Last checked: November 2026. Source: the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia (NMCZ) register of approved training institutions.
Zambia has 137 colleges and universities on the NMCZ’s register of approved nursing and midwifery programmes, and 37 of them are run by the government. Most government colleges sit inside a general or central hospital, so your clinical placements are on its wards. Below you’ll find every government school, then the mission and private ones, and how to check a school before you pay a deposit.
Imagine paying a year of fees, only to learn at exam time that your programme was never approved, or that its approval was withdrawn. You might not be able to sit the licensure exam. A few minutes with the register below can save you from that.
Latest register (November 2026): the NMCZ’s online list of training institutions with approved nursing and midwifery programmes now shows 137 institutions: 4 public universities (University of Zambia, Mulungushi, Mukuba and Levy Mwanawasa), 33 public nursing and midwifery colleges, 15 faith-based colleges, 24 private universities and 61 private nursing colleges. Programme approvals change, so check the specific programme on gnc.org.zm before paying fees.
Quick answer: The NMCZ register lists 37 government institutions (4 universities and 33 colleges) that train nurses or midwives, including the University of Zambia, Levy Mwanawasa Medical University and hospital-based colleges such as Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, Kabwe and Livingstone. It also lists 15 mission (faith-based) colleges and 85 private ones (24 universities and 61 colleges).
Government nursing and midwifery colleges in Zambia
| Institution | Where | Approved programmes |
|---|---|---|
| University of Zambia, School of Nursing Sciences (Ridgeway campus) | Lusaka | BSc in Nursing, Midwifery, Public Health, Mental Health and Oncology Nursing; several MSc programmes |
| University of Zambia, School of Nursing Sciences (Kitwe campus) | Kitwe | BSc Nursing (online); Diplomas in Nursing and Midwifery |
| Levy Mwanawasa Medical University | Lusaka | BSc in Nursing, Midwifery, Ophthalmic, Public Health and Mental Health Nursing; diplomas |
| Lusaka College of Nursing and Midwifery | University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka | Diploma in Nurse-Midwifery; advanced diplomas including midwifery, theatre, critical care, paediatric, oncology and neonatal nursing |
| Defence School of Health Sciences | Emmasdale, Lusaka | Diploma in Nursing; certificate-to-diploma (abridged) |
| Kafue College of Nursing and Midwifery | Kafue General Hospital | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| Chibombo College of Health Sciences | Chibombo | Diploma in Public Health Nursing |
| Kitwe College of Nursing and Midwifery | Kitwe Central Hospital | Diploma in Nursing; Advanced Diploma in Midwifery |
| Ndola College of Nursing and Midwifery | Ndola Central Hospital | Diploma in Nursing; advanced diplomas in midwifery, theatre nursing and HIV nurse practitioner |
| Ndola Community Health Assistants Training School | Ndola | Public Health Nursing |
| Mufulira College of Nursing and Midwifery | Ronald Ross Hospital, Mufulira | Diplomas in Nursing and Public Health Nursing; Advanced Diploma in Midwifery |
| Nchanga College of Nursing and Midwifery | Nchanga General Hospital, Chingola | Diplomas in Nursing and Midwifery; certificate-to-diploma (abridged) |
| Roan College of Nursing and Midwifery | Roan Antelope General Hospital, Luanshya | Diplomas in Nursing and Midwifery |
| Kabwe College of Nursing and Midwifery | Kabwe General Hospital | Diplomas in Nursing and Midwifery; advanced diplomas; certificate-to-diploma (abridged) |
| Chitambo College of Nursing and Midwifery | Chitambo Mission Hospital, Serenje | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| Serenje College of Nursing and Midwifery | Serenje | Diploma in Midwifery |
