School of Nursing, COOUTH, Nkpor, operates as a nursing training institution affiliated with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital and located in Nkpor, in the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. Over recent years, the institution’s nursing training programmes have formed the basis for what has since developed into the Anambra State College of Nursing Sciences, and the school continues to train candidates for Basic Nursing and Post-Basic Midwifery under the standards set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). Anyone applying for admission, or already enrolled and preparing for a new session, needs a clear picture of what the fees involve and how the cost differs between a fresher and a returning student. This article addresses that directly.
Background of the Institution
The school runs two distinct admission cycles each year: a three-year Basic Nursing programme that commences in September and is designed for secondary school leavers, and a separate Post-Basic Nursing programme lasting three years, which begins in March and admits candidates who already hold prior qualifications such as an ECC (Enrolled Community Certificate). This dual-intake structure means prospective applicants must pay attention to which admission window matches their qualification level and intended entry point, since the two programmes run on different calendars and involve different admission processes.
Being affiliated with a teaching hospital and administered under the Ministry of Health’s Department of Nursing, the institution follows an admission process that begins with the sale of application forms, proceeds through an entrance examination and oral interview for candidates who meet the NMCN’s entry requirements, and concludes with formal registration for successful candidates.
Application Form Fees
Prospective candidates must purchase the admission form from the Academic Registry, and the cost differs depending on the programme applied for. The Basic Nursing programme application form is priced at ₦7,500, while the Post-Basic Midwifery application form costs ₦8,500. Both fees are stated as non-refundable and are paid through the school’s Remita platform. This application fee is separate from tuition and other post-admission charges, and it covers processing of the candidate’s application into the entrance examination stage rather than any part of the eventual tuition bill.
General Fee Range for the School
Based on the pattern applied broadly across schools of nursing operating within this category of teaching-hospital-affiliated institutions, the total annual school fee for School of Nursing, COOUTH, Nkpor, typically falls within a range of roughly ₦150,000 to ₦200,000 per session. This figure covers tuition and the bulk of compulsory charges bundled into the session bill, though it is treated here as a general planning estimate rather than a fixed amount, since fee schedules at institutions of this kind are reviewed periodically and communicated directly to admitted candidates through their admission letters.
What Fresh Students Pay
A newly admitted student’s first-session bill at the school typically combines several charges beyond the base tuition figure. These commonly include:
- Application form fee — ₦7,500 for Basic Nursing or ₦8,500 for Post-Basic Midwifery, paid before the entrance examination
- Tuition fee for the chosen programme
- Medical fee, covering health screening required before clinical exposure begins
- Caution fee, a deposit typically held against damage to school or hostel property
- Uniform and clinical kit fee, covering the nursing uniform and starter set of clinical instruments
- Registration and matriculation charges, tied to formal enrolment
- Other compulsory fees, which the school folds into the total sum of the session bill rather than itemising separately in every published notice
On the first day of registration, which typically runs for about a month from the date of resumption, students are required to show evidence of payment of school fees exactly as stipulated on their admission letter. Admitted candidates are also made to sign an undertaking, which is placed in their personal file, and must present the original copies of their credentials at this stage.
What Returning Students Pay
From the second session onward, a returning student’s bill removes the one-time charges tied to first admission, such as the application form fee and the initial medical screening. What generally remains each session includes:
- Tuition fee for the current year of the programme
- Clinical/practical fee, covering continued hospital ward attachment
- Caution fee, if not already fully accounted for from the previous session
- Examination fee, paid ahead of internal or NMCN-supervised examinations
- Library and departmental charges
Returning students are required to clear any outstanding balance from a previous session before being permitted to register for a new one, and the school generally withholds examination clearance from students with unpaid fees.
