This course provides academic and professional development for nurses who have a Diploma of Nursing from outside the UK and wish to enhance their career opportunities by attaining an honours degree qualification. The course has been specifically designed to build on your skills as a registered nurse in your home country and will help you to develop the skills and knowledge required of UK registrants.
Completion of this course will enable you to demonstrate that your nursing skills and experience are at the required level to undertake the Nursing and Midwifery Council Test of Competence for registration.
The course is delivered at our Birkenhead site ideally located close to Liverpool city centre with excellent public transport links.
*We welcome applications from nurses registered overseas wishing to come to the UK to study as well as individuals living in the UK whilst registered as a nurse elsewhere wanting to prepare for their NMC registration.
This level 6 top-up year further develops your skills as a registered nurse in your home country and helps you to develop the skills and knowledge required of UK registrants.
The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.
This course utilises a diverse range of teaching and learning strategies including small group seminars, field trips and face-to-face taught sessions with interactive group work. Students will be required to engage in independent study and work with their peers throughout the programme.
You will also learn clinical skills and decision-making in our state-of-the-art simulation labs which replicate clinical hospital settings and community settings. This is designed to enable you to hone your clinical skills in a safe and supportive environment.
Each module of study is assessed via a variety of methods including written essays, presentations and an Observed Clinical Skills Examination. These approaches are specifically designed to replicate the approach used in the NMC Test of Competence.
Study skills support sessions are embedded throughout the programme to enable you to gradually build up your academic skills with clear guidance and expert support.
Graduates will be well placed to undertake the NMC Test of Competence for registration in the UK. This will enable them to apply for Band 5 posts in the NHS or Social Care or to seek employment in a wider range of countries where this qualification is recognised.
The University of Chester includes a range of CPD programmes to enable our Graduates to continue their education with us. This includes a MSc Advanced Clinical Practice and a suite of Specialist Community Nursing Programmes.
The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.
Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.
We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, and extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.
Extra Requirements | Registration as a Nurse overseas Diploma Nursing (equivalent to level 5 in UK) |
Prior Work/ Voluntary Experience | Current experience working as a Nurse |
English Language Requirements
IELTS | 6.0 or equivalent with no element below 5.5 (NMC require 7 for reading, listening, and speaking and 7 for writing) |
Prior Work/ Voluntary Experience | Current experience working as a Nurse |
£14,950 per year for a full-time course* (2026/27)
The tuition fees for international students studying programmes in 2026/27 are £14,950 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.
For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £11,250 and £14,950 for Years 2-4 in 2026/27.
