The College of Nursing Sciences, Lafia is a state-government-owned health training institution in Nasarawa State, previously operating as the Nasarawa State School of Nursing and Midwifery before its upgrade to full college status. The institution trains nurses and midwives under the regulatory framework of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), and since its transition to a college, it now runs National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes in General Nursing in addition to its long-standing Basic Nursing and Midwifery training tracks. The college sits under the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health and produces registered nurses and midwives who serve within the state’s hospitals and primary healthcare system as well as across Nigeria more broadly.
This article sets out what a candidate needs to know before applying for the 2026/2027 session: the programmes on offer, the entry requirements for each, and what to expect in terms of school fees.
Programmes Offered at the College of Nursing Sciences, Lafia
Following its transition from a school of nursing to a full college, the institution now runs a broader spread of programmes than it did previously. A candidate researching admission should first identify which of the following tracks matches their qualification and career stage:
- ND General Nursing — the entry-level diploma programme for candidates coming from secondary school, admitted through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
- HND General Nursing — the advanced diploma programme for candidates who already hold an ND in General Nursing from the college or an equivalent recognized institution.
- School of Midwifery (Basic Midwifery) — professional training for candidates seeking to qualify as registered midwives, generally admitted separately from the nursing intake.
- Post Basic Nursing — a two-year upgrading programme for candidates who already hold a basic nursing certificate.
- Post Basic Midwifery — a similar upgrading track for candidates who already hold a basic midwifery certificate.
- Community Midwifery — a shorter, community-focused midwifery training track aimed at producing community-level maternal health personnel.
- Direct Entry, Distance Learning, and Transfer routes — alternate admission pathways the college runs alongside its standard intake, for candidates who already hold relevant prior qualifications, are pursuing the programme part-time, or are transferring from another accredited nursing institution.
Because the college has been phasing out its old Basic Nursing certificate track in favour of the ND/HND structure, a candidate should confirm with the admissions office which of these tracks is currently open for the session they intend to apply for, since not every route runs in every admission cycle.
Admission Requirements for ND General Nursing
The ND General Nursing programme is the primary entry route for candidates coming directly from secondary school. To be considered, an applicant must satisfy the following conditions:
An applicant needs at least five credit passes in the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) result, the National Examinations Council (NECO) result, or the General Certificate of Education (GCE), obtained in not more than two sittings. The five required credits must include English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. A combination of WAEC and NECO results, or two sittings of the same examination body, is acceptable, but a result from the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) cannot be combined with a WAEC or NECO sitting to make up the five credits — NABTEB results are only combinable with another NABTEB sitting. An applicant whose SSCE result is still pending or “awaiting result” does not meet the minimum requirement at the point of application.
Admission into the ND General Nursing programme runs through the JAMB UTME. A candidate must register for UTME, select the College of Nursing Sciences, Lafia as their institution of first choice, and choose the General Nursing programme. The college sets a minimum UTME cut-off mark for consideration each session; in recent admission cycles this cut-off has sat around 160, though applicants should confirm the current session’s cut-off mark once JAMB and the college release it, since cut-off marks can shift slightly from year to year depending on the volume and quality of applications received. Candidates must also have uploaded their SSCE result to the JAMB portal, as verification of the O’level result through JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) forms part of the screening process.
Admission Requirements for HND General Nursing
Admission into the HND General Nursing programme is open only to candidates who already hold an ND certificate in General Nursing, either from the College of Nursing Sciences, Lafia itself or from another NMCN- and NBTE-accredited nursing institution. An applicant must have obtained a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0, which corresponds to a pass grade, at the ND level. Candidates also typically need evidence of having completed the mandatory post-ND industrial work experience where this applies to their specific ND classification, since HND admission across Nigerian nursing and allied health programmes generally expects practical work exposure between the ND and HND stages.
Admission Requirements for Midwifery, Post Basic, and Community Midwifery Programmes
The standalone School of Midwifery programme, along with Post Basic Nursing, Post Basic Midwifery, and Community Midwifery, each carries its own entry profile distinct from the ND/HND Nursing track.
For the Basic Midwifery programme, candidates generally need the same five-credit SSCE requirement described above (English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology), since the programme, like ND Nursing, draws candidates directly from secondary school qualifications in many cases, subject to the college’s current admission structure for that intake. For the Post Basic Nursing and Post Basic Midwifery programmes, applicants must already hold a basic certificate in nursing or midwifery respectively, along with evidence of current professional registration where required. The Community Midwifery track is generally designed for candidates already working within community or primary healthcare settings who want focused training in maternal and community health service delivery.
How to Apply
The application process begins with the purchase of the admission form, either through the college’s official application portal or in person at the registration unit on campus. Applicants complete their personal and academic information, upload the required documents — SSCE result, birth certificate or age declaration, local government identification, and passport photographs — and, for ND Nursing candidates, provide their UTME registration number for verification against JAMB’s records.
