London is England’s capital and the largest city in the United Kingdom. Florence Nightingale, who led a team of nurses during the Crimean War in 1854, significantly influenced modern nursing. Her work helped raise nursing’s status as a profession, and in 1860, she established the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
The Nightingale Training School is widely recognized as the first professional nursing school. The British Nurses’ Association was founded in 1887, and the Nurses Registration Act of 1919 led to the creation of the General Nursing Council, which maintained a register of nurses. Nursing education later moved further into higher education, and new nurses in the United Kingdom have been required to study for a degree-level qualification since 2013.
Today, nursing education in London is available through undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and postgraduate research pathways. The following universities and colleges offer some of the best-known nursing programs in the city. Let’s take a look at these nursing universities in London!
Top Schools Offering Nursing Programs in London
1. King’s College London
The nursing programs at King’s College London‘s Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care are built on a long nursing education legacy: the faculty is directly descended from the Nightingale Training School established at St Thomas’ Hospital in 1860. The faculty provides undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and postgraduate research education across nursing, midwifery, palliative care, and related health fields.
King’s is one of the most recognized universities for nursing in London. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject, King’s ranked 1st in the United Kingdom and 2nd in the world for Nursing. The faculty also reports strong research performance, including 95% of its research being rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” in REF 2021.
The faculty contributes to research and education through local, national, international, and global partnerships. Its programs combine research-informed teaching with placements in health care services, helping students build the confidence and competence needed for professional practice.
2. City St George’s, University of London
City St George’s, University of London‘s Department of Nursing and Midwifery is part of the School of Health & Medical Sciences and is one of London’s long-established providers of health care education.
The department offers undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses, pre-registration master’s programs, postgraduate taught programs, a Ph.D./MPhil Nursing research degree, continuing professional development, and short courses. Students also benefit from the university’s connections with leading London NHS trusts.
Its partner organizations include Barts Health NHS Trust, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, East London NHS Foundation Trust, and Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, helping students gain exposure to health care practice in a broader London context.
3. University of Greenwich
The University of Greenwich is a strong option for nursing students in London. Its nursing degrees use modern equipment and technology, including simulated inpatient wards, clinical skills suites with lifelike patient simulators, and virtual reality communications at its Learning and Simulation Centre.
The University of Greenwich works with NHS services in southeast London and Kent for clinical learning. Many nursing courses are based at Avery Hill, while some routes, such as Mental Health Nursing, are offered at both Avery Hill and Medway. Although there is no standalone Ph.D. in Nursing listed, students interested in doctoral study can consider the MPhil/PhD in Health Sciences, which has a strong focus on nursing, mental health, the health and social care workforce, policy, and practice research.
4. Kingston University
Kingston University is a well-known university in the United Kingdom and a top school for nursing in London. It has four main campuses: Penrhyn Road, Kingston Hill, Knights Park, and Roehampton Vale. The Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education offers a range of nursing programs.
Students gain practical experience in hospitals, the community, and skills and simulation labs. Kingston says its Adult Nursing students benefit from more than 40 practice partners across the NHS, independent, and private sectors. Its Adult Nursing BSc and Adult Nursing MSc both prepare students to become registered adult nurses with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
For 2026/27, tuition for the Adult Nursing BSc and Adult Nursing MSc is £9,790 per year for home students. For international students, the Adult Nursing BSc is £19,900 in Year 1, £20,700 in Year 2, and £21,500 in Year 3. The two-year Adult Nursing MSc is £19,900 in Year 1 and £20,700 in Year 2.
5. London South Bank University
The School of Nursing and Midwifery at London South Bank University focuses on practical, hands-on health care education. The school works with more than 60 NHS partner organizations across all five London NHS regions and beyond, as well as private health care providers in the UK and internationally.
Its nursing and midwifery programs cover a wide range of theory and practical skills. Students can complete the BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing, and successful graduates can register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
The school supports practical training through realistic wards, lifelike mannequins such as SimMan, SimBaby, and SimMom, and operating theater and critical care skills laboratory facilities.
For students planning to become nurses, London is an ideal place to study this program. It is rewarding to learn in the city where Florence Nightingale helped inspire modern nursing, and students can choose from several strong nursing schools in London. Choose among the universities listed above and take the next step toward becoming the nurse you want to be.
We hope this article on the best nursing schools in London was helpful. For more information, check out the Study in the UK Page and the Available Programs for International Students.
