The Student Room Group

2025 MH BSc Nursing: GCSE equivalency requirement to career change

Dear All,
I am a British citizen settled from India, applying for the 2025 BSc Mental Health Nursing/Dual MSc programmes. My education credentials have been assessed by UK ENIC (formerly UK NARIC). According to this assessment:
My Matriculation (10th Standard) subjects, except English, are equivalent to UK GCSEs.
My 12th Standard (all subjects, including English) is equivalent to UK AS Levels.
I also hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, equivalent to UK Levels 6 and 7 respectively.
I understand that most providers require GCSE Maths and English or equivalent qualifications as essential criteria. Given my background as an Allied Health Professional (AHP) with 20 years of NHS experience and a career change to nursing, would my higher qualifications and professional experience waive the need for GCSE requirements?
If not, I would appreciate clarification on whether completing a Level 2 Functional Skills qualification (e.g., City & Guilds) would suffice.
Thank you for your time and guidance.

Kind regards,
Sam Y
Original post by goals.buffalo_03
Dear All,
I am a British citizen settled from India, applying for the 2025 BSc Mental Health Nursing/Dual MSc programmes. My education credentials have been assessed by UK ENIC (formerly UK NARIC). According to this assessment:
My Matriculation (10th Standard) subjects, except English, are equivalent to UK GCSEs.
My 12th Standard (all subjects, including English) is equivalent to UK AS Levels.
I also hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, equivalent to UK Levels 6 and 7 respectively.
I understand that most providers require GCSE Maths and English or equivalent qualifications as essential criteria. Given my background as an Allied Health Professional (AHP) with 20 years of NHS experience and a career change to nursing, would my higher qualifications and professional experience waive the need for GCSE requirements?
If not, I would appreciate clarification on whether completing a Level 2 Functional Skills qualification (e.g., City & Guilds) would suffice.
Thank you for your time and guidance.
Kind regards,
Sam Y

It is always helpful to contact the admissions teams within your chosen universities first.

As far as I know, the GCSEs in English and Maths or equivalent are a requirement for all nursing and midwifery courses across the UK. You can see it when you read through the entry requirements on the course pages within the institutions websites.

Not sure where you are based. However, the University of West London offers free, short-term, Functional Skills courses in Maths and English.

Here’s the link if you want to find out more about it.

https://www.uwl.ac.uk/current-students/support-students/open-door-new-career-possibilities-our-free-courses-maths

I hope this helps and good luck.
(edited 1 month ago)
Original post by ModernNatural
It is always helpful to contact the admissions teams within your chosen universities first.
As far as I know, the GCSEs in English and Maths or equivalent are a requirement for all nursing and midwifery courses across the UK. You can see it when you read through the entry requirements on the course pages within the institutions websites.
Not sure where you are based. However, the University of West London offers free, short-term, Functional Skills courses in Maths and English.
Here’s the link if you want to find out more about it.
https://www.uwl.ac.uk/current-students/support-students/open-door-new-career-possibilities-our-free-courses-maths
This summer, I had to cancel all my university applications for Adult Nursing (September 2024 start) because I was missing the GCSE in English or equivalent qualification, and the admissions teams were asking for the evidence.
Fast forward, I completed the Functional Skills Level 2 in English course with the University of West London, this October. The course was intense and only lasted 8-weeks. The lessons were fully remote and the teacher was great. I only went to the University for the pre-assessment (for them to assess which level would be appropriate for me) and for the final exams (reading and writing). The speaking and listening exam was done remotely.
I have been so relieved since I got that barrier out of the way. I re-applied for Adult Nursing (September 2025 start) and I did not experience any issues because I was able to provide the Functional Skills Level 2 in English Certificate to the admissions teams.
I hope this helps and good luck.

Hi, this sounds like a great success for you. I live in Wedt Midlands and there are free courses run by the council too. I am enquiring. I totally agree with you .All training providers ask for GCSE equivalent English. Best wishes with your training and thanks for taking the time to respond.
Think you
I dont have my maths i have signed up with local council to do level 2 i have added this onto my application as working towards hopefully they will be happy with this im a mature student applying for MHN
Original post by Annie Wray
I dont have my maths i have signed up with local council to do level 2 i have added this onto my application as working towards hopefully they will be happy with this im a mature student applying for MHN


Thanks, Annie. After reading all your expert comments, I have now secured a place on a proper GCSE fast-track course, provided I do well in the BKSB assessment. The course starts next week, and the board exams are in May/June this year. It’s going to be super intense, but I’m not too bothered as it’s an excellent qualification to have under my belt and will open up wider opportunities. I’m also really looking forward to the MHN training. Having worked in mental health, I know it’s going to be intense, so I’m mentally prepared for that too. Best wishes with your course! Are you enrolling for the September 2025 intake? Take care!
Original post by ModernNatural
It is always helpful to contact the admissions teams within your chosen universities first.
As far as I know, the GCSEs in English and Maths or equivalent are a requirement for all nursing and midwifery courses across the UK. You can see it when you read through the entry requirements on the course pages within the institutions websites.
Not sure where you are based. However, the University of West London offers free, short-term, Functional Skills courses in Maths and English.
Here’s the link if you want to find out more about it.
https://www.uwl.ac.uk/current-students/support-students/open-door-new-career-possibilities-our-free-courses-maths
I hope this helps and good luck.


Many thanks. I have taken your suggestions on board. Thank you 🙏
Original post by goals.buffalo_03
Dear All,
I am a British citizen settled from India, applying for the 2025 BSc Mental Health Nursing/Dual MSc programmes. My education credentials have been assessed by UK ENIC (formerly UK NARIC). According to this assessment:
My Matriculation (10th Standard) subjects, except English, are equivalent to UK GCSEs.
My 12th Standard (all subjects, including English) is equivalent to UK AS Levels.
I also hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, equivalent to UK Levels 6 and 7 respectively.
I understand that most providers require GCSE Maths and English or equivalent qualifications as essential criteria. Given my background as an Allied Health Professional (AHP) with 20 years of NHS experience and a career change to nursing, would my higher qualifications and professional experience waive the need for GCSE requirements?
If not, I would appreciate clarification on whether completing a Level 2 Functional Skills qualification (e.g., City & Guilds) would suffice.
Thank you for your time and guidance.
Kind regards,
Sam Y


Look into recognition of prior learning, I have a friend who got into a nursing degree through that (radiography Bsc from Nigeria & professional experience in the UK, no GCSEs/British school qualifications), it seems absolutely insane that they'd require you to redo such comparatively low-level qualification when you already have a frickin masters, especially when you have equivalent school qualifications from India as well.

If they do require it though you can always just
do GCSEs as an adult, they're still open to book now and sit the exam in June which would get you results in time for September uni entry. There are a number of online providers who organize everything for you from around £300 per subject, I used CloudLearn and highly recommend them. They have a fully online self-paced course (great, I did this with no previous formal education and got all 9s) or can just register you to sit the exam without any teaching (which sounds like it would probably be fine for you). Check if your uni needs just math & English though, some as for 5 GCSEs - I did 5, some of mine required that some didn't, but that was with no other qualifications, with your previous education they'd very likely waive that even if they do normally request it). Good luck!
@articfox99, thank you so much for taking the time to draft such a supportive response. Unfortunately, the board I completed in India isn’t recognized as equivalent to UK GCSE English, whereas some of my peers who took a different board exam were granted equivalency. What’s puzzling is that all my other subjects were deemed GCSE-equivalent except for English.
Anyway, I’ve enrolled and am gearing up for the upcoming GCSE English exams—I need to hit the ground running! I truly wish you all the very best in your studies and career.

Warm regards,

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