| Mazabuka College of Nursing and Midwifery | Mazabuka General Hospital | Diploma in Nursing |
| Choma College of Nursing and Midwifery | Choma General Hospital | Diploma in Nursing |
| Livingstone College of Nursing and Midwifery | Livingstone General Hospital | Diplomas in Nursing (including e-learning) and Public Health Nursing; advanced diplomas; abridged programmes |
| Chipata College of Nursing | Chipata General Hospital | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing; Advanced Diploma in HIV Nurse Practitioner |
| Kasama College of Nursing | Kasama General Hospital | Diplomas in Nursing and Midwifery; Advanced Diploma in Theatre Nursing |
| Lukupa College of Midwifery | Kasama | Diploma in Midwifery |
| Mbala College of Nursing | Mbala General Hospital | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| Mporokoso College of Nursing and Midwifery | Mporokoso | Diploma in Nursing |
| Chilubi Island College of Nursing and Midwifery | Chilubi Island | Diplomas in Nursing and Midwifery |
| Michael Chilufya Sata College of Nursing | Chilonga, Mpika | Diplomas in Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| Mansa College of Nursing and Midwifery | Mansa General Hospital | Diplomas in Nursing and Midwifery; advanced diplomas |
| Solwezi College of Nursing | Solwezi General Hospital | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| Chavuma College of Nursing and Midwifery | Chavuma | Diploma in Midwifery |
| Lewanika College of Nursing and Midwifery | Lewanika General Hospital, Mongu | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| Senanga College of Nursing and Midwifery | Senanga | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| Kaoma College of Nursing | Kaoma District Hospital | Diplomas in Nursing and Midwifery |
| Yeta College of Nursing and Midwifery | Sesheke | Diploma in Nursing |
Mission (faith-based) nursing colleges
Church-run colleges are usually based at mission hospitals, many of them in rural districts.
| Institution | Where | Approved programmes |
|---|---|---|
| Monze College of Nursing and Midwifery | Monze Mission Hospital | Diploma in Nurse-Midwifery; Diploma in Nursing (e-learning) |
| Chikankata College of Nursing and Midwifery | Chikankata Mission Hospital, Mazabuka | Diplomas in Nursing and Public Health Nursing; Advanced Diploma in Midwifery |
| Macha College of Nursing and Midwifery | Macha Mission Hospital, Choma | Diplomas in Nursing and Midwifery |
| Zimba Mission College of Nursing and Midwifery | Zimba Mission Hospital | Diploma in Nursing |
| Namwianga Mission College of Nursing | Kalomo | Diploma in Nursing |
| Mwami College of Nursing and Midwifery | Mwami Mission Hospital | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| St Francis College of Nursing and Midwifery | St Francis Mission Hospital, Katete | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| Lumezi St Joseph College of Nursing and Midwifery | Lumezi Mission Hospital, Lundazi | Diploma in Nursing |
| St Luke’s College of Nursing and Midwifery | Not stated in the register | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| Chilonga College of Nursing | Chilonga Mission Hospital, Mpika | Diploma in Nursing; advanced diplomas |
| St Paul’s College of Nursing and Midwifery | St Paul’s Mission Hospital, Nchelenge | Diplomas in Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health Nursing |
| Mbereshi College of Nursing and Midwifery | Mwansabombwe | Diploma in Midwifery |
| Mukinge College of Nursing | Mukinge Mission Hospital, Kasempa | Diplomas in Nursing and Public Health Nursing |
| Kalene College of Nursing | Kalene Mission Hospital, Ikelenge | Diploma in Nursing |
| Luwi College of Nursing | Mwinilunga | Diploma in Nursing |
| Sancta Maria College of Nursing and Midwifery | Lukulu | Diploma in Nursing |
Private nursing colleges approved by the NMCZ
Most private colleges offer the three-year Diploma in Nursing. A few universities also offer BSc Nursing.
