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WAEC Subject Combination for Nursing Science 2026
The exact O'Level requirements you need before Nursing schools and universities will consider your application.
🩺 The 5 Required WAEC Subjects
All five subjects must be at grade C6 or better, obtainable from a maximum of two sittings. Biology and Chemistry are non-negotiable for Nursing — Nursing schools rarely make exceptions on these two.
Nursing & Midwifery (Combined Programme)
Same combination as standalone Nursing Science. A handful of state universities run this as one combined degree rather than two separate programmes.
🏫 What Specific Universities Require
The "Physics or Health Science" rule is not universal. At two of Nigeria's most competitive schools for Nursing — the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the University of Ibadan (UI) — the O'Level requirement is specifically Physics, with no Health Science alternative accepted. If Health Science is the only option your school offers, it may still work at less competitive federal and state universities, but registering Physics keeps every major Nursing school open to you. Both UNILAG and UI also accept credits from a maximum of two sittings for Nursing, so a resit does not automatically rule you out.
If you don't get Nursing Science: Physiology and Anatomy use a closely related science combination and are common alternative pathways for students with strong Biology and Chemistry credits but who miss out on a Nursing slot.
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Sittings rule: Nursing schools generally accept your five credits from at most two sittings. A D7 or E8 in Biology or Chemistry does not count — you will need to resit that subject before your application can be considered.
🤔 Common Student Questions
Yes. Nursing admissions in Nigeria accept a mix of WAEC and NECO credits, provided they come from no more than two sittings in total and cover all five required subjects at credit level.
Most federal schools, UNILAG and UI included, accept Physics or Health Science interchangeably. Physics is the more universally recognised option, so register it if your school offers it — it keeps every university's requirement open to you.
Your JAMB subjects for Nursing should mirror your O'Level science subjects: English Language, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics or Mathematics. Keeping the two aligned makes Post-UTME screening far more manageable.
No — acceptance of Health Science instead of Physics varies by institution. Polytechnics and some state colleges of nursing are flexible on this, but many federal universities still prefer Physics. Confirm with your specific target school's admission requirements before relying on Health Science alone.
A pass grade (D7 or below) will not satisfy the Nursing requirement. You will need to resit Chemistry at the next available WAEC or NECO sitting and obtain at least a C6 before your application can proceed.
No. Both schools specifically require Physics for Nursing Science, with no Health Science substitute. This is one of the clearest examples of how the general WAEC combination can be tightened by a specific university, so always confirm your target school's exact rule rather than relying on the general combination alone.
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