Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Nelson Mandela University

Programme overview

The purpose of Nelson Mandela University’s MBChB programme will be to train caring, competent and committed medical doctors who will work as members of inter-professional teams, to practice primary health care in holistic, culturally sensitive and comprehensive ways. The programme will focus on training students to provide preventive, promotive, therapeutic and rehabilitative health services and will develop medical doctors who are able and willing to serve and improve the health of individuals, families and communities in urban, peri-urban and rural areas of the Eastern Cape in particular, and South Africa as a whole. To be allowed to register as a doctor (medical practitioner), a student must obtain the MBChB degree, followed by a two-year internship, and one year of community service.

Faculty: Health Sciences | Duration: 6 years | Study mode: full-time | Location: Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa

What you will study

To train caring, competent, and committed medical doctors who will work as members of inter- professional teams, to practice primary health care in holistic, culturally sensitive, and comprehensive ways. The published curriculum is an NQF Level 8 qualification of 930 credits.

Career pathways

Career fields listed on the page: Medical Practitioner.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Minimum APS: 430. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS · Minimum NSC statutory requirements for degree entry must be met. · An applicant with NSC Grade 12 Mathematics requires a minimum Applicant Score of 430. · NSC achievement rating of at least 60% for English (home language or first additional language). · NSC achievement rating of at least 60% for Mathematics. · NSC achievement rating of at least 60% for Physical Sciences. · NSC achievement rating of at least 60% for Life Science. SELECTION PROCEDURE · Closing date for new applicants is 30 June of each year. · Compliance with the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the Medical programme due to limited spaces.Applicants will be admitted as per MBChB Admission Guidelines · Only a limited number of students are selected annually for the first year of study of MBChB. Selection guidelines that consider academic and non-academic merit are approved annually by the Medical Programme Selection Committee. · Places are limited and admission is subject to the Medical Selection Committee processes.

Tuition is charged per module, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Applications for the 2027 academic year opened on 13 April 2026. Applications for MBChB, Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing Extended, BPharm and Bachelor of Radiography (Diagnostic) close on 30 June 2026.

Early applications for 2027 (excluding MBChB, Nursing, BPharm and BRad) close on 03 August 2026; late applications close on 30 September 2026.

International student applications for 2027 (excluding MBChB, BPharm and BRad) close on 30 September 2026. The application fee for international students is R500 per year; online applications by South African applicants carry no application fee.

Student accommodation applications for 2027 close on 30 September 2026.

2026 down-payments before registration: R10 600 full-time (R6 200 part-time) for degrees, postgraduate diplomas, advanced diplomas, Masters and Doctorates; R7 500 full-time (R5 200 part-time) for diplomas and certificates; enrolment fee R1 770. International students pay 100% upfront.

Apply through the official page: https://applyonline.mandela.ac.za

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