Nasarawa State’s nursing training landscape is dominated by public institutions, particularly the Nasarawa State College of Nursing Sciences, Lafia, which trains basic nursing and midwifery students under state government ownership. For candidates specifically searching for a private nursing school in Nasarawa State, the options narrow considerably, and the one institution that consistently comes up as the state’s established private route into the nursing profession is the Department of Nursing Sciences at Bingham University, located in Karu Local Government Area. This article explains what that private option actually offers, what it costs for the 2026/2027 academic session, and why the private nursing landscape in Nasarawa State looks different from what candidates find in states with several competing private nursing colleges.
Understanding the Private Nursing Options in Nasarawa State
Nursing training in Nigeria runs through two broad pathways: the certificate-level Basic Nursing route offered by Schools of Nursing (a three-year non-degree programme), and the degree-level route offered by university Nursing Science departments (a Bachelor of Nursing Science, or BNSc, typically running four to five years). In Nasarawa State, the certificate-level Basic Nursing route is handled by the state-owned Nasarawa State College of Nursing Sciences in Lafia, which is a government institution and therefore falls outside the “private nursing school” category this article addresses.
The private route in the state runs instead through Bingham University’s Department of Nursing Sciences, located at the university’s Karu campus along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway. Bingham University is a privately owned institution founded and run under a Christian mission board, and its Nursing Sciences department received full accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) in November 2021, which means graduates are eligible to sit the NMCN’s professional qualifying examinations leading to Registered Nurse (RN) and Registered Midwife (RM) certification, in addition to earning the university’s BNSc degree.
Candidates specifically looking for a private, non-degree Basic Nursing school physically situated within Nasarawa State will find that this format is not currently a distinguishing feature of the state’s private education sector, since certificate-level basic nursing training in Nasarawa remains concentrated at the state college. For that reason, this guide focuses on Bingham University’s Nursing Sciences programme as the state’s primary private pathway into the profession, since it is the option most candidates are referring to when searching this keyword.
Bingham University Nursing Sciences Fees for Fresh Students, 2026/2027
Bingham University publishes a fee schedule that varies by course and by level, since nursing, medicine, pharmacy, and law each carry different costs based on the resources their training demands. For the Bachelor of Nursing Science programme, fresh (newly admitted, 100 Level) students are billed among the higher tuition brackets at the university, reflecting the cost of laboratory work, clinical placements, and specialized equipment nursing training requires. Based on the university’s published fee bands for the 2026/2027 session, fresh Nursing Sciences students fall into the upper tuition tier at Bingham University, with the full annual charge running into the region of ₦1,600,000, though the exact figure for a given intake is confirmed on the university’s official fee schedule at the point of admission, since fee bands are reviewed periodically.
This tuition figure covers core academic charges such as:
- Tuition for the academic session
- Registration and matriculation charges (new students only)
- ICT and library access fees
- Laboratory and clinical practical charges
- Examination fees
- Medical and health care charges
- Sports and student services levies
Hostel accommodation is billed separately from tuition at Bingham University, and it has generally sat in the range of ₦70,000 per session, though this depends on the specific hostel block and room type assigned. Uniform, clinical equipment, textbooks, and feeding also sit outside the quoted tuition figure and must be planned for independently.
Bingham University Nursing Sciences Fees for Returning Students
Returning Nursing Sciences students at Bingham University pay tuition that no longer includes the one-time registration and matriculation charges applied to freshers, which brings their session cost below the fresher’s total, even though the base tuition for the programme remains among the university’s higher-priced courses across all levels. As with most Nigerian private universities, Bingham University’s fee schedule can shift slightly by level for some courses, so returning students should confirm their specific level’s charge each session through the student portal rather than assuming the fresher’s rate applies unchanged.
