The School of Nursing, Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, Ile-Ife, is a mission-owned nursing training institution attached to the Seventh-day Adventist Hospital in Lagere, Ile-Ife, Osun State. It runs Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) accredited programmes and has trained nurses for more than eight decades. Anyone considering admission for the 2026/2027 academic session needs a clear picture of what the school charges, both at the point of entry and for every session that follows. This article sets out the fee structure, the components that make up the total cost, and the admission process, while also flagging a genuine risk that prospective applicants to this school should be aware of.
About the School of Nursing, SDA Hospital, Ile-Ife
The school sits on the grounds of the Seventh-day Adventist Hospital, one of the older mission hospitals in southwestern Nigeria, and functions as the hospital’s dedicated nurse training arm. It is separate from the Seventh-day Adventist College of Nursing Sciences, a related but distinct institution in the same area that runs National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes in nursing sciences. The School of Nursing itself focuses on the Basic (General) Nursing programme, which leads to registration as a nurse under NMCN guidelines, and a Post-Basic Nursing programme for candidates who already hold a nursing qualification and want to specialise further.
Because the institution is faith-based and mission-run, its academic calendar and student life carry a strong emphasis on Christian values alongside clinical training, and students complete their practical hours within the affiliated hospital’s wards and departments.
Programmes Offered and Their Duration
The School of Nursing runs two main tracks, and the fee a student pays depends on which one they are admitted into:
- General (Basic) Nursing Programme — a three-year programme open to candidates who meet the standard entry requirements straight from secondary school or an equivalent qualification. Graduates sit for the NMCN licensing examination at the end of the programme.
- Post-Basic Nursing Programme — a two-year programme for candidates who already hold a nursing certificate and want to add a specialisation, such as midwifery or another post-basic discipline recognised by the NMCN.
Fees differ between these two tracks because of the difference in duration, curriculum depth, and clinical placement requirements, so applicants should confirm which programme their fee schedule applies to before making any payment.
Admission Requirements for the General Nursing Programme
To qualify for the General Nursing programme, a candidate needs:
- A Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) or its equivalent with five credits, including English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, obtained in not more than two sittings. A combination of WAEC and NECO results is generally accepted, in line with NMCN rules.
- A minimum age of 16 years by the time of resumption.
- A certificate of fitness — medical, psychological, and physical — issued by a recognised and accredited hospital.
- A pass in the school’s written and oral entrance examination, which forms part of the selection process alongside the academic requirements above.
Candidates applying for the Post-Basic Nursing programme are additionally required to hold a recognised nursing qualification and, in most cases, some period of post-registration clinical experience, since the programme builds on skills the candidate already has rather than starting from a general foundation.
How Much Are the School Fees?
School fees at the School of Nursing, SDA Hospital, Ile-Ife are billed per session and cover tuition, clinical training supervision, and a set of compulsory institutional charges. For the 2026/2027 academic session, fees for freshly admitted students are estimated in the range of ₦150,000 to ₦200,000 per session. This estimate typically bundles in components such as:
- Tuition for the session
- Medical fees, covering routine health checks and care while enrolled
- Caution fee, a refundable deposit held against damage to school or hospital property
- Library, laboratory, and clinical practicum charges tied to ward-based training
Because the school does not publish one nationally standardised figure and fees are reviewed from session to session, this range should be treated as a planning estimate rather than a fixed, final amount. Applicants should always confirm the exact figure for the specific session and programme they are entering directly with the school’s administration before making payment, since small adjustments in tuition, uniform costs, or clinical fees can shift the total from one year to the next.
