School of Nursing Amachara admission requirements for 2027/2028 are the 2026/2027 rules unless the state changes them: five O’level credits in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics at no more than two sittings, a UTME score at or above JAMB’s minimum, an age of at least 16 by September, and an application through JAMB CAPS. The school, near Umuahia, now runs under the name College of Nursing Sciences, Amachara, and Amachara was the first campus named in Abia State’s 2026/2027 ND Nursing notice.
2027/2028 update: School of Nursing Amachara admission requirements and entrance process usually stay the same from one year to the next, so the rules on this page are what 2027/2028 candidates should plan with. They come from the latest notices we could find (2026/2027). If the 2027/2028 notice changes anything, we will update this page.
Amachara is the clearest case among Abia’s state nursing schools. The old route, a ministry entrance form with no JAMB, gave way in 2026 to a National Diploma in Nursing that only UTME candidates could apply for. This page sets out the requirements, the cut-off position, a safe target, how the old entrance exam worked, the CAPS steps and the school’s NMCN status, with the midwifery programme at the same college covered in a separate guide.
School of Nursing Amachara admission requirements at a glance
| Item | 2026/2027 position (plan with this for 2027/2028) | Source and status |
|---|---|---|
| Programme | National Diploma (ND) Nursing | Abia State College of Nursing Sciences notice, reported by Myschool, 11 June 2026 |
| Campuses named | Amachara and Aba | Same notice |
| O’level | Five credits: English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics; WAEC, NECO or NABTEB; max two sittings | Same notice |
| UTME | Must have sat the 2026 UTME | Same notice |
| How to apply | Log in to JAMB CAPS | Same notice |
| Minimum age | 16 by September 2026 | Same notice |
| JAMB minimum | 150 for colleges of nursing | NAN, 11 May 2026 |
| School cut-off | Not published | No official figure |
| NMCN approval | Nursing: Full (April 2018). Midwifery: Full (Sept 2021) | NMCN list, December 2025 |
| Form fee, screening and dates | Not published in the part of the notice available | Check official channels |
From School of Nursing to ND Nursing: what changed
Amachara used to admit school leavers into a three-year general nursing course through the state entrance exam. Wikipedia records that it became the College of Nursing Sciences, Amachara, and that the state announced a plan to merge it with seven other state nursing schools into a single College of Nursing Sciences. The government source and date for that merger plan are not given there, so treat it as background.
The 2026/2027 notice, issued in the name of the Abia State College of Nursing Sciences, fits that picture. It offered ND Nursing at an Amachara campus and an Aba campus, required the 2026 UTME and pointed applicants to JAMB CAPS. For you, the practical change is simple: without a UTME result you cannot be considered.
| Point | Old route (to about 2025) | ND route (2026/2027) |
|---|---|---|
| JAMB | Not required | Required |
| Where you applied | State nursing schools portal and Ministry of Health, Umuahia | JAMB CAPS |
| Selection | Written entrance exam and interview | UTME score and O’level; any extra screening not shown in the notice |
| Qualification | General nursing certificate (RN) after NMCN exams | National Diploma in Nursing |
| Form fee seen in reprints | ₦10,000 (year not stated) | Not published |
Amachara nursing cut-off mark and safe target
| Session | Figure | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | 150 | JAMB minimum UTME score for colleges of nursing | Official, NAN, 11 May 2026 |
| 2025/2026 | 140 | JAMB minimum for colleges of nursing | Nairametrics headline, 8 July 2025 |
| 2026/2027 | Not published | Amachara or state college cut-off | No official figure |
Because the college has not published its own figure, the score that decides your chance is the score of the last candidate it picks, and that number is not released. Here is my reading, as advice only:
| Your 2027 UTME score | My read for ND Nursing at Amachara |
|---|---|
| Below 150 | Below JAMB’s 2026 minimum for colleges of nursing |
| 150 to 179 | Admissible, but many applicants will be ahead of you |
| 180 to 209 | A fair chance with good O’level grades |
| 210 and above | Strong. This is what I would aim for |
Two things move you up the list besides the score: credits from one sitting rather than two, and grades above C6 in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
UTME subject combination and O’level
| Requirement | Amachara ND Nursing |
|---|---|
| UTME subjects | Use of English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics (JAMB’s usual combination for nursing; confirm on the JAMB e-brochure) |
| O’level | Credits in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics |
| Exams | WAEC, NECO, NABTEB |
| Sittings | Maximum two |
| Age | At least 16 by September of the admission year |
| Awaiting results | Not addressed in the notice we saw; assume you need results on CAPS before screening |
| Direct Entry | Not offered in the notice |
Revise with our JAMB Biology syllabus and JAMB Chemistry syllabus; Physics and English carry the same weight in the UTME.
Screening and entrance exam at Amachara
The part of the 2026/2027 notice available to us does not describe a screening test. Some colleges of nursing add their own; the College of Nursing Sciences, Alor in Anambra, for example, set a post-UTME screening for its 2026 ND Nursing intake. Prepare for one in case Abia does the same.
How the old Amachara entrance exam ran
- Forms were sold through the Nursing Services Department of the Abia State Ministry of Health, Umuahia, with payment at UBA or First Bank in one reprint and through a Remita invoice on abianursingschools.edu.ng in the 2024 adverts.
- The written exam was held in March at 8am, with centres in Umuahia and Aba (o3schools reprint, year not stated).
- Shortlisted candidates were interviewed before the list was published.
Worked example (illustrative)
- Candidate: Obinna, 17 in July 2027, scored 192 with English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
- JAMB minimum: 192 minus 150 = 42 above the 2026 floor.
- My target: 210 minus 192 = 18 short of what I call strong.
