Bayelsa State runs a small but well-defined set of nursing training pathways, and a candidate researching where to study nursing in the state needs to separate two distinct routes: the diploma-level nursing programme run through the state college of nursing sciences, and the degree-level Nursing Science programme run through the state university. Both routes lead to professional practice, but they differ in duration, entry requirements, certification, and cost. This article lays out the approved nursing institutions operating in Bayelsa State, what each one charges, and how a prospective student should decide between them for the 2026/2027 academic session.
The approved nursing institutions in Bayelsa State
Bayelsa State has two main institutions recognised for training nurses and midwives. The first is the Bayelsa State College of Nursing Sciences (commonly referred to as BYSCONS), located at Tombia-Ekpetiama, which runs the basic nursing and basic midwifery diploma programmes under the regulation of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. The second is Niger Delta University (NDU), located at Amassoma on Wilberforce Island, which runs a full Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) degree programme through its College of Health Sciences.
Both institutions are recognised training centres for nursing in Nigeria, but they sit at different levels of the nursing education ladder. BYSCONS produces Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives through diploma-based training that combines classroom instruction with hospital-based clinical practicum, while the Nursing Science department at NDU produces graduates with a full university degree, which opens a slightly wider range of career and further-study options, including postgraduate nursing programmes. A candidate deciding between the two should think about which certificate they eventually want to hold, since a diploma from a college of nursing sciences and a bachelor’s degree from a university are not the same credential, even though graduates of both are eligible to sit the same licensing examination administered by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Bayelsa State College of Nursing Sciences (BYSCONS): programme structure and entry requirements
BYSCONS runs a four-year programme that leads to the award of a Higher National Diploma in Nursing alongside professional certification as a Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Midwife (RM), and in some intakes, Registered Public Health Nurse (RPHN). Admission into the general nursing programme requires a minimum JAMB UTME score, which has typically been set around 140, along with five credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology obtained in not more than two sittings. Candidates can combine WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB results to meet this requirement, and a minimum age of 17 years applies at the point of application.
Beyond the general nursing diploma, BYSCONS also runs a Post-Basic Nursing and Midwifery programme for candidates who already hold a basic nursing qualification and want to add a midwifery certification, as well as a Community Nursing and Midwifery programme aimed at candidates interested in public and community health practice rather than hospital-based clinical nursing. Each of these tracks has its own entry requirements and separate admission form, so a candidate should confirm which specific programme they are applying into before purchasing a form, since the general nursing route and the post-basic or community routes are not interchangeable.
BYSCONS school fees breakdown
The fees charged by BYSCONS are structured in separate categories rather than a single lump sum, and payments are made into designated bank accounts for each category rather than one combined account. This is a common structure across Nigerian nursing colleges, and it means a student must budget for several distinct charges rather than a single tuition figure.
| Fee Category | Approximate Amount |
|---|---|
| Admission Form (Post-UTME) | ₦25,000 |
| Tuition/School Fees – Bayelsa Indigene | Lower rate, subsidised |
| Tuition/School Fees – Non-Indigene | ₦60,000 and above |
| Bayelsa State Nursing & Midwifery Committee Fee | ₦10,000 |
| Students’ Union Government (SUG) dues | ₦2,200 |
| Midwifery Programme (Non-Indigene, full session) | Around ₦240,500 |
These figures apply broadly across sessions but are subject to review, and the college typically issues a fresh fee circular at the start of each academic session. Indigenes of Bayelsa State consistently pay a lower rate than students from outside the state, which is standard practice across state-owned nursing colleges in Nigeria, since these institutions are funded primarily by state government subvention and prioritise training candidates from within the state. Non-indigene applicants should expect to pay noticeably more across nearly every fee category, and in some sessions may also be required to secure a letter of introduction or sponsorship confirming their interest in practicing within the state after graduation.
Students should also budget for costs outside the official fee schedule, including hostel accommodation for those who choose to live on campus, uniform and clinical kit costs required for hospital-based practicum, textbooks and study materials specific to nursing coursework, and transportation to affiliated teaching hospitals where clinical postings take place.
Niger Delta University Nursing Science Department: programme structure and fees
Niger Delta University offers a full five-year Bachelor of Nursing Science degree under its College of Health Sciences. This programme sits alongside Medicine, Pharmacy, and Medical Laboratory Science as one of the university’s clinically oriented courses, and it attracts a bench fee in addition to the standard university levies because of the laboratory and clinical training resources the programme requires.
