The University of Guyana (UG), established in 1963, is the oldest and most prestigious higher education institution in Guyana and the Caribbean. With campuses in Georgetown (Turkeyen) and Berbice, UG offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs and serves over 8,600 students .
1. History & Mission
- Founded: October 1, 1963, via the vision of Premier Cheddi Jagan, with British biologist Lancelot Hogben as its first Vice-Chancellor en.wikipedia.org+1de.wikipedia.org+1.
- Mission: “To discover, generate, disseminate and apply knowledge of the highest standard… within an atmosphere of academic freedom” en.wikipedia.org.
- UG has graduated more than 20,000 students, significantly contributing to Guyana’s economy and public/private sectors mps.gov.gy+13en.wikipedia.org+13reddit.com+13.
2. Academic Programs
UG offers over 60 programs, spanning numerous fields worldvisaguide.com+4en.wikipedia.org+4pcv-express.co.uk+4:
- Natural & Environmental Sciences: Biology, Agriculture, Forestry, Environmental Studies, Geology
- Engineering & Technology: Civil, Electrical, Petroleum
- Health Sciences: Medicine, Nursing, Optometry
- Social Sciences & Humanities: Education, Economics, Law, Creative Arts, Urban Planning, Tourism worldvisaguide.comdpi.gov.gy
- Agricultural & Food Sciences
- Doctoral Studies: PhD in Biodiversity launched in 2019 mps.gov.gy+10mps.gov.gy+10en.wikipedia.org+10en.wikipedia.org
3. Research & Innovation
UG has advanced in research activities, with recent focus on:
- Biodiversity & Environmental Science (via UG’s PhD program) dpi.gov.gy+2dpi.gov.gy+2reddit.com+2
- Active faculty across natural and social sciences driving national development
4. Scholarships & Financial Aid
UG supports both local and international students through diverse scholarship programs:
- Government Scholarships (via the Ministry of Public Service) for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in fields like Engineering, Medicine, IT, Nursing, Clinical Psychology en.wikipedia.orgreddit.comnewsroom.gy+5dpi.gov.gy+5dpi.gov.gy+5
- SAGE Scholarships backing high-achieving, need-based UG scholars reddit.com+4sageguyana.org+4pcv-express.co.uk+4
- Over 1,000 scholarships awarded annually since 2015 for local and regional students newsroom.gy+2dpi.gov.gy+2guyanaembassy-kuwait.com+2
- Institutional UG scholarships, including Chancellor’s and Vice-Chancellor’s awards, gender-based funds, and discipline-specific grants
5. Campus Life & Student Experience
- Two main campuses: Turkeyen (Georgetown) and Berbice, plus field-focused sites like agriculture institutes mps.gov.gy+6en.wikipedia.org+6en.wikipedia.org+6
- Student hostels added in the 1990s to support non-local students
- Thriving student culture with active sports, cultural activities, and national service projects
6. International Students
UG welcomes global learners with:
- Program offerings in Medicine, Environmental Studies, Agriculture, Business, and Social Sciences dpi.gov.gy+1reddit.com+1en.wikipedia.org+2worldvisaguide.com+2mps.gov.gy+2
- Eligibility guidelines: Academic transcripts, English proficiency, health and financial documentation
- Commonwealth Scholarships, OAS grants, and GOAL e-learning scholarships available for regional students guyanaembassy-kuwait.com+10pcv-express.co.uk+10standyou.com+10
7. Admissions & Contact Info
Admission Requirements:
- Vary by program; generally: academic transcripts, English proficiency, and health clearance
- Some programs—like Medicine—are competitive and have additional requirements
Contact:
University of Guyana
📍 Turkeyen Campus, Greater Georgetown & Berbice Campus, Region 6
📞 Phone: See official site
Final Thoughts
The University of Guyana stands as a comprehensive and dynamic institution—spanning STEM, health, social sciences, and professional fields—while offering strong scholarship support for local and international students. Use MyUnigate to access in-depth guides for applications, scholarships, and study strategies tailored to UG and the broader Caribbean higher education landscape
