Nursing at UEA
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BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Science
- UCAS Course Code
- B740
- Course Length
- 3 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2025
Clearing entry requirements are subject to change, if you have your results confirmed, please contact us on 01603 294933 to secure your place. Visit Clearing to find out more.
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Why you should choose us
97%
Of graduates go on to work and/or study within 15 months after the course
Graduate Outcome Survey 2020Course Overview
Are you ready for a career with boundless opportunities?
Adult nursing is a rewarding and dynamic career for those passionate about making a tangible difference in people’s lives. If you’re someone who thrives when caring for others, and you’re eager to engage with individuals across all stages of life, this course is for you. What’s exciting about adult nursing is its incredible diversity—whether you choose to focus on acute care, community health, or specialised fields, your career path is what you make it. The opportunity to help others live their best lives, support people through some of their toughest times, and impact your community in a meaningful way is incredibly rewarding.
At UEA, our approach to teaching Adult Nursing is centred around a blend of rigorous academic study and practical, hands-on learning. We pride ourselves on offering a supportive and interactive environment, where you will be part of a dynamic cohort of students, all committed to becoming expert registered adult nurses. Our teaching philosophy is based on a collaborative, multidisciplinary model that ensures you not only become proficient in the technical aspects of nursing but also develop the critical thinking and emotional intelligence required to deliver exceptional care.
UEA’s Adult Nursing programme stands out for its real-world experience, where your learning is grounded in clinical practice. Here, you’ll not only gain knowledge of adult health and disease but will also dive into critical subjects like promoting wellbeing and supporting a while person approach. Each aspect of the course is designed to give you a holistic view of healthcare, preparing you to approach nursing with empathy, adaptability, and expertise. Our commitment to your own health and wellbeing is reflected in the way we incorporate personal development into your learning journey, empowering you to care for yourself so you can care for others.
At UEA You’ll have access to our top-tier anatomy suite, simulation rooms, and cutting-edge technology, giving you the chance to hone your skills in a realistic, supportive environment. But it’s not just the facilities that make UEA unique. With the NHS and other healthcare partners in the region, you’ll be able to gain real-world experience that will enrich your learning and career prospects.
Graduating with a BSc (Hons) in Adult Nursing from UEA means you're stepping into a world full of opportunities. Thanks to our robust partnerships with the NHS and other healthcare providers, our graduates are sought after by employers for their well-rounded skills and compassionate approach to care. The comprehensive training you receive at UEA—rooted in the NHS Constitution and endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council—will help you build a successful career. Many of our alumni have gone on to thrive in leadership roles, clinical specialties, and even global health positions.
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Accreditations
The course is fully approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Study and Modules
Structure
Our course is formulated to meet the requirements of the NMC Pre-registration nursing standards while allowing you flexibility to follow your interests.
In your first year, you’ll study professionalism in nursing, enabling you to deliver evidence based, safe, effective and person-centred care. Subject content will include; legal and ethical issues, professional values, professional relationships, boundaries and developing your academic skills.
Furthermore, we aim to provide you with the knowledge and skills to enable you to take a life course approach to the promotion of health, prevention of illness and management of health challenges with individuals, communities and at population level.
Alongside your integrated study of theory and practice, you’ll develop knowledge and practical skills in preparation for registration with the NMC. Encompassing core and field specific learning, these sessions centre on professional values in both practice placements and simulations in the classroom. Practical activities might include Basic Life Support, Physiological Observations and Recognition of the Unwell Patient.
Compulsory Modules
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Our degree programme employs a range of learning methods, designed to link the theory and practice of nursing.
Throughout the course you’ll cultivate your ability to learn autonomously and in partnership with others, including wider healthcare teams. In academic modules, you’ll learn through small-group teaching, lectures (in person and online) and self-directed study. In your clinical practice placements, you’ll gain hands-on experience working alongside registered nurses and members of the multi-disciplinary team. Your clinical practice placements are designed to reflect the typical working patterns of a qualified nurse.
Assessment
You’ll be assessed using a range of methods, carefully chosen to reflect your ability to apply the relevant theory to practice.
Year One assessments include a range of contemporary approaches including written assignments, presentations and posters.
