The University of Yaoundé I (Université de Yaoundé I, UY1) is a public university in Cameroon’s capital. Its own website says it was founded in 1962; it traces its roots to the Federal University of Cameroon and has existed as a separate “Yaoundé I” since a reform in 1993.[1] It has four faculties, a teacher-training school, a polytechnic school, a doctoral school and a wood-technology institute.[2]
For 2026/27 the university charges a pre-registration fee of 10,000 FCFA.[3] It does not publish the amount of its annual university fees on the pages we could read; the fee notice for second- and third-year licence and first-year master students is an image file.[4] We could not confirm a place in the QS World University Rankings 2027, and the university is not in the QS Sub-Saharan Africa 2026 list of 69 institutions.[5]
Key facts
| Official name | Université de Yaoundé I (UY1)[6] |
| Location | Yaoundé, Centre Region, Cameroon (main campus at Ngoa-Ekélé)[7] |
| Postal address | BP 337, Yaoundé[8] |
| Type | Public university[7] |
| Founded | 1962 as the Federal University of Cameroon (the university’s own account); renamed University of Yaoundé in 1973; split into Yaoundé I and Yaoundé II by a 1993 reform[1] |
| Legal basis of Yaoundé I | Decree No. 93/026 of 19 January 1993, according to Wikipedia[7] |
| Faculties | Sciences; Arts, Letters and Human Sciences (FALSH); Education Sciences; Medicine and Biomedical Sciences[2] |
| Schools and institutes | Higher Teacher Training College (ENS); National Advanced School of Engineering (ENSPY); Doctoral School; University Institute of Wood Technology (IUT-Bois)[2] |
| Students | Thousands per year; the university gives no exact figure. uniRank lists a range of 10,000–14,999[8] |
| Academic staff | 700–799 (uniRank range)[8] |
| Degree levels | Pre-bachelor, bachelor, master and doctoral (uniRank)[8] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Could not be confirmed[5] |
| Pre-registration 2026/27 | 10,000 FCFA; medical visit 5,000 FCFA (new students of the grandes écoles) or 3,000 FCFA (returning students)[3] |
| Entry qualifications accepted | Baccalauréat from the Cameroon Baccalaureate Office (or recognised equivalent) and GCE from the GCE Board (or recognised equivalent); technician certificates (Brevet de Technicien) are not accepted[3] |
| Official website | uy1.uninet.cm |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 10 November 2026.
About the University of Yaoundé I
The University of Yaoundé I describes itself as rooted in the first higher-education institution of Cameroon, created in 1962 as the Federal University of Cameroon. In 1973 it became the University of Yaoundé, and a reform in 1993 divided it into Yaoundé I (fundamental, technical and medical sciences) and Yaoundé II (law, economics and political science).[1] Wikipedia, by contrast, gives 1993 as the founding year of Yaoundé I, citing the decree of 19 January 1993.[7] The two dates describe the same institution at different stages: 1962 for the original university and 1993 for the current Yaoundé I.
The university lists four faculties (Sciences; Arts, Letters and Human Sciences; Education Sciences; Medicine and Biomedical Sciences), the Higher Teacher Training College, the National Advanced School of Engineering, a Doctoral School and the University Institute of Wood Technology.[2] It also lists a central library, laboratories and research centres, student housing and a medical-social centre.[1]
How is the University of Yaoundé I ranked?
QS: QS published its World University Rankings 2027 on 18 June 2026. We found no source naming the University of Yaoundé I in that edition, so its position could not be confirmed. In QS’s separate Sub-Saharan Africa 2026 ranking (published 12 February 2026, 69 institutions) the Cameroonian entries are the University of Dschang (40th) and the universities of Buea and Douala (both in the 51+ band); Yaoundé I is not among them.[5] Business Ghana’s report on the ranking likewise counts three ranked Cameroonian universities.[9]
U.S. News: a July 2026 opinion article reports that none of Cameroon’s eleven state universities, Yaoundé I among those named, made the U.S. News Best Global Universities 2026–2027 list of 2,250 institutions.[10]
uniRank: this aggregator places the university 9th in Cameroon and 10,517th in the world. uniRank applies its own web-based method, so the figure is not comparable with QS.[8] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at the University of Yaoundé I?
