Enugu State hosts one of the widest ranges of nursing training options in southeastern Nigeria, and a growing share of applicants now look specifically at a private nursing school in Enugu State rather than a government-run institution, mainly because private options tend to admit larger intakes and run more predictable academic calendars. This article lays out the private nursing training institutions available in the state, what they charge, and what shapes those charges from one school to the next.
What Counts as a Private Nursing School in Enugu State
Before comparing figures, it helps to separate the categories, because “nursing school” in Enugu covers three distinct structures, and each one prices its programme differently.
The first category is the private university department of nursing science, where nursing sits inside a full degree-awarding private university and leads to a Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.NSc.) after five years. Godfrey Okoye University, Coal City University, Peaceland University, Maduka University, Renaissance University, and Caritas University all fall under this group.
The second category is the standalone private college of nursing sciences, a smaller institution that is not a university but runs the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) curriculum for a three-year Registered Nurse (RN) diploma, sometimes alongside midwifery or post-basic specialties. Peaceland College of Health Sciences and Technology and Central Washington College of Nursing Sciences represent this group.
The third category is the mission or hospital-affiliated school of nursing, such as Bishop Shanahan Hospital School of Nursing in Nsukka. These are church-run rather than government-run, so many students group them with private options even though they are not commercial private enterprises.
Every private nursing school in Enugu State in these three groups requires NMCN accreditation before its certificate is valid for professional registration, and prospective students should confirm current accreditation status directly with NMCN or the school’s admissions office before paying any fee.
Complete List of Private Nursing Schools in Enugu State and Their Fees
Anyone comparing a private nursing school in Enugu State against another usually starts with a side-by-side fee table, since tuition is the single biggest factor separating one institution from the next. The table below gives session-based estimates for the main private options. Figures shift from year to year and differ for fresh versus returning students, so treat these as planning ranges rather than fixed amounts.
| School | Programme | Duration | Fees Per Session (Estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI) | B.NSc. Nursing Science | 5 Years | ₦1,650,000 – ₦1,900,000 (100 Level, tuition only) |
| Coal City University, Enugu | B.NSc. Nursing Science | 5 Years | ₦700,000 – ₦1,000,000 |
| Peaceland University | B.NSc. Nursing Science | 5 Years | ₦600,000 – ₦900,000 |
| Maduka University, Ekwegbe | B.NSc. Nursing Science | 5 Years | ₦800,000 – ₦1,200,000 |
| Peaceland College of Health Sciences & Technology | Basic Nursing / Allied Health | 3 Years | ₦250,000 – ₦400,000 |
| Central Washington College of Nursing Sciences | Basic Nursing, Midwifery, Post-Basic Nursing | 3 Years / 2 Years | ₦250,000 – ₦400,000 |
| Bishop Shanahan Hospital School of Nursing, Nsukka | Basic General Nursing (RN) | 3 Years | ₦200,000 – ₦300,000 |
These figures typically cover tuition alone. Acceptance fees, ICT and library charges, uniforms, clinical posting fees, hostel accommodation, and NMCN registration usually come on top, and a student’s actual first-year outlay can run 15% to 40% higher than the tuition line alone.
Fee Breakdown by Institution
Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI)
GOUNI’s Faculty of Clinical Medicine and Nursing Sciences charges the highest tuition among the private universities on this list, reflecting its clinical laboratory investment and its Catholic-mission funding structure. First-year nursing tuition sits around ₦1.65 million to ₦1.9 million, and this excludes the acceptance fee (₦30,000), matriculation fee, ICT/online registration charge, library fee, and specific nursing charges such as examination fees and procedure booklets, which together add roughly ₦200,000 to ₦260,000 more.
Coal City University, Enugu
Coal City University offers B.NSc. Nursing Science at a mid-range price point compared with GOUNI, with session fees generally falling between ₦700,000 and ₦1,000,000. As a private nursing school in Enugu State, it positions its nursing programme as more affordable than the older, more established private universities while still carrying full NMCN and NUC recognition.
Peaceland University
Peaceland University, which grew out of Peaceland College of Education and now runs a Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, charges among the lowest tuition of the private university nursing programmes in Enugu, typically between ₦600,000 and ₦900,000 per session. This makes it one of the more accessible entry points into a private nursing school in Enugu State for families working with a tighter budget who still want a full degree route.
Maduka University, Ekwegbe
Maduka University’s nursing science programme sits at the upper end of the private university range, generally between ₦800,000 and ₦1,200,000 per session, and the school markets its clinical partnerships and smaller class sizes as part of the value proposition.
