With more than 80 universities offering the nursing course, UK as a study destination sits quite popular among the international students. Not only is nursing in UK famous for being highly valued globally, it also helps international students get an excellent career in UK post graduation. Before pursuing nursing in UK, international students are required to read an additional Overseas Nursing Program (ONP) as a part of the curriculum. To know more about nursing courses UK, and details on the top colleges, fees, requirements and scope of career, keep reading!
Why Study Nursing in UK?
Let us now make you acclimatise with the reasons why nursing in UK for international students is so popular:
- Growth of nursing as a market: The nursing market is set to increase rapidly because of a high rise of the geriatric population, and so nursing as a career has a lot of scope in the near future.
- World leader: UK is considered to be a world leader in the field of medical sciences, and therefore attracts international students from over 150 countries every year.
- Career and Scope: International students after pursuing masters in nursing UK, can earn an average salary of £80,000 to £100,000 per annum.
- Popular study destination: With more than 80 universities offering nursing courses, the UK as a study destination has a lot to offer international students in terms of career, academics and infrastructure.
- Availability of scholarships: Nursing colleges in UK are also known for offering international students with scholarships in the range of £2,000 to £30,000 per annum.
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An Overview of Nursing Program in UK
If you are willing to study nursing in UK, you should be well aware that most nursing colleges offer a BSc and an MSc degree in nursing. The BSc nursing in UK is a three year vocational course, whereas the MSc nursing in UK is a three year degree course. To complete both of these courses, an additional Overseas Nursing Program is required (ONP), which helps international students get registered with the Nursery and Midwifery Council (NMC) to get hold of future job prospects in UK. The ONP requires students to pursue a 400 hours supervised practice.
Let's highlight the major takeaways to study Nursing in UK:
Length of the program |
3-4 years |
Average tuition fee |
£15,000 to £30,000 |
Mode of study |
Full time |
Specialisations offered (Masters) |
|
Popular courses |
|
Top universities |
|
Top Universities to Study Nursing in UK
Studying nursing in UK is quite popular among international students as the universities in UK provide excellent research work, outstanding infrastructure and academics. Both the BSc nursing colleges in UK along with the MSc nursing UK universities are internationally recognised. We have curated a list of the top nursing colleges in UK for you below:
1. King’s College London
Known for being one of the most innovative universities in UK, the King’s College London has received numerous accolades internationally in the field of health and medical sciences. The college has a very high research output, and offers international students with a lot of scholarship opportunities. All of the nursing in UK requirements at King’s College are very basic, and easily help international students to start their journey.
QS World University Rankings 2022 |
35 |
QS Subject Ranking in Nursing |
2 |
Popular courses offered |
BSc Nursing (Mental Health), BSc Nursing (Child), BSc Nursing (Adult) |
Average tuition fee for international students |
£31,840 per year |
2. University of Edinburgh
Ranked 4th in the UK for research power, with the highest scores on the student’s learning experience, University of Edinburgh is one of the most famous universities offering masters in nursing UK. With several partnerships across the globe, and therefore numerous career opportunities after pursuing a nursing degree in UK, University of Edinburgh is considered of the utmost importance in not only the UK but the world’s medical science environment.
QS World University Rankings 2022 |
16 |
QS Subject Ranking in Nursing |
25 |
Popular courses offered |
PhD Nursing Studies, MSc Advanced Nursing, BSc Nursing |
Average tuition fee for international students |
£25,300 per year |
The University of Liverpool has received innumerable accolades for its groundbreaking performance in the field of medical sciences and nursing. The university provides international students with one of the best MSc nursing in UK. University of Liverpool is also known for having around 1,500 students on-board pursuing medical sciences alone, and has also been ranked 9th in the top 10 best universities in the UK for medicine.
QS World University Rankings 2022 |
189 |
QS Subject Ranking in Nursing |
50 |
Popular courses offered |
MSc Nursing, MSc Mental Health Nursing, BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy |
Average tuition fee for international students |
£23,200 per year |
4. University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow has a research output which is considered to be very high, and is also known for its research practices around the globe. The university is also known to have a placement structure which assures students with a cumulative employability rate and postgraduate study rate of 100%. Also, 90% of students at University of Glasgow pursuing MSc Nursing in UK have been satisfied with their course offerings, as per the university data.
QS World University Rankings 2022 |
73 |
QS Subject Ranking in Nursing |
50 |
Popular courses offered |
BN Nursing, MSc Advanced Nursing Science, PhD Nursing and Health Sciences |
Average tuition fee for international students |
£23,950 per year |
5. Manchester Metropolitan University
Famous for offering international students with numerous scholarships, the Manchester Metropolitan University is home to around 30,000 students. The university is extremely popular for its research in the medical and health sciences. The department of nursing at Manchester Metropolitan University offers both international and domestic students with specialists in the domain, helping students get all the right tools for a successful career in the field of nursing in UK.
