St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences

What St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences does

St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences (SFUCHAS) is a private higher education institution located in Ifakara town, Kilombero district, Morogoro region, Tanzania, approximately 420 km South-West of Dar es Salaam. Operating as a constituent college of St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) under Catholic Church sponsorship, SFUCHAS delivers Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) across three core academic programs: a 10-semester Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree, a 6-semester Diploma in Medical Laboratory Sciences, and a 6-semester Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences (each with 1-year upgrading options). The college also operates postgraduate programs under a newly established Directorate of Postgraduate Studies: Master of Medicine in Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Child Health, and Internal Medicine, plus MSc tracks in Public Health, Parasitology, and Medical Entomology. Multi-layered accreditation by the Medical Council of Tanganyika (MCT), East Africa Community (EAC), NACTVET, Health Laboratory Practitioner's Council (HLPC), Pharmacy Council, and Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) governs program recognition.

Revenue is derived almost exclusively from tuition and academic fees (paid in four equal installments per academic year), with ancillary streams including accommodation fees (TZS 400,000 or TZS 500,000 per year), student union and administrative fees, and NHIF health insurance capitation (TZS 50,400 per student per year). Distribution is direct and dual-channel: degree applicants apply through the college's Online Application System (OAS) at oas.sfuchas.ac.tz, while diploma/certificate applicants apply through the NACTVET Central Admission System (CAS). Clinical training is delivered at affiliated hospitals (St. Francis Referral Hospital in Ifakara, Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital, Good Samaritan Cancer Hospital). Payments are accepted via CRDB Bank deposit, TIGO PESA, M-PESA, and Airtel Money through a SIMS-based online billing system that issues control numbers.

The operational technology stack comprises SIMS (Student Information Management System), the OAS admissions portal, a KOHA-based library system with access to 4,120 hard-copy books and premium e-resources (Hinari, Sage Open, PubMed Central, PLOS, BMC, Nature, BMJ), an E-Learning Portal, a SIMS Online Billing and Invoicing System, and an institutional repository for research outputs. Research and community outreach are organized through the Directorate of Research, Partnerships and Community Services (RPCS), which runs an Institutional Review Board and an annual scientific conference (4th edition, June 2025, with 300+ participants and 53+ peer-reviewed abstracts). International partnerships with UNIBO, UNIMORE, Dalhousie, King's College London, University of Calgary, University of Ibadan, SolidarMed, IHI, TTCIH, and others underpin mobility, joint research, and externally funded projects (UNICEF, NIH, Global Fund, IDRC, AMED, GLRA). No revenue figures, enrollment totals, or growth-capital metrics are publicly disclosed.

Name

St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences

Legal name

St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences

Website

https://sfuchas.ac.tz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SFUCHAS is a Tanzanian private health-allied university college, a constituent college of St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) under Catholic sponsorship, delivering competency-based Doctor of Medicine, diploma, and postgraduate programs to domestic students and generating tuition and ancillary revenue from its Ifakara campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Medical and Health Sciences

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Schools of Medical Laboratory Science & Clinical Diagnostics (EDAHAGAO)

Keywords

• Medical education
• Health sciences training
• Pharmaceutical sciences
• Medical laboratory training
• Competency-based education

Headquarters

HQ city

Ifakara

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: SFUCHAS generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged to enrolled students across its Doctor of Medicine degree program and diploma programs (Medical Laboratory Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences). Fees are structured per academic year with installment payment options. Additional revenue streams include accommodation fees, student union fees, and administrative fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SFUCHAS is a constituent college of St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) that delivers tertiary health sciences education in Ifakara, Tanzania. It offers a five-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree, three-year Diplomas in Medical Laboratory Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and postgraduate programs (Master of Medicine specialties and MSc in Public Health, Parasitology, and Medical Entomology). Teaching is competency-based and delivered on-campus with clinical rotations at affiliated hospitals.