Structure
In your second year, you’ll study the application of life and social sciences to contemporary nursing practice. In addition, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills to assess, plan, deliver and evaluate safe and effective person-centred care pathways across service delivery settings. You’ll learn to link theory to practice and manage evidence-based care.
You’ll build on core nursing concepts and learning specific to your chosen field of nursing with increasing complexity, centring on professional values in both practice placements and simulation sessions in school. Practical activities might include cardio-respiratory assessment, wound closure and catheterisation.
Compulsory Modules
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
You’ll have access to educational resources including presentations, workbooks and posters, as well as digital platforms such as virtual classrooms and online learning resources. You’ll also be able to learn directly from people who have experienced healthcare services.
In clinical practice placements, you’ll be learning with the support of registered nurses, members of the healthcare team and those using healthcare services. Your theoretical learning will enhance your clinical practice learning so that you develop the necessary evidence-based practice to deliver safe and effective nursing care.
Assessment
In your second year you’ll be challenged with assessments aimed at linking theory and practice, including examinations, case studies and written assignments.
Structure
In your final year, you’ll study the complexities and innovations in nursing practice, building on your existing knowledge, understanding and experiences to develop higher academic skills. You’ll further your independent learning skills and develop a reflective practice which is both ambitious and creative. You’ll focus on complex care, leadership and management skills and service improvement to prepare you for transition into the role of registered nurse.
You’ll choose one option module to study which will provide you with insight into a specific area of nursing. You’ll continue to build on nursing concepts and learning specific to your chosen field of nursing with increasing complexity, focusing on professional values in both practice placements and simulation sessions in school. You’ll have the exciting opportunity to take part in a simulated critical incident day and demonstrate your leadership and management skills as well as your clinical assessment skills.
Furthermore, you’ll be able to select a five-week professional development placement during your final year. Our expanding portfolio offers a range of local and international placement options, providing diverse and enriching experiences that contribute to your professional growth and development.
In addition to these modules, you’ll engage in Interprofessional Learning activities exploring collaboration and teamworking with other healthcare students across the faculty, a skill which is essential to effective person-centred care.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
You’ll be able to use and develop your skills and knowledge under professional supervision. You’ll work closely with adults using health services, and their wider support networks.
You’ll be encouraged to read and engage with a wide range of sources to inform your development. Additionally, you’ll have access to resources to support your learning and help you develop an effective approach to independent study and life-long learning.
By the end of your studies, you’ll have built up an individual learning profile, which will demonstrate that you have completed the requirements for professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Assessment
In the final year, you’ll complete a project which will illustrate your deeper understanding of the relationship between the theory and practice of nursing. Alongside this, you’ll create a poster and short explanation related to the option module of your choice. Additionally, you’ll keep an audio diary to show professional growth and learning.
Each year you’ll be assessed in practice during your placement and you’ll complete an online medicines calculation exam.
Employability
After the Course
As a UEA Adult Nursing graduate, you’ll be a highly sought-after healthcare professional. On graduation and subsequent registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, you’ll be ready to start your career in a series of demanding yet rewarding environments, such as community and residential settings, traditional healthcare settings such as primary care and emergency, specialist nursing roles, outpatient clinics, the Armed Forces, or public health. No matter where your future takes you, you’ll graduate with the requisite knowledge, experience, and personal qualities necessary to have an exciting and fulfilling career.
Careers
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- UK NHS or private healthcare providers
- Community settings
- Nursing homes and hospices
- Schools and higher education
- Nursing Research
- International nursing
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4 or grade C.
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider:
- Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics
- Essential Skills Wales L2 Application of Number
- Essential Skills Northern Ireland L2 Application of Number
In place of English Language GCSE we can also consider:
- Functional Skills Level 2 English
- Essential Skills Wales L2 Communication
- Essential Skills Northern Ireland L2 Communication
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.
- Contextual Offers
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
A levels
BBC.
Contextual offer: CCC.
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: DMM
Contextual offer: MMM
See BTEC / OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 section below for further information on accepted subjects.
Combinations of BTEC and A levels
Diploma: DM plus B at A level.
