Adult nurse : Entry requirements

The nursing diploma is being phased out and from 2013 a degree in nursing will be an essential entry requirement. Some universities are running only the degree with immediate effect whereas others are continuing to run the diploma until it has been phased out. Check with the institution.

A degree in the following subjects may allow you to accelerate your studies:

• life and medical sciences;
• social work;
• education;
• human biology;
• physiology;
• biomedical science;
• psychology.

For graduates with a health-related degree, there are accelerated programmes that lead to an MSc or postgraduate diploma. A few part-time courses are available. The first step is to contact the admissions staff at the university of your choice and establish the courses on offer and the competition for places.

Entry criteria are set by individual universities, as required by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) to ensure that applicants provide evidence of meeting the minimum entry requirements, especially in literacy and numeracy. The minimum is usually five GCSEs at grade C or above (typically including English language or literature and a science subject), and two or three A-levels/Highers (or equivalent) for degree programmes. Check with individual higher education institutions directly.

Applicants are required to declare any criminal record and undergo an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)  disclosure. A criminal record may not be a bar to nurse training, but would be the subject of full and open discussion at interview.

You need to decide early on which branch of nursing you want to train in. On shortened graduate programmes, 18 months is usually spent on your branch specialism. Training covers the core nursing care skills and includes substantial assessed practical experience.

Pre-entry experience is not essential, but relevant paid or unpaid work experience as a care worker or in some other work with people is good preparation. It is also a good idea to visit hospitals and talk to nurses directly about the role.

Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:

• the ability to communicate with and gain the trust of people from a wide range of backgrounds;
• organisational and managerial skills, particularly as your career progresses;
• empathy, sensitivity, flexibility and emotional resilience;
• teamwork skills.

Good health and physical fitness are prerequisites and some medical conditions may exclude you (but only after an individual occupational health assessment).

Applications for honours degree and diploma courses in England, Wales, Scotland or the University of Ulster are made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) .

Most students will be eligible for a bursary and to have their tuition fees paid and in some cases additional allowances will be available, depending on your circumstances. Use the bursary calculator tool to work out how much you are eligible for, or contact the relevant funding body in your area if living outside of England.

The NHS Student Bursaries  scheme processes funding applications for nursing and midwifery courses in England. If you are attending a course in Wales you can access information from the NHS (Wales) Student Awards Unit , for Scotland see the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)  or for Northern Ireland see Student Finance Northern Ireland . Similar arrangements will apply but you will need to consult these relevant national authorities for details as the NHS Student Bursaries will not be able to administer your funding.

For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.