The figures show an increase of 350 applicants for nursing courses in Scotland when compared to 2025. However, concerningly, this remains 12.2% below the levels of applicants before the COVID-19 pandemic.

By the June deadline, 6,400 people had applied to study nursing in Scotland, compared to 6,050 at the same point last year and 7,290 in 2019.

There is still time left in this year’s application cycle, but much more needs to be done to make nursing a career of choice.

Over the last four years over 3,500 fewer nursing students have started university than planned in the targets set by Scottish government. This is equivalent to a full year’s cohort - the actual intake in 2025 was 3,535. Nursing student numbers are falling persistently short of what is considered necessary.

Commenting, Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Executive Director, said:  

“I know many of you agree with me - nursing is a fantastic career. However, it’s clear from these figures that much more needs to be done to get that message across to potential applicants. For anyone considering nursing as a career, but who thinks they have missed the opportunity to apply, be reassured that there will still be a route into nursing this year, for example, through clearing.  

“But the Scottish government needs to work harder to speed up the rise in applications, so that in this and future years, we don’t see the unfilled places on nursing courses we’ve seen in Scotland for the last four years. 

“Fully funding a marketing campaign to promote nursing as a career in Scotland, as recommended in the Ministerial Taskforce report would be a good place to start. The Scottish government needs to get on and complete the review of financial support for nursing students that is also promised in the Taskforce recommendations so that potential students are not put off by the cost of studying nursing and nursing students aren’t forced to leave their course due to financial hardship.  

“Scotland has not had the number of nurses it needs to meet the demand for health and social care services for several years. Thousands of registered nurses are missing from health and social care teams across Scotland, impacting on the quality and safety of patient care.   

“Timely and fully-funded implementation of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce’s recommendations is urgently needed.”