The university lists these teaching units:[2]
- Faculty of Sciences
- Faculty of Arts, Letters and Human Sciences (FALSH)
- Faculty of Education Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMSB)
- Higher Teacher Training College (ENS)
- National Advanced School of Engineering (ENSPY)
- Doctoral School for doctoral research
- University Institute of Wood Technology (IUT-Bois)
The 2026/27 pre-registration page covers licence years 1 to 3 and master 1; doctoral schools are listed separately.[3] The university’s pages do not give a programme count. uniRank marks pre-bachelor, bachelor, master and doctoral levels as offered.[8]
How much does the University of Yaoundé I cost?
| Item (2026/27) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pre-registration fee | 10,000 FCFA |
| Medical visit, new students of FMSB, ENS, ENSPY and IUT-Bois | 5,000 FCFA |
| Medical visit, all returning students | 3,000 FCFA |
These are the charges named on the university’s pre-registration page.[3] The annual university fees for licence 2, licence 3 and master 1 are covered by a communiqué dated 7 August 2026, but its content is published as images, and we could not read the amounts.[4] The page also does not say whether foreign students pay a different rate.
What the national framework says
In January 2023 Cameroon’s Ministry of Higher Education denied a rumour that university fees would rise from 50,000 FCFA to 300,000 FCFA per student and year. It stated that fees are set by decree (No. 1993/033 of 19 January 1993, amending a 1979 decree).[11] That report describes the rumour, so treat 50,000 FCFA as a press-reported baseline, not as a confirmed 2026/27 fee for this university. Ask the university for the current scale. For living costs in Cameroon, see our Cameroon guide.
How do you apply to the University of Yaoundé I?
Applications run through the online pre-registration portal.[3] The steps for 2026/27 are:
- Read the information and choose your faculty or school.
- Pay the pre-registration fee.
- Complete and validate the online form, then print the sheet that carries your unique identifier.
- Bring the paper file to the chosen faculty on your appointment day and validate it in the computer room indicated on site.
The paper file includes the payment receipt, two copies of the pre-registration sheet, certified copies of your Baccalauréat (or GCE Advanced Level) transcript, your Probatoire (or GCE Ordinary Level) and your birth certificate, plus four colour photos (4×4). The Faculty of Education Sciences also asks for a certified copy of a licence degree or equivalent.[3]
The page has no separate conditions for foreign applicants. For cases it does not cover, it points to preinscriptions@univ-yaounde1.cm.[3] The Union des Français de l’étranger (UFE) notes that Cameroonian state universities admit on the study of your file and require a Baccalauréat, a GCE Advanced Level or an equivalent diploma.[12] We give no dates here because they change every year. Check the current calendar on the portal.
Which language do you need?
The university’s pages do not state a language of instruction or ask for a language test. The pre-registration page accepts both the French-system Baccalauréat and the English-system GCE, and the university website is available in French and English.[3][6] Wikipedia lists French and English as the university’s languages.[7] In practice, ask your faculty which language each programme uses before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the University of Yaoundé I free?
What is the difference between Yaoundé I and Yaoundé II?
They are two separate state universities created by the 1993 reform. Yaoundé I covers fundamental, technical and medical sciences; Yaoundé II covers law, economics and political science.[1]
Can international students apply to the University of Yaoundé I?
Do I need to speak French to study at the University of Yaoundé I?
The university does not state a language requirement. Both Baccalauréat and GCE holders are accepted for pre-registration.[3] Confirm the teaching language with your faculty.
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 Yaoundé I: Histoire et Mission (page without a date)
[2] University of Yaoundé I: Facultés, grandes écoles et instituts (page without a date)
[3] University of Yaoundé I: Pré-inscription 2026-2027 (page without a date; covers the 2026/27 intake)
[4] University of Yaoundé I: communiqué on pre-registration and university fees, licence 2, licence 3 and master 1 (published 7 Aug 2026; the notice is an image, amounts not readable in text)
[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; a QS World University Rankings 2027 entry could not be confirmed)
[6] University of Yaoundé I: official website (page without a date; news items up to 2 Nov 2026)
[7] Wikipedia: University of Yaoundé I (page last edited 22 Jul 2026; used for the 1993 decree, location and languages)
[8] uniRank: Université de Yaoundé I (aggregator, uniRank 2005–2026; enrolment and staff are ranges, fees not reported)
[9] Business Ghana: New ranking celebrates breadth and diversity of African higher education ecosystem (QS Sub-Saharan Africa 2026) (QS ranking released 12 Feb 2026)
[10] 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)
[11] 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)
[12] 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.