Nursing associates bridge the gap between healthcare assistants and registered nurses. They play an important role in delivering person-centred care in hospitals and out in the community.
By studying at ARU in Cambridge or Chelmsford, you’ll learn a range of practical skills, and what it takes to be a competent, safe nursing associate. Placements give you the opportunity to build your knowledge and skills, deliver care to a range of patients, and become an integral part of the nursing community.
When you graduate, you’ll be ready to start work as a registered nursing associate.
Nursing & Midwifery Council
Our Nursing degree courses are validated by the NMC and you’ll be linked to one of our eight NHS healthcare trust partners for your placements.
Why ARU?
Get a £1,000 payment from Health Education England in Year 2.
Gain hands-on experience through placements.
Study in skills labs with cutting-edge technology for immersive learning.
Register as a Nursing Associate with the NMC when you graduate.
Our foundation degree prepares you to register as a Nursing Associate with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Once registered, you’ll be able to work as a Nursing Associate in England.
We work with staff in regional hospital and community settings, as well as services users, to develop our course – meaning it’s designed to meet the needs of employers and the public accessing health care services.
The role of a Nursing Associate is designed to bridge the gap between a healthcare assistant and a registered nurse. As a graduate, you’ll be ready to register and work as a Nursing Associate.
Nursing associates work in all four fields of nursing – adult, child, mental health, and learning disability – so there are chances to specialise in an area that particularly interests you.
You could also go on to train as a registered nurse, putting your training towards a shortened nursing degree. At ARU, we offer degree courses in Adult Nursing, Child Nursing or Mental Health Nursing. It’s possible for Nursing Associate graduates to join these courses after completing a bridging module to prepare you for branch-specific study.
Teaching and modules
Our course starts by looking at the fundamental aspects of person-centred care.
We'll also explore the NMC Code to understand what’s expected of a Nursing Associate.
You’ll get the chance to put your newfound knowledge to the test on a series of placements, delivering high-quality care, honing your practical skills, and working with patients with a wide range of needs.
You’ll also develop important, transferable skills that all health care staff use, such as teamwork, communication, decision making, leadership, facilitation and problem-solving.
Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.
Year 1
Foundations of Communication and Professionalism
Fundamental Nursing Skills and Procedures
Applied Health Science Across the Lifespan
Epidemiology, Inequalities and Health Promotion Across the Lifespan
Contemporary Nursing Associate Practice 1
Into ARU
Year 2
Supporting Learning and Professional Development
Enhancing Integrated Care in Interprofessional Settings for Nursing Associates
Supporting a Patient Safety Culture
Developing Communication and Professionalism for Nursing Associate Practice
Our Nursing and Midwifery Council validated course places equal value on clinical practice and theory. During your two-year foundation degree you’ll have four main placements, on hospital wards (surgical, medical, general, child, A&E), with the mental health team in the community and specialist clinics.
On placement, you’ll be working shifts. This can mean early, late and night shifts, as well as working weekends and bank holidays. You’ll be supported by practice supervisors and assessors as well as staff from ARU.
Each year, you’ll get allocated annual leave at set points to support you in balancing your course and relaxation time.
When you’re in university, teaching usually takes place between 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday.
We want to make sure you experience a variety of placements and that you graduate as an effective practitioner. Our placement maps will help you plan your travel before you start on the course.
You’ll be linked to one of our NHS healthcare trust partners for your placements in hospitals or community settings:
if you study in Cambridge, you’ll do your placements in Cambridge, Huntingdon or Peterborough
if you study in Chelmsford, you’ll do your placements in or around Chelmsford, Southend, Basildon, Harlow or Colchester.
Throughout the course, we'll assess your progress to make sure you're meeting learning outcomes and engaging fully with each module. These formative assessments help you to monitor and improve your performance as you advance through modules. They might include self-completion questionnaires, group exercises (discussion forums), and practical tasks and activities.
You’ll use sophisticated equipment to simulate many aspects of a working hospital ward. You’ll also learn from registered, practising tutors and lecturers who’ll make sure you’re being taught the latest techniques and give you the support you need to succeed.
To help you prepare for your nursing interview at ARU, we've created a video with useful tips. Hear more from our lecturers and students.