Shortlisted candidates are invited for a written entrance examination and, in most cases, an oral interview, after which the college releases an admission list. As with all professional nursing training institutions in Nigeria, an applicant should wait for a formal, verifiable admission offer before making any tuition, acceptance, or accommodation payment, since paying ahead of an official offer carries the risk of loss without any guarantee of a placement.
School Fees at the College of Nursing Sciences, Lafia
As a state-government-owned institution, the College of Nursing Sciences, Lafia charges considerably less than privately owned nursing colleges in the same region, since a portion of its running costs is subsidized through the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health. Even so, the exact figure a student pays depends on several factors that apply broadly across this category of institution.
Programme and level. ND1 and HND1 fresh students typically pay more than continuing students at higher levels, because fresh entrants are billed one-off charges — application fee, acceptance fee, matriculation, and ID card processing — that returning students do not pay again in later sessions. HND fees also tend to run higher than ND fees, in line with the more advanced clinical and practical component of the HND curriculum.
State of origin. As with most state-owned tertiary institutions in Nigeria, Nasarawa State indigenes generally pay a lower tuition rate than candidates from other states, while other compulsory charges, such as library dues, ID card fees, and clinical/uniform levies, are typically the same for both groups.
Programme type. The standalone Midwifery, Post Basic Nursing, Post Basic Midwifery, and Community Midwifery tracks often carry a different fee schedule from the ND/HND Nursing programme, reflecting differences in programme duration and the level of clinical supervision each requires.
Accommodation. Published fee figures generally cover tuition, departmental charges, and other compulsory institutional dues only. Hostel accommodation on campus is billed as a separate, optional charge for students who choose not to arrange private lodging around Lafia.
Because the college reviews its fee schedule from one session to another, and because the exact figure also depends on which of the programmes above an applicant is entering, the table below summarizes what each fee category typically covers rather than quoting a single naira figure that may not remain accurate by the time the 2026/2027 session resumes. Applicants should confirm the exact, current amount for their specific programme and level directly from the college’s admission portal or the registration unit at the point of application.
| Fee Category | Applies To | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Application/screening fee | All applicants, all programmes | Form processing, entrance exam, and (for ND candidates) UTME verification |
| Acceptance fee | Newly admitted candidates only | Confirms and secures the offered admission slot |
| Tuition and departmental charges | ND/HND and Midwifery students, per session | Classroom instruction, clinical supervision, and departmental administration |
| Practical/clinical levy | Students with hospital-based clinical postings | Uniforms, clinical materials, and hospital posting coordination |
| Library and ICT levy | All students | Library access, e-library, and computer laboratory use |
| Hostel accommodation (optional) | Students who require on-campus lodging | Optional charge, separate from tuition |
Applicants should plan their budget around both the one-off charges paid at entry (application and acceptance fees) and the recurring charges paid every session (tuition, departmental dues, and clinical levies), since the full cost of completing any of these programmes accumulates across the entire duration of study rather than being paid once.
Duration of Study
The ND General Nursing programme runs over multiple years of combined classroom instruction and supervised clinical practice, structured in line with the curriculum approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. The HND General Nursing programme that follows generally runs over a shorter period, building on the clinical competencies already established at ND level. The standalone Midwifery, Post Basic Nursing, Post Basic Midwifery, and Community Midwifery tracks each run over their own defined periods, which are typically shorter than the ND programme since candidates in these tracks already bring a professional foundation into their training. Applicants should confirm the exact current duration for their chosen programme at the point of application, since curriculum structures are periodically updated in line with NMCN and NBTE requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is admission into ND General Nursing done through JAMB?
Yes. ND General Nursing candidates must register for UTME, select the College of Nursing Sciences, Lafia as their first-choice institution, meet the college’s minimum cut-off mark, and have their SSCE result uploaded to the JAMB portal.
Can a NABTEB result be combined with a WAEC result to meet the five-credit requirement?
No. A NABTEB result can only be combined with another NABTEB sitting. It cannot be combined with WAEC, NECO, or GCE results to make up the required five credits.
What CGPA is required for HND admission?
An applicant needs a minimum CGPA of 2.0 (a pass grade) at the ND level to qualify for HND General Nursing admission.
Does the college still admit into the old Basic Nursing certificate programme?
The college has been transitioning from the old Basic Nursing certificate structure to the ND/HND General Nursing structure. Applicants should confirm with the admissions office which tracks are currently open for the session they intend to apply for.
Should an applicant pay school fees before receiving an admission offer?
No. Tuition, acceptance, and accommodation fees should be paid only after a candidate receives a formal, verifiable admission offer, since payment made in advance of an official offer carries no guarantee of placement.