Why study Nursing in the UK?
UK Nursing degrees are tightly regulated by the NMC and follow a 50:50 split between academic study and clinical placement. You'll complete around 2,300 hours of supervised practice in NHS hospitals, community settings, mental health units, learning-disability services and care homes over the three-year programme. UK Nursing students choose from four fields of practice at the point of application: Adult Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, Children's (Paediatric) Nursing, and Learning Disability Nursing. International fees range from £16,000 to £25,000 per year, with some universities offering bursaries specifically for international Nursing students.
Career outcomes
100% of NMC-approved Nursing graduates who pass their final assessments qualify for NHS Band 5 starting salary (£28,407 in 2026, with London weighting up to £4,000 on top), and 92% of new Nursing graduates are employed in the NHS or private healthcare within 6 months. The Health and Care Worker visa is available to qualified Nurses with discounted application fees, and Nursing is on the UK Shortage Occupation List — meaning the Skilled Worker visa salary threshold is reduced. Long-term, Registered Nurses can progress to Band 6 (specialist nurse), Band 7 (advanced nurse practitioner), Band 8 (matron / clinical lead) and beyond.
Courses available through AEN
We work with UK partners offering BSc (Hons) Nursing in all four fields, MSc Nursing (pre-registration, for graduates of any subject), and post-registration specialist programmes. Foundation Year routes exist at a smaller number of providers — most direct-entry Nursing programmes require strong academic qualifications.
Entry requirements
Direct entry to a BSc Nursing programme typically requires 112-128 UCAS points (BBC-ABB at A-Level), including at least one science subject (Biology preferred) at grade B or above. IELTS 7.0 overall with 7.0 in each component is the NMC requirement — Nursing has the strictest English language requirements of any UK degree. Direct-entry candidates without science A-Levels can take an Access to Nursing pathway college programme first.