Contextual Offer: DM plus C at A Level.
Extended Certificate: M plus BB at A level.
Contextual Offer: M plus BC at A Level.
BTEC in Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration are all excluded from our BTEC offers.
See BTEC / OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 section below for further information on accepted subjects and combinations.
Access to HE Diploma
Pass Access to HE Diploma with Merit in 36 credits at Level 3 and Pass in 9 credits at Level 3, in a Health, Care or Science subject.
T levels
Obtain an overall Pass including a B in the core of the T Level and a Merit in the Occupational Specialism. Acceptable subjects: Health, Healthcare Science, Science.
- Further Examples of Typical Entry Requirements
Bachelor's Degree (hons)
2:2 or above.
BTEC / OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3
Grade requirements:
- DMM (made up of Extended Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma subjects)
- DM (made up of Extended Certificate or Diploma subjects) plus B at A level
- M (Extended Certificate) plus BB at A level
Subject requirements:
BTEC Public Services, BTEC Uniformed Services and BTEC Business Administration are not accepted to make up any grades.
Certificate of Higher Education
50% or above.
Diploma of Higher Education
50% or above in Year 2.
Foundation Degree
50% or above in Year 2, in a Health, Care or Science subject.
Foundation Year
60% or above in a Foundation Year of an undergraduate degree programme at a UK university, in a Health, Care or Science subject.
International Baccalaureate
30 points overall.
Irish Leaving Certificate
1 subject at H2, 5 subjects at H3.
NCFE/CACHE Level 3 Diploma
Grade C or above in Child Care and Education (Early Years Educator).
NCFE/CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma
Grade C or above in one of the following subjects:
- Children's Care, Learning and Development
- Children and Young People's Workforce
- Health and Social Care (including Technical Level)
Open University
60 credits at 50% or above, in a Health, Care or Science subject.
Scottish Advanced Highers
CCD or above.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
Scottish Highers
ABBBB or above.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
Additional Information
We welcome and value a wide range of alternative qualifications, and we also recognise that some students might take a mixture of some of the qualifications above. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
Please note that we do not consider A Levels in General Studies or Critical Thinking, Apprenticeships, NVQs (any level) or Work-based Level 3 Diplomas (previously NVQs) to meet the minimum academic entry requirements, although these can be used as evidence of recent study.
Graduates may wish to consider our accelerated Masters programmes.
- Non-Academic Entry Requirements
Offers will be made to applicants after completion of successful interviews, and will be subject to a satisfactory occupational health check (including evidence of appropriate immunisations), an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Where applicable, an Overseas Police Check may be required. We will let you know what you need to do (and when) to meet these conditions if you are successful in gaining an offer.
If you have previously studied at degree level in a health based subject, we will want to see that you have passed all of the study that you have undertaken. We’ll be unable to consider you for this course if you’ve obtained an academic fail from a previous health based degree programme, including where an exit award has been achieved.
- Interviews
The strongest applicants will be invited to interview. Please note that meeting (or being predicted to meet) the minimum academic entry requirements will not guarantee that you will be selected for interview.
Interview invitations will be sent by email. Please keep a close eye on all emails from UEA after you submit your UCAS application. For more information on the application process and what to expect at each step, take a look at our handy Applying to HSC infographic, which explains the application journey from start to finish.
Interview format
Our interviews for 2025 will take place on our campus. The format will match the process outlined in our animation: What to expect from a Health Science interview at UEA, as closely as possible. You will be invited to book your interview for a morning or afternoon session by email. The email will include the arrival time and building location. We use a variety of the buildings on our campus for interviews, but they will either be on our Main Campus or on our West Campus (which is around a 20-minute walk from the centre of the Main Campus, near the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital). The session will last no longer than 3 hours in total. Applicants who are based outside of England at the point of applying will be offered an online interview.
As part of the session, you will take part in ‘multiple mini-interviews’ with academic members of staff from the School of Health Sciences at UEA, clinicians from the profession, service users* and/or current UEA students from the course.
*A ‘service user’ is someone who has access to use health or social care services or could be affected by the services of health and social care professionals.
