institutions), the University of Douala is listed in the 51+ band, as is the University of Buea. The University of Dschang is 40th. Business Ghana’s report counts three ranked Cameroonian universities.[5][6] We found no source naming the University of Douala in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published 18 June 2026), so its position there could not be confirmed.
A July 2026 opinion article says none of Cameroon’s eleven state universities appeared in the U.S. News Best Global Universities 2026–2027 list of 2,250 institutions.[7] uniRank places the University of Douala 5th in Cameroon and 9,684th in the world, using its own web-based method.[4] The university’s own site says it ranks among the best in Cameroon but names no source.[1] Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at the University of Douala?
The university lists five faculties:[1]
- Faculty of Sciences (FS)
- Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences (FLSH)
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FMSP)
- Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences (FSJP)
- Faculty of Economics and Applied Management (FSEGA)
It also lists the National Advanced Polytechnic School (ENSPD), the Higher Teacher Training College for Technical Education (ENSET), ESSEC, the Institute of Fine Arts (IBA), the Institute of Fisheries Sciences (ISH) and the University Institute of Technology (IUT). Each has its own website, and an online-courses platform (Académie Internet) is linked.[1] Programmes at ISH, ENSPD, ESSEC and the IUT are entered by competitive examination.[8] uniRank marks pre-bachelor, bachelor, master and doctoral levels, but the matrix is unclear.[4]
How much does the University of Douala cost?
The pages we read give no tuition or registration amounts: the university’s presentation page has no fee information, and its competition page lists dates and venues but no fees.[2][8] uniRank also reports no fees.[4] Foreign-student rates are not mentioned.
The national framework is set by decree. In January 2023 Cameroon’s Ministry of Higher Education denied a rumour that fees would rise from 50,000 FCFA to 300,000 FCFA per student and year, and said fees are fixed by decree No. 1993/033 of 19 January 1993.[9] That article describes the rumour, so treat 50,000 FCFA as a press-reported baseline, not a confirmed fee for Douala. Ask the faculty’s registrar for the current amount. For general living costs see our Cameroon guide.
How do you apply to the University of Douala?
There are two routes.
- Competitive entry: ISH, ENSPD, ESSEC and the IUT recruit by entrance examination. The university’s competition page lists the exams of 2024 by name and venue, which are out of date, so check the current notice.[8]
- Faculty pre-registration: the home page links to an online pre-registration portal (SYSTHAG-ONLINE) and says that doctoral-cycle selections and pre-registration for 2026/27 are open.[1]
The pages do not list requirements for foreign applicants. State universities in Cameroon generally require a Baccalauréat, a GCE Advanced Level or an equivalent diploma.[10] Contact: infos.udla@univ-douala.com or +237 233 40 11 28.[2] We give no deadlines because they change every year.
Which language do you need?
The university names the development of bilingual practice (French and English) among its missions but does not state the language of instruction or ask for a language test on the pages we read.[1] The website itself is in French. Ask your faculty which language each programme uses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the University of Douala free?
When was the University of Douala founded?
It was created by decree No. 93/030 of 19 January 1993. It inherited the Centre universitaire de Douala, founded on 28 April 1977.[1]
How many students does the University of Douala have?
How is the University of Douala ranked?
It is in the 51+ band of the QS Sub-Saharan Africa 2026 ranking.[5] A QS World University Rankings 2027 position could not be confirmed.
Which programmes admit by entrance exam?
ISH, ENSPD, ESSEC and the IUT list competitive entrance exams.[8]
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] University of Douala: official website (page without a date; 2026/27 doctoral selections listed)
[2] University of Douala: À propos (page without a date; copyright 2024)
[3] Wikipedia: University of Douala (page last edited 17 Jun 2026)
[4] uniRank: University of Douala (aggregator; enrolment and staff are ranges, fees not reported)
[5] 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)
[6] Business Ghana: New ranking celebrates breadth and diversity of African higher education ecosystem (QS Sub-Saharan Africa 2026) (QS ranking released 12 Feb 2026)
[7] AllAfrica / Camer.be: Cameroun: aucune université dans le top 2250 mondial (U.S. News Best Global Universities 2026–2027) (opinion article dated 9 Jul 2026)
[8] University of Douala: Concours (lists 2024 exams; copyright 2024)
[9] Journal du Cameroun: Cameroun: démenti, les droits universitaires n’augmentent pas (article dated 4 Jan 2023; the ministry’s fee figure was not legible in our copy)
[10] Union des Français de l’étranger (UFE): Étudier au Cameroun (page without a date)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.