The Student Room Group

Best unis for adult nursing

Hi! I’m in the process of writing my personal statement and i’ve been trying to narrow down my options on where to go.

I’m applying for adult nursing and I’m from near Belfast so I’m defo gonna be applying to QUB, but what others.

I want to go somewhere that’s got a really good nursing course and reputation, but also really good nightlife, lots of things to do and relatively cheap (almost like home)

Where I’m picking between at the minute:

Kingston
LJMU
Northumbria
Uni of Sheffield
Uni of Manchester

Originally I was thinking Edinburgh but accommodation is so expensive and I think cardiff suits what I’m looking for but to get a bursary you have to be committed to working there for 2 years post qualification

Any other uni ideas would be good also (not ulster) - however I don’t do a science so that narrows down options slightly e.g leeds

Thanks xx
Hi! Great to hear you are considering applying for LJMU!

LJMU’s nursing school is highly accredited, with students and graduates rating it highly. A multi award-winning School - 'Nurse Education Provider of the Year (pre-registration)' 2021 Winner and 'Best Student Experience' Winner (Student Nursing Times Awards). At LJMU’s NMC accredited Nursing course you will learn in state of the art professional-standard clinical practice simulation suites complete with cutting edge teaching and learning technology.
Students are highly commendatory of the help and support that the staff on the course and in the University provided them.

LJMU prides itself on providing guidance and support to students, with dedicated academic staff and wellbeing services across campuses. LJMU recently placed 2nd in the UK (Uni Compare - UK University Rankings 2025) and No. 1 UK student city (Student Crowd, 2023)!

As for nightlife, Liverpool is an amazing and vibrant city with endless things to do. With plenty of pubs, clubs and bars across the city that offer student events every night of the week, you will always have something to do here! Another great thing about Liverpool is that although there is an abundance of things to do here, it is not too big of a city, everything is so close together which I love!

As for being cheap, Liverpool is such a large student city, and everything is relevantly cheap here for that reason. With many different shops to chose from, you can make your weekly food shop really cost efficient! Many cafes, restaurants and shops offer student deals and discounts which is really helpful too. LJMU also offers student discounts across their café’s on campus so you can save a good bit there too! 😊

I would recommend reading around on each university, looking at their campus maps etc and booking an Open Day where possible (if you haven’t already). LJMU’s next Open Days are on Friday 8th of November and Saturday 16th November, we also offer Campus tours on a range of dates, please visit the LJMU website here https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate-students/visit-us for more information.

Good luck with your next step! 😊

Ria
Official LJMU Rep
Original post by maeghanjohnstonx
Hi! I’m in the process of writing my personal statement and i’ve been trying to narrow down my options on where to go.

I’m applying for adult nursing and I’m from near Belfast so I’m defo gonna be applying to QUB, but what others.

I want to go somewhere that’s got a really good nursing course and reputation, but also really good nightlife, lots of things to do and relatively cheap (almost like home)

Where I’m picking between at the minute:

Kingston
LJMU
Northumbria
Uni of Sheffield
Uni of Manchester

Originally I was thinking Edinburgh but accommodation is so expensive and I think cardiff suits what I’m looking for but to get a bursary you have to be committed to working there for 2 years post qualification

Any other uni ideas would be good also (not ulster) - however I don’t do a science so that narrows down options slightly e.g leeds

Thanks xx


In terms of future employment it won't matter where you study and all courses are held to the same standards by the NMC. Accommodation will be relatively expensive in Kingston and Manchester, and Manchester suffers from a lack of student accommodation. Also compare private accommodation costs for beyond first year. Other options where accommodation costs shouldn't be as high - Nottingham, Leeds, Chester, UCLAN, etc.

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/course-finder

Just to add that is you study at a uni in England and you are eligible for finance from SFNI, then you could be eligible for the annual training grant of £5k per year from the NHS Learning Support Fund.

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-learning-support-fund-lsf
(edited 3 weeks ago)
Original post by maeghanjohnstonx
Hi! I’m in the process of writing my personal statement and i’ve been trying to narrow down my options on where to go.
I’m applying for adult nursing and I’m from near Belfast so I’m defo gonna be applying to QUB, but what others.
I want to go somewhere that’s got a really good nursing course and reputation, but also really good nightlife, lots of things to do and relatively cheap (almost like home)
Where I’m picking between at the minute:
Kingston
LJMU
Northumbria
Uni of Sheffield
Uni of Manchester
Originally I was thinking Edinburgh but accommodation is so expensive and I think cardiff suits what I’m looking for but to get a bursary you have to be committed to working there for 2 years post qualification
Any other uni ideas would be good also (not ulster) - however I don’t do a science so that narrows down options slightly e.g leeds
Thanks xx

Hi there! 👋

It's great to hear that you are thinking of studying Adult Nursing - it is such a rewarding career path to follow, and you will have many opportunities to pursue.