Peaceland College of Health Sciences & Technology
This is the standalone college route (distinct from Peaceland University’s degree programme), aimed at students who want the three-year basic nursing diploma without committing to a full university programme. Fees are lower than the university-based options, generally in the ₦250,000 to ₦400,000 range per session, plus an admission form charge and consumables for clinical practice.
Central Washington College of Nursing Sciences
Located in Akpuoga Nike, Enugu East, this college runs basic nursing, midwifery, and post-basic nursing programmes. Because admission announcements for this college and similar standalone colleges often circulate informally through phone contacts and social media pages rather than a single official portal, applicants should insist on an official receipt, a verifiable office address, and confirmation of current NMCN accreditation status before making any payment, and should treat any fee figure quoted informally as provisional until confirmed on the school’s letterhead.
Bishop Shanahan Hospital School of Nursing, Nsukka
As a mission hospital school, Bishop Shanahan charges among the lowest fees on this list, generally ₦200,000 to ₦300,000 per session for its Basic General Nursing programme, with a separate Post-Basic Midwifery track also on offer. Its long operating history (accreditation records trace back decades) and hospital-based clinical exposure make it a consistently popular option despite the modest capacity per intake.
What Determines How Much a Private Nursing School in Enugu State Charges
Several factors explain why fees vary this widely across a private nursing school in Enugu State, even within the same category of institution.
- Institutional structure. A full university runs a wider administrative and faculty overhead than a standalone college, and that overhead shows up in tuition.
- Clinical infrastructure. Schools that own or closely partner with a teaching hospital, simulation laboratory, or skills lab typically charge more to cover equipment and consumables.
- Accreditation level. A school with full NMCN accreditation (rather than provisional accreditation) can generally justify higher charges because its certificate carries less risk for the graduate.
- Intake size. Institutions with a smaller admission quota often spread fixed costs across fewer students, which pushes per-student fees upward.
- Payment structure. Some schools allow instalment payment across two semesters, while others require a larger upfront deposit, which affects how the “per session” figure is perceived even when the total is similar.
Additional Costs to Plan For
Tuition is rarely the full financial picture at any private nursing school in Enugu State, and families who budget only the headline tuition figure are often caught off guard once other charges are added. Students should budget separately for:
- Acceptance or admission fee, paid once after an offer of admission.
- Uniform, name tag, and clinical kit (stethoscope, thermometer, apron).
- Hostel accommodation, where the school offers on-campus housing.
- NMCN registration and examination fees, paid at set points during the programme rather than every session.
- Textbooks, procedure booklets, and departmental handouts.
- Transport or logistics for clinical postings at affiliated hospitals.
How to Verify Current Fees
Because fee schedules change from one academic session to the next and because informal admission advertisements are common for smaller colleges, the safest verification method is to visit the school’s official website or admissions office directly, request a written fee breakdown on the school’s letterhead, and cross-check the institution’s accreditation status with NMCN before making any payment. This step matters more for a private nursing school in Enugu State than for a public institution, since private admission drives are more often advertised through informal channels. Paying into a personal account rather than an official school account is a warning sign regardless of how legitimate the offer sounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which private nursing school in Enugu State is the cheapest?
Among the university-based B.NSc. programmes, Peaceland University generally has the lowest tuition. Among standalone colleges, Bishop Shanahan Hospital School of Nursing and the smaller private colleges tend to charge less than the university degree route, making them the more budget-friendly private nursing school in Enugu State options overall.
Do private nursing schools in Enugu State cost more than public ones?
Yes, in almost every case. Public teaching hospital schools such as UNTH and ESUTH Parklane charge session fees in the ₦150,000 to ₦250,000 range, well below most private university nursing programmes.
Is a diploma from a private college of nursing recognised the same way as a university B.NSc.?
Both routes lead to registration with NMCN once the school holds valid accreditation, but a B.NSc. is a degree qualification while the college route produces a Registered Nurse diploma. Career progression and further postgraduate study options differ slightly between the two, so applicants should weigh their long-term goals before choosing.
Can school fees at these institutions be paid in instalments?
Most of the universities on this list allow tuition to be split across two payments within a session, commonly 60% at resumption and the balance within a few months. Standalone colleges vary more widely, and some require full or near-full payment before matriculation.
Final Notes
Choosing a private nursing school in Enugu State is ultimately a trade-off between cost, accreditation strength, and the structure of the programme (degree versus diploma). A higher fee does not automatically mean a stronger clinical training experience, and a lower fee does not automatically mean weaker instruction, so applicants get the most reliable picture by combining the fee figures above with a direct check of each school’s current NMCN accreditation status, its most recent licensing examination pass rate where published, and feedback from students currently enrolled there.