St. Monica University

UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Applicants seeking admission into Undergraduate Programs at St. Monica's University (SMU) should be high school graduates or should possess at least the GED, GCE, WAEC, BAC, Teacher Grade I Certificate, or any other equivalent certificate. Students without previous university or professional school experience will require between three to four years in order to complete their degrees depending on the performance of the individual student. Exceptionally smart students could take a shorter period, while others may take a longer period of time. This is usually the case in any typical American university.

We also offer admission and advance placement to student who have previously taken university courses or attended professional schools under the Ministry of Higher Education. Graduates of such schools (e.g. ENS, ENAM, ASMAC, etc) or transfer students from other universities or institutions of higher learning with or without the BTS, HND, or any other diploma, can earn a degree from SMU within 1-2 years depending on the individual student's performance.

To earn a SMU degree, students are required to earn at least 124 semester credit hours (over 140 credits for Engineering degree). A degree program at a US university should normally take four years to complete, but we've put together a program where students can earn their degrees after three years of full-time studies. We do accept transfer students and they can bring in as much as 90 credit hours from any approved or accredited institution in Cameroon or abroad. Students bringing in 90 credit hours can easily earn their degree from SMU within one academic year.

SMU offers students the flexibility to either undertake the program full time or part time and during the day as well as evenings and weekends. Therefore, students who are currently working will be able to study at SMU irrespective of where they are based in the country. We have also implemented a cutting-edge Virtual Learning Platform (VLP), which will enable our students undertake online lectures, given that some of our professors are based abroad. Whether or not a student is taking a course online, s/he is required to have a computer (preferably a laptop) with Internet access.

To apply for our degree programs, please complete the Application for Admission available at this website or write to admissions[at]stmonicauniversity.com. We accept students on an ongoing basis given that one can start classes at SMU at the beginning of every month given our Block Plan schedule, where students study one course-at-a-time. Students awaiting results can submit their application and they will be given Provisional Admission while waiting for the final results.

GRADUATE ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Master's Degrees

Applicants seeking admission into Graduate Programs at the Master's Degree level at SMU must be holders of a Bachelor's degree from an approved/accredited university in Cameroon or abroad. For most of our degree programs (with the exception of most Engineering degrees), you do not need to have an undergraduate degree from the same discipline in order to pursue a particular master's degree. For instance, someone with a BA in Philosophy can be admitted to do the MBA. However, those without an undergraduate degree in the same or similar disciplines will be required to take some prerequisite courses that may extend the length of their programs. We offer master's degrees in all Schools - SET, SBPP, and SASE. Our master students require at least 40 credits to graduate from any program - some programs may require more credits. We do accept transfer students from other Master's Programs from other universities. For instance, those with a "Master I" or "Maitrise" from any Cameroonian university or graduates of the "Second Cycle" of professional schools in Cameroon can complete their master's degrees at SMU within a year. We are willing to accept up to 21 master-level credits from other universities.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degrees

We offer the PhD degree in all Schools at SMU. Those interested in admission into any of our programs must already earn a Master's Degree from any approved/accredited university in Cameroon or abroad. We accept transfer students from other universities - a maximum of 45 doctoral-level credits can be transferred to SMU. In addition, we can accept doctoral candidates at the All-But-Dissertation (ABD) level to complete their programs with us. The PhD program at SMU usually lasts about three-four years (transfer students can take a shorter period) and one must earn at least 60 credits beyond the master degree level to qualify for an SMU PhD.

To find out if you qualify for admission into any of our programs or whether your program of studies is available at SMU, please complete the Application for Admission available at this website or write to admissions[at]stmonicauniversity.com. We accept students on an ongoing basis given that one can start classes at any time. Students awaiting results can submit their application and they will be given Provisional Admission while waiting for the final results.

TUITION AND FEES

Students can pay their fees at any of the following financial institutions:

NFC Bank - any location nationwide. Please request that the money be deposited into the Current Account of Chartered Financial Assistance, which has Account No: 0431640103674697.

CFA Microfinance Bank - any location nationwide. Please request that the money be deposited into the Saint Monica University Account at CFA.

Make sure you collect a receipt and keep it safely as evidence of fee payment. 

Unlike most institutions in Cameroon that charge a flat annual fees, SMU charges a per credit fees. An Undergraduate Credit costs 10,000 Frs ($40.00 for international students), while a Master-Level Credit costs 30,000 Frs ($120.00 for international students) and a PhD-Level Credit costs 50,000 Frs ($200.00 for international students). Our fees are among the most affordable of any private university in Cameroon. The actual amount to be paid will depend on the number of courses a student takes. For example, an undergraduate student who takes more than 32 credits (8 courses) a year, will have to pay more, while one who take less courses will pay less. Here is a breakdown of our undergraduate fees:

STUDENT LOANS

SMU has arranged with Chartered Financial Assistance (CFA), a leading Category II MFI (microfinance bank) in Cameroon, to provide tuition loans to students. To qualify for these loans, complete the Application for Student Loan on this website or write to studentloans[at]stmonicauniversity.com. You can also contact your nearest CFA branch and complete a loan application form, stating there clearly that the loan is for your tuition at SMU. For more information about CFA and to see its various branch offices, visit its website at www.cfamicrofinance.com.

OPEN ADMISSIONS

SMU admission policy is based on the philosophy of “Open Admissions.” In its purest form, it allows any student with a high school diploma or GCE Advanced Level in any two subjects to attend, thereby, allowing any student who has successfully completed high school the opportunity to pursue an SMU undergraduate degree.

The reality isn’t quite so simple. Some students may not be guaranteed admission to SMU if there are more applicants than available space for new students. In such cases, admission will be based on their GCE grades and on a first-come-first-serve basis.

In the US, the open admissions movement began in the second half of the 20th century and had many ties to the civil rights movement. A significant number of universities operate on this philosophy.

To counter the critics who argue that this might lower educational standards, SMU provides tutoring services to its students. In addition, we have General Education requirements, which provide a solid general background in the arts, sciences, and technology fields before the student can begin taking core courses. In order to take certain programs, students are required to score at a certain level in specific courses. For instance, students interested in engineering must have a B grade or above in Mathematics and other science courses.

ROLLING ADMISSIONS

In addition to the Open Admissions policy, we also practice rolling admission, which means that students can be admitted into SMU at any time of the year. This is made possible by the fact that we have the Block Plan, where students study one course at a time, usually for one month and write the exams for the course. Therefore, it is possible to admit students every month of the year.

At SMU, we operate three semesters (trimester system), with each lasting four months. The regular semesters are the Fall (September to December) and the Spring (January to April). The Summer Semester runs from May to August, but it is optional, meaning that students are not required to take courses during those months. However, students may be required to do internships during the summer or some students might have to take courses in the summer in order to meet their graduation goals.

Please go to the "Apply" section of this website and take a major step in your life by enrolling at SMU!