Nursing is a rewarding and fulfilling career path, but over the past few years there has been a worrying rise in vacancies on undergraduate nursing courses. 

There’s no doubt that urgent government action is needed to better support nursing students, so you feel confident, valued and ready to start your careers off on the right foot. 

To help us campaign for what matters most to you, we need to know the realities of nursing students’ experiences.

We know that survey results can drive positive change. Following our 2023 student survey, we published the report Nursing Student Finance: The true costs of becoming a nurse, followed by a roundtable where student voices were heard. This report and roundtable prompted action from the Scottish Government, Student Awards Agency Scotland, and universities to improve the clinical placement expenses process. 

The Scottish Government also committed to undertake a review of nursing and midwifery student financial support, and to ensure that students are supported to complete placements in remote and rural settings. This review is ongoing, and we are continuing to apply pressure on the government to ensure the financial support package for nursing students allows them to prioritise their education and cope with the rising cost of living.

By completing our 2025 State of the Student Nation, your views and experiences will help us to understand the challenges that are facing current nursing students – from financial pressures to job prospects – so that we know how best to advocate for you. We also want to hear about your positive experiences that demonstrate how rewarding nursing is, what motivated you to study it, and what your plans are after graduation.

The results of the survey will be used to help steer our policy and influencing work and, with your input, we can shape a brighter future for nursing education and the profession as a whole.

You can fill out the State of the Student Nation Survey here.