University of Yaoundé I
The University of Yaoundé I is, by lineage, Cameroon's oldest university: it was born in 1993 when the University of Yaoundé was split in two, itself the successor of the federal university opened in 1962. Set on Ngoa-Ekellé hill in the heart of the capital, it brings together the sciences, humanities, education and medicine, plus two elite schools: the National Advanced School of Engineering (Polytechnique) and the Higher Teacher Training College (ENS). According to Cameroon Tribune, it had 40,024 students in June 2026.
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At a glance
- City and campus
- Yaoundé, main campus at Ngoa-Ekellé
- Founded
- 1993 (reform of 19 January 1993; organisation set by Decree No. 93/036 of 29 January 1993). Successor of the Federal University of Cameroon (1962)
- Status
- State university, bilingual (French and English), predominantly French-speaking
- Rector
- Prof. Rémy Magloire Dieudonné Etoua (appointed in 2024, in office in 2026)
- Students
- 40,024, all schools included (Cameroon Tribune, June 2026)
- Budget
- CFA francs 15.589 billion (2026)
- Official website
- www.uy1.uninet.cm
History: from the federal university to Yaoundé I
In 1961 Cameroon set up a National Institute of University Studies, with French support. The following year it became the Federal University of Cameroon, which legally existed from 26 July 1962 to 19 January 1993. The Higher Teacher Training College (ENS) was created by decree on 3 September 1961 and the Polytechnic on 4 June 1971. The word “federal” was dropped in the early 1970s, after the end of the federation, and the institution became the University of Yaoundé.
By the early 1990s the single university was overwhelmed: according to Osidimbea, enrolment rose from 10,000 students in 1986 to 44,000 in 1992. The January 1993 reform split it in two — Yaoundé I at Ngoa-Ekellé, Yaoundé II at Soa — and turned the university centres of Douala, Dschang, Buea and Ngaoundéré into universities. Registration fees rose from CFA 3,300 according to Osidimbea (about CFA 3,600 according to CODESRIA) to CFA 50,000. Yaoundé I kept the sciences, humanities, medicine and the engineering and teacher-training schools; law and economics moved to Soa.
Faculties, schools and institutes
| School | Acronym | Fields | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty of Science | FS | Mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, earth sciences | Pre-registration (Bac or GCE A Level) |
| Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences | FALSH | Literature, languages, history, geography, philosophy, social sciences | Pre-registration |
| Faculty of Education | FSE | Education sciences | Pre-registration |
| Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences | FMSB | Medicine, biomedical sciences | Selective: see the year's MINESUP notice |
| National Advanced School of Engineering of Yaoundé | ENSPY | Civil, computer, electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering, telecoms, mechatronics; digital arts and humanities tracks (2026) | Entrance exam (year 1 after a science Bac, year 3 after a bachelor's) |
| Higher Teacher Training College of Yaoundé | HTTC | Training of secondary-school teachers | Selective, see the becoming-a-teacher page |
| University Institute of Wood Technology | IUT-Bois | Wood industry programmes | Pre-registration (UY1 portal) |
| Doctoral School | — | PhDs | Application after a master's |
Strengths
- ENSPY, the engineering school founded in 1971, had trained more than 3,300 engineers by 2015, according to Wikipedia. It hosts the African Centre of Excellence in ICT (CETIC) and the Technipole incubator. Arthur Zang, inventor of the Cardiopad, is a graduate.
- Biomedical research: immunologist Rose Leke is an emeritus professor there and endocrinologist Jean Claude Mbanya teaches medicine. Cameroon Tribune counted 241 doctoral theses defended in its four research centres (report published in June 2026).
- The ENS, created in 1961, whose graduates become secondary-school teachers.
Student life and campus
According to the official website, the Ngoa-Ekellé campus has a central library, a medical and social centre (CMS) and student housing. In 2026 the university reopened the campus cinema complex. Like the other state universities, it was affected by the strike called on 5 January 2026 by the national higher-education teachers' union (SYNES), which is demanding, among other things, payment for exam-board hours and research allowances.
Pre-registration 2026-2027
| Step | Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| Pre-registration opens | 10 August |
| First admission list, medical checks begin | 7 September |
| Classes resume for upper years | 14 September |
| Initial deadline | 25 September |
| First-year classes begin | 5 October |
| Extended deadline | 31 October |
Pre-registration takes place at preinscriptions.uninet.cm and costs CFA 10,000, paid at an approved agency. The file includes the receipt, two pre-registration forms, certified copies of the transcript and diploma, a certified birth certificate and four passport photos. Only the Cameroonian Baccalauréat and GCE are accepted. Once admitted, students pay the CFA 50,000 university fee: details are on the cost of higher education page.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the University of Yaoundé I?
In Yaoundé, on the Ngoa-Ekellé campus in the centre of the capital.
What can you study at the University of Yaoundé I?
Science, humanities, education and medicine, plus engineering at ENSPY, teacher training at the ENS and wood technology at IUT-Bois. Law and economics are at Yaoundé II.
How do I apply to the University of Yaoundé I?
Pre-register online at preinscriptions.uninet.cm (CFA 10,000 in 2026), then submit your file. For 2026-2027, pre-registration opened on 10 August and was extended to 31 October 2026.
How many students does the University of Yaoundé I have?
40,024 students across all its schools, according to Cameroon Tribune in June 2026.
How do you get into Polytechnique Yaoundé?
Only by entrance exam: into year 1 with a science Baccalauréat or into year 3 with a science bachelor's. The 2026 results were published by MINESUP on 4 August 2026.
Who is the rector of the University of Yaoundé I?
Prof. Rémy Magloire Etoua, appointed in 2024 and still in office in 2026.
Handle with care
Sources disagree on when the university dropped the word “federal” (1967 or 1972). The official website does not specify how FMSB or the ENS admit students: check MINESUP's yearly notices. The figure of 300 places per entry level at ENSPY comes from Wikipedia and is not confirmed for 2026; a notice of uncertain date reproduced by Kamerpower gives 200 first-year places in the engineering cycle.