Fee Components Beyond Tuition
Beyond the core session fee, students — both freshers and those returning for a new session — typically budget for a number of additional costs that are standard at most Nigerian nursing training institutions:
| Fee component | What it typically covers |
|---|---|
| Tuition/school fees | Core academic and clinical training charge for the session |
| Caution fee | Refundable deposit against damage to school property, returned at graduation or withdrawal if no claims arise |
| Medical fee | Routine student health screening and care during enrolment |
| Uniform and clinical kit | Nursing uniforms, name tags, and basic clinical equipment required for ward duty |
| Practical/clinical fee | Supervision and materials used during hospital-based clinical rotations |
| Accommodation | Optional hostel fee for students who choose on-campus housing, separate from off-campus rent |
| Examination fee | Internal school examinations and, where applicable, registration for NMCN licensing exams in the final year |
Students who choose to live outside the school’s own hostel, in accommodation within Ile-Ife town, should budget separately for that; a self-contained room within the town is generally estimated at around ₦120,000 per session, though this figure depends on the specific location and landlord rather than being set by the school.
Fees for Returning Students
Returning students — those already enrolled and progressing into their second or third year — generally pay a session fee close to what freshers pay, since tuition, clinical training, and institutional charges apply across all levels of the programme rather than dropping significantly after the first year. The main difference for returning students is that one-time entry charges, such as the acceptance fee and initial uniform kit purchase, do not repeat each session, which can make a returning student’s total slightly lower than a fresher’s total in a given year. Returning students should still budget for caution fees, medical fees, clinical practicum charges, and examination fees each session, and should confirm their specific balance on the school’s fee schedule or with the bursary before the start of each term.
How to Apply and the Admission Form
Applying to the School of Nursing, SDA Hospital, Ile-Ife, follows a process common to most nursing training institutions in Nigeria:
- Obtain the admission form, either through the school’s official website or in person at the school premises, on payment of a non-refundable application fee. This fee has historically been set at around ₦10,000, though applicants should confirm the current amount for the session they are applying to, since form charges are also reviewed periodically.
- Complete the form with accurate personal, academic, and next-of-kin information, attaching required credentials such as SSCE results and the certificate of fitness.
- Submit the form before the stated closing date, along with any supporting documents the school requests.
- Sit the entrance examination, which includes both a written test and an oral interview, as part of the school’s selection process.
- Check the admission list once released, and proceed to pay the acceptance fee and first-session school fees if offered a place.
Payment for both the application form and school fees is generally made through a designated bank account in the school’s name, and applicants are strongly advised to obtain this account information only from the school’s official website or by visiting the school in person, rather than from third parties.
A Caution About Unofficial Admission Agents
Prospective applicants researching this school online will come across numerous posts and adverts featuring individual phone numbers and names — often presented as “admission officers” or contacts for purchasing forms — circulating on classified sites, blogs, and social media. Genuine tertiary institutions in Nigeria, including mission-run nursing schools, do not typically sell admission forms through unofficial personal phone lines disconnected from their verified website or campus office. Applicants should be cautious of any arrangement that asks for form payment into a personal account or through a WhatsApp-only contact rather than the school’s verified bank details and official application channel. The safest approach is to apply directly through the school’s official website or by visiting the campus in Lagere, Ile-Ife, and to verify any fee information with the school’s admissions or bursary office before transferring money.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are school fees at the School of Nursing, SDA Hospital, Ile-Ife? Fees for freshly admitted students in the 2026/2027 session are estimated at ₦150,000 to ₦200,000 per session, covering tuition and standard institutional charges, though the exact figure should be confirmed with the school for the specific programme and session.
Do returning students pay less than freshers? Returning students pay a similar core session fee, since tuition and clinical charges apply at every level, but they avoid one-time entry costs like the acceptance fee and first uniform kit, which slightly lowers their overall total compared to a fresher’s first-session cost.
How long does the nursing programme take to complete? The General Nursing programme runs for three years, while the Post-Basic Nursing programme runs for two years for candidates who already hold a nursing qualification.
Is hostel accommodation compulsory? Accommodation is generally optional. Students may take up hostel space on the school premises or arrange off-campus housing in Ile-Ife town, with a self-contained room in town estimated at around ₦120,000 per session.
How much is the admission form? The application form has historically cost around ₦10,000, though applicants should confirm the current price directly with the school before payment, since form fees are reviewed each session.
Where should applicants pay their fees? Fees should only be paid into the school’s official bank account, obtained from the school’s verified website or admissions office, not from third-party phone contacts advertising forms online.