Asia is the world’s largest continent by land area and population. For study-abroad planning, it is commonly discussed in five broad subregions: Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Western Asia.
Many Asian health systems are under pressure to train and retain nurses as populations grow and age. Since workforce shortages and nurse migration patterns vary by country, students should check local registration, licensing, and employment rules before choosing a nursing program abroad.
Nursing degree structures differ across Asia. Undergraduate nursing programs in the universities below range from three or four years to five years, depending on the country and institution. The universities listed below are prominent Asian institutions with nursing programs that appear in major global nursing subject rankings, including the QS World University Rankings by Subject.
Top Nursing Schools in Asia
1. Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong offers its nursing programs under the Faculty of Medicine through The Nethersole School of Nursing. The School traces its name to the original Nethersole School of Nursing of Nethersole Hospital, and CUHK Nursing states that it is ranked 6th in the world in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. It also states that it has remained No. 1 in Hong Kong since 2016 and No. 1 in Asia since 2020.
The Bachelor of Nursing is a five-year, full-time, credit-based honors program that prepares graduates to apply for registration as general registered nurses with the Nursing Council of Hong Kong. Postgraduate options include the Master of Philosophy-Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing, Master of Nursing, and Master of Nursing Science (Pre-registration).
For the 2026/27 academic year, CUHK lists the undergraduate tuition fee for non-local students at HK$214,000 per year. Postgraduate nursing tuition varies by program; for example, the MPhil-PhD in Nursing is HK$44,500 per year, while the Master of Nursing is HK$5,700 per unit. Applicants should confirm the latest fees on the official university pages before applying.
2. National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore offers nursing through the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore’s first medical school. NUS Nursing is one of Asia’s leading nursing schools and is ranked 6th in the world and 1st in Asia for nursing in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
The Bachelor of Science (Nursing) is a full-time three-year undergraduate program. Students who perform well and achieve a minimum grade point average of 3.2 may apply to proceed to the Honours year, leading to the BSc (Nursing) (Honours). Graduates can apply to register with the Singapore Nursing Board to practice as registered nurses.
For AY2026/27, NUS lists annual tuition for new Medicine (Nursing) students receiving the MOE Tuition Grant at S$9,050 for Singapore citizens, S$12,700 for Singapore permanent residents, S$19,800 for ASEAN international students, and S$22,500 for other international students. The unsubsidized tuition fee is S$38,750. Singapore permanent residents and international students who take the MOE Tuition Grant generally have a three-year service obligation with a Singapore entity after graduation.
3. Seoul National University
Seoul National University offers its nursing program through the College of Nursing. The college offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs, and its undergraduate program is a four-year nursing program. Seoul National University is ranked #=38 overall in the QS World University Rankings 2026, and its College of Nursing continues to appear in the QS nursing subject rankings.
The College of Nursing traces its history to 1907, when a two-year training program for midwives and nurses was founded at Daehan Hospital. It was restructured as a four-year nursing program in 1959, established its master’s program in 1964, and established its doctoral program in 1984. The SHINE Center was opened in 2012, and the college received its fourth accreditation from the Korean Accreditation Board of Nursing Education in 2024.
SNU states that tuition is normally paid twice per year before each semester begins and that fees vary by major and number of credits taken. The university lists the average undergraduate tuition fee as KRW 6,034,163 per year as of 2024, so applicants should check the current SNU registration and admissions pages for the latest program-specific fee.
4. Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Study Program
- Location: Hong Kong | Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University offers nursing through the School of Nursing under the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. PolyU states that its School of Nursing is ranked 18th worldwide in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for Nursing, placing it second in Hong Kong and among the top nursing schools in Asia.
The School of Nursing at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University began in 1977, when the then Hong Kong Polytechnic established the Institute of Medical and Health Care and introduced its first aid program. PolyU launched its first full-time Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Nursing in 1990, its first part-time BSc (Honours) in Nursing in 1991, and its Master of Science in Nursing in 1997.
The Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Nursing is a five-year, full-time, government-funded program requiring 117 credits plus 35 clinical or field credits. PolyU states that it was the first university in Hong Kong to provide a pre-registration degree program in nursing. For undergraduate study in 2026/27, PolyU lists tuition at HK$47,000 per year for local students and HK$200,000 per year for non-local students. Postgraduate nursing fees vary by program; for example, the 2026 Master of Nursing lists tuition per credit at HK$5,800 for local students taking undergraduate-level subjects, HK$6,500 for local students taking postgraduate-level subjects, and HK$6,500 for non-local students.
5. Fudan University
Fudan University is a public research university in Shanghai, China. Nursing education at Fudan’s School of Nursing can be traced to the Union Nursing School affiliated with Ximen Women’s and Children’s Hospital in 1920. Fudan’s School of Nursing states that, in the latest QS World University Rankings, its nursing discipline is ranked within the global top 100, in the 51–100 band.
The undergraduate nursing program was launched in 1985, the master’s program in 1995, and the doctoral nursing program in 2008. In 2009, Fudan became one of the first universities in China to offer Master of Nursing Specialist education, and in 2011 it became one of the first institutions approved to offer master’s and doctoral degrees in nursing as a first-level discipline. Current degree options include the Bachelor of Nursing Science, Master of Nursing Science, Master of Nursing, and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science.
Fudan’s International Students Office publishes current admission notices and tuition standards for international applicants by program. Because the official fee information is program-specific and updated by intake year, applicants should confirm the latest nursing tuition directly through Fudan’s International Students Office before applying.
We hope that this article on the best nursing schools in Asia was helpful. Feel free to check out the available programs for international students to learn more about studying abroad.
