The College of Nursing Sciences attached to the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, commonly referred to as LATHCONS, Ogbomoso, is a nursing training institution in Oyo State that prepares students for careers in professional nursing and midwifery. This article explains how the school fees are structured for both new (fresher) and returning students, what the fees typically cover, and how payment works at the college.
What the College of Nursing Sciences, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso Actually Is
Many candidates confuse the College of Nursing Sciences with the Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) degree programme that runs directly under Ladoke Akintola University of Technology’s College of Health Sciences. These are two separate academic pathways, even though both operate in Ogbomoso and share a working relationship with the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital.
The College of Nursing Sciences (LATHCONS) is a hospital-based training institution that runs certificate and diploma-level nursing and midwifery programmes regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), rather than a full university degree awarded by the National Universities Commission. Students who complete their training here earn a Registered Nurse (RN) or Registered Midwife (RM) qualification, and in some cohorts, National Diploma or Higher National Diploma credentials as the institution transitions its curriculum in line with NMCN and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) requirements.
Candidates who want the four or five-year BNSc degree with a university certificate should apply directly through LAUTECH’s College of Health Sciences using JAMB, while candidates who want the hospital-based nursing and midwifery training route should apply directly to the College of Nursing Sciences through its own admission process, which does not always require a JAMB score in the same way a university degree programme does.
General Fee Structure for Freshers
Newly admitted students at the College of Nursing Sciences pay a higher amount in their first year compared to returning students. This is standard practice across almost all Nigerian nursing colleges, since freshers are billed for one-time charges that do not repeat in subsequent years.
The fees a fresher typically pays fall into these categories:
- Tuition fee: the core academic charge for the training programme, billed per session.
- Acceptance fee: a one-time, non-refundable charge paid immediately after an offer of admission is confirmed.
- Application and registration fee: covers processing of admission documents and biodata capture.
- Uniform and clinical kit fee: covers the cost of nursing uniforms, name tags, and basic clinical equipment such as a stethoscope kit, which freshers must acquire before beginning ward postings.
- Library and ICT fee: supports access to the library, e-learning resources, and computer laboratories.
- Medical and health screening fee: pre-admission medical fitness screening that confirms a candidate is fit for clinical training.
- Identity card and departmental levies: administrative charges tied to student verification and departmental activities.
- Hostel accommodation fee: charged separately from tuition, for students who secure a bed space in the college or teaching hospital hostel.
Because nursing training combines classroom instruction with hands-on clinical practice, tuition at nursing colleges is generally higher than tuition for many non-clinical courses at conventional universities. Candidates should budget for tuition alone, plus the additional one-time charges listed above, when planning finances for the first year.
General Fee Structure for Returning Students
From the second year onward, returning students no longer pay for uniforms, clinical kits, or the acceptance fee, since these are one-time costs tied to fresh admission. Returning students’ fees mainly cover:
- Tuition for the new academic session
- Library and ICT levy
- Examination fee
- Continuing clinical practicum and ward posting charges
- Hostel accommodation fee, if the student chooses to renew hostel space
- Departmental and students’ union dues
Because several one-time fresher charges disappear after the first year, returning students typically pay a noticeably lower total amount than freshers for the same level of training, even though tuition itself may rise slightly from one session to the next due to periodic reviews.
Fee Comparison Table: Freshers vs Returning Students
| Fee Component | Freshers | Returning Students |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | Charged in full for the session | Charged in full for the session |
| Acceptance fee | Paid once, non-refundable | Not applicable |
| Uniform & clinical kit | Paid in first year | Not applicable (unless kit is damaged or lost) |
| Medical/health screening | Paid before resumption | Usually not repeated |
| Library & ICT levy | Paid | Paid |
| Examination fee | Paid | Paid |
| Hostel accommodation | Paid if bed space is secured | Paid if bed space is renewed |
| Departmental/student union dues | Paid | Paid |
| Overall total for the session | Higher, due to one-time charges | Lower, since one-time charges do not repeat |
This structure is consistent with what obtains across most schools of nursing and colleges of nursing sciences in Nigeria, where the first-year bill is always heavier because of onboarding costs.
