The AKSCONS Eket post-basic psychiatric nursing admission requirements, from the college’s last advert (2024), were a Registered Nurse certificate with a current NMCN practising licence, O’level credits in English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Biology in not more than two sittings, a testimonial from your last professional school and supporting documents, submitted in person at the Ikot Ekpene campus. There is no UTME and no JAMB cut-off; the course is only for qualified nurses.
2027/2028 update: AKSCONS Eket psychiatric nursing admission requirements and entrance exam process usually stay the same from one year to the next, so the requirements on this page are what 2027/2028 candidates should plan with. They come from the latest notice we could find (2024). If the 2027/2028 notice changes anything, we will update this page.
The programme is run at Eket by the Mental Health/Psychiatric Nursing department of Akwa Ibom State College of Nursing Sciences (AKSCONS), the former School of Psychiatric Nursing, Eket. NMCN lists it with Full approval from February 2021. The 2024 intake was advertised together with post-basic midwifery, with registration from 22 January to 18 February 2024. I found no 2025 or 2026 post-basic advert.
AKSCONS Eket psychiatric nursing at a glance
| Item | Position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Programme | Post-basic Psychiatric (Mental Health) Nursing | NMCN lists; 2024 advert |
| Who can apply | Registered nurses only | 2024 advert |
| Professional | RN certificate and current practising licence | 2024 advert |
| O’level | Credits in English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology; not more than two sittings | 2024 advert |
| UTME | Not required | No JAMB in the advert |
| Registration (2024) | 22 January to 18 February 2024, weekdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ikot Ekpene campus | 2024 advert |
| NMCN status | Full (February 2021) | NMCN December 2025 list |
| NMCN quota | 30 (as of August 2022) | NMCN August 2022 list |
| Fee, exam date, duration | Not published |
Cut-off and selection
There is no cut-off mark. Post-basic courses admit registered nurses, so JAMB plays no part. The college selects from qualified applicants; the 2024 advert did not say whether by written exam, interview or both. With an NMCN quota of 30 in 2022, places are few.
What makes an application strong (my advice)
- A current licence: renew before the advert appears.
- Ward experience: any time spent with psychiatric patients, or in a general hospital’s mental health unit, helps.
- Revision: general nursing, basic psychology and the common mental disorders.
- Clean O’level credits: the college still checks all five.
Documents the 2024 advert asked for
- Registered Nurse certificate
- Current NMCN practising licence
- O’level certificates (five credits, not more than two sittings)
- Testimonial from your last professional school
- Birth certificate or declaration of age
- Certificate of origin
- Change of name documents, if any
- Two passport photographs
- Two photocopies of each document
Worked example (illustrative)
- Nurse Iniobong: RN with a current licence, two years on a medical ward, WAEC with all five credits. Eligible.
- Nurse Ufot: RN, licence lapsed. Not eligible until renewed.
- Mr Akpan: a psychology graduate who is not a nurse. Not eligible: the course is post-basic.
How to apply, step by step
- Renew your licence and get your testimonial.
- Watch for the joint post-basic advert: in 2024 it opened on 22 January. That is past timing, not an announcement.
- Check notice boards: the 2024 notice was also posted at the Eket, Oron, Ituk-Mbang, Anua and Ikot Ekpene campuses, the Hospitals Management Board and the Local Government Service Commission, Uyo.
- Register in person where the advert says: Ikot Ekpene in 2024, with originals and two photocopies of each document.
- Pay only the college’s stated fee: the 2024 advert did not give one.
- Attend the exam or interview, then check the list.
- Arrange study leave with your employer if you work.
Warning
AKSCONS warned in its 2026 advert that applicants should not pay anyone for admission, and the Federal Government has said admissions outside JAMB CAPS are illegal. Phone numbers and “form out, call now” posts on dataset and forum sites are not official. Apply only through www.akscons.edu.ng.
Is the Eket psychiatric nursing programme accredited?
Yes. NMCN’s August 2022 list shows the School of Psychiatric Nursing, Eket with Full approval from February 2021 and a quota of 30. On the December 2025 list it no longer appears separately; instead, Mental Health/Psychiatric Nursing is listed under the College of Nursing, Eket, again Full from February 2021. A five-year Full status from February 2021 runs to about February 2026 on paper, and the list does not show a renewal yet. That is common on NMCN’s lists, but ask the college about the latest visit before you resign from a job to study.
| AKSCONS campus | NMCN list, December 2025 | NMCN admission quota (as of August 2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Anua, Uyo | Nursing Full (Sept 2021); Midwifery Full (Sept 2021) | Basic nursing 75; post-basic midwifery 50 |
| Ikot Ekpene (main campus) | Nursing Full (Sept 2021); Midwifery Full (Sept 2021) | Basic nursing 75 |
| Ituk-Mbang, Uruan | Nursing Full (Sept 2021); Midwifery listed, status line unclear | Basic nursing (quota illegible); post-basic midwifery 50 |
| Eket | Nursing Provisional (Jan 2021); Mental Health/Psychiatric Nursing Full (Feb 2021) | Basic nursing 50; psychiatric nursing 30 |
| Iquita-Oron | Midwifery Full (Sept 2021); no nursing programme listed | Post-basic midwifery 50 |
Planning around work and money
- Study leave: state hospital staff usually need approval; ask HR early.
- Costs: budget for tuition, accommodation in Eket, uniforms, books and NMCN’s exam and registration fees at the end.
- Travel: registration in 2024 was at Ikot Ekpene, but training is at Eket.
About post-basic psychiatric nursing
The college has not published the course length. Post-basic psychiatric nursing in Nigeria has commonly run for about 18 months; confirm the AKSCONS structure when you apply.
What you study
- Psychiatry and mental health: common mental illnesses, their signs and treatment.
- Psychology: human behaviour, development and communication.
- Psychiatric nursing care: assessment, therapeutic relationships, medication and crisis care.
- Community mental health: rehabilitation, family support and substance use.
- Clinical practice: psychiatric ward postings, ending in NMCN’s examination.
Careers
- Psychiatric hospitals and units: neuropsychiatric hospitals and mental health wards.
- Community mental health and rehabilitation centres.
- Dual registration: nurse and psychiatric nurse, which widens your options.
Related pages: AKSCONS Eket campus, AKSCONS post-basic midwifery and AKSCONS ND Nursing.
Is psychiatric nursing right for you?
Psychiatric nursing suits nurses who are patient, calm under pressure and interested in long-term care rather than quick cures. You will work with people in crisis and with families, and much of the job is listening and observing. If you enjoyed your psychiatry posting during basic training, that is a good sign.
| Post-basic psychiatric nursing | Post-basic midwifery | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Registered nurses | Registered nurses |
| Campus | Eket | Anua, Iquita-Oron, Ituk-Mbang (2022 list) |
| NMCN quota (2022) | 30 | 50 per campus |
| Last advert | 2024 (joint) | 2024 (joint) |
| Our guide | This page | AKSCONS post-basic midwifery |
Mistakes that cost nurses a place
- An expired licence: the advert asked for a current one.
- Missing the in-person window: four weeks, weekdays only, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in 2024.
- No photocopies: two of each document were required.
- Forgetting the testimonial: it comes from your last professional school and can take time.
- Paying an agent: forms come from the college only.
AKSCONS Eket psychiatric nursing: frequently asked questions
Is School of Psychiatric Nursing Eket form out? I found no advert after the 2024 post-basic exercise, whose registration ran from 22 January to 18 February 2024 at Ikot Ekpene.
Do I need JAMB for psychiatric nursing in Eket? No. It is a post-basic course for registered nurses, and the 2024 advert did not mention JAMB.
How many students does Eket psychiatric nursing admit? NMCN’s August 2022 list gave a quota of 30. The December 2025 list gives no quotas.
Is School of Psychiatric Nursing Eket accredited? Yes. NMCN lists Mental Health/Psychiatric Nursing at Eket with Full approval from February 2021.
Sources and updates
AKSCONS campus statuses come from the NMCN’s list of approved schools (December 2025) and the earlier August 2022 list with admission quotas, which gives the quotas. The 2026/2027 ND Nursing advert (online registration 1 September to 2 October 2026, 190 in the 2026 UTME, first choice, five credits, age 16, screening on 10 October 2026 at Aka Offot) is from Myschool News of 1 September 2026, with the dates confirmed by abstechconnect on 2 September 2026. The 2025/2026 admission list notice is from abstechconnect (30 June 2026). The 2024/2025 in-person registration is from a Myschool reprint of 10 September 2024; the 2023 basic midwifery and 2024 post-basic adverts are from Studentship reprints dated 8 March 2024. The college’s founding law of 13 September 2021, its campuses and founding years, its monotechnic status and the 2024 NBTE and NMCN ND/HND accreditation come from Wikipedia (one undated reference). JAMB’s 150 minimum for colleges of nursing for 2026 and the 31 December 2026 deadline for monotechnics are from the News Agency of Nigeria (11 May 2026); the 140 figure for 2025 is from Nairametrics (8 July 2025). UTME subjects are JAMB’s usual nursing combination and were not stated in the advert. The post-basic requirements, documents, registration dates and notice locations come from the 2024 advert in the Studentship reprint (dated 8 March 2024). Form and school fees were not published. Checked on 3 November 2026.
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.
