How to prepare for the medical concours in Cameroon

One national exam, many faculties

Students call it the “concours de médecine”, but its official name is the National Aptitude Examination for Medical, Pharmaceutical and Odontostomatological Training. It is opened each year by an order of the Minister of Higher Education, and it fills first-year places in medicine, pharmacy and dentistry in both public and private institutions.

For 2026-2027, the official order opened 1,140 places: 770 in medicine, 250 in pharmacy and 120 in dentistry. They were shared between nine institutions: the faculties of the universities of Yaoundé I, Douala, Buea, Bamenda, Dschang, Garoua and Ebolowa (at Sangmélima), the School of Health and Medical Sciences of CATUC in Kumbo, and the Université des Montagnes.

One rule matters a lot: each candidate chooses a single institution and a single programme. Think about that choice early, with your family, rather than on the last day of registration.

Who could apply in 2026

The 2026 order set these conditions. They can change, so check the new order each year.

• Diploma: BAC C or D, or the GCE Advanced Level with Biology and Chemistry passed in the same session, or a diploma recognised as equivalent by MINESUP.
• Age: 23 years old at most in 2026.
• Nationality: open to Cameroonians, and to foreign candidates within the limit of available places.

If you are in Terminale or Upper Sixth now, look at the age limit and your series today. A student who is in the wrong series, or too old under the current rules, needs a plan B well before the next session opens.

What was tested in 2026

According to the 2026 order, the exam had three parts:

• Study of the school record (coefficient 1). It took into account your Probatoire or O Level results, your BAC or A Level results, and your age.
• A written paper in biology, chemistry and physics (coefficient 4), lasting three hours in total, on the BAC C or D or GCE A Level programme. The three subjects did not carry the same weight in medicine, pharmacy and dentistry.
• A general knowledge paper (coefficient 1) covering general culture, logic, and French or English.

Each written paper was marked out of 100, and any mark below 20 in one paper was eliminatory. Three lessons follow from this. Your BAC or A Level marks count, so do not neglect them. You cannot drop one science, because a collapse in one subject can eliminate you. And speed matters, because three sciences share three hours.

How registration worked in 2026

In 2026, registration was online only. Candidates paid a 20,000 FCFA fee on the official platform named in the order, using Orange Money or MTN Mobile Money, then filled in the form and uploaded their documents. The commonly required documents were:

• the generated individual form with a 4x4 photo;
• a certified copy of the birth certificate less than six months old;
• a medical certificate less than three months old stating you are fit for medical studies;
• a certified transcript of the BAC or A Level (or a certified copy of the results slip);
• a certified transcript of the Probatoire or O Level.

Documents had to be scanned with a proper scanner in PDF, each under 1 MB. Files containing photocopied, photographed or unreadable documents were rejected outright. The 2026 deadline was 21 August, the exam took place on 4 September, and results were published on 18 October. See our application file checklist for more.

A preparation plan in three phases

Phase 1, during Terminale or Upper Sixth: build solid foundations. The exam follows the BAC or A Level programme, so your class work is your first preparation. Keep one notebook per science with definitions, formulas, diagrams and the methods for each type of exercise. Revise each chapter again a week after you learn it. Our 12-week BAC plan and GCE revision guide fit well here.

Phase 2, after the BAC or GCE papers: intensive practice. In 2026 the medical exam took place on 4 September, so the weeks between the end of your BAC or GCE papers and that date were the key period. Use them well:

• Each morning, do a timed set of mixed questions in biology, chemistry and physics.
• Each afternoon, go back over your mistakes and redo the chapters that caused them.
• Each week, sit one full three-hour mock covering the three sciences, then a general knowledge paper.

Phase 3, the last ten days: consolidate. No new chapters. Reread your summary sheets and error notebook, do short timed sets, and protect your sleep.

For general knowledge, 20 to 30 minutes a day is enough: read the news, practise logic puzzles and number sequences, and write short texts in French or English. Many strong science students lose easy marks here.

Using past papers wisely

Past papers show you the style and difficulty of the questions. Ask your school, older students and teachers for previous papers, and use reputable annales. Work on them under timed conditions and mark yourself honestly. Our guide on using past questions explains how.

Never pay for “leaked papers”. They are scams, and fraud can get you excluded. The only real subjects are the ones handed out in the exam room.

Managing the competition, and a plan B

Places are limited and many strong students apply. That is not a reason to panic, but it is a reason to prepare seriously and to have a second option. Health-related programmes such as nursing, biomedical sciences and other science degrees also recruit through their own concours or applications, announced on MINESUP’s concours page. Look at them before the medical exam, not after.

Keep a balanced life during the intensive phase: regular meals, a daily walk, eight hours of sleep. Our guide on beating exam stress has practical ideas.

When a tutor helps

If one of the three sciences is clearly weaker, a few targeted sessions can make a difference, because a mark below 20 in one paper is eliminatory. On Houselewa you can find biology, chemistry and physics tutors, at home or online, and pay by mobile money. Our free exam readiness check can also show which topics to revise first.