You will undertake your ‘multiple mini-interview’ alongside 1 or 2 other applicants for the course. Together, you will be taken to your interview room, which will be furnished with three interview stations. You will attend each interview station in turn, rotating with the other applicants you have been grouped with.
Before you visit each interview station, you will be given time to read some information. The information will include the interview questions or topics that you will be asked about. You will then be given a set amount of time with the interviewer(s), who will ask you the questions verbally.
The other applicants who you have been grouped together with will be following the same process as you at the same time. They will be speaking to alternate interviewer(s) to you simultaneously. You will all continue the process above until you have been interviewed at all three interview stations.
As part of your interview day, you will also have an opportunity to join some other sessions, for which you will not be assessed. The sessions are an opportunity for you to learn more about the course, the university, the students that study here, and for you to ask questions of current students and teaching staff. There may be an opportunity to undertake some practical skills during some of these sessions, if possible. There may also be an opportunity to tour the teaching facilities. These parts of your interview day are not compulsory, and do not form part of the assessment.
Interview questions
At each interview station you will be asked questions that focus on a particular domain. The order in which you are asked about these domains will be variable. The domains are:
- Your knowledge of the professional field for which you are applying.
- Your personal qualities and suitability for the profession. To help with discussion around this domain, you may be asked to consider a scenario and asked questions about how you would respond to it. You will be given time to read the scenario before you approach the interview station, and it will also be read to you by the interviewer(s).
- Your understanding of and suitability for the course at UEA.
On all interview stations, interviewers will also consider your ability to clearly present information and communicate your responses effectively.
Interview Skills for Nursing Applicants - Free Course
Take advantage of our free course through Future Learn: Interview Skills for University Nursing Programme Applicants
This free one-week course aims to increase your chances of being accepted onto a UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved Nursing programme in the UK. You’ll be guided through the interview process to help you understand the purpose of the interviews and how they’re conducted. We introduce a range of resources, which will help you develop your knowledge of the Nursing profession and potential career pathways. Through information, guidance, and activities, you’ll learn how to identify transferable skills and relevant experiences that you can draw upon during your Nursing course interview, giving you the best chance of success.
Experience of healthcare
We are aware that it is a difficult time to try to gain relevant experience in healthcare. First time applicants to Nursing, Midwifery and the Allied Health Professions will all be in a similar situation.
Clinical work experience will not generally be a requirement for applying to train in healthcare. We will be looking for you to show that you are able to work with people, that you appreciate the health and social care setting, and that you understand what a career in health will involve. While we will expect you to show some understanding of what it is like to be the professional of your choice, part of this involves demonstrating that you know what it is like to work in a responsible role, particularly with the public.
Note that your experiences are only as valuable as the way you talk about them and what understanding you take from them. It is important that you think about how you might be able to demonstrate your understanding of healthcare, that you can relate this to experience or research, and that you can explain what you have learned.
What type of experience or research do you need?
Any activity, life experience or research that helps you to prepare for training to be a healthcare professional will help. This means any activity that allows you to demonstrate that you have:
- Had people-focused experience of providing a service, care, support or help to others, and that you understand the realities of working in a caring profession.
- Developed some of the values, attitudes and behaviours essential to being a Nurse, Midwife or Allied Health professional such as conscientiousness, effective communication and the ability to interact with a wide variety of people. The values that we are looking for are set out in the NHS Constitution.
- A realistic understanding of Health and Social Care and in particular, the physical, organisational and emotional demands of the career.
Practical ways to gain experience
Keep a reflective diary on what is happening in the news and online. Listen to what healthcare professionals have to say and reflect on this. All healthcare professionals can be a valuable source of information and experience, not just those that work in the specific profession that you are applying for. Demonstrating that you have a sense of all healthcare professions (and how they work together) will help you in both your personal statement and interview.
Volunteer in your spare time if you can, all forms of voluntary work can provide helpful work experience. If volunteer work in the NHS isn’t something that is available to you, think about what else you could explore i.e. working with other people in a caring or service role. Voluntary commitments to community groups (for example groups related to the work of churches, mosques and temples, or other groups such as Scouts or Guides) and online community support groups may also provide valuable experience of taking on responsibility, dealing with people and communicating effectively.