As you mentioned, Welsh Universities offer students a full NHS bursary to fund this course, including tuition fees and non-repayable bursary for living costs, if they are eligible and agree to work in Wales for two years after registration. Whilst it may seem inconvenient working in Wales for two years upon graduating, it's well worth it and who knows... you could fall in love with Wales!

In terms of going to a place with plenty to do... there's lots that you can get involved with at Wrexham. Wrexham is steeped in heritage, with beautiful scenery and numerous historical sites, as well as a bustling city centre with great shopping, a thriving culture and entertainment scene, as well as a buzzing nightlife. You'll find Wrexham conveniently situated on the Wales-England border, perfectly placed for easy access to the nearby cities of Chester, Liverpool and Manchester to the East, the rugged beauty of Snowdonia to the West, and great beaches along the stunning coastline to the North.

Our Adult Nursing course is highly-rated; we recently ranked 1st in the UK for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide, 2025) and 1st in the UK for Teaching Quality and Student Experience (The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025), for example.

We are currently investing into our campus and facilities as part of our Campus 2025 strategy, and amongst these developments we have proudly opened a Healthcare Simulation Suite, comprising of two ward spaces and a simulation side bay, advanced audio/visual tech and an observation room that enables our students' work to be monitored by trained professionals.

Why not come and check us out at our next open day? We actually offer individuals from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland up to £50 off their travel costs for attending an open day, subject to proof of transport and attendance of open day.

We hope to meet you soon and are happy to answer any questions you may have about our campus or student life in general :smile:

Lauren
WrexhamUniReps
Original post by maeghanjohnstonx
Hi! I’m in the process of writing my personal statement and i’ve been trying to narrow down my options on where to go.
I’m applying for adult nursing and I’m from near Belfast so I’m defo gonna be applying to QUB, but what others.
I want to go somewhere that’s got a really good nursing course and reputation, but also really good nightlife, lots of things to do and relatively cheap (almost like home)
Where I’m picking between at the minute:
Kingston
LJMU
Northumbria
Uni of Sheffield
Uni of Manchester
Originally I was thinking Edinburgh but accommodation is so expensive and I think cardiff suits what I’m looking for but to get a bursary you have to be committed to working there for 2 years post qualification
Any other uni ideas would be good also (not ulster) - however I don’t do a science so that narrows down options slightly e.g leeds
Thanks xx

Hi @maeghanjohnstonx,

From what you have described UCLan sounds like a great place for you! From cheap accommodation, good night life to a really good nursing course. Preston is a great city with good transport links giving you many options to visit other places whether that is to do some shopping in Manchester or visit the Lake District.

Out accommodation is starting at only £85 per week, our on campus accommodation is almost half the national average. And we're the most affordable uni in the country according to The Times (2023). More info on accommodation here: Accommodation - UCLan

Our Nursing with Registered Nurse (Children & Young People) course is ranked in the top ten in the UK for learning resources and student voice (National Student Survey, 2024) (Compared with unis in the Guardian University Guide).To find out more about our nursing courses, visit here: Study Nursing at University - UCLan

Hope this helps and give us a shout if you have any further questions 🙂
^Zac
Original post by maeghanjohnstonx
Hi! I’m in the process of writing my personal statement and i’ve been trying to narrow down my options on where to go.
I’m applying for adult nursing and I’m from near Belfast so I’m defo gonna be applying to QUB, but what others.
I want to go somewhere that’s got a really good nursing course and reputation, but also really good nightlife, lots of things to do and relatively cheap (almost like home)
Where I’m picking between at the minute:
Kingston
LJMU
Northumbria
Uni of Sheffield
Uni of Manchester
Originally I was thinking Edinburgh but accommodation is so expensive and I think cardiff suits what I’m looking for but to get a bursary you have to be committed to working there for 2 years post qualification
Any other uni ideas would be good also (not ulster) - however I don’t do a science so that narrows down options slightly e.g leeds
Thanks xx

Hi @maeghanjohnstonx

It's great to hear that you are considering Kingston! I am sure you already know lots about the reputation Kingston has for nursing courses as it is top in London for Nursing and ranked in the top 10 in the UK for General Nursing. When speaking to my friends that study nursing courses one thing that stands out to me about the courses is the placement aspect. For adult nursing you will spend 50% of your time on placement in hospitals, which I think is really valuable in gaining that experience that employers are looking for. Adult Nursing BSc (Hons) degree course - London undergraduate courses - Kingston University London

When it comes to where you will be based the campus is called Kingston Hill which is just a short bus journey to Kingston town centre, you can get a free university bus. In the town centre there is lots to do with lots of pubs, in particular The Mill is a student favourite that has discounts and student nights making it really cheap.

