The number of students taking up
nursing degrees in England has risen for the first time since the
post-pandemic surge in 2021.
The increase is being driven by more
than 11,500 (11,530) students aged under 25 accepting a place on
a nursing degree - six per cent higher than in 2024, when 10,850
students were under 25.
Overall, 18,640 people have so far
accepted a place on an undergraduate nursing degree this year –
up one per cent on the same period last year. The calculations
are based on data released by UCAS four weeks after the
announcement of A-level and other exam
results.
The number of new nursing students saw
a leap of 25 per cent to 22,490 in 2020 and another four per cent
rise to 23,490 in 2021 during and following the pandemic,
compared to 17,950 in 2019.
The number of students accepting
nursing places at this point in the UCAS cycle has remained above
the pre-pandemic level but has steadily declined since 2021,
falling to 18,420 last year.
Midwifery degrees have also seen a
three per cent rise in acceptances so far this year with 3,390
students compared with 3,290 in 2024. The number of 18 to
24-year-old students increased by ten per cent, rising by 220
from 2,140 in 2024 to 2,360 in
2025.
Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer
for England, welcomed the latest UCAS data which follows the
government's announcement of its new Graduate Guarantee in
August, ensuring that thousands of new nursing and midwifery
posts are easier to access.
NHS providers will start recruiting
newly-qualified nurses and midwives before vacancies formally
arise, with NHS trusts supported to employ staff based on
projected need rather than headcount. Extra support, including an
online information hub, is also available to every
newly-qualified nurse and midwife.
Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing
Officer for England, said:
“Nursing is a fantastic career.
Becoming a nurse is the best decision I ever made, and it
continues to inspire and challenge me just as much today as it
did when I qualified. You have the unique privilege of impacting
people's lives every day, offering both clinical expertise and
compassionate care.
“The opportunities for growth and
lifelong learning are limitless – as well as working on wards,
nurses play a vital role at the heart of local communities and in
research, education and leadership.
“It's great to see so many younger
recruits and we're also doing more to help mature students join
the profession. The 2,000 extra nursing degree apprenticeships
promised in the NHS 10 Year Health Plan will play a big part in
this by widening access to nursing
careers.
“There are also still places available
in clearing so I would encourage anyone still thinking about
starting university this year to consider a healthcare degree.
It's an incredibly rewarding choice where you can make a real
difference to people's lives.”
Student Oluwafadekemi Dorcas
Ojo is in her second
year studying mental health nursing at the University of Salford.
She says it was the kindness shown to her during her early work
experience that changed everything.
“On my first day at St Bernard's
Hospital I was nervous and unsure of myself, but the ward
manager's welcome was inspiring and uplifting; she made me see
what I never saw in myself and
she enhanced the potential in me.
“Mrs. Immaculate reminded me that
nursing is about more than treatment, it's about truly seeing and
supporting people. Now, as a student nurse, I understand how
powerful it is to walk alongside someone in their most difficult
moments. My hope is to make the same impact on others that was
made on me.”
Laura Mason, a second-year
midwifery student also studying at
Salford, says her
career path began with a personal experience that changed her
life profoundly while she was pregnant with her daughter
Izabella, now aged eight.
“During my initial booking
appointment, a male midwife carried out routine screening and
identified an abnormally-high carbon monoxide reading. This
discovery led to the detection of a serious carbon monoxide leak
in our rented home, caused by a faulty boiler and gas
fire.
“Without this screening, we would
never have known about the danger we were in – and my husband,
our unborn baby, and I could have lost our
lives.
“That moment opened my eyes to the
critical and often life-saving role that midwives play. It
inspired me to pursue this path so I can provide the same level
of care, attention and potentially life-saving support to others
during such an important time in their
lives.”
Health and Social Care
Secretary said:
“Nurses are the beating heart of the
NHS and will be at the forefront of our mission to build a health
service fit for the future.
“Our new Graduate Guarantee will break
down barriers and create thousands of job opportunities across
the country, and the 10 Year Health Plan will roll out 2,000
more nursing apprenticeships in areas with the greatest
need.
“Their skills are urgently needed, and
we're equipping them to lead long, fulfilling careers – bringing
down waiting lists and offering patients the highest quality care
as part of our Plan for Change.”