- Lusaka Apex Medical University (LAMU), Lusaka
- Cavendish University, Lusaka
- Chreso University, Lusaka
- City University College, Lusaka
- Rusangu University: Monze, Lusaka and Kitwe campuses
- North-Western College of Health Sciences, Solwezi
- Luapula School of Health Sciences and Business Education, Mansa
- Chengelo College of Nursing, Kasama
- Copperbelt Nursing Polytechnic School of Nursing, Ndola
- Dovecot College of Nursing, Lusaka
- Gateway to Better Living College of Nursing, Monze
- Lusaka Health Institute, Chongwe
- Lusaka Institute of Applied Sciences, Lusaka
- Makeni College of Nursing, Lusaka
- Mufulira Nursing College, Mufulira
- Nkana College of Nursing, Kitwe
- The Plains of Mamre School of Nursing College, Chilanga
- Stalla Crown College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Chingola
- Eden University, Lusaka
- Mosa University College of Education and Health Sciences, Lusaka
- Premium School of Health Sciences, Luanshya
- Fountain of Peace College of Health Sciences, Petauke
- Kalulushi College of Nursing, Kalulushi
- Agape College of Nursing, Kabwe
- Mukuni Trust Nursing College, Livingstone
- Golden Light Institute of Health Sciences, Lusaka
- Trinity University, Lusaka
- Kafue Institute of Health Sciences, Kafue
- Resalu College of Education, Kafue
- Mukuni Institute of Health Sciences, Kabwe
- Rockview University: Lusaka and Chipata campuses
- South Valley University, Mazabuka
- Linksfield College of Science and Technology, Lusaka
- Gideon Roberts University, Lusaka
- Chibuluma College of Health Sciences, Kalulushi
- Gateway Social Education and Health Sciences Institute, Livingstone
- National College of Health Sciences, Ndola
- Prominent Cherub Institute, Lusaka West
- Glory Academy College of Nursing, Lusaka
- BLUE (name as listed in the register), Lusaka
- Silver Maple College of Education and Health Sciences, Luanshya
- Nkana Academy College of Education and Health Sciences, Kitwe
- Shalome School of Health and Business Studies, Kitwe
- Happy Generation Professional College, Mpika
- Leisley Howard Institute of Health Sciences, Lusaka
- Mulungushi University, Kabwe
- St Philomena College of Health Sciences and Management, Luanshya
- University of Lusaka (UNILUS), Lusaka
- ZERA International College of Health Sciences, Lusaka
- Mkushi College of Applied Sciences, Mkushi
- DMI St Eugene, Lusaka
- Muchinga College of Health Science, Nakonde
- LIUTEBM University, Lusaka
- Mukuba Institute of Health and Applied Sciences, Kalulushi
- Kent College of Nursing and Midwifery, Mongu
- Citizen College of Health Sciences, Lusaka
- Sunningdale University, Lusaka
- Elohim Health Institute, Lusaka
- Pillar of Knowledge, Kasama
- Zambia Royal Medical University, Lusaka
Not on this list: in December 2022 the NMCZ withdrew all nursing and midwifery programmes at Mapanza Institute of Health Sciences from 1 January 2023, although the school still appears on the older register.
How to check a nursing school is approved
- Find the school on the NMCZ register of approved training institutions, published on the Council’s website (gnc.org.zm). The register file there was last updated in late 2022, so ask the Council about any college that opened since.
- Check the programme, not just the school. A college may be approved for the Diploma in Nursing but not for midwifery or a degree.
- Look for withdrawal notices on the NMCZ news page. Approval can be withdrawn, as the Mapanza case shows.
- Ask the college for its NMCZ approval certificate and confirm that you will be indexed with the Council during training. Indexing is what makes you eligible for the licensure exam.
- Still unsure? Email the NMCZ at nmcz@nmcz.org.zm or call +260 211 221284 before you pay.
But is a government school always the better choice?
Not automatically. A government college attached to a large hospital gives you a wide range of clinical experience, and places are competitive. An approved mission or private college can prepare you just as well. What matters most is that your exact programme is on the NMCZ register, the college has reliable clinical placements and its students pass the licensure exam. Ask each school for its recent pass rate before you apply.
Your next step: Shortlist two or three colleges from the lists above and check each programme against the NMCZ register before you pay anything. Then read our NMCZ guide for indexing, the licensure exam and registration fees, and use these 12 questions to compare schools.
Sources: NMCZ Register of Colleges and Universities Conducting Approved Nursing and/or Midwifery Training Programmes (file dated November 2022) and NMCZ public notice on withdrawal of approval (23 December 2022), both on gnc.org.zm, checked November 2026.
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