Product overview

St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences (SFUCHAS) offers a comprehensive educational platform centered on health and medical training. The institution operates under a platform-plus-modules architecture, with core academic programs (Doctor of Medicine MD, Diploma in Medical Laboratory Sciences, Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences) as the foundational offerings, complemented by postgraduate programs (Master of Medicine specialties, MSc in Public Health, Parasitology, and Medical Entomology). Supporting the academic mission are digital infrastructure modules including SIMS (Student Information Management System), Online Application System (OAS), E-Learning Portal, KOHA Library Management System, SIMS Online Billing System, and the SFUCHAS Institutional Repository. The Institute of Allied Health Sciences, established in 2014, delivers competency-based diploma programs registered with NACTVET and recognized by professional bodies (HLPC, Pharmacy Council).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) Degree Programme A 10-semester (five-year) competency-based medical degree program. The first four semesters focus on basic sciences and introduction to clinical medicine with fieldwork and community training, followed by practical-oriented junior and senior rotations in affiliated teaching hospitals and community-based field training. Targets Tanzanian secondary school graduates with science backgrounds and diploma holders in clinical medicine seeking degree advancement.
• Diploma in Medical Laboratory Sciences (DMLS) A 6-semester (3 years) competency-based curriculum for medical laboratory training to produce competent laboratory technicians who can work flexibly at different healthcare workplaces. Also offers a 1-year upgrading program for Technician Certificate holders. Registered with NACTVET and recognized by HLPC.
• Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences (DPS) A 6-semester (3 years) competency-based curriculum for pharmaceutical training to produce pharmaceutical technicians competent to work in different healthcare settings. Also offers a 1-year upgrading program. Registered with NACTVET and recognized by the Pharmacy Council.
• Master of Medicine (M.Med) Programmes

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% reduction in perinatal deaths and 75% reduction in maternal deaths attributed to SBBC project (in which SFUCHAS contributes through PhD student supervision and evidence-based decision-making)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability7 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Ndoto Njema Foundation (NNF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2025NNF is a local partner spearheading the upcoming community disease screening project in Kilombero (focusing on surgical, dermatological, and other health conditions) in collaboration with SFUCHAS, Italian doctors through GOCCE Foundation, and the government of Tanzania.
• St. Francis Referral Hospital (SFRRH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFRRH is the primary teaching hospital affiliated with SFUCHAS, serving as the main site for clinical rotations and practical training for medical students. It is also the provider of emergency ambulance services for students.
• Tanzania Training Centre for International Health (TTCIH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTTCIH collaborates with SFUCHAS on training programs and has been a co-host of the SFUCHAS Annual Scientific Conference. It participates in the Ifakara Cluster alongside SFUCHAS.
• Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIHI is a major health research institution in Ifakara that collaborates with SFUCHAS on research initiatives, community outreach, and is part of the Ifakara Cluster. SFUCHAS participated in an Ifakara Cluster adhoc meeting hosted at IHI in February 2025.
• Good Samaritan Cancer Hospital (GSCH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSCH serves as an affiliated teaching hospital for pathology and oncology training. It collaborates with SFUCHAS on cervical cancer screening outreach and hosts the blood donation program in partnership with TAMSA.
• SolidarMedflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolidarMed is a key strategic partner supporting SFUCHAS through the Student Attachment Program in Community Medicine, co-hosting the Annual Scientific Conference as a main co-hosting institution, and collaborating on research projects including adolescent health (AHA Plus Project), primary health care in Malinyi, and Kangaroo Care research. A delegation from SolidarMed attended SFUCHAS's 11th Convocation as Guest of Honor.
• University of Bologna (UNIBO), ItalyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNIBO collaborates with SFUCHAS through the Erasmus Mobility Project for staff and student exchanges. SFUCHAS sends and receives staff and students (residents) to UNIBO. Discussions are ongoing for credit transfer arrangements. Collaborative activities include lectures on global anaesthesiology, endocrinology, and pathology, as well as planning for the BRIDGE project (Building Resilient Institutions for Global Health Education) kickoff in March 2026.
• Dalhousie University, CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDalhousie University Dental School collaborated with SFUCHAS on the Oral Health Promotion program (November 2021), funded by Provision Charitable Foundation Canada, with a duration of 6 months.
• University of Calgary, CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaborating institution on SFUCHAS's Collaborations page, indicating ongoing academic partnership.
• University of Ibadan, NigeriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaborating institution on SFUCHAS's Collaborations page, indicating ongoing academic partnership.
• King's College London (KCL), UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCL collaborated on a project examining how Remote Consulting Training for health workers in rural Tanzania can be optimised for upscaling to remote and marginalized communities of East and West Africa (June 2020, 6 months duration), funded by King's College London.
• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE), ItalycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFUCHAS and UNIMORE have been collaborating in research and staff/student exchange for more than five years. Dr. Raymond Lughali (Class of 2025 graduate) was selected to represent SFUCHAS at UNIMORE for clinical practice.
• Ministry of Health (MOH), TanzaniacoreOthersThe Ministry of Health collaborates on program recognition and regulation of health professions training. SFUCHAS programs are registered with MOH. The MOH participated in the SBBC project stakeholder meeting alongside SFUCHAS.
• Provisional Charitable Foundation (PCF), CanadaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCF and SFUCHAS have collaborated for more than 13 years. In August 2025, a formal MoU was signed to strengthen community-based initiatives by establishing sustainable projects and supporting postgraduate students, with priority for SFUCHAS and Ifakara Cluster staff. Focus areas include oral health and maternal health.
• Kilombero Sugar CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the Managers in Training (MIT) Conference, Kilombero Sugar Company identifies outstanding students for bursaries and funding. SFUCHAS has committed to supporting the MIT program through research methodology training, curriculum improvement guidance, and evaluating pathways for participants to pursue advanced qualifications.
• Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMUHAS is listed as a collaborating institution on SFUCHAS's Collaborations page, indicating ongoing academic partnership in health sciences education.
• Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences (CUHAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCUHAS is listed as a collaborating institution on SFUCHAS's Collaborations page. CUHAS also co-sponsored the 4th SFUCHAS Annual Scientific Conference as a Silver Sponsor.
• German Leprosy and TB Relief Association (GLRA) and Nazareth Leprosy Centre (NLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGLRA and NLC are collaborating with SFUCHAS on leprosy research and healthcare worker capacity building. Discussions include establishing a Centre of Excellence in Dermatology, staff and student exchanges with University of Bremen, and joint responses to leprosy-related calls for proposals in Tanzania.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Kampala International University (KIU): Private Ugandan university with a growing health sciences faculty and Western Campus teaching hospital. Comparable as a private-sector competitor seeking to capture East African medical students with similar tuition-based models.
• Mount Kenya University: Large private Kenyan university with health sciences and medical laboratory programs. Comparable as a private, tuition-driven institution scaling allied health offerings across the East African region.

