Not every nursing candidate in Lagos wants to go through JAMB. Some have already missed the UTME registration window, some did not score high enough for their preferred university, and others simply prefer a shorter, more direct path into a nursing career. For all of these situations, a school of nursing in Lagos without JAMB is often the practical alternative, since these institutions admit candidates through their own entrance examinations rather than requiring a JAMB UTME score. This article lists the schools of nursing in Lagos that follow this route, explains what “without JAMB” actually means in practice, and covers the requirements, application process, and programme types involved.
What “Without JAMB” Actually Means
A school of nursing that does not require JAMB still expects candidates to meet strict academic and entrance-exam standards; it simply replaces the JAMB UTME with its own internal screening process. Most of these institutions are Schools of Nursing rather than Colleges of Nursing, and this distinction matters. Colleges of Nursing typically run the ND/HND Nursing programme under NBTE accreditation and require JAMB, since they operate on a diploma award structure similar to polytechnics. Schools of Nursing, on the other hand, run the traditional three-year Basic Nursing programme leading to the Registered Nurse (RN) certificate, and JAMB is not part of their admission pathway.
Because of this structure, a candidate researching nursing schools in Lagos without UTME should understand that “without JAMB” refers specifically to the Basic Nursing diploma track, not to every nursing programme available in the state. Post-Basic programmes, which are open only to candidates who already hold a nursing certificate, also fall outside the JAMB requirement, since they are meant for practising nurses upgrading their qualification rather than fresh secondary school leavers.
Full List of Schools of Nursing in Lagos That Admit Without JAMB
The table below summarises the main nursing training institutions in Lagos State that admit students through internal entrance examinations instead of JAMB, along with their ownership type and the general category of programme each one runs.
| Institution | Ownership | Programme Type |
|---|---|---|
| Lagos State School of Nursing, Igando | State-owned | Basic Nursing (RN), 3 years |
| Lagos State School of Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing, Igbobi | State-owned | Basic Nursing, Midwifery, Public Health Nursing |
| School of Nursing, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba | Federal | Basic Nursing (RN) |
| School of Nursing, Lagos University College Hospital (LUCOH) | Private/hospital-affiliated | Basic Nursing |
| School of Nursing, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) | State-owned | Basic Nursing |
| School of Nursing, Military Hospital, Yaba | Military-affiliated | Basic Nursing |
| School of Nursing, Igando (private) | Private | Basic Nursing |
| School of Nursing, Victoria Island | Private | Basic Nursing |
| School of Nursing, Ikoyi | Private | Basic Nursing |
| Havilah School of Nursing, Lagos | Private | Basic Nursing |
| School of Post Basic Anaesthetic Nursing, General Hospital, Badagry | State-owned | Post-Basic (for licensed nurses only) |
| School of Post Basic Midwifery, LUTH, Ishaga Road | Federal | Post-Basic (for licensed nurses only) |
The two Post-Basic institutions on this list are included for completeness, but they only accept candidates who already hold a valid Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) licence and, in most cases, a minimum period of work experience. Fresh secondary school leavers looking to start a nursing career from scratch should focus on the Basic Nursing institutions higher up the table.
General Admission Requirements
Although each school runs its own screening process, the entry requirements across nursing schools in Lagos that skip JAMB follow a fairly consistent pattern:
- A minimum of five O’Level credit passes, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings through WAEC, NECO, or GCE.
- A completed application form purchased directly from the school or through its official portal during the admission period.
- A passing score in the school’s own entrance examination, which typically tests the same subject areas required at O’Level.
- An oral interview for candidates who scale through the written entrance exam.
- A minimum age requirement, which varies by institution but commonly falls between 16 and 25 years for the Basic Nursing programme.
Post-Basic programmes carry an additional requirement: candidates must already hold a nursing or midwifery certificate along with a valid NMCN practising licence, and some institutions also require a minimum number of years of clinical work experience before an application is considered.
How the Application Process Works
The general application sequence for a Basic Nursing school in Lagos that does not require JAMB follows these steps:
- Monitor the school’s official website or notice board for the announcement that admission forms are on sale, since most schools open their admission windows only once or twice a year.
- Purchase and complete the application form, either online through the school’s portal or physically at the school’s designated office, depending on the institution.
- Submit the required documents, including O’Level results, birth certificate or age declaration, and passport photographs.
- Sit for the school’s internal entrance examination, which is usually written rather than computer-based.
- Attend the oral interview if shortlisted after the entrance exam.
- Receive an admission offer and complete registration, including payment of acceptance and tuition fees where applicable.
Applicants should always confirm the current application window directly with the school, since admission cycles for these institutions do not always follow the same calendar as JAMB-based university admissions, and forms can open and close within a fairly short period.
Why Some Candidates Choose This Route
A school of nursing without JAMB appeals to a specific group of applicants for practical reasons. Candidates who missed JAMB registration for the year, or who did not meet the cut-off mark required by a university nursing programme, can still pursue a nursing career through this pathway without waiting an entire year to retake the UTME. The Basic Nursing diploma also tends to be shorter than a university nursing degree, running for three years compared with the five-year Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.NSc.) programme, which appeals to candidates who want to start working and earning sooner. In addition, several of these schools are attached to major teaching hospitals in Lagos, which gives students hands-on clinical exposure from early in their training.
It is worth noting, however, that a Basic Nursing certificate from a school of nursing and a B.NSc. degree from a university lead to different long-term career trajectories, even though both routes produce a Registered Nurse. Graduates of the diploma route can practise as registered nurses immediately after certification and licensing, and many later pursue a Post-Basic qualification or a degree conversion programme to advance further in their careers.
Points to Verify Before Applying
Before committing to any of the schools listed above, a prospective applicant should confirm a few details directly with the institution:
- Whether admission forms are currently on sale, since availability changes throughout the year.
- The exact subject combination and format of the entrance examination for that specific school.
- The current tuition and other fees for the session being applied for, since these are reviewed periodically and vary between state-owned, federal, and private institutions.
- Whether the school is currently accredited by the NMCN, since accreditation status can change and only NMCN-accredited institutions produce graduates eligible for professional licensing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all nursing institutions in Lagos require JAMB? No. Colleges of Nursing running the ND/HND Nursing programme generally require JAMB, while traditional Schools of Nursing running the Basic Nursing diploma admit through their own internal entrance exams instead.
Can I study nursing in Lagos without any O’Level requirement? No. Every school listed here still requires a minimum of five O’Level credits in core science and English subjects, regardless of whether JAMB is part of the admission process.
Are Post-Basic programmes open to fresh applicants? No. Post-Basic programmes such as Post-Basic Anaesthetic Nursing and Post-Basic Midwifery are only open to candidates who already hold a nursing certificate and a valid NMCN licence.
Is a Basic Nursing certificate from these schools equivalent to a university nursing degree? Both lead to registration as a nurse, but they are different qualifications. The Basic Nursing diploma is a three-year programme, while the B.NSc. is a five-year university degree; many diploma holders later pursue further qualifications to advance their careers.