The table below summarizes how the fee structure compares between a fresher and a returning Nursing Sciences student at Bingham University.
| Fee Component | Fresh Students (100 Level) | Returning Students (200 Level and above) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and academic charges | Highest tier at the university, in the region of ₦1,600,000 per session | Slightly lower, since one-time charges drop off |
| Acceptance fee | ₦10,000 (payable once, undergraduate) | Not applicable |
| Registration/matriculation | Included | Not applicable |
| Hostel accommodation | Approximately ₦70,000 per session (separate) | Approximately ₦70,000 per session (separate) |
| Uniform/clinical equipment | Budgeted separately | Replacement costs only, if needed |
| Examination and ICT fees | Included in tuition | Included in tuition |
Acceptance Fee and How to Pay
Once a candidate receives an admission offer into the Bingham University Nursing Sciences programme, the next step is paying the acceptance fee to confirm the offer. Bingham University charges a flat acceptance fee of ₦10,000 for undergraduate programmes, payable through the university’s student portal after logging in with the admission number and password issued at the point of admission. Candidates generate a payment invoice on the portal, pay online using a debit card or bank transfer, or print the invoice for payment at a designated bank branch, then return to the portal to confirm the transaction using the reference number provided.
Tuition itself is paid through the same portal system. Students log in, select the correct programme and level, generate a Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) invoice, and complete payment online or at a bank. Bingham University also offers an installment payment plan for tuition, which allows students to spread their session fee across more than one payment rather than settling the full amount at once, a detail worth confirming directly with the bursary for the current session’s specific terms.
Entry Requirements for Bingham University Nursing Sciences
Admission into the Bachelor of Nursing Science programme at Bingham University follows the standard university entry route rather than the direct-entry process used by certificate-level Basic Nursing schools. Candidates need:
- Five credit passes in relevant science subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, from WAEC, NECO, or an equivalent examination body, in not more than two sittings.
- A UTME registration in the correct subject combination for Nursing Science, along with a competitive JAMB score that meets the departmental cut-off mark set for the session.
- Successful completion of the university’s post-UTME screening exercise, since admission into competitive courses like Nursing Sciences typically requires passing an additional screening stage beyond the UTME score alone.
- Candidates applying through Direct Entry, using an existing OND, HND, IJMB, or equivalent qualification, may also be considered, subject to the university’s specific Direct Entry requirements for the programme.
Because Nursing Sciences sits among the more competitive courses at Bingham University, candidates should aim for a JAMB score comfortably above the general university cut-off, since departmental competition for available slots often pushes the effective admission score higher than the minimum stated requirement.
Why the Private Option in Nasarawa State Costs More Than the State College
Candidates comparing Bingham University’s Nursing Sciences fee to the Nasarawa State College of Nursing Sciences in Lafia will notice a wide gap, and this comes down to both institutional funding and programme type. The state college receives government subvention and trains at the certificate level over three years, which keeps its fees considerably lower. Bingham University, as a privately funded institution, runs a full degree programme over a longer duration, with tuition covering a broader academic curriculum, a university-wide administrative structure, and degree-level accreditation requirements beyond what a certificate-level school carries. The two pathways also lead to slightly different outcomes: a BNSc graduate from Bingham University holds both a university degree and eligibility for NMCN registration, while a graduate of the state college earns the RN or RM certificate directly, without an accompanying university degree, unless they later pursue a conversion or top-up programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bingham University the only private nursing training option in Nasarawa State?
It is the state’s established, NMCN-accredited private nursing route currently known to prospective applicants. Certificate-level Basic Nursing training in the state runs through the government-owned Nasarawa State College of Nursing Sciences in Lafia rather than through a private basic nursing school.
Does Bingham University’s nursing fee include accommodation?
No. Hostel accommodation is billed separately from tuition, and it has generally cost around ₦70,000 per session, depending on the room and block assigned.
Is the acceptance fee refundable if a student later withdraws?
No. The ₦10,000 acceptance fee is a standard, non-refundable charge paid to confirm and secure an admission offer.
Can a candidate gain admission into Bingham University Nursing Sciences through Direct Entry?
Yes, candidates with an existing OND, HND, IJMB, or equivalent qualification may apply through Direct Entry, subject to meeting the university’s specific requirements for the programme.
Why is the Nursing Sciences fee higher than some other courses at Bingham University?
Nursing Sciences involves laboratory work, clinical placements, and specialized practical training, which pushes its tuition into one of the university’s higher fee bands compared to courses with lighter practical components.