Nursing Schools and Programs in Zimbabwe

Nursing Studies in Zimbabwe

Nursing in Zimbabwe is a regulated profession. Nurses qualify through training schools and universities whose curricula are approved by the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ), and every nurse who practises in the country must be registered with the council. University study often builds on a first nursing diploma: registered nurses return to university for an honours degree that opens the way to teaching and management posts. Teaching is in English.

SpainExchange lists 1 university in Zimbabwe for nursing: Africa University, a church-related university at Old Mutare, near the city of Mutare in the east of the country.

How nursing education is organised

Two bodies set the framework. The NCZ is a statutory body that regulates the training, practice and registration of all professional nurses in Zimbabwe under the Health Professions Act. It approves curricula, inspects training institutions and conducts qualifying examinations. The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), created by an act of parliament promulgated in 2006, registers and accredits higher education institutions.

At Africa University, nursing belongs to the Department of Public Health and Nursing in the College of Health, Agriculture and Natural Sciences. Its Post-Basic Bachelor of Science Honours in Nursing is a two-year, full-time undergraduate programme on the main campus. It is designed for registered nurses and aims to prepare them to give nursing care in hospitals and communities at preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative level.

The two years combine nursing subjects with general university courses. Examples from the published structure are:

• Foundations of Nursing, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology
• Community Health Nursing and Health Promotion
• Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
• Nursing Education and Health Services Management
• Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Health Informatics
• a research project and a management and administration practice placement

Students also take courses in ethics and Christian values, African studies and languages. Africa University has a bilingual policy: students study English and either French or Portuguese. The university's fee table also lists a Bachelor of Nursing Sciences (Honours) and a nursing block-release programme at its Harare Global Centre.

Admission and language

For the post-basic degree, Africa University asks for a diploma in nursing and at least two years of work experience. Applicants must be registered to practise by a nurses council or health professions board. They also need five O-level passes at grade C or better, including English language, or an equivalent. International applicants must be registered with the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe before they start.

All lectures and assessments are in English. According to the university, applicants from a list of English-speaking African countries with a grade C or better in English need no language test. Students from mainly French-, Portuguese- or Arabic-speaking regions must first take the university's one-year Intensive English course, unless a certificate or a short university examination shows their level.

The university publishes guidelines on which foreign school certificates it accepts, country by country. Applicants whose country is not listed should ask the admissions office before applying.

Study permit

Africa University states that all international students, whatever their nationality, are required by law to apply for a study permit before travelling to Zimbabwe. The application is made from the country of residence, with the help of the university's International Students Advisor. Students travel only after they have received a pre-clearance certificate or the study permit. The documents include a residence application form, photographs, a police clearance report and a statutory fee of US$200. Details checked on the university's page on 8 October 2026.

Costs

Africa University publishes its fees in US dollars per semester. In October 2026 the general package for undergraduates is $1,995 per semester: tuition of $1,680 plus registration, technology, student union and health fees. Full board (accommodation and meals) adds $1,000. Programmes with laboratory work cost more: the Bachelor of Nursing Sciences (Honours) carries a laboratory fee of $250, which gives $2,245 per semester, or $3,245 with full board. Tuition for the nursing block-release programme at the Harare Global Centre is $800 per semester. To secure an offer, fees have to be paid in full.

Registration and careers

To work as a nurse in Zimbabwe, graduates must be registered and licensed with the NCZ, and the practising certificate is renewed every year. Nurses trained outside Zimbabwe are placed on a provisional register and move to the main register after three years of satisfactory service in the country. Students who plan to work elsewhere should ask the nursing regulator of that country how a Zimbabwean qualification is assessed.

Africa University names senior nursing officer, nurse educator and programme coordinator in non-governmental organisations as typical jobs for graduates of the post-basic degree.

Frequently asked questions

Who regulates nursing in Zimbabwe?

The Nurses Council of Zimbabwe regulates the training, practice and registration of professional nurses. Every practising nurse must be registered and licensed with it.

How long is the nursing degree at Africa University?

The Post-Basic Bachelor of Science Honours in Nursing takes two years of full-time study and is open to registered nurses with a diploma and two years of work experience.

Do international students need a study permit?

Yes. Africa University states that all international students must apply for a study permit from their country of residence before they travel to Zimbabwe.

How much does it cost to study nursing at Africa University?

The fee table for October 2026 gives $2,245 per semester for the Bachelor of Nursing Sciences (Honours), or $3,245 with full board.