Edo State College of Nursing Sciences (EDOCNS) is a state-owned nursing training institution located along KM6 Sapele Road, by Godwin Abbey Way, Limit Junction, Benin City, Edo State. The college trains students across several nursing programmes, including National Diploma (ND) Nursing, Higher National Diploma (HND) Public Health Nursing, Post Basic Nursing, and Post Basic Midwifery. Because the college runs more than one programme with different entry routes and durations, prospective and current students often need a clear breakdown of what freshers pay compared to what returning students pay each session. This article lays that out directly for the 2026/2027 academic session and beyond.
About Edo State College of Nursing Sciences
EDOCNS was established as part of Edo State’s broader push to position itself as a hub for medical and healthcare training in Nigeria. The college trains nurses through structured classroom instruction, skills laboratory practice, and supervised clinical postings, with the goal of producing competent, practice-ready nurses and midwives for both the state and the wider healthcare system. Its basic Midwifery education programme, for example, runs as a six-semester, three-year course, with examinations at the end of every semester and a final qualifying examination held after the second semester of the third year.
The college currently offers the following programmes:
- National Diploma (ND) Nursing — a two-year diploma-level nursing programme.
- Higher National Diploma (HND) Public Health Nursing — an 18-month programme for candidates progressing beyond the ND level or with a related qualification.
- Post Basic Nursing — an 18-month advanced programme for candidates who are already Registered Nurses.
- Post Basic Midwifery — an 18-month programme for Registered Nurses seeking midwifery qualification.
Because each programme has a different entry point, duration, and in most cases a separate fee schedule, applicants should always confirm which specific programme their fee circular corresponds to before making any payment.
Admission Requirements
Candidates applying to EDOCNS, regardless of which specific programme they are targeting, are generally required to meet the following baseline requirements:
- At least five O’Level credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, from WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB, obtained in not more than two sittings.
- No awaiting result is accepted; results must already be available at the point of application.
- Candidates must be at least seventeen years of age at the point of application.
- Valid government-issued identification, along with payment receipts, is required for entry into the college’s Computer-Based Test (CBT) screening exercise.
Post Basic Nursing and Post Basic Midwifery applicants additionally need to already hold a Registered Nurse (RN) qualification, since these programmes are designed as advanced tracks rather than entry-level training.
Application Process and Application Fee
EDOCNS runs its admission process through its own official portal rather than through paper forms sold at physical outlets. The general steps for application are:
- Visit the college’s official admission portal to begin the application process.
- Pay the non-refundable application fee, which currently stands at ₦20,500, directly to the college through the approved payment channel indicated on the portal.
- Complete the online application using personal contact details, since the college specifically advises applicants to use their own email address and phone number rather than shared or business-centre contacts.
- Await confirmation of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) examination date, time, and venue.
- Attend the CBT screening exercise with a valid government-issued ID and proof of application payment, since these are strictly required for entry into the examination centre.
The college has issued a clear public notice stating that it does not sell admission or application forms through any third-party online platform. Prospective candidates are advised to disregard any website, agent, or social media page claiming to sell EDOCNS admission forms outside the college’s own official portal, since the college has stated it will not be held responsible for transactions carried out through unauthorized channels.
School Fees for Freshers
Once a candidate successfully passes the CBT screening and receives an admission offer, the college issues a fee schedule specifically for newly admitted students. This fresher’s schedule is higher than what returning students pay, since it combines several one-time entry charges with the regular recurring academic fees. A typical breakdown of what freshers are billed for at EDOCNS includes:
- Acceptance fee — paid to confirm that the candidate is taking up the offered admission slot.
- Tuition fee — the core academic charge covering lectures, tutorials, and continuous assessment for the session.
- Registration and matriculation fee — covers formal enrolment into the college’s student register and participation in the matriculation exercise.
- Identity card fee — for the student card used across the campus and during clinical postings.
- Medical examination/screening fee — a compulsory pre-resumption health check, standard for students who will be working with patients during ward postings.
- Uniform and clinical kit fee — covers the first set of ward uniform and basic nursing practical materials.
- Departmental and laboratory fee — covers use of the skills laboratory and consumables needed for practical training.
- Library and ICT fee — grants access to the college’s library and computer-based learning resources.
- Development levy — supports the maintenance of college infrastructure and facilities.
- Examination fee — covers internal continuous assessment and end-of-session examinations.
- Hostel accommodation fee — billed separately for students who apply for and are allocated hostel space, since accommodation is not automatically bundled into every fresher’s fee package.
Because acceptance, matriculation, ID card issuance, and first-time medical screening are all one-off charges, a fresher’s total bill for the opening session is consistently higher than what the same student pays as a returning student in subsequent sessions, even where tuition itself stays close to the same figure.