- O’level: one sitting, B3 or better in the three sciences, which helps him.
- Age: 17 by September, so the age rule is met.
- Verdict: a fair chance. He should keep Amachara as his choice and accept quickly if the offer shows on CAPS.
How to apply to School of Nursing Amachara, step by step
- Get your JAMB profile code: send NIN, a space and your 11-digit NIN to 55019 or 66019 from the phone line linked to your NIN.
- Register for the 2027 UTME: choose Nursing with English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, and pick the Abia State College of Nursing Sciences if it is on JAMB’s list. If you chose another school, do a JAMB change of institution once the Abia notice is out.
- Upload your O’level to CAPS: at an accredited CBT centre, have WAEC, NECO or NABTEB results added to your JAMB record. If you used two sittings, upload both. Check on CAPS that every subject and grade shows correctly.
- Watch for the official notice: the 2026/2027 notice told candidates to log in to JAMB CAPS. Look for the 2027/2028 notice from the Abia State College of Nursing Sciences or the Ministry of Health, and follow only the channel it names.
- Accept the offer on CAPS: log in at efacility.jamb.gov.ng, open Check Admission Status, then Access my CAPS. Accept the offer and print your JAMB admission letter later.
- Pay acceptance and clear: the school or the Abia State Ministry of Health will give the acceptance fee, medical test and document checklist. None of these fees has been published officially, so pay only through the channel named in the official letter or portal.
Warning
Posts saying an Abia nursing or midwifery “form is out, call 070…” are run by agents, not the schools. The 2026/2027 ND Nursing intake went through JAMB CAPS, and older entrance forms were paid through a Remita invoice on the state portal. Never pay a private phone number or a personal account for a form, a “slot” or an admission list.
After you apply, our JAMB CAPS guide explains each status, including Admission in Progress and Recommended.
About the College of Nursing Sciences, Amachara
Amachara is just outside Umuahia, the Abia State capital, and the college is one of the state government’s nursing schools under the Ministry of Health. The NMCN’s December 2025 list names it “College of Nursing, Amachara”, with full approval for Nursing since April 2018 and for Midwifery since September 2021. Here is how it compares with the other Abia state schools:
| School (as NMCN lists it) | Programme | NMCN status, Dec 2025 list |
|---|---|---|
| College of Nursing, Umuahia | Nursing; Midwifery | Nursing: Full (Sept 2023). Midwifery: Full (Sept 2018) |
| College of Nursing, Amachara | Nursing; Midwifery | Nursing: Full (April 2018). Midwifery: Full (Sept 2021) |
| ABSUTH, Aba (nursing training institution) and School of Post Basic Midwifery | Nursing; Midwifery | Both Full (Sept 2021) |
| School of Post Basic Midwifery, Abiriba | Post Basic Midwifery | Provisional (Sept 2021) |
| School of Psychiatric Nursing, Aba | Psychiatric Nursing | Withdrawn; embargo placed on admission |
What ND Nursing students study
- Anatomy, physiology, the foundations of nursing and health education.
- Medical, surgical, maternal, child and community health nursing, with hospital placements.
- General studies and science courses that come with a National Diploma.
The notice did not give the ND length or say how ND holders progress to HND and NMCN registration. Ask about both when you are offered admission.
Midwifery at Amachara and other Abia schools
Amachara also trains midwives. If you want to go straight into midwifery, read the School of Midwifery Amachara admission requirements. Other Abia options:
- School of Nursing Umuahia admission requirements
- ABSUTH School of Nursing admission requirements
- School of Midwifery Abiriba admission requirements
Mistakes Amachara applicants make
- Waiting for a ministry form: the 2026/2027 intake went through CAPS.
- No UTME: the notice required it.
- Wrong UTME subjects: Government or Literature instead of Physics.
- Three sittings: the limit is two.
- Ignoring CAPS: an offer you do not accept in time can lapse.
Planning for 2027? Read when JAMB 2027 registration starts.
School of Nursing Amachara: frequently asked questions
Is Amachara School of Nursing form out for 2027/2028? Not when we checked on 29 October 2026. The last notice was for 2026/2027 ND Nursing and was handled through JAMB CAPS.
Does School of Nursing Amachara accept JAMB? Yes. The 2026/2027 ND Nursing notice required the 2026 UTME and told candidates to apply on JAMB CAPS.
What is the cut-off mark for Amachara School of Nursing? No school cut-off has been published. JAMB’s minimum for colleges of nursing was 150 in 2026, and I would aim for 210 or more.
Is College of Nursing Sciences Amachara accredited? Yes. The NMCN’s December 2025 list shows full approval for Nursing (April 2018) and Midwifery (September 2021).
Sources and updates
The NMCN approval statuses come from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria’s list of approved schools (December 2025). The 2026/2027 ND Nursing requirements (Amachara and Aba campuses, five credits at no more than two sittings, age 16 by September 2026, 2026 UTME, JAMB CAPS) come from Myschool’s report of the Abia State College of Nursing Sciences notice (11 June 2026); the full official notice was not available to us, so fees and dates from it are not shown. The JAMB minimum of 150 for colleges of nursing and the 2026 admission deadlines come from the News Agency of Nigeria (11 May 2026). The 140 figure for 2025 is from a Nairametrics headline of 8 July 2025. The renaming and the merger plan come from Wikipedia’s College of Nursing Sciences, Amachara article and are unconfirmed by a government source. The old entrance process comes from 2024 reprints (Myschool, Studentship) and an o3schools post of 6 November 2025 whose figures are undated. The Alor example is from Studentship’s reprint of that college’s notice (22 May 2026). Checked on 29 October 2026. This page will be updated when the 2027/2028 notice is out.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
