| Updated On - Nov 1, 2025
Nursing is a field with rising opportunities. It is one of the fields where employment has continuously risen in recent years. According to the data published by the WHO, there was a rise in nurses globally from 27.9 million to 29.8 million from 2018-2023. The UK hosts the world’s top colleges for nursing, like King’s College London (ranked as the #1 college for nursing by QS ranking), the University of Manchester (ranked as the #10 college for nursing by QS ranking).
Studying nursing in the UK can provide you with the opportunity to practice as a registered nurse in the UK. Starting salaries for nurses in the UK are 31,000 GBP (36 Lakh INR) per year. A Bachelor's in Nursing in the UK is a 3-year course, while a Master's in Nursing is of 1-3 years duration, depending on the course. You are eligible to apply for a Bachelor's in Nursing if you have completed the 12th class. And for a master's in nursing, you can apply after graduation. Scholarships like the Commonwealth and Chevening offer a tuition fee waiver.
- Top Colleges for Nursing in the UK
- Eligibility for a Bachelor's in Nursing in the UK
- Fees for Bachelors in Nursing in the UK
- The table below gives information about the fee structure of top universities in the UK to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing.
- Eligibility to pursue a Master’s in Nursing in the UK
- Fees for Master's courses in Nursing in the UK
- Cost of living in the UK
- Scholarships for Students in Nursing in the UK
- Documents required for Admission to Nursing in the UK
- Visa requirements for pursuing Nursing in the UK
- Post-study Visa for Nursing in the UK
- FAQs
Top Colleges for Nursing in the UK
Below are the top colleges to pursue a course in nursing in the UK. Internationally recognized standards and criteria have ranked these colleges. These colleges have been rated as one of the best colleges to pursue nursing in the world.
| Top Colleges | QS Ranking Nursing 2025 | QS Ranking 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| King's College London | #1 | #31 |
| The University of Manchester | #10 | #35 |
| University of Southampton | #13 | #87 |
| The University of Edinburgh | #46 | #34 |
| Queen’s University Belfast | #51-100 | #199 |
| University of Birmingham | #51-100 | #76 |
| University of Glasgow | #51-100 | #79 |
| University of Leeds | #51-100 | #86 |
| University of Liverpool | #51-100 | #147 |
| University of Nottingham | #51-100 | #97 |
Eligibility for a Bachelor's in Nursing in the UK
The minimum eligibility criteria to pursue an undergraduate nursing course in the UK are a 12th-class qualification and an English proficiency test. The top colleges of the UK and their particular criteria are mentioned below in the table.
| Colleges | Minimum score of 12th class required | English Proficiency Test |
|---|---|---|
| King’s College London | 73% in class 12th in (CBSE and CISCE) boards only | 7.5 IELTS score, TOEFL, Cambridge C1 or C2, Trinity ISE, Oxford test |
| The University of Manchester | 80% in class 12th in the CBSE or ICS board | 7.0 IELTS score |
| University of Southampton | 75% in class 12th from CBSE, CISCE, or the State board of Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Chennai, Kolkata | 7.0 IELTS score or 70% marks in English in CBSE or ICS board |
| University of Edinburgh | Overall 80% with three subjects at 75% in CBSE or CISCE | 7.0 IELTS score, TOEFL with a total of 100 and 25 in each component, Trinity ISE, Oxford ELLT, Cambridge C1 or C2 |
| Queen’s University Belfast | 70% marks in 12th class by CBSE or CISCE board | IELTS score of 7.0 or 70% in the English language in 12th grade |
| University of Birmingham | 75% for ICS, CBSE, Maharashtra, and West Bengal boards, while 80% for other boards in 12th class | 7.0 IELTS Score, TOEFL 95 score, PTE 67 |
| University of Glasgow | 75% in ISC or CISCE Or 80% in the State board | IELTS score of 7.0 |
| University of Leeds | 75% in 12th class | IELTS score of 7.0 |
| University of Liverpool | 70% minimum in class 12th | IELTS score of 7.0 |
| University of Nottingham | 80% in CBSE and Maharashtra state board, 70% in West Bengal state board, 85% in all other state boards | IELTS score of 6.5, TOEFL score of 90, PTE score of 71 |
Fees for Bachelors in Nursing in the UK
The table below gives information about the fee structure of top universities in the UK to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing.
| Colleges | Fees in GBP | Fees in INR |
|---|---|---|
| King’s College London | 31,600 GBP | 37 Lakhs INR |
| The University of Manchester | 29,500 GBP | 35 Lakhs INR |
| The University of Southampton | 30,000 GBP | 36 Lakhs INR |
| The University of Edinburgh | 34,800 GBP | 41 Lakhs INR |
| Queen’s University Belfast | 20,800 GBP | 25 Lakhs INR |
| The University of Birmingham | 28,130 GBP | 33 Lakhs INR |
| The University of Glasgow | 31,800 GBP | 38 Lakhs INR |
| University of Leeds | 32,250 GBP | 38 Lakhs INR |
| University of Liverpool | 27,200 GBP | 32 Lakhs INR |
| University of Nottingham | 30,750 GBP | 36 Lakhs INR |
Eligibility to pursue a Master’s in Nursing in the UK
To pursue a Master's in Nursing from the UK, you need a minimum requirement of completing a bachelor's degree. And also to have been registered as a nurse.
