Student nurses: what we’re demanding

Every nursing student deserves a solid start in the profession.

Nurses keep patients safe. But at the moment, there aren’t enough registered nurses in our health and care system. 

Investing in nursing means investing in the health and wealth of our communities.  

Governments across the UK have ambitious plans for improving health and care – these won’t succeed without nursing.  

Today, student nurses are being left behind. Struggling to afford to study. Experiencing inconsistent quality of education in underfunded universities. Not able to learn on placements in a stretched health care system. Struggling to access jobs, despite our NHS and care system crying out for nursing staff.  

Without enough roles for newly registered nurses, our recent graduates will be forced out of the profession before their careers have even begun. The future of everyone’s health is at risk.  

We need young people to want to join nursing – it’s an amazing profession where there is opportunity to grow and develop in a career for life. 

What we're calling for

To make nursing fit for the future, we’re calling for:

1. Financial support that matches the true cost of living
2. Top-quality universities with supported nurse educators, teaching to higher and relevant standards
3. A planned workforce that can guarantee jobs for talented nursing students
4. Protected development time for new staff, with quality preceptorship offering a clear path to the next band
5. Improved starting salaries and clear career progression to transform the experience of early-career nurses

Patient safety depends on our nursing workforce being stronger, not smaller.

Take action across the country

In England, the government have set out a package of new commitments to nursing staff, including increasing graduate pay and establishing a single national nursing preceptorship.

We’re continuing to lobby for improved financial support for students during their studies, by increasing the Learning Support Fund to reflect the cost of living and inflation, student expenses for placements to be paid on time and forgiving loans for those that go on to work in the NHS and public services.

Write to the Chief Executive of your local NHS Trust in England

Write to your MP asking for their support for student nurses

Tell us your experience of applying for roles as a recent graduate. Complete our form or email us at NRNjobs@rcn.org.uk.

Student nurses in Northern Ireland often report financial hardship while completing their degrees. This means many choose not to finish their training. At the same time, despite a nursing workforce shortage, many final-year students and newly registered nurses report difficulties finding permanent roles.

We’re currently engaging with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to address these challenges and the workforce impact of nursing graduates not securing roles.

Write to the Chief Executive of your local Trust

Tell us your experience of applying for roles as a recent graduate. Complete our form or email us at NRNjobs@rcn.org.uk.

Action to attract people into nursing, to improve financial support for nursing students and the protection of nursing courses in Scotland were key asks in our manifesto for the Scottish Parliament election.

In its manifesto, the SNP committed to providing a cost-of-living increase to the nursing student bursary, by at least inflation in each year of the next parliament, alongside proposals to improve and expand routes into the nursing profession and create an NHS job guarantee. The new Scottish government must follow through on these commitments.

Tell us your experience of applying for roles as a recent graduate. Complete our form or email us at NRNjobs@rcn.org.uk.

In Wales, we’re committed to championing student voices and advocating for the support they need to thrive throughout their studies and into their early careers. Many student nurses in Wales continue to experience financial hardship during their degree, due to the cost of living, limited access to paid work during placements and the intensity of nursing programmes.

This has a real impact: some prospective students are deterred from pursuing a nursing career, while others feel forced to leave their course early. We’re calling on Welsh Government to urgently reform the financial support system, so student nurses can complete their training and support the future nursing workforce in Wales.

Student nurses in Wales can opt into the national streamlining process, which is designed to guarantee newly qualified nurses a Band 5 role in NHS Wales. However, some students have recently experienced delays and uncertainty during this process, affecting their transition into the workforce.

We’re actively engaging with universities, Health Education and Improvement Wales and Welsh Government to address concerns, push for clearer communication and ensure students receive timely and fair support. We’re also working closely with our network of student ambassadors to monitor issues in real time and provide tailored advice to those affected.

We remain dedicated to ensuring student nurses feel supported, valued, and empowered from the start of their training through to qualification. We’ll continue to advocate for the changes needed to improve students’ experiences, strengthen the nursing pipeline, and secure the future of nursing in Wales.

Sign the open letter to senior NHS leaders and the Welsh Government

Write to your MS about what nursing needs from the new government – this will allow you to raise your concerns directly with Members of the Senedd.

Tell us your experience of applying for roles as a recent graduate. Complete our form or email us at NRNjobs@rcn.org.uk.

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