University in Nigeria
Iwo, Osun State
University profile
Bowen University is a private Christian university in Iwo, Osun State, owned by the Nigerian Baptist Convention. Approved by the Federal Government on 17 July 2001 and licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC), it is one of Nigeria's older private universities and the first Baptist university in the country. Its stated mission is to provide morally sound, socially relevant education most cost-effectively, and its core values are given as Godliness, Excellence, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Social Responsibility.
Teaching is organised through a modified collegiate system, which replaced the earlier faculty structure in 2019. The colleges are Agriculture, Engineering and Science (COAES), Management and Social Sciences (COMSS), Computing Studies (COCS), Health Sciences (COHES), Law (COLAW), Environmental Sciences (COEVS), Liberal Studies (COLBS) and Postgraduate Studies. The university offers over 43 undergraduate and 34 postgraduate degree programmes, as well as distance learning and a JUPEB advanced-level programme started in 2013.
Programmes span Biochemistry, Microbiology, Food Science and Mechatronics Engineering (COAES); Medicine and Surgery, Nursing Science and Physiotherapy (COHES); Accounting and Finance, Economics and Mass Communication (COMSS); Computer Science and Cyber Security (COCS); Architecture (COEVS); and English, Music and Theatre Arts (COLBS). Bowen was the first private university in Nigeria to offer Physiotherapy and the Doctor of Physiotherapy.
The campus hosts the VT-NigerBEAR radar (Virginia Tech-Nigerian Bowen Equatorial Aeronomy Radar), the 36th SuperDARN high-frequency radar in the world and the first deployed around the equator, which studies the Earth's upper atmosphere. Research centres include the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Vocational Studies, the Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, the Centre for Atmospheric Research and the Centre for Environmental Studies.
Student life is built around the Christian ethos, with a university worship centre, chaplaincy, Baptist Students' Fellowship, an elected Students' Representative Council and a Directorate of Student Support Services (located in the Senate Building basement). Sports facilities include a football pitch, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, a gymnasium and an athletics track. All registered undergraduates are accommodated in halls of residence, and living on campus is compulsory for undergraduates. Students are allocated rooms by the Student Affairs Unit and bring their own bedding. Meals are taken at approved cafeterias on a pay-as-you-eat basis.
Foreign students resident in Nigeria pay school fees 10% higher than the standard rate, and those living outside Nigeria pay 15% higher. The Law programme is accredited by the Nigerian Bar Association and Accounting by ICAN, and the university reports a student population of over 6,400 and a staff strength of over 1,000 as of April 2026.
Bowen offers rebates and scholarships to eligible students within the university. Enquiries on eligibility can be made to the Admissions Office on +234 (0)700 002 6936. See How to apply and Tuition fees.
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View scholarships for Bowen University, Iwo →Applicants must sit the current UTME and choose Bowen as first-choice institution, and score at least the programme cut-off. They need credits in at least five subjects at WAEC, GCE or NECO, including English and four other subjects specified by each college, obtained at not more than two sittings. For Medicine and Surgery, Nursing Science and Physiotherapy, the five credits (including Mathematics and English) must be obtained at one sitting. Candidates awaiting results may apply.
An online post-UTME is held from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday to Friday each week. After the application is submitted and paid for, a link to past questions and to the exam is emailed to the candidate. Scores are shown immediately and candidates who meet the requirements are offered admission. Some programmes, such as Law (Law Aptitude Test) and Medicine (Medical Screening Test), require additional tests or interviews.
Bowen has run the JUPEB advanced-level programme since 2013. Direct Entry and transfer students pay fees under the 100-level payment plan.
Applications for 2026/2027 are made online at ugadmissions.bowen.edu.ng/register, where the application form is purchased; no other sales outlets exist. A non-refundable application fee of N2,000 applies. Documents are scanned and uploaded online.
Foreign students living in Nigeria pay fees 10% higher than the standard rate, and those living outside Nigeria 15% higher.
For 2026/2027, 100-level students pay 50% of Category A fees (and Categories B and C in full) at the start of the session, then 20% before first-semester exams, 20% at the start of the second semester and 10% before second-semester exams. Levels 200-500 pay 40%, 10%, 30% and 20% at the same points. MB;BS clinical years pay in three equal instalments. Late course registration after three weeks attracts a 5% penalty on outstanding fees plus N15,000. Fees are not refunded.
Iwo campus, Osun State: the main and only campus listed, located in Iwo town. It houses the eight colleges, the Senate Building, halls of residence for undergraduates, the Timothy Olagbemiro Library, a worship centre, sports facilities (football pitch, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, gymnasium, athletics track), the VT-NigerBEAR radar and a teaching hospital used for clinical training in Medicine.
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