QS World University Rankings 2022 |
801-1000 |
Popular courses offered |
BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing, BSc (Hons) Nursing, MSc Mental Health Nursing |
Average tuition fee for international students |
£16,000 per year |
Eligibility and Admission Requirements to Study Nursing in UK
The nursing in UK requirements for the top nursing colleges are quite similar and basic. Most of the universities in UK require a registration with the Nursery and Midwifery Council (NMC), so as to get international students the desired placements in the field of nursing. Let us check out the general Nursing in UK requirements :
- Academic transcripts along with bachelors/masters degree
- English proficiency test scores
- Additional requirements like interview
Let us now talk about the Nursing requirements in UK briefly:
1. Academic Transcripts along with Bachelors/Masters Degree
The most basic requirement to apply for a Nursing degree in UK is to have academic transcripts for every level of study. For indian students, most universities ask for a minimum percentage of 70%-80% in high school.
2. English Proficiency Test Scores
It is essential for you, as international students, to have an English proficiency proof in terms of IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or other tests. The minimum IELTS requirement for Nursing in UK for Indian students is a score of 7.0 or above.
3. Additional Requirements
Additional requirements such as an interview are required by some universities for students applying to Bachelor of Nursing in UK, and MSc Nursing in UK. The interview is essential as nursing is quite significant for a field in any nation, students are interviewed for background, history, criminal checks, and other related things.
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Application Process to Study Nursing in UK
The admission process for Nursing in UK is quite simple to pursue, the process can not be considered tedious, provided you have all the required documents, and follow the steps given below:
- Choose your discipline and a university to start your nursing program in UK.
- Submit the application form along with the application fee.
- Submit all the required documents and requirements asked by the particular university.
- You may also be asked for an interview process.
- Apply for a scholarship or financial aid, if available at the university.
- Wait for the admission decision.
Cost of Studying Nursing in UK
The Nursing cost in UK differs for international students and domestic or EU students. The cost somewhere stands at £6,000 to £10,000 per year, for domestic students. The nursing fees for international students in UK, on the other hand, lies in the range of £15,000 to £30,000 per annum, wherein the MSc Nursing fees in UK ranges from £20,000 to £35,000 per year. The BSc Nursing in UK for international students fees is approximately £15,000 to £25,000 per year.
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Scholarships to Study Nursing in UK for International Students
Majority of the Nursing universities in UK provide international students with various scholarships. We have curated a list of some scholarships available to nursing students in UK below:
Scholarship |
Eligibility |
Amount |
Ann Hart Buchanan Student Scholarship |
Students pursuing bachelors or masters in nursing |
1/3rd Course fees + £600 |
Undergraduate Excellence Scholarship through University of Glasgow |
Undergraduate student at University of Glasgow |
£7,000 tuition fee discount per year |
Perseverance trust scholarship through KIng’s College London |
For students enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program |
£7,500 |
King’s International Scholarship |
International students at King’s College London |
£25,000 |
Chevening Scholarship through University of Liverpool |
International masters students in UK Merit based |
University tuition fee + accommodation + travel costs |
Job Prospects After Studying Nursing in UK
After an experience of 2-4 years, nurses in UK can earn more than 30% of what the world has to offer. There are several options after pursuing a bachelors or masters degree in nursing at UK. The average salary post BSc Nursing in the top nursing universities in UK is observed to be around £25,000. We have listed some career options for you in the field of nursing post graduation:
- Higher education in various specialisations like mental health, paediatrics, clinical nursing
- Commercial or business research
- Get placed in health institutions/ hospitals/ clinical organisations
- Become an educator in the field of nursing and health sciences
For a better understanding of how careers post Nursing in UK look like, we have tabulated the salaries for various Nursing job profiles below:
Job profile |
Salary |
Trainee Nurse |
£23,000-£33,000 |
Registered Nurse |
£25,619 |
Children Nurse |
£24,214-£34,000 |
Nurse Educator |
£108,000 |
Care giver |
£81,300 |
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With an average salary of £24,000 to £40,000, there’s no doubt the UK is considered one of the top most destinations for Nursing. Not only the higher rate of returns, international students also get hold of nursing scholarships in UK quite easily. Not to forget the immense opportunities UK as a study destination offers in terms of medical sciences, health sciences and related research fields.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nursing in UK
- Which are the top universities for Nursing in UK?
Ans. The top universities for Nursing in UK are:
- University of Edinburgh
- King’s College London
- University of Glasgow
- How much does a MSc Nursing in UK cost?
Ans. MSc Nursing in UK costs in the range of £25,000 to £35,000 per annum on an average for international students.
- Is it easy to get a job after pursuing a BSc Nursing in UK?
Ans. Yes! BSc Nursing in UK graduates can very easily grab an average salary of £24,000 per annum post graduation. Registered nurses get job offers worth £25,619 per annum
- What are the popular disciplines to pursue MSc Nursing in UK?
Ans. The most popular disciplines are child health, adult health, mental health, paediatrics, and various others.
- Are scholarships available after pursuing Nursing in UK?
Ans. Yes, top nursing universities in UK provide international students with numerous scholarships in the range of £2,000 to £30,000.