Regional players

• Makerere University College of Health Sciences: Uganda's premier medical school under Makerere University, offering MD and postgraduate medical specialties. Comparable as the dominant East African regional medical training peer against which SFUCHAS's EAC-recognized degrees are benchmarked.
• Egerton University: Public Kenyan university offering health sciences programs including clinical medicine. Comparable as a regional East African medical training provider whose graduates compete in the same EAC labor market.

Direct peers

• Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS): Tanzania's flagship public health sciences university offering MD, Allied Health Sciences, and postgraduate programs. Direct comparable in mission, program portfolio, and regulatory environment; MUHAS is also listed as an SFUCHAS collaborating institution.
• Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences (CUHAS): Faith-based Tanzanian medical university offering medical laboratory, pharmaceutical, and medical degree programs. Closely comparable in Catholic-sponsorship model, NACTVET-registered diploma structure, and rural location; CUHAS co-sponsored SFUCHAS's 4th Scientific Conference.
• Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (KCMUCo): Tanzanian faith-affiliated medical university offering MD and allied health programs. Comparable in CBET methodology, dual recognition by MCT/NACTVET, and rural health focus serving the Kilimanjaro region.
• Hubert Kairuki Memorial University: Private Tanzanian university offering medical and health sciences degrees. Comparable as a private-sector medical training institution competing for the same Tanzanian medical student pool.

Broad incumbents

• Aga Khan University (East Africa): Multi-country private health sciences university with an East African campus offering medical and allied health programs. Comparable in quality tier and international accreditation profile, but operates at broader geographic scale.
• University of Dar es Salaam - College of Health Sciences: Larger public Tanzanian university with a College of Health Sciences offering medical and allied health programs. Overlaps in regulatory and student market but operates at significantly greater scale and prestige.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-francis-university-college-of-health-and-allied-sciences

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences