UNTH School of Nursing: Admission Requirements, Portal & How to Apply

The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), based at Ituku-Ozalla near Enugu, runs a basic nursing programme alongside several post-basic specialty courses for nurses who already hold a practising licence. Because UNTH advertises both tracks and the application process has a few UNTH-specific quirks, it is worth understanding exactly which programme you’re applying for before you pay any fees.

What UNTH offers in nursing training

UNTH’s nursing-related training splits into two broad categories, and the requirements differ sharply between them, and each point below is worth checking carefully against your own documents and plans before you move any further:

• Basic Nursing programme: A three-year route open to candidates with the standard O’level science credits, leading to Registered Nurse status.
• Post Basic specialty programmes: Advanced courses such as Nursing Anaesthesia, open only to candidates who are already registered nurses with a current practising licence and relevant post-qualification experience.

Admission requirements

The two tracks ask for very different things, so check which set applies to you, so read through each item below slowly and tick off the ones that already apply to your own situation:

• For the Basic Nursing programme, you generally need at least five SSCE credits, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, from WAEC, NECO, or GCE.
• Published materials for UNTH’s basic nursing track do not clearly state a JAMB requirement, so confirm this directly with the school’s current admission notice before registering for UTME on that assumption alone.
• For post-basic programmes like Nursing Anaesthesia, you must already hold a current NMCN practising licence, typically with a minimum of two years of post-qualification experience, often specifically in an intensive care or theatre unit.
• Post-basic applicants also need the same O’level science credits as basic entrants, since these remain a baseline requirement across both tracks.

The application portal

UNTH’s wider teaching hospital system runs an official portal at unthportal.org, which post-basic programmes such as Nursing Anaesthesia direct applicants to for obtaining and submitting forms. Basic nursing applications have historically run through a bank-payment-plus-PIN system tied to the university’s official website rather than a fully separate dedicated address, so start from UNTH’s main site or unthportal.org and follow the specific link for the School of Nursing admission notice you are targeting.

How to apply, step by step

For the basic nursing programme, the process has generally followed this pattern, and working through the list below in order will save you from the most common and avoidable setbacks:

1. Make the stated application payment at the designated bank branch or cash office, and collect a printout containing your access PIN.
2. Use the PIN to complete the online application form on the university’s official site, then verify and print your submission slips.
3. Submit a copy of your application slip along with photocopies of your credentials and any required submission fee directly to the School of Nursing.
4. Watch for the written exam date and venue, which UNTH has historically announced separately once applications close.
5. Bring your printed application slip and exam slip to the entrance exam, since entry is typically refused without them, along with basic exam materials like a pencil, eraser, and pen.

For post-basic programmes like Nursing Anaesthesia, the process instead runs through unthportal.org directly, with the completed form returned to the relevant programme office and an entrance exam and interview scheduled later in the cycle.

Common mistakes to avoid

A handful of recurring issues account for most delays applicants face with UNTH’s nursing programmes, and each point below is worth checking carefully against your own documents and plans before you move any further:

• Applying for the basic programme assuming a JAMB score is required, when UNTH’s own materials for this track have not clearly stated that requirement.
• Paying the wrong submission fee amount, since different UNTH materials have quoted different figures for this step.
• Missing the written exam because the application or exam slip was not printed and brought along, which UNTH enforces strictly at the venue.
• Applying for a post-basic programme without the required practising licence and years of experience already in hand.
• Assuming a previous cycle’s dates and fees still apply without checking the university’s current admission notice.

Requirements at a glance

Before applying to UNTH’s School of Nursing, gather these, so read through each item below slowly and tick off the ones that already apply to your own situation:

• Complete O’level results with credits in English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
• For post-basic applicants: your current NMCN practising licence and evidence of post-qualification work experience.
• Funds for the application and submission fees, confirmed against the current admission notice rather than an older figure.
• Basic writing materials and printed slips for exam day.

Planning your travel and budget for Ituku-Ozalla

UNTH’s main campus at Ituku-Ozalla sits outside Enugu city, so candidates travelling in for the entrance examination or interview should plan their journey carefully. Leave early on exam day, confirm the exact venue in advance, and if you are coming from outside Enugu State, consider arriving the day before so that traffic or transport delays do not cost you your seat in the examination hall.

It is also worth budgeting beyond the application fee itself. Between the form, the submission fee, photocopies of your credentials, transport, and possibly accommodation for the exam or interview, the true cost of applying can be noticeably higher than the headline fee. Planning for these costs early means a small, avoidable expense will not stand between you and a completed application.

Final thoughts

UNTH’s two-track system means the very first thing to settle is whether you are a fresh applicant or an already-registered nurse seeking specialization, since the requirements, portal, and process diverge from there. Confirm the current fee amounts and JAMB requirement directly with UNTH’s published notice for the exact cycle you’re applying in, rather than relying on a figure from an older post.