From Year 1 you'll be out on placement, getting hands-on experience in hospitals and community healthcare teams.
As a nursing student at ARU, you'll use purpose-built skills labs and sophisticated healthcare equipment.
Nursing is far more than a career. As a nurse you'll make a difference to many people’s lives - including your own.
Entry requirements
Important additional notes
Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.
Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.
You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.
We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.
From the above information we will calculate requirements for Scottish/Irish Highers, International, European and Welsh Baccalaureate equivalents so that they are all equitable. We will also accept tariff points from other qualifications on the UCAS tariff such as the Cambridge Pre-U (subject requirements will be assumed to be the same as for A Level).
Applying
All applications must go via UCAS. We accept applications between September and 15 January for the following intake year. Late applications will be considered if places are available.
Interviews
If your application is shortlisted you'll be invited to attend an interview at our University. This will include a talk about the course, a lecture and three mini multiple interviews (MMI). You'll be expected to send scanned copies of your original educational certificates and ID documentation prior to interview and bring the originals to the interview day.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
An enhanced level Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosure is a check with police forces and local authorities in the UK to ascertain whether or not you are suitable to work with certain groups of vulnerable people. These checks are required to be carried out on all prospective students to ensure the safety of our client group. As a student, you will be required to undergo DBS screening each year.
Further information on DBS disclosure will be sent at a later date if you are successful and firmly accept your place at ARU.
Occupational health
You must have a satisfactory occupational health clearance in order to be allowed out on placement. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust/IDC (Industrial Diagnostics Company) will undertake the vaccinations on behalf of ARU. However, if this is undertaken by a third party (your own GP), ARU is unable to reimburse the cost.
If you can produce acceptable evidence of already having the vaccinations you won’t need to have them again. However if you have not previously had the vaccinations you can expect to have the following.
Measles immunity blood test
Rubella immunity blood test
Varicella (chicken pox) immunity blood test
Hepatitis B immunity blood test
IGRA blood test (TB screening)
Hep B surface antigen blood test (Hep B surface antigen screening)
Hep C blood test (Hep C screening)
HIV blood test (HIV screening)
Three or four Hep B vaccinations
Two MMR vaccinations
Two varicella (chicken pox) vaccinations
One BCG (TB) vaccination
You’ll be contacted by the occupational health provider after you have firmly accepted your offer (minimum of six months before your course starts), who’ll first ask you to complete a medical questionnaire and arrange a meeting with the nurse.
Covid and flu vaccine
As your course has placements in care homes and/or NHS environments to fulfil Professional Statutory Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements, we continue to strongly recommend Covid and flu vaccination. This is to protect both yourself and the vulnerable people that you’ll come into contact with throughout your placements.
Please also be aware that if you were to catch either Covid or flu during your course, it may result in significant disruption to your studies. If you are unsure about vaccines, we suggest you seek evidence-based information on vaccines from reputable sources.
Occupational health
You must have a satisfactory occupational health clearance in order to be allowed out on placement. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust/IDC (Industrial Diagnostics Company) will undertake the vaccinations on behalf of ARU. However, if this is undertaken by a third party (your own GP), ARU is unable to reimburse the cost.
If you can produce acceptable evidence of already having the vaccinations you won’t need to have them again. However if you have not previously had the vaccinations you can expect to have the following.
Measles immunity blood test
Rubella immunity blood test
Varicella (chicken pox) immunity blood test
Hepatitis B immunity blood test
IGRA blood test (TB screening)
Hep B surface antigen blood test (Hep B surface antigen screening)
Hep C blood test (Hep C screening)
HIV blood test (HIV screening)
Three or four Hep B vaccinations
Two MMR vaccinations
Two varicella (chicken pox) vaccinations
One BCG (TB) vaccination
You’ll be contacted by the occupational health provider after you have firmly accepted your offer (minimum of six months before your course starts), who’ll first ask you to complete a medical questionnaire and arrange a meeting with the nurse.
Covid and flu vaccine
As your course has placements in care homes and/or NHS environments to fulfil Professional Statutory Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements, we continue to strongly recommend Covid and flu vaccination. This is to protect both yourself and the vulnerable people that you’ll come into contact with throughout your placements.