Factors That Affect the Exact Amount Payable
The exact naira figure a student pays at the College of Nursing Sciences, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, is not fixed indefinitely. Several factors cause it to shift from one session to another and even between students in the same cohort:
- State of origin status: students who are indigenes of Oyo State or Osun State, the two states that jointly own LAUTECH, generally pay less than students from other states, since subsidised fees for indigenes are common practice at state-owned tertiary institutions.
- Programme category: fees for Basic Nursing, Basic Midwifery, Post-Basic programmes, and any diploma-level tracks differ slightly because of variations in duration and clinical exposure required.
- Annual fee review: like most tertiary institutions in Nigeria, the college periodically reviews its fee schedule in response to inflation, cost of clinical materials, and government subvention levels.
- Hostel choice: students who opt for hostel accommodation pay an additional charge on top of academic fees, while students who arrange off-campus housing only pay the academic component.
- Late registration penalties: students who pay after the official deadline are usually required to pay an additional penalty charge before their registration is completed.
Because these fees change periodically, prospective and current students should always confirm the current session’s exact figures directly from the college’s accounts or bursary office, or through the official notice boards and communication channels of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, rather than relying on a fixed number that may have applied in a previous session.
How Payment Works
Payment of school fees at the College of Nursing Sciences generally follows a structured process similar to what applies at most Nigerian tertiary institutions:
- The college publishes or communicates the approved fee schedule for the session, usually before resumption.
- Admitted or continuing students generate a payment invoice or reference number tied to their student or admission number.
- Payment is made through the designated bank or online payment platform specified by the college or the teaching hospital’s accounts department.
- Students retain evidence of payment, such as a receipt or payment confirmation slip, which is required during physical registration.
- Registration is only completed after the bursary or accounts unit confirms that payment has been received and matched to the correct student record.
Students should avoid making payments through unofficial channels, intermediaries, or individuals who claim they can process admission or reduce fees outside the college’s official system, since this exposes candidates to the risk of fraud.
Why Nursing Training Costs What It Does
Nursing and midwifery training is more resource-intensive than many other courses because it combines theoretical instruction with supervised clinical practice inside a functioning teaching hospital. Costs that justify the fee structure include the maintenance of clinical laboratories, procurement of consumables used during skills training, supervision by qualified nurse educators and clinical instructors, and the administrative work of coordinating ward postings across multiple hospital units. These costs are reflected in the tuition and levies that both new and returning students are required to pay each session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the College of Nursing Sciences, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso the same as the LAUTECH Nursing Science degree programme?
No. The College of Nursing Sciences (LATHCONS) is a hospital-based nursing and midwifery training institution regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, while the Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) programme is a university degree run directly under LAUTECH’s College of Health Sciences. They have separate admission routes, curricula, and, in most cases, separate fee structures.
Do freshers pay more than returning students at the college?
Yes. Freshers pay additional one-time charges such as the acceptance fee, uniform and clinical kit fee, and medical screening fee, which do not apply to returning students. This makes the total amount payable in the first year higher than in subsequent years.
Does the state of origin affect how much a student pays?
Yes. Students who are indigenes of Oyo State or Osun State typically pay lower fees than students from other states, in line with the subsidy structure common to institutions jointly owned by these two states.
Where should students confirm the exact current fee amount?
Students should confirm the exact, current fee figures directly from the college’s bursary or accounts office, or through official communication from LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, since fees are reviewed periodically and can change from one session to the next.
Is hostel accommodation compulsory at the College of Nursing Sciences?
No. Hostel accommodation is optional and charged separately from academic fees. Students who prefer off-campus housing are not required to pay the hostel fee, but they remain responsible for arranging safe and suitable accommodation close to the college and teaching hospital.