Mercy College of Nursing operates as the College of Nursing arm of Mercy Medical College in Osogbo, Osun State, located at Ile-Idande, Oke-Onitea area of the city. The College of Nursing was established on 1st February 2021 and received accreditation on 30th June 2021, and it trains students for the Basic Nursing programme leading to Registered Nurse (RN) status. Because the institution is relatively young compared to some older government-run schools of nursing, prospective students frequently want clarity on its fee structure: what freshers pay compared to what returning students pay, what the fees actually cover, and how payment is made. This article addresses these questions directly for the 2026/2027 academic session and beyond.
About Mercy College of Nursing, Osogbo
Mercy College of Nursing sits under the broader Mercy Medical College structure, which also runs a College of Health Sciences alongside the College of Nursing. The Basic Nursing programme is designed to prepare students for the Registered Nurse certificate through a combination of classroom instruction, skills laboratory training, and supervised clinical postings. The college positions itself as an accessible option for students seeking a private nursing training environment in Osun State, with a stated focus on providing a conducive learning environment supported by dedicated nursing tutors.
Alongside the Basic General Nursing programme, the wider Mercy Medical College structure has also advertised admission into a Post Basic Nursing programme running for two years, aimed at candidates who are already Registered Nurses and are seeking further specialization. Applicants should always confirm which specific programme they are applying into, since the entry requirements, duration, and fee schedule differ between the Basic Nursing track and the Post Basic Nursing track.
Admission Requirements
To apply into the Basic Nursing programme at Mercy College of Nursing, candidates are generally expected to meet the following requirements:
- A minimum of five O’Level credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language and the core sciences, obtained in not more than two sittings.
- Candidates awaiting their O’Level results are, in some admission cycles, still permitted to apply, though this depends on the specific requirements published for that session.
- Completion of the college’s own online registration process after payment of the application fee.
Candidates applying into the Post Basic Nursing track must already hold a Registered Nurse (RN) qualification, along with the standard O’Level credit requirements, since this programme builds on an existing nursing qualification rather than serving as an entry-level route.
Application Process and Application Fee
Admission into Mercy College of Nursing follows an online application process rather than a physical form-purchase system. The general steps are:
- Make payment of the non-refundable application fee, which has been set at ₦10,000, to the college’s designated bank account.
- Complete the online registration form once payment is confirmed.
- Await further communication from the college regarding screening, interview, or admission status.
- Contact the college’s official phone lines or WhatsApp contacts listed on its website for any clarification needed during the application process.
Because Mercy College of Nursing operates its own private admission process rather than going through the JAMB Central Admissions Processing System for its Basic Nursing intake in some cycles, candidates should always confirm the current session’s exact application requirements directly with the college’s admissions office rather than relying on a previous cycle’s process.
School Fees for Freshers
Once a candidate is offered admission into the Basic Nursing programme, the college issues a fee schedule specifically for newly admitted students. As with most Nigerian nursing institutions, this schedule is higher than what returning students pay, since it bundles one-time entry charges together with the regular recurring academic fees. Based on the college’s own admission and payment communications, a fresher’s fee package at Mercy College of Nursing typically includes:
- Acceptance fee — a one-time payment confirming that the candidate is taking up the offered admission slot; the college has previously listed this at ₦20,000 for related programmes under the same institution, though applicants should confirm the exact current figure for the Nursing programme specifically.
- Tuition fee — the core academic charge for the session; for an earlier admission batch into the College of Nursing, this was set at ₦500,000, though tuition figures are reviewed and can change from one intake to another.
- 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 directly with patients.
- 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.
- 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 and set at approximately ₦80,000 per session for students who apply for and are allocated hostel space, since accommodation is not automatically included in the standard fee package.
Because acceptance, matriculation, ID card issuance, and first-time medical screening are one-off charges, a fresher’s overall total for the first session is consistently the highest a student pays across the full duration of the programme.
School Fees for Returning Students
Returning students, meaning those who have completed at least one level of the Basic Nursing programme and are progressing to the next, are billed differently. Since the acceptance fee, matriculation charge, and first-time medical screening from year one do not repeat, a returning student’s schedule is comparatively lighter. Typical charges for returning students include:
- Tuition fee for the new session
- Development levy
- 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 one-time entry charges fall away after the first year, a returning student’s 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 Mercy College of Nursing, Osogbo. It is structured to show the pattern of charges rather than fixed amounts for every intake, since the college reviews and republishes its fee schedule from one admission cycle to the next, and specific figures can shift accordingly.
| Fee Component | Freshers | Returning Students |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | Paid before admission (₦10,000) | 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 |
| 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 (~₦80,000) | Optional, billed separately |
| Overall first-session total | Highest of all sessions | Lower than freshers’ total |
Basic Nursing vs Post Basic Nursing Fees
Because Mercy College of Nursing runs both a Basic Nursing programme and a Post Basic Nursing programme, applicants should not assume the fee schedule for one track automatically applies to the other. The Post Basic Nursing programme, aimed at candidates who already hold an RN qualification, runs on its own separate fee structure and duration, generally cited at around two years for that track. Candidates interested specifically in Post Basic Nursing should request the fee circular for that programme directly, rather than relying on figures quoted for the Basic Nursing intake.
How Payment Is Made
Payment at Mercy College of Nursing generally follows this process:
- Confirm the admission offer and note the exact programme (Basic Nursing or Post Basic Nursing) indicated in the offer communication.
- Obtain the current session’s approved fee schedule directly from the college’s admissions office or official contact lines.
- Make payment to the college’s designated bank account, using the account details published on the college’s official website or provided directly by the admissions office.
- Retain the payment receipt or teller as proof of payment, and submit it as instructed for verification.
- Proceed with registration once payment is confirmed by the college.
Students are advised to make payments only to the official bank account published by the college and to verify any admission or payment instructions directly through the college’s own contact channels, rather than relying solely on third-party pages or unofficial agents.
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 college 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 ₦10,000 application fee is described as non-refundable, regardless of the outcome of the admission process.
Does Mercy College of Nursing require a JAMB score for admission?
Requirements can vary by session and specific programme; candidates should confirm directly with the college’s admissions office whether JAMB is required for the intake they are applying into, since some private nursing colleges admit through their own internal screening process rather than JAMB alone.
Is hostel accommodation compulsory for freshers?
No. Hostel accommodation is billed separately, at approximately ₦80,000 per session, and only applies to students who apply for and are allocated a hostel space.
Do Basic Nursing and Post Basic Nursing students pay the same fees?
No. The two programmes run on separate fee schedules that reflect their different entry requirements and durations.
Where can students confirm the exact current fee amount?
The exact figures for the current admission cycle are best confirmed directly through the college’s official admissions office or contact lines, since fees are reviewed periodically and can differ from one intake to another.