Nursing Courses at South African Colleges 2026: Intakes, Fees & Requirements

Key Takeaways: The Nursing Reality

• The Public Reality: Government Nursing Colleges (e.g., Chris Hani Baragwanath, Limpopo College) usually close applications in September of the previous year. If you are looking now for Jan 2026, you are likely too late.
• The Private Option: Private Hospital Colleges (Netcare, Life, Mediclinic) often have June/July Intakes. This is your best current hope.
• The New Rules: You can no longer just do a “Certificate.” The standard is now the 3-Year Diploma in Nursing (R.171).
• Scam Alert: If a college asks you to pay a registration fee via Pep/Shoprite Money Market, it is a SCAM. Legitimate colleges use bank accounts.
• SANC Check: Never pay a cent until you check the college on the South African Nursing Council website.

Nursing is the most sought-after qualification in South Africa. Every year, thousands of students are turned away from public colleges, and thousands more are scammed by fake “Fly-by-Night” schools operating out of office blocks in CBDs.

If you are reading this in early 2026, you might feel frantic because you missed the government deadline. However, the private sector operates differently. The “Big 3” hospital groups (Netcare, Life Healthcare, Mediclinic) run their own accredited nursing colleges to train staff for their hospitals.¹

This guide breaks down exactly which doors are still open, what qualifications you can actually study (the curriculum changed recently), and how to verify that your diploma will be worth more than the paper it’s printed on.

1. The “Big 3” Private Nursing Colleges

Private nursing colleges are expensive, but they are high-quality, and they often recruit twice a year.

1. Netcare Education

• Status: One of the largest private trainers.
• Campuses: Johannesburg (Auckland Park), Pretoria, KZN (Umhlanga), Cape Town (Bellville), and Port Elizabeth.
• Intakes: Usually January and June.
• How to Apply: Netcare often uses an agency called “Education Application Centre” or directs you to their specific campus email.
• Warning: Netcare does not advertise on Facebook with Gmail addresses. Use the official netcare.co.za website.

2. Life Healthcare College of Learning

• Status: The training arm of Life Hospitals.
• Campuses: East London, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, West Rand, Cape Town.
• Intakes: Applications for the January 2027 intake usually open in June 2026, but they sometimes have mid-year spots for specific Higher Certificate courses.
• Focus: Strong on General Nursing and Midwifery.

3. Mediclinic Higher Education

• Status: Extremely competitive.
• Intakes: Mediclinic usually opens their application window in May/June for the following year.
• Note: They often offer the Higher Certificate in Nursing (1 Year) which is a great entry point if your marks aren’t good enough for the Diploma.

2. Public (Government) Nursing Colleges: The Status

If you are hoping to get into a government college now for 2026, the door is mostly shut.

• Gauteng College of Nursing (GCON): Applications closed in September 2025. They do not accept walk-ins.
• Limpopo College of Nursing: Closed in November 2025.
• KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing (KZNCN): Closed August 2025.
• Free State School of Nursing: Closed October 2025.

What can you do?

1. Wait for the 2027 Cycle: Applications will open around June 2026.
2. Watch for “Unfilled Spots”: Occasionally, if selected students drop out, the Department of Health advertises supplementary spots in local newspapers (not usually online). You need to physically visit your local hospital’s HR department to ask.

3. The Qualifications: What Can You Study?

The nursing curriculum changed a few years ago. You cannot study the old “Enrolled Nurse” courses anymore.

1. Higher Certificate in Nursing (R.169)

• Duration: 1 Year.
• NQF Level: 5.
• Role: Auxiliary Nurse. You do basic patient care (washing, feeding, vitals).
• Entry Requirements:
  • NSC (Matric).
  • Life Sciences (Biology) at approx. 40%.
  • English at approx. 40%.
  • Math Literacy is usually accepted.

2. Diploma in Nursing (R.171)

• Duration: 3 Years.
• NQF Level: 6.
• Role: General Nurse (Staff Nurse). You can administer meds and manage wards.
• Entry Requirements:
  • NSC with Diploma Pass.
  • Life Sciences: Level 4 (50%) or higher.
  • English: Level 4 (50%).
  • Mathematics: Pure Math is preferred, but many colleges accept Math Lit (Level 5+).

3. Bachelor of Nursing (R.174)

• Duration: 4 Years.
• Role: Professional Nurse & Midwife.
• Where: Only offered at Universities (UJ, Wits, UKZN, UWC), not usually at colleges.

4. How to Spot a Scam (The “Money Market” Trap)

Nursing is the #1 sector for education fraud in SA. Scammers create fake Facebook pages using stolen logos of “Lilitha Nursing College” or “Chris Hani Nursing School.”

The Scam Script:

1. They advertise “Late Applications Open – 50 Spaces Left!”
2. They ask you to WhatsApp a number.
3. They tell you to pay a “Registration Fee” of R2,500 via Pep, Shoprite Money Market, or eWallet to secure your spot.
4. Once you pay, they block you.

The Golden Rule:

• Real Colleges have Bank Accounts (Standard Bank, FNB, etc.) in the name of the institution (e.g., “Netcare Education Pty Ltd”).
• Real Colleges NEVER ask for money via Money Market or eWallet.
• Real Colleges do not use @gmail.com or @yahoo.com addresses. They use .ac.za or .co.za (corporate domains).

5. How to Verify Accreditation (SANC Check)

Before you pay a deposit to any private college, you must verify them.

1. Go to the South African Nursing Council (SANC) website: www.sanc.co.za.
2. Look for the list: “Accredited Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs)”.
3. Search for the college name.
4. Critical Check: Check if they are accredited for the NEW qualifications (R.171 / R.169). Some colleges are still accredited for the old courses but haven’t been approved for the new ones. If they teach you the old course, SANC will not register you, and you will be unemployed.

6. Estimated Fees (Private)

Since government colleges are subsidized (students often get a stipend), private colleges are a financial shock.

• Higher Certificate (1 Year): R50,000 – R65,000.
• Diploma (3 Years): R60,000 – R80,000 per year.
• Other Costs: Uniforms (R2,000), Books (R4,000), SANC Registration Fees.
• Funding: NSFAS does NOT fund private nursing colleges. You will need a Fundi Loan or Bank Student Loan.

7. Alternative: The “Health Care Worker” Route

If you cannot get into a Nursing Diploma because of marks or money, beware of “Home Based Care” courses.

• Ancestral Health / Home Based Care courses are not nursing. They are short skills courses.
• They allow you to work as a Caregiver in old age homes, but they do not lead to SANC registration. You cannot work as a nurse in a hospital with these certificates.
• Advice: Only do these if you want to be a Caregiver. Do not do them thinking you can “upgrade” to Nursing later. There is often no credit transfer.

Conclusion: Patience is Key

If you missed the 2026 intake, do not panic and pay a scammer.

Use this year to upgrade your Matric results (specifically Life Sciences). A Level 3 in Biology will get you rejected everywhere. Upgrade it to a Level 5, and apply to the Government Colleges in June 2026 for the 2027 intake. It is better to wait one year and get free, high-quality training than to rush into a bogus college and lose your future.

Action: Go to the SANC website today and download the 2026 list of Accredited NEIs. If the college you are looking at isn’t on that PDF, block their number.

Disclaimer: Nursing intakes are highly regulated by the Department of Health. Accreditation status can change overnight. Always verify directly with SANC before enrolling.

This video is relevant because it specifically announces the application window for Mediclinic’s nursing and emergency care programs for the 2026 intake, confirming that private hospital groups are a viable option for prospective students.