University of Yaoundé II-Soa
Born in 1993 from the split of the University of Yaoundé, the University of Yaoundé II settled at Soa, on the north-eastern edge of the capital. It is the university of law, political science and economics. It also hosts three schools known far beyond Cameroon: the International Relations Institute (IRIC), a breeding ground for diplomats, the ESSTIC journalism school and the IFORD demography institute.
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At a glance
- City and campus
- Soa (main campus, north-east of Yaoundé); ESSTIC is at Ngoa-Ekellé, in Yaoundé
- Founded
- 1993, university reform of 19 January 1993 (split of the University of Yaoundé)
- Status
- State university, bilingual (French and English), predominantly French-speaking
- Rector
- Prof. Richard Laurent Omgba (appointed 9 April 2024, installed 19 April 2024; in office in December 2025)
- Students
- No recent total published; 2,000 more new students in 2025-2026, according to Cameroon Tribune
- Budget
- CFA francs 8.399 billion (2026)
- Official website
- www.univ-yaounde2.org
History
Until 1993, French-speaking Cameroon had a single university, in Yaoundé, the successor of the 1962 federal university. The January 1993 reform cut it in two: Yaoundé I kept Ngoa-Ekellé, and a second university, Yaoundé II, was created at Soa around law and economics. It also took over schools older than the reform: the journalism school, founded in 1970 as the International Advanced School of Journalism of Yaoundé (ESIJY) and renamed ESSTIC in 1991, and IRIC, created by decree on 24 April 1971.
Faculties, schools and institutes
| School | Acronym | Fields | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty of Law and Political Science | FSJP | Public law, private law, political science | Pre-registration (Bac or GCE A Level) |
| Faculty of Economics and Management | FSEG | Economics, management | Pre-registration |
| International Relations Institute of Cameroon | IRIC | Diplomacy, international litigation, international banking and finance, regional integration, economic diplomacy… | Entrance exam for the professional master's (year 1); application for the diplomatic cycle and PhD |
| Advanced School of Mass Communication | ESSTIC | Journalism, advertising, corporate communication, information science, publishing and graphic arts | Selective (terms not published online) |
| Institute for Demographic Training and Research | IFORD | Demography: professional master's (2 years) and PhD (3 years) | Yearly entrance exam in each member country, after a bachelor's |
Strengths
- IRIC trains Cameroonian and African diplomats: Wikipedia lists René Emmanuel Sadi and Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh among its alumni.
- IFORD is an intergovernmental institute of 26 African states attached to Yaoundé II; it received a United Nations award for excellence in population in 2011.
- ESSTIC, founded in 1970, trains students in journalism, advertising, communication and publishing, from bachelor's to master's level.
- According to its December 2025 board meeting, the university awarded 3,076 degrees the previous year and aims for 10,000 in future.
Student life and challenges
The main campus is at Soa, on the north-eastern edge of Yaoundé. In an August 2026 article, Le Jour quotes Prof. Jean-Calvin Aba'a Oyono, who teaches at Yaoundé II, denouncing a “university malaise” and the lack of offices, toilets and libraries for staff. The same article states that first-year intakes at one Yaoundé II school, once over 5,000, no longer reach 1,000. The SYNES strike that began on 5 January 2026 also affects the university.
Admission and registration
The faculties (FSJP, FSEG) admit Baccalauréat or GCE A Level holders through pre-registration, on a timetable close to that of other state universities (pre-registration in summer, classes from October). IRIC, ESSTIC and IFORD recruit by entrance exam or application. Once admitted, students pay the CFA 50,000 university fee; professional schools may charge more. See the cost of higher education page.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the University of Yaoundé II?
At Soa, north-east of Yaoundé, hence its name, University of Yaoundé II-Soa. ESSTIC is separate, at Ngoa-Ekellé.
What can you study at the University of Yaoundé II?
Law and political science (FSJP), economics and management (FSEG), international relations (IRIC), journalism and communication (ESSTIC) and demography (IFORD).
How do you get into IRIC?
By entrance exam for the professional master's (year 1); the diplomatic cycle and PhD are by application.
Who is the rector of the University of Yaoundé II?
Prof. Richard Laurent Omgba, appointed on 9 April 2024 to replace Prof. Adolphe Minkoa She.
What is the University of Yaoundé II's budget?
CFA 8.399 billion for 2026, adopted by the board on 11 December 2025.
Handle with care
Wikipedia gives about 45,000 students and five campuses (Soa, Ngoa-Ekellé, Obili, Bertoua, Ebolowa), undated; since the universities of Bertoua and Ebolowa were created, those branches may have been transferred. The official website was not responding in October 2026: the list of schools comes from secondary sources.