NDA School Fees Breakdown: Latest Update For 2025

In this guide, I will take you through everything you need to know about NDA school fees. How freshers are charged, what returning and postgraduate students can expect to be charged, and even those hidden charges that no one speaks about.

NDA School Fees Breakdown

Below is a complete breakdown of all the expenses you’re to incur whether as a fresher, returning, or post graduate student.

NDA School Fees for Freshers (2025/2026 Academic Session)

Freshers intending to join the NDA in the 2025/2026 session are to pay a sum amounting to ₦50,000. This will include:

– Tuition

– Accommodation

– Feeding

– General utilities

And now here is where things begin to add up. That ₦50,000 naira is where your spending begins. There are also other mandatory fees that new students do not care to note.

Additional Compulsory Payments for Freshers

1. Acceptance Fee: ₦20,000 This is non-refundable and would acknowledge your admission.

2. Departmental Fee: It varies between ₦5,000 and ₦10,000 depending on the course. The engineering students pay high.

3. Faculty Fee: ₦5,000 (in most faculties).

4. Medical Fee: Approximately ₦2,000.

5. Library Fee: ₦1,000 to ₦2,000.

6. Sports Fee: ₦1,500.

7. Development Levy: ₦3,000 to ₦5,000.

8. ID Card Fee: ₦1,000

Estimated Total for Freshers

When you put these figures together, you can incur expenses between ₦80,000 and ₦100,000. Depends on your department and special levies that are involved in your program.

NDA School Fees for Returning Students

In case you are a returning student, you have already been accepted, but you are not free of fees. Starting with the 2025/2026 session, the returning students are to pay ₦33,000 as their basic NDA school fees.

This also takes care of tuition, boarding, and feeding.

Other Charges for Returning Students

Returning students are also obliged to pay:

– Departmental Fee: ₦5,000 to ₦10,000

– Faculty Fee: ₦5,000

– Medical, Sports, Library, and ID Card levies: ₦1,000 to ₦3,000 each

Estimated Total for Returning Students

The regular returning student is expected to pay between ₦50,000 and ₦70,000 depending on their department and their faculty.

Related article | Lautech School Fees Breakdown 2025/2026: Tuition, Acceptance & Hidden Charges

NDA School Fees for Postgraduate Students

The NDA has postgraduate courses as well, such as PGD, Master’s, and MBA. These are not free or subsidized as compared to the undergraduate programs. In 2025/2026, the basic fee of the NDA when studying there as a postgraduate student will be ₦150,000.

Additional Charges for Postgraduate Students

– Application Fee: ₦10,000 (non-refundable)

– Acceptance Fee: ₦30,000

– Departmental Fee: ₦10,000 to ₦20,000

– Faculty Fee: ₦5,000 to ₦10,000

– Medical & Library Fees: ₦1,000 to ₦3,000 each

– Development Levy: ₦5,000

The tuition fees are considerably high in the case of MBA students, owing to the nature of such a program. The price paid by a student taking an MBA is ₦370,000, including tuition and training materials.

Estimated Total for Postgraduate Students

A postgraduate student can incur between 200 thousand and 250 thousand Nigerian Naira to run the whole academic year depending on the course and faculty. MBA students are going to spend more.

Hidden Costs Most People Don’t Talk About

Although the NDA school fees may be considered cheap compared to those of universities in the private sector, other expenses are not usually emphasized:

1. Uniforms

In NDA you can not wear anything. There are uniforms, which are mandatory and have to be bought. A complete outfit for a fresher can be as high as ₦25,000 to ₦35,000.

2. Training Gear

The extra cost may be ₦15,000 to ₦20,000 being spent on boots, belts, physical training sets, and ceremonial uniforms.

3. Books and Study Materials

They are not always given. You can use up to ₦10,000 to ₦15,000 per semester on a textbook; this is particularly true in faculties of science and engineering.

4. Transportation to NDA

When you do not reside close to the vicinity, you will have to get to Kaduna. The total expenses in transport and accommodation before resumption may be an extra ₦10,000 to ₦20,000, especially for those who cross to the south.

Are NDA School Fees the Same for Everyone?

Yes. The NDA school fees remain the same between the indigenes and non-indigenes. Be it Kaduna or Cross River, you will pay the same thing. The reason is attributed to the fact that the NDA is a federal entity and is institutionally set to serve every Nigerian evenly.

How To Pay For NDA School Fees Online

The NDA has simplified its payment procedure. This is how to do it:

1. Go to the [NDA official website].

2. Create a student ID and verify it.

3. Enter through the student portal.

4. Choose and click on “School Fees Payment.”

5. Fill in the information and use a debit card or bank transfer to make the payment.

6. Print your receipt.

One should always check payment in the portal. Your payment may not be verified, and you might not be allowed to resume.

See also | How Much is LASPOTECH School Fees in 2025? Everything you Need to Know

What Will Happen If I Pay My NDA School Fees Late?

The results of late payment of NDA school fees may turn critical and include the following:

– Refusal to get access to the portal

– Failure to take examinations

– Suspension of studies on a temporary basis

It is always important to be sure you hit the deadlines. NDA does not play around with discipline or rules.

What They Don’t Tell You About NDA School Fees

You will find a lot of blogs and websites providing you with the numbers, though they tend to overlook these important realities:

1. You Might Pay More in Your Final Year

The finalists tend to pay their clearance, academic gowns, convocation fees, and, in some cases, some departmental projects. Depending on your faculty, these costs may sum up to ₦20,000 and above.

2. Medical Tests Are Mandatory for Freshers

The freshers have to undergo medical screening before they are fully admitted. This normally costs between ₦5,000 and ₦10,000 and is a part of the NDA school fees.

3. NDA Covers Feeding but Not Snacks

Basically, your school fees cover your feeding. But when you want other varieties such as snacks, then you’ll have to pay for them. I recommend you budget ₦5,000 and ₦10,000 monthly for this.

4. You Need a Laptop

NDA is taking the path into digital learning. Indeed, there are some departments, such as engineering and computer science, that now advise you to have a personal laptop with you. This is another ₦150,000 to ₦300,000, depending on the brand you want to use.

Wrapping up

The Nigerian Defence Academy is among the most respected institutions in Nigeria. The NDA, with all its glory, also requires financial capacity as well as discipline. As a fresher, returning student, or postgraduate student applicant, knowing the exact breakdown of NDA school fees will aid you in your preparation better to know what to expect when you finally enroll.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does NDA offer a payment plan as an option on school fees?

No. NDA requires full payment prior to resuming. The system does not have an installment or part-payment.

2. Can I secure a scholarship to fund NDA school fees?

Yes, but they are few and mostly merit-based. You will have to make an application either through the Ministry of Defence or through external bodies.

3. Will the NDA issue me a refund of the unused fees in case I withdraw?

No. They are mostly non-refundable fees like the acceptance and the tuition fees.

4. Do cadet training programs have extra costs?

Not directly. Nonetheless, there can be certain advanced training (such as weapons handling or aviation programs), which is considered an extra cost that is covered by the NDA or other sponsors.

5. Are international students eligible, and do they pay different fees at NDA schools?

NDA is mostly aimed at the Nigerian citizenry. Foreigners are admitted very scarcely, and even when they are accepted, the fee is negotiated.

6. Do NDA students pay accommodation fees outside the school?

No. All the students live on campus. There is no off-campus living.

7. Does the NDA have a dress code?

Yes. Dressing different from what the academy permits can get you fined. In some cases, you may be fined between ₦1,000 to ₦5,000.

See also | See The Full List of School of Nursing in Nigeria and Their New Fees [2025 Edition]