Please also be aware that if you were to catch either Covid or flu during your course, it may result in significant disruption to your studies. If you are unsure about vaccines, we suggest you seek evidenced-based information on vaccines from reputable sources.
From the above information we will calculate requirements for Scottish/Irish Highers, International, European and Welsh Baccalaureate equivalents so that they are all equitable. We will also accept tariff points from other qualifications on the UCAS tariff such as the Cambridge Pre-U (subject requirements will be assumed to be the same as for A Level).
Applying
All applications must go via UCAS. We accept applications between September and 15 January for the following intake year. Late applications will be considered if places are available.
Interviews
If your application is shortlisted you'll be invited to attend an interview at our University. This will include a talk about the course, a lecture and three mini multiple interviews (MMI). You'll be expected to send scanned copies of your original educational certificates and ID documentation prior to interview and bring the originals to the interview day.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
An enhanced level Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosure is a check with police forces and local authorities in the UK to ascertain whether or not you are suitable to work with certain groups of vulnerable people. These checks are required to be carried out on all prospective students to ensure the safety of our client group. As a student, you will be required to undergo DBS screening each year.
Further information on DBS disclosure will be sent at a later date if you are successful and firmly accept your place at ARU.
Occupational health
You must have a satisfactory occupational health clearance in order to be allowed out on placement. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust/IDC (Industrial Diagnostics Company) will undertake the vaccinations on behalf of ARU. However, if this is undertaken by a third party (your own GP), ARU is unable to reimburse the cost.
If you can produce acceptable evidence of already having the vaccinations you won’t need to have them again. However if you have not previously had the vaccinations you can expect to have the following.
Measles immunity blood test
Rubella immunity blood test
Varicella (chicken pox) immunity blood test
Hepatitis B immunity blood test
IGRA blood test (TB screening)
Hep B surface antigen blood test (Hep B surface antigen screening)
Hep C blood test (Hep C screening)
HIV blood test (HIV screening)
Three or four Hep B vaccinations
Two MMR vaccinations
Two varicella (chicken pox) vaccinations
One BCG (TB) vaccination
You’ll be contacted by the occupational health provider after you have firmly accepted your offer (minimum of six months before your course starts), who’ll first ask you to complete a medical questionnaire and arrange a meeting with the nurse.
Covid and flu vaccine
As your course has placements in care homes and/or NHS environments to fulfil Professional Statutory Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements, we continue to strongly recommend Covid and flu vaccination. This is to protect both yourself and the vulnerable people that you’ll come into contact with throughout your placements.
Please also be aware that if you were to catch either Covid or flu during your course, it may result in significant disruption to your studies. If you are unsure about vaccines, we suggest you seek evidence-based information on vaccines from reputable sources.
You can find out more about the admissions process at ARU, including what happens after you apply and the different types of offer we may make.
We may automatically offer you a place at ARU if you meet any of these criteria:
are a care leaver or care experienced
have a declared disability
are from certain postcodes
provide unpaid care for another person
are currently, or were, in receipt of free school meals during secondary education
are a Service Child, where a parent or carer currently serves in the UK Armed Forces
participated in an approved activity in preparation for entry to higher education
attended a secondary school that had a Progress 8 score of average, below average or well below average
£7,500UK students (starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)
If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.
If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.
Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.
You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.
If you start a course on or after 1 August 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £25,000. This is called repayment Plan 5. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £25,000. After 40 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.
If you started a course on or before 31 July 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £27,295. This is called repayment Plan 2. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £27,295. After 30 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.
For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:
If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.
What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.
Our Money Advice Service is on hand if you’d like to chat about living costs, budgets and managing your money. You can also find out more about student finance at one of our Open Days.
We offer a range of ARU scholarships and bursaries, which provide extra financial support while you’re at university. If you're eligible for a scholarship, you'll generally receive it automatically – there's no need to apply.
Our campus employment bureau, ARU Temps, can help you find part-time work that fits around your studies. It's a great chance to enhance your CV and boost your income while you study.
For Nursing Associate Direct Entry students, Health Education England will provide one payment of £1,000 to each student to cover the entire two-year programme.
Apply for Nursing Associate
Clearing places available
UK students, apply through Clearing for a September 2025 start