| Colleges | Minimum Qualification | English Proficiency Test |
|---|---|---|
| King’s College London | 60% in Bachelors or 7.5 CGPA | IELTS score of 6.5, TOEFL 92, PTE 62 |
| The University of Manchester | 60% in Bachelors | IELTS 7.0 |
| The University of Southampton | 60% in Bachelors | IELTS 7.0 |
| University of Edinburgh | 60% in Bachelors or 8.0 CGPA | IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 92, PTE 62 |
| Queen’s University Belfast | Honors degree | IELTS 7.0 |
| University of Birmingham | Bachelor's degree with 60% and 2 years of experience | IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 88 |
| University of Glasgow | Honors degree and 1 year of experience | IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 79, PTE 59 |
| University of Leeds | 60% in Bachelors | IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 88, PTE 64 |
| University of Liverpool | 60% in Bachelors | IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 88, PTE 61 |
| University of Nottingham | 60% in Bachelors | IELTS 7.0 |
Fees for Master's courses in Nursing in the UK
The table below mentions the fee for master's courses in Nursing in the top colleges of the UK.
| Colleges | Fees in GBP | Fees in INR |
|---|---|---|
| King’s College London | 29,472 GBP | 34.5 Lakh INR |
| The University of Manchester | 25,000 GBP | 29 Lakh INR |
| The University of Southampton | 26,100 GBP | 30.6 Lakh INR |
| University of Edinburgh | 28,800 GBP | 33.8 Lakh INR |
| Queen’s University Belfast | 26,000 GBP | 30 Lakh INR |
| University of Birmingham | 25,000 GBP | 29 Lakh INR |
| University of Glasgow | 28,260 GBP | 33 Lakh INR |
| University of Leeds | 26,000 GBP | 30 Lakh INR |
| University of Liverpool | 26,400 GBP | 31 Lakh INR |
| University of Nottingham | 28,600 GBP | 33.5 Lakh INR |
Cost of living in the UK
Apart from the tuition fees of the college, you need to calculate the expenses. So there is no panic and end-time delay for arranging funds.
| Expenses Type | In GBP | In INR |
|---|---|---|
| Meals | 100- 250 GBP | 11,700- 29,300 INR |
| Others | 50- 200 GBP | 5,876- 23,000 INR |
| Rent | 400- 1,500 GBP | 47,000- 1.7 Lakh INR |
| Travel | 40- 400 GBP | 4,700- 47,000 INR |
| Books | 20- 50 GBP | 2,350- 5,876 INR |
The table above indicates that the monthly expenses of a student living in the UK can range between 600- 2400 GBP ( 70,000- 2.8 Lakhs INR ).
Scholarships for Students in Nursing in the UK
The UK offers scholarships for Indian students to pursue their education without taking stress of their finances.
| Scholarships | Eligibilty | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Florence Nightangle Foundation | Registered nurse | Helps in professional development and research |
| Chevening Scholarship | 1. Enrolled in a Master's in Nursing 2 years of experience3. Commit to return to the home country for at least 2 years after the master's degree | 1. Full support for tuition fees 2. living expenses covered |
| Commonwealth Scholarship | 1. Age less than 402. Minimum 12th pass for undergraduate courses and graduation for postgraduation courses | 1. Full tuition fee coverage2. Living expenses covered3. Warm clothes allowance4. Return airfare from the UK to the home country |
| International undergraduate excellence scholarship | Self-funded international students | 25% fee reduction |
Documents required for Admission to Nursing in the UK
To get admitted, you need to have the documents mentioned below available with you. So that there is no delay in formalities.
- Class 12th passout documents for Bachelor's admission and Graduation certificates for Master's programmes in Nursing.
- Valid English proficiency test scorecard
- Valid experience certificate for students seeking admission in a Master's course in nursing.
- Statement of Intent
- Letter of recommendation
- Proof of being a registered nurse for admission into the Master's program.
Visa requirements for pursuing Nursing in the UK
You need to have a proper visa to enter the UK. For which you need to complete the formality beforehand, to ensure you have it in a proper time.
- Offer of admission from a licensed UK University
- English language proficiency test qualification
- Proof of having sufficient funds to sponsor studies and living in the UK
- Valid passport
- Tuberculosis test
- Parental consent if your age is under 18
Post-study Visa for Nursing in the UK
After completing your nursing degree from the UK, you can get registered with the NMC(Nursing and Midwifery Council) and start practicing as a professional nurse.
You can apply for a post-study work visa, which will allow you to stay and work in the UK for 2 years. After or during this, you can take up a full-time role in the NHS and apply for a skilled worker visa, which can help in long-term residency in the UK.
Nursing in the UK can be a suitable option for Indian students due to top-ranked colleges like King’s College London of Nursing in the UK, availability of scholarships like the Commonwealth that can waive tuition fees. Also, due to the presence of the expat Indian community of 3%, Indian students can feel at ease in the UK. English being the major language, Indian students generally do not face problems with it. Due to the above many factors, nursing in the UK is well-suited for indian students.
FAQs
Ques. How much can a registered nurse earn in the UK after completing nursing in the UK?
Ans. An entry-level nurse can earn in the range of 28,000- 34,000 GBP (32- 40 Lakh INR per year). And it increases after experience. You need to get license to start practicing. You could also opt for further studies of Msc or phd in the UK.
Ques. Can I come back to India after completing my Nursing course in the UK, and what is the process for it?
Ans. Yes, after completing Nursing, you can come back to India and practice. But you need to provide an equivalency certificate. And register with the INC (Indian Nursing Council). Or else you could opt for further studies like Msc or phd in the India after checking with the Indian university’s eligibilty.
Ques. What are the job opportunities after completing Nursing in the UK?
Ans. You can work as a staff nurse, ICU nurse, or help in clinical research-based projects after completing nursing in the UK. You need to get licence to start working as a professional nurse. And also you are required to get post study visa after completing your studies.
Ques. What is the age limit for nurses in the UK?
Ans. There is no age limit to practice as a nurse in the UK. Provided that you are medically fit. Given that you fit the eligibilty criteria, you can practice in Uk as well as in the UK uptil any age.
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