Fee Comparison: Freshers vs Returning Students
| Fee Category | Fresh Students | Returning Students |
|---|---|---|
| Application form fee | ₦7,500 (Basic) / ₦8,500 (Post-Basic), non-refundable | Does not apply |
| Tuition | Charged in full | Charged in full, based on current year |
| Medical fee | Charged at entry | Does not apply |
| Caution fee | Charged (typically held for the duration of study) | Already on file from admission |
| Uniform/clinical kit | Full kit charged | Only if replacement is needed |
| Registration/matriculation | Charged | Not applicable |
| Clinical/practical fee | Included from first session | Charged every session |
| Examination fee | Charged before first exams | Charged every session before exams |
This comparison shows that the first session carries the heaviest cumulative cost, with subsequent sessions settling into a lighter, more predictable pattern once the one-off admission charges no longer apply.
Self-Sponsorship and Indigene Stipend
Students at the school are generally self-sponsored, meaning tuition and fees are borne directly by the student or their family rather than through a government scholarship scheme by default. However, Anambra State indigenes enrolled in the Basic Nursing programme are entitled to a monthly allowance during their training. This stipend automatically ceases once the student’s NMCN professional examination results are released, or after the student has spent three and a half years in the programme for any reason, or if the student discontinues the programme with the school for whatever cause. Non-indigene students should not expect this stipend and should plan their finances entirely around self-sponsorship.
Verification of Results and Academic Integrity
All results presented by students at the point of admission are verified by the school. Any student found to possess forged or unauthenticated results faces expulsion. This underscores the importance of candidates ensuring their O’Level and other academic documents are genuine and accurately represented before submission, since the consequence for falsification is severe and immediate once discovered.
Admission Requirements and the Two Programme Tracks
Candidates applying for the Basic Nursing programme are secondary school leavers who meet the NMCN’s entry requirements, typically five credits in relevant subjects from WAEC, NECO, or an equivalent examination body. Candidates applying for the Post-Basic Nursing/Midwifery programme, which commences in March, are generally ECC school leavers or those holding a prior qualification that permits entry into this advanced track. Both categories of candidates who meet the entry requirements are invited for an entrance examination, followed by an oral interview for those who pass, with the examination organised and conducted by the Ministry of Health’s Department of Nursing.
Payment Procedure
The standard process for settling fees at the school generally follows this pattern:
- The candidate purchases the application form through the school’s Remita platform, paying the non-refundable fee appropriate to their chosen programme.
- The candidate submits the completed form along with the required documents to the Academic Registry.
- Candidates who meet the entry requirements sit for the entrance examination, followed by an oral interview for those who pass.
- Successful candidates receive an admission letter stipulating the exact fees to be paid and the deadline for payment.
- On the first day of registration, students present evidence of payment along with original credentials, and sign the required undertaking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the application form fee the same for both programmes?
No. The Basic Nursing application form costs ₦7,500, while the Post-Basic Midwifery application form costs ₦8,500.
Do all students receive a monthly stipend?
No. Only Anambra State indigenes enrolled in the Basic Nursing programme receive a monthly allowance, and this stops once professional examination results are released or after three and a half years in the programme.
What happens if a student’s admission documents are found to be forged?
The student faces expulsion, since all results presented at admission are verified by the school.
When does the Basic Nursing programme commence, and when does Post-Basic start?
The Basic Nursing programme begins in September, while the Post-Basic Nursing/Midwifery programme begins in March.
Is the application fee refundable if a candidate is not offered admission?
No. The application form fee is stated as non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the entrance examination.
Conclusion
School of Nursing, COOUTH, Nkpor, applies a fee structure in which freshers carry the heaviest first-session cost due to application, medical, and kit charges, while returning students settle a comparatively lighter, recurring bill covering tuition, clinical, and examination fees. Students are largely self-sponsored, though Anambra State indigenes in the Basic Nursing programme receive a monthly stipend for a defined period. Because exact fee figures are communicated directly through admission letters and reviewed periodically, any prospective or continuing student preparing for the 2026/2027 academic session should confirm the current amount directly with the school’s Academic Registry before making payment.