School Fees for Returning Students
Returning students, meaning those who have completed at least one level of their programme and are progressing to the next, pay a comparatively lighter fee schedule since the one-off entry charges from the first year do not repeat. Typical charges for returning students at EDOCNS include:
- Tuition fee for the new session
- Development levy
- Library and ICT fee
- Laboratory and clinical practicum fee
- Examination fee
- Hostel accommodation fee, only if the student applies for and is allocated a hostel space that session
- Replacement charges for a uniform, ID card, or kit only if the original items are lost or damaged
Because the acceptance fee, matriculation charge, and first-time medical screening are all one-time costs, a returning student’s overall total for the session is consistently lower than a fresher’s total, even in sessions where tuition itself remains unchanged.
Fresher vs Returning Student Fees: A Comparison
The table below summarizes which charges apply to freshers and which apply to returning students at Edo State College of Nursing Sciences, Benin. It focuses on the pattern of charges rather than fixed naira figures, since the college reviews and republishes its official fee schedule at the start of each session, and amounts can shift from one academic year to the next.
| Fee Component | Freshers | Returning Students |
|---|---|---|
| Application/screening fee | Paid before admission (₦20,500) | Not applicable |
| Acceptance fee | Paid once, after admission offer | Not applicable |
| Matriculation/registration fee | Paid | Not applicable |
| ID card fee | Paid | Only if replacing a lost/damaged card |
| Medical screening fee | Paid | Not applicable (unless a fresh screening is required) |
| Tuition fee | Paid | Paid |
| Development levy | Paid | Paid |
| Library/ICT fee | Paid | Paid |
| Laboratory/clinical practicum fee | Paid | Paid |
| Examination fee | Paid | Paid |
| Uniform/clinical kit fee | Paid (first set) | Only if replacing worn-out kit |
| Hostel fee | Optional, billed separately | Optional, billed separately |
| Overall first-session total | Highest of all sessions | Lower than freshers’ total |
How Fees Differ Across Programmes
Because EDOCNS runs the ND Nursing, HND Public Health Nursing, Post Basic Nursing, and Post Basic Midwifery programmes side by side, the fee structure is not identical across all four tracks. Programme duration alone accounts for some of the difference: the ND Nursing programme runs for two years, while the Post Basic and HND tracks generally run for around 18 months, and each carries its own tuition and levy structure appropriate to its length and level. A candidate should always request and confirm the fee schedule specific to the exact programme named on their admission letter, rather than assuming that a figure quoted for one EDOCNS programme automatically applies to another.
How Payment Is Made
Payment at EDOCNS generally follows this process:
- Confirm the admission offer and note the exact programme indicated on the admission letter.
- Retrieve the current session’s approved fee schedule from the official college portal or Bursary Department, confirming whether it is the fresher’s schedule or the returning students’ schedule.
- Make payment strictly through the channel specified by the college, since payments made outside the official portal or designated bank are not recognized.
- Retain the payment receipt or e-payment confirmation as proof of payment.
- Proceed with course registration and, where applicable, hostel accommodation application, once the college confirms payment.
Students are strongly advised to complete every stage of application and payment only through the official EDOCNS portal or verified college contacts, in line with the college’s own public notice warning against fraudulent third-party platforms claiming to sell forms or process admissions on its behalf.
What the Fees Typically Exclude
A number of recurring expenses generally fall outside the official school fees and should be planned for separately:
- Daily feeding and personal upkeep
- Transportation to and from clinical posting sites
- Personal textbooks and stationery beyond what the library provides
- Extra sets of uniform beyond the first issued set
- Personal health expenses outside the compulsory entry medical screening
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the application fee refundable if a candidate is not offered admission?
No. The college describes the ₦20,500 application fee as non-refundable, regardless of the outcome of the CBT screening exercise.
Does EDOCNS sell admission forms through third-party websites?
No. The college has issued a public notice stating that it is not currently selling admission application forms through any online platform outside its own official portal, and it advises the public to disregard any such claims.
Is hostel accommodation compulsory for freshers?
No. Hostel accommodation is billed separately from the standard school fees and only applies to students who apply for and are allocated a hostel space for that session.
Do all EDOCNS programmes charge the same fees?
No. The ND Nursing, HND Public Health Nursing, Post Basic Nursing, and Post Basic Midwifery programmes differ in duration and structure, and each generally carries its own fee schedule.
Where can students confirm the exact current fee amount?
The exact figures for the current session are published through the official EDOCNS admission portal or communicated directly by the Bursary Department at the point of registration. Since fees are reviewed periodically, students should rely on the schedule issued for the session they are entering or resuming, rather than figures from an earlier academic year.