There is only two clubs in Kingston so it depends what sort of university experience you are looking for. Personally I enjoy going out to clubs in central London, however this can get slightly expensive, but you are never short of something to do. I know lots of students based at Kingston Hill often go out in Putney as it just a short bus journey back and there is more pubs and clubs there.

For cheap things to do in the day there are lots of cafes, places to go for food and places like the river and parks are nice places to go and spend time with friends.

I hope this helps and if you have any questions please feel free to ask :smile:
-Grace (Kingston Rep)
Original post by maeghanjohnstonx
Hi! I’m in the process of writing my personal statement and i’ve been trying to narrow down my options on where to go.
I’m applying for adult nursing and I’m from near Belfast so I’m defo gonna be applying to QUB, but what others.
I want to go somewhere that’s got a really good nursing course and reputation, but also really good nightlife, lots of things to do and relatively cheap (almost like home)
Where I’m picking between at the minute:
Kingston
LJMU
Northumbria
Uni of Sheffield
Uni of Manchester
Originally I was thinking Edinburgh but accommodation is so expensive and I think cardiff suits what I’m looking for but to get a bursary you have to be committed to working there for 2 years post qualification
Any other uni ideas would be good also (not ulster) - however I don’t do a science so that narrows down options slightly e.g leeds
Thanks xx

Hi,

It’s great to hear that you’re considering studying adult nursing at Northumbria! Nursing at Northumbria is ranked 9th in the UK by the Complete University Guide for 2025. If you’re also thinking about your future career, 99% of our Nursing graduates are in highly skilled employment or further study 15 months after graduation (Guardian University Guide, 2024).

To help make your decision and narrow down your options I’d recommend checking out the websites of the universities you’re considering applying to and attend any university open days if you’re able to. Our next open days at Northumbria are the 26th October and 16th November which you can book here: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/visit-northumbria/university-open-days/. They’re a great way to explore the campus, see the university facilities and speak to current students and staff about the course to help make your decision.

If you’re looking to study in a city with great nightlife, Newcastle is a vibrant city with lots of different bars and clubs and Northumbria’s Student’s Union also offers a great social scene. Newcastle is the 2nd 'Best UK Student City' 2023 according to the Student Crowd, as voted by students. It’s also only a metro journey away from the coast if you would enjoy a day out at the beach! You might find this webpage useful if you’d like to find out more about student life and things to do in Newcastle: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/visit-northumbria/life-in-newcastle/

Hope this helps, if you have any more questions let me know 🙂

Steph
Northumbria UG Rep
(edited 2 weeks ago)
Original post by maeghanjohnstonx
Hi! I’m in the process of writing my personal statement and i’ve been trying to narrow down my options on where to go.
I’m applying for adult nursing and I’m from near Belfast so I’m defo gonna be applying to QUB, but what others.
I want to go somewhere that’s got a really good nursing course and reputation, but also really good nightlife, lots of things to do and relatively cheap (almost like home)
Where I’m picking between at the minute:
Kingston
LJMU
Northumbria
Uni of Sheffield
Uni of Manchester
Originally I was thinking Edinburgh but accommodation is so expensive and I think cardiff suits what I’m looking for but to get a bursary you have to be committed to working there for 2 years post qualification
Any other uni ideas would be good also (not ulster) - however I don’t do a science so that narrows down options slightly e.g leeds
Thanks xx

Hiya!

Awesome to hear that you've been considering Cardiff! Its a brilliant course here, and pretty much meets all that you've said. I won't bore you with the details since it looks like you've already done your research on Cardiff, but do let me know if you had any questions about studying here :smile:

As you've said, you do have to commit to 2 years to working in NHS Wales with the bursary. However, you can choose to opt out of this. All info about this can be found on this page here. The bursary is good if you definitely know you want to work as a nurse in Wales, but if you're not sure yet - I recommend still applying if you're keen on the course, as you only need to opt out before applying for student finance. So, you've got quite a while to decide!

~ Fatiha, Cardiff University Student Rep

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