Fresh students admitted into the Nursing Science department at NDU pay a total fee package that combines general university levies with additional health-science bench fees. For a recent session, freshers in Nursing paid a total close to ₦158,000, reflecting a gradual annual increase over previous sessions where the figure sat closer to ₦150,000 and, further back, considerably lower. This total is built from several components: registration levy, library levy, ICT levy, medical examination fee, development levy, acceptance fee, and the faculty-specific bench levy charged to Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Pharmacy, and Nursing students because of the cost of laboratory equipment and clinical training resources tied to these programmes.
As with most Bayelsa State-funded institutions, NDU applies a differential fee structure based on state of origin. Indigenes of Bayelsa State enjoy a full tuition waiver, paying only the general levies and bench fees, while non-indigene students pay an additional tuition charge, which has recently stood at around ₦50,000 per session on top of the shared levies. Returning students in the Nursing Science programme pay considerably less than fresh students each session, since the one-time charges tied to first admission, such as the acceptance fee and initial development levy, do not apply again once a student has been fully registered.
| Fee Component (NDU Nursing Science) | Fresh Student (Approximate) |
|---|---|
| General levies (registration, library, ICT, medical, development) | Combined into base package |
| Bench Levy (Nursing/Clinical Sciences/Pharmacy) | ₦50,000 |
| Tuition – Bayelsa Indigene | Waived |
| Tuition – Non-Indigene | Around ₦50,000 |
| Approximate Total – Fresh Student (Nursing) | Around ₦158,000 |
Candidates should treat these figures as a guide rather than a fixed amount for every session, since NDU, like most Nigerian universities, reviews its fee schedule periodically and communicates the confirmed figure through its official student portal once a new session opens.
Comparing the two approved pathways
A candidate weighing BYSCONS against NDU’s Nursing Science department should consider a few practical differences beyond cost alone. BYSCONS offers a shorter, more clinically focused diploma pathway that gets a student into professional nursing practice faster and at a generally lower total cost, particularly for Bayelsa indigenes. NDU offers a longer, degree-based pathway that costs somewhat more overall but confers a Bachelor of Nursing Science, which carries advantages for candidates who eventually want to pursue postgraduate nursing education, specialised clinical roles, or academic and administrative positions within the health sector that typically require a university degree rather than a diploma.
Entry requirements also differ meaningfully. BYSCONS accepts a comparatively modest JAMB score alongside the required O’Level credits, making it more accessible to candidates whose UTME performance falls below what a university nursing programme would require. NDU, being a full university with its own general cut-off mark applicable to Nursing Science, generally expects a higher UTME score and subjects the candidate to standard university post-UTME screening alongside O’Level requirements.
How to confirm current fees before applying
Because fee schedules change from one academic session to the next, a prospective nursing student in Bayelsa State should always confirm the exact current figure directly from the institution rather than relying on a fixed number carried over from a previous session. For BYSCONS, this means checking the college’s official application portal and any fee circular issued at the start of the admission cycle. For NDU, this means logging into the university’s student portal, where a personalised invoice reflecting the exact amount payable for a specific department and category of student is generated after admission. Relying on outdated figures from a previous session can lead to underpayment, which typically results in an incomplete registration that a student then has to correct before proceeding with academic activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the approved institutions for studying nursing in Bayelsa State?
The two recognised routes are the Bayelsa State College of Nursing Sciences (BYSCONS) at Tombia-Ekpetiama, which runs diploma-level nursing and midwifery programmes, and the Nursing Science department at Niger Delta University, Amassoma, which runs a full Bachelor of Nursing Science degree.
How much does BYSCONS charge for the general nursing programme?
Fees are broken into several categories rather than one lump sum, including a post-UTME form fee around ₦25,000, tuition that is subsidised for Bayelsa indigenes and higher for non-indigenes (around ₦60,000 and above), and additional committee and union dues. Midwifery programme charges for non-indigenes have reached around ₦240,500 for a full session.
How much does Nursing Science cost at Niger Delta University?
Fresh students in the Nursing Science department pay a combined total close to ₦158,000, covering general university levies, a bench fee specific to clinical and health science programmes, and tuition, which is waived for Bayelsa indigenes and charged at around ₦50,000 for non-indigenes.
Is a BYSCONS diploma equivalent to a university nursing degree?
Both qualify graduates to sit the same licensing examination administered by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, but they are not the same credential. A BYSCONS graduate holds a diploma-level qualification, while an NDU Nursing Science graduate holds a full bachelor’s degree, which offers more direct access to postgraduate nursing study and certain specialised or academic roles.
Do indigenes of Bayelsa State pay less than students from other states?
Yes, at both institutions, indigenes of Bayelsa State consistently pay lower fees than non-indigenes, since both are state government-funded institutions that prioritise subsidised training for residents of the state.