College of Nursing Sciences, Mater Misericordiae Hospital (MMH), Afikpo, is a Catholic-owned nursing institution in Ebonyi State, tracing its origin to a school of nursing established at Mater Misericordiae Hospital as far back as 1952. It trains students for General Nursing and Post-Basic Nursing qualifications under the supervision of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). Anyone applying for admission, or already enrolled and preparing for the next session, needs a clear picture of what the fees cover and how the amount a fresher pays differs from what a returning student pays. This article sets that out directly.
Background of the Institution
The college began as a response to the growing demand for trained nursing staff following the establishment of Mater Misericordiae Hospital in the early 1940s. Over the following decades, it developed into one of the recognised Catholic mission nursing training institutions in the South-East, and it continues to operate under church administration today. Because it is privately run by the mission rather than by a state or federal government, its fee structure follows the pattern common to faith-based and private nursing colleges in Nigeria: generally higher than a fully state-subsidised programme, but structured in a way that spreads cost across clearly defined categories rather than a single tuition figure.
Admission into the General Nursing programme requires five credits at SSCE level, usually including English Language, Mathematics, and relevant science subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, or Physics, obtained in not more than two sittings. Post-Basic Nursing admission is open to candidates who already hold a nursing or midwifery qualification and wish to specialise further.
General Range of School Fees
Based on the fee patterns published for nursing programmes of this type in Ebonyi State, the total session cost for both new and returning students at the college typically falls within a broad range of roughly ₦150,000 to ₦400,000 per session, depending on the specific programme, the student’s year of study, and whether hostel accommodation is included. This range should be treated as a general planning guide rather than a fixed figure, since departmental charges, hostel fees, and other levies are sometimes billed separately from the core tuition and are not always captured in the headline figure quoted at the point of admission. Because private and mission-run nursing colleges revise their fees from one session to the next, the only reliable way to confirm the exact current amount is to check directly with the college’s bursary or admission office before making payment.
What Fresh Students Pay
A newly admitted student at the college faces the heaviest bill of the entire programme, because several one-time charges are billed together with the first session’s tuition. These typically include:
- Tuition fee for the General Nursing or Post-Basic programme
- Acceptance fee, paid once admission is confirmed, as proof that the candidate accepts the offered slot
- Medical screening fee, covering health checks required before clinical exposure begins
- Caution deposit, a refundable amount held against damage to hostel or school property
- Uniform and clinical kit fee, covering the nursing uniform, cap, apron, and starter clinical instruments
- Registration and matriculation charges, including ID card processing
- Hostel accommodation fee, for students who choose to live in college-provided housing
Because tuition at institutions of this kind is generally required in one lump sum rather than in instalments, freshers should plan to have the full amount available at the point of resumption rather than assuming a staggered payment plan will be permitted.
What Returning Students Pay
From the second session onward, the total drops because the one-off admission charges no longer apply. A returning student’s session bill is generally made up of:
- Tuition fee for the current year of study
- Clinical/practical fee, covering continued hospital ward attachment
- Library and departmental fee
- Hostel fee, if the student remains in college accommodation
- Examination fee, paid ahead of NMCN or internal promotional examinations
Returning students are required to clear any outstanding balance from the previous session before they can register for a new one, and the college typically withholds examination clearance from any student with unpaid fees.
Comparing Costs Between Freshers and Returning Students
| Fee Item | Fresh Students | Returning Students |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | Full charge, paid in one lump sum | Full charge, paid in one lump sum |
| Acceptance fee | Charged once | Does not apply |
| Medical screening | Charged at entry | Does not apply |
| Caution deposit | Charged (refundable) | Already held from admission |
| Uniform/clinical kit | Full kit charged | Only if replacement is needed |
| Registration/ID card | Charged | Minor renewal charge, if any |
| Hostel fee | Charged if resident | Charged if resident |
| Clinical/practical fee | Included from first session | Charged every session |
| Examination fee | Charged before first exams | Charged every session before exams |
This comparison shows why the first year of study is consistently the most expensive point in the programme, with costs generally settling into a lower, more predictable pattern from the second session onward.
Fees Not Always Included in the Headline Figure
Prospective students should be aware that the amount initially advertised at the point of admission does not always capture every charge that will eventually appear on the student’s bill. Departmental fees, hostel accommodation charges, and certain administrative levies are sometimes billed as separate line items rather than folded into the headline tuition figure. A student who budgets only around the advertised amount may find that the true total, once hostel and departmental charges are added, runs higher than initially expected. For this reason, it is worth requesting a full, itemised fee breakdown from the bursary rather than relying solely on the summary figure quoted in an admission notice.
Payment Procedure
The standard process for settling fees at the college generally follows this pattern:
- The bursary releases the approved fee schedule for the session, typically alongside resumption and registration dates.
- Students pay the full tuition amount in one lump sum into the college’s official designated account, since instalment payment is not the standard practice here.
- Proof of payment, such as a teller or transfer receipt, is submitted to the bursary or admission office.
- The bursary issues a payment confirmation, which the student needs for course registration and later examination clearance.
- Late payment beyond the announced deadline attracts an extra charge and can prevent the student from sitting for that semester’s examinations.
Factors That Affect the Total a Student Pays
Several variables account for differences in what individual students end up paying:
- Programme type — General Nursing and Post-Basic Nursing do not necessarily share the same fee structure.
- Accommodation choice — students who lodge outside the hostel avoid that portion of the bill.
- Year of study — later years sometimes carry added charges tied to clinical postings or project supervision.
- Timing of payment — paying within the stipulated deadline avoids late-payment penalties.
- Outstanding balances — unresolved fees from an earlier session are added to the current session’s bill for returning students.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the tuition fee paid in instalments?
No. Tuition at the college is generally required in one lump sum for the session, unlike some other nursing schools that permit staggered payment.
Do returning students pay an acceptance fee?
No. The acceptance fee applies only once, at the point of first admission.
What happens if a student pays after the deadline?
Late payment attracts an extra charge, and the student risks being unable to sit for that semester’s examination.
Is the caution deposit refundable?
Yes, it is generally refundable at graduation or withdrawal, provided the student is not responsible for damage to hostel or school property.
Does the advertised fee include hostel and departmental charges?
Not always. These are sometimes billed separately, so it is advisable to request a full breakdown before budgeting.
Conclusion
College of Nursing Sciences, MMH, Afikpo applies a fee structure in which freshers carry the heaviest cost due to acceptance, medical, and kit charges billed alongside first-session tuition, while returning students settle a comparatively lighter, recurring bill covering tuition, clinical, and examination fees. Because the exact figures are reviewed periodically and some charges are billed separately from the headline tuition amount, any prospective or continuing student preparing for the 2026/2027 academic session should request the current, fully itemised fee schedule directly from the college’s bursary before making payment.