The Federal Capital Territory College of Nursing Sciences, Gwagwalada, commonly referred to as FCT CONS, is a government-owned institution under the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat that trains students for careers in nursing. It runs a National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programme in Nursing Science, accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). This article explains who can apply, what the admission process involves, and how much a student should expect to pay per session.
Overview of the Institution
FCT CONS is located in Gwagwalada, one of the area councils of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. It sits within the health training ecosystem built around the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and other health facilities in the area, which gives students access to clinical placement sites during their practical training. The institution’s flagship offering is the ND/HND Nursing Science programme, a four-year, non-terminal course of study that combines classroom instruction with hospital-based clinical practice. Graduates who complete the programme and pass their professional qualifying examinations register as nurses with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
Because the school is government-funded, tuition stays lower than what private nursing colleges in Abuja typically charge, which is one reason it remains a popular first choice among candidates from the FCT and neighbouring states.
Programme Offered
The core programme at FCT CONS is the ND/HND Nursing Science track. Students spend the early years working toward the National Diploma before progressing to the Higher National Diploma stage, with clinical postings and hospital-based practice forming a substantial part of the curriculum from the second year onward. The programme structure follows NBTE guidelines for nursing education, meaning classroom modules in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and nursing theory run alongside supervised ward experience.
Admission Requirements for 2026/2027
Candidates seeking admission into FCT CONS must satisfy both a UTME requirement and an O’Level requirement before they can be considered for the Post-UTME screening exercise.
UTME requirement. Applicants must sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in the admission year and score at least 180 marks. The required subject combination is English Language, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Candidates who wrote UTME with a different subject combination are not eligible, regardless of their score. The college must also be selected as the candidate’s first choice institution on the JAMB portal; candidates who chose a different institution first need to carry out a change of institution through JAMB before applying.
O’Level requirement. Applicants need a minimum of five credit passes from WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB, covering English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology, obtained in not more than two sittings. Only like-for-like combinations of results are accepted — WAEC with WAEC, WAEC with NECO, NECO with NECO, or NABTEB with NABTEB. A NABTEB result cannot be merged with a WAEC or NECO result.
Age requirement. Candidates must be at least 16 years old at the time of application. There is no publicly stated upper age limit, but applicants should confirm current age policy with the admissions office if in doubt.
Other requirements. A valid National Identification Number (NIN) is compulsory for registration. Applicants are also expected to be in good health, since the nursing programme involves physically demanding clinical work.
The table below summarises the admission criteria at a glance.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum UTME score | 180 and above |
| UTME subject combination | English Language, Physics, Chemistry, Biology |
| First choice on JAMB | FCT College of Nursing Sciences, Gwagwalada |
| O’Level credits | 5 credits: English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology |
| Accepted O’Level bodies | WAEC, NECO, NABTEB (like-for-like combinations only) |
| Sittings allowed | Not more than two |
| Minimum age | 16 years |
| Additional document | Valid National Identification Number (NIN) |
The Post-UTME Screening Process
Meeting the UTME and O’Level requirements only qualifies a candidate to apply; final admission depends on performance in the college’s Post-UTME screening exercise. The screening is conducted as a Computer-Based Test (CBT) covering English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Current Affairs. Candidates are notified of the screening date through the contact details supplied during JAMB registration, so it is important to keep a working phone number and email address on the JAMB profile. On the day of the test, candidates must bring their examination invitation slip printed out; without it, entry to the test venue is typically refused.
Applying for admission generally follows this sequence:
- Sit the UTME with the correct subject combination and meet the cut-off mark.
- Select or change your first-choice institution on JAMB to FCT College of Nursing Sciences, Gwagwalada.
- Purchase and complete the college’s ND/HND application form online, and pay the associated application fee.
- Await an official invitation for the Post-UTME screening exercise.
- Sit the CBT-based screening test covering the five listed subject areas.
- Check the college portal or await official communication for the admission list.
Application and Screening Fees
Applicants pay a non-refundable application fee before they can be screened. For ND/HND admission, the fee is set at ₦2,200, broken down into ₦2,000 for the Post-UTME screening and ₦200 payable to the FCT Nursing and Midwifery Committee. Payment is typically made through the college’s application portal via Remita, and applicants are advised to retain their payment receipts, since these are required at later stages of registration and screening.
School Fees at FCT College of Nursing Sciences, Gwagwalada
Tuition at FCT CONS is charged per session and differs between newly admitted students and returning students, largely because freshers carry one-off charges such as acceptance fees, ID card fees, and fresh registration costs that returning students do not pay again. Reported figures for recent sessions place first-year tuition in the region of ₦150,000, factoring in registration, examination, library, and health insurance charges bundled into the overall figure. Returning students in subsequent years typically pay a reduced amount, since they are not liable for the one-off admission charges.
Because tuition figures are reviewed periodically and can shift from one session to the next, prospective and continuing students should treat the figures below as a guide and confirm the exact current amount with the college’s accounts office or bursary before making payment.
| Fee category | Approximate range |
|---|---|
| First-year (fresher) tuition | ₦150,000 – ₦200,000 |
| Returning-student tuition (per session) | ₦50,000 – ₦120,000 |
| Application/screening fee | ₦2,200 |
| Acceptance fee | Separate, paid after admission is confirmed |
What the Tuition Fee Covers and What It Does Not
The published tuition figure usually bundles together several charges rather than representing pure tuition alone. These typically include examination fees, library fees, and health insurance charges. What tuition does not cover includes hostel accommodation, departmental or clinical practice materials, uniform and clinical kit costs, and identity card charges, all of which are billed separately. Students preparing to resume should budget beyond the published tuition figure to account for these additional costs, particularly uniform and ward equipment, which nursing students are required to have before clinical postings begin.
Accommodation and Additional Costs
Hostel accommodation at FCT CONS is available but is charged outside the standard tuition fee. Students who prefer off-campus housing in Gwagwalada can also find private accommodation near the college and its affiliated clinical training sites, though this comes with its own cost considerations around transportation to and from hospital postings. Given that clinical rotations are a core part of the nursing curriculum, students should also plan for recurring costs such as transportation to teaching hospital sites, replacement uniforms, and basic clinical supplies.
Why Applicants Choose FCT CONS
FCT CONS remains attractive to nursing aspirants in the FCT and neighbouring states for a combination of reasons: it is government-subsidised and therefore more affordable than most private nursing colleges in Abuja, it offers direct access to hospital-based clinical training through its affiliation with health facilities in Gwagwalada, and its ND/HND Nursing Science programme is accredited by both the NBTE and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, which means graduates are eligible to sit professional licensing examinations upon completion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum UTME score needed for FCT CONS?
A minimum of 180 marks in the 2026 UTME, scored in the subject combination of English Language, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
Can a candidate apply with a different UTME subject combination?
No. Candidates who wrote UTME with subjects outside English, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are not eligible for admission into the nursing programme.
Is the application fee refundable?
No. The ₦2,200 application fee for ND/HND candidates is non-refundable, whether or not the candidate is eventually offered admission.
How long does the ND/HND Nursing Science programme take?
It runs as a four-year, non-terminal programme covering both the ND and HND stages.
Do returning students pay the same fee as new students?
No. Returning students pay less than first-year students, since freshers carry additional one-off charges such as acceptance and fresh registration fees.
Where should applicants confirm the exact current school fees?
Because fees change periodically, applicants and current students should verify the exact figure for their year of study directly through the college’s official application portal or accounts office before making any payment.