Remember: what is important is what you learn about yourself and about other people, and what you learn about how effective care is delivered and received. How you learn these things is only a small part of the story; it is how you communicate what you learnt that matters.
- Placements
Placement allocation primarily takes place across a variety of settings, which may include hospitals, community services, general practice, social services, and voluntary or private organisations. These placements are located throughout the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire.
As this course includes patient facing placements in health or social care settings, and these are a mandatory component of the course, you will need to comply with the placement vaccination policy. Failure to meet the placement vaccination policy may prevent you from joining the course or may lead to your withdrawal from the course in the future. Future employment may also be subject to this condition.
Assessing your fitness to become a registered healthcare professional
Please see our guidance on assessing your fitness.
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Recent Study
We would prefer you to be able to demonstrate evidence of recent academic study within 5 years of the start of the course. If your last qualification will have been completed more than 5 years ago by the time the course starts, please contact Admissions.
- Age on Entry
Applicants for this course need to be aged 18 or over by 31 December 2025. This is owing to the integrated nature of placements within the first year of the course and safeguarding implications. In view of this, applicants who will not be 18 years old or over by this date, should consider applying for deferred entry.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4 or grade C.
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider:
- Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics
- Essential Skills Wales L2 Application of Number
- Essential Skills Northern Ireland L2 Application of Number
In place of English Language GCSE we can also consider:
- Functional Skills Level 2 English
- Essential Skills Wales L2 Communication
- Essential Skills Northern Ireland L2 Communication
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
A levels
BBC.
Not accepted: Critical Thinking and General Studies.
International Baccalaureate
30 points overall.
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. For specific details about your country, view our information for International Students.
- INTO UEA
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO UEA offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 7.0 overall (minimum 7.0 in reading, speaking and listening, and 6.5 in writing)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
-
- Non-Academic Entry Requirements
Offers will be made to applicants after completion of successful interviews, and will be subject to a satisfactory occupational health check (including evidence of appropriate immunisations), an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Where applicable, an Overseas Police Check may be required. We will let you know what you need to do (and when) to meet these conditions if you are successful in gaining an offer.
If you have previously studied at degree level in a health based subject, we will want to see that you have passed all of the study that you have undertaken. We’ll be unable to consider you for this course if you’ve obtained an academic fail from a previous health based degree programme, including where an exit award has been achieved.
- Interviews
The strongest applicants will be invited to interview. Please note that meeting (or being predicted to meet) the minimum academic entry requirements will not guarantee that you will be selected for interview.
Interview invitations will be sent by email. Please keep a close eye on all emails from UEA after you submit your UCAS application. For more information on the application process and what to expect at each step, take a look at our handy Applying to HSC infographic, which explains the application journey from start to finish.
Interview format
Applicants who are based outside of England at the point of applying will be offered an online interview. You will be invited to an online interview by email. These are typically 40 minutes long and the email will include a link to your online interview. This is conducted on Blackboard Collaborate.
The interview will be conducted by one or multiple interviewers including academic members of staff from the School of Health Sciences at UEA, clinicians from the profession, service users* and/or current UEA students from the course.
*A ‘service user’ is someone who has access to use health or social care services or could be affected by the services of health and social care professionals.
After an initial introduction, the lead interviewer will conduct an ID check and then explain how the interview will unfold.
The interview will cover three distinct domains which will be introduced to you by the interviewer at the start of your interview. The interview questions will be shared in the chat with you so you can read them.The domains are:
- Your knowledge of the professional field for which you are applying.
- Your personal qualities and suitability for the profession. To help with discussion around this domain, you may be asked to consider a scenario and asked questions about how you would respond to it. You will be given time to read the scenario before you approach the interview station, and it will also be read to you by the interviewer(s).
- Your understanding of and suitability for the course at UEA.
During the interview, the interviewer(s) will also consider your ability to clearly present information and communicate your responses effectively.
Interview Skills for Nursing Applicants - Free Course
Take advantage of our free course through Future Learn: Interview Skills for University Nursing Programme Applicants
This free one-week course aims to increase your chances of being accepted onto a UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved Nursing programme in the UK. You’ll be guided through the interview process to help you understand the purpose of the interviews and how they’re conducted. We introduce a range of resources, which will help you develop your knowledge of the Nursing profession and potential career pathways. Through information, guidance, and activities, you’ll learn how to identify transferable skills and relevant experiences that you can draw upon during your Nursing course interview, giving you the best chance of success.
Experience of healthcare
We are aware that it is a difficult time to try to gain relevant experience in healthcare. First time applicants to Nursing, Midwifery and the Allied Health Professions will all be in a similar situation.
Clinical work experience will not generally be a requirement for applying to train in healthcare. We will be looking for you to show that you are able to work with people, that you appreciate the health and social care setting, and that you understand what a career in health will involve. While we will expect you to show some understanding of what it is like to be the professional of your choice, part of this involves demonstrating that you know what it is like to work in a responsible role, particularly with the public.
Note that your experiences are only as valuable as the way you talk about them and what understanding you take from them. It is important that you think about how you might be able to demonstrate your understanding of healthcare, that you can relate this to experience or research, and that you can explain what you have learned.
What type of experience or research do you need?
Any activity, life experience or research that helps you to prepare for training to be a healthcare professional will help. This means any activity that allows you to demonstrate that you have:
- Had people-focused experience of providing a service, care, support or help to others, and that you understand the realities of working in a caring profession.
- Developed some of the values, attitudes and behaviours essential to being a Nurse, Midwife or Allied Health professional such as conscientiousness, effective communication and the ability to interact with a wide variety of people. The values that we are looking for are set out in the NHS Constitution.
- A realistic understanding of Health and Social Care and in particular, the physical, organisational and emotional demands of the career.
Practical ways to gain experience
Keep a reflective diary on what is happening in the news and online. Listen to what healthcare professionals have to say and reflect on this. All healthcare professionals can be a valuable source of information and experience, not just those that work in the specific profession that you are applying for. Demonstrating that you have a sense of all healthcare professions (and how they work together) will help you in both your personal statement and interview.
Volunteer in your spare time if you can, all forms of voluntary work can provide helpful work experience. If volunteer work in the NHS isn’t something that is available to you, think about what else you could explore i.e. working with other people in a caring or service role. Voluntary commitments to community groups (for example groups related to the work of churches, mosques and temples, or other groups such as Scouts or Guides) and online community support groups may also provide valuable experience of taking on responsibility, dealing with people and communicating effectively.
Remember: what is important is what you learn about yourself and about other people, and what you learn about how effective care is delivered and received. How you learn these things is only a small part of the story; it is how you communicate what you learnt that matters.
- Placements
Placement allocation primarily takes place across a variety of settings, which may include hospitals, community services, general practice, social services, and voluntary or private organisations. These placements are located throughout the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire.
As this course includes patient facing placements in health or social care settings, and these are a mandatory component of the course, you will need to comply with the placement vaccination policy. Failure to meet the placement vaccination policy may prevent you from joining the course or may lead to your withdrawal from the course in the future. Future employment may also be subject to this condition.
Assessing your fitness to become a registered healthcare professional
Please see our guidance on assessing your fitness.
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Recent Study
We would prefer you to be able to demonstrate evidence of recent academic study within 5 years of the start of the course. If your last qualification will have been completed more than 5 years ago by the time the course starts, please contact Admissions.
- Age on Entry
Applicants for this course need to be aged 18 or over by 31 December 2025. This is owing to the integrated nature of placements within the first year of the course and safeguarding implications. In view of this, applicants who will not be 18 years old or over by this date, should consider applying for deferred entry.
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Not sure how to prepare for university interviews? We offer free mock interview days for students who might need extra support.
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
You can find information regarding additional costs associated on our Fees and finance webpages.
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Apply now for the James Paget Nursing Scholarship to have your full tuition fees covered and secure a guaranteed nursing role after graduation.To be eligible, you must live in Norfolk or Suffolk and have a confirmed place on the Adult Nursing BSc at UEA starting in September 2025.
Find out moreHow to Apply
Apply for this course through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS), using UCAS Hub.
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information: