Best Nursing Schools in Livingstone: A Complete 2026 Guide
Africannurses
August 31, 2026
If you’re searching for best nursing schools in Livingstone, Zambia, you’re likely trying to answer a few practical questions: which schools operate here, what programmes they offer, how long training takes, and whether a school is properly accredited. This guide answers all of that, with verified listings and context on how Zambia’s nursing regulatory system works.
Table of Contents
Best Nursing Schools in Livingston
Both offer diploma-level training in nursing and midwifery, regulated nationally by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia (NMCZ), formerly known as the General Nursing Council.
Livingstone Nursing School
Located on Airport Road, Livingstone Nursing School (also known locally as Livingstone School of Nursing & Midwifery) offers diploma-level training across several specialties:
- Registered Nursing (General Nursing) — typically a 3-year diploma programme
- Midwifery — typically a 3-year diploma programme, usually requiring prior general nursing qualification or experience
- Public Health Nursing — a specialised diploma-level programme
- Operating Theatre Nursing — a specialised diploma-level programme
Exact intake dates and current programme durations can shift, so confirm specifics directly with the school before applying.
One detail that sets this school apart is its history of exchange programmes with institutions in Finland, Norway, and Sweden. High-performing students have had the opportunity to travel abroad on a fully sponsored basis, with teaching staff also benefiting from these partnerships.
- Address: Airport Road, Livingstone
- Hours: Open, closes 17:00
- Phone: +260 213 320 221
Livingstone College of Nursing and Midwifery
Livingstone College of Nursing and Midwifery, on Akapelwa Street, appears on the official list of training institutions approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia — a useful signal of legitimacy for prospective students comparing options.
Like most NMCZ-approved colleges, its core offering follows the standard national pathway:
- General Nursing Diploma — typically 3 years
- Midwifery Diploma — typically 3 years, usually built on a general nursing qualification
Some approved institutions nationally have also begun offering the newer combined Registered Nurse-Midwife programme, which covers both qualifications in around 3.5 years. Whether this specific college currently runs that combined track is worth confirming directly, since programme offerings are periodically updated.
- Address: Akapelwa Street, Livingstone
- Hours: Open 24 hours
- Phone: +260 96 8080734
Because contact details, intake dates, and accreditation status can change, it’s worth calling ahead or checking directly with NMCZ before applying, rather than relying solely on any single listing — including this one.
How Nursing Training Works in Zambia
Nursing and midwifery training in Zambia is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia (NMCZ), which approves training institutions, sets curriculum standards, and manages registration for practising nurses. Understanding this national system helps put any specific school into context.
Most nursing programmes in Zambia are offered at diploma level, typically over three years for General Nursing, with additional specializations, such as Midwifery, often requiring further study or prior nursing experience. A newer Registered Nurse-Midwife programme, developed with the Ministry of Health, now allows some students to qualify in both nursing and midwifery in about three and a half years, roughly half the time the two separate qualifications traditionally required.
Once training is complete, graduates must register with NMCZ to legally practice. The council maintains several types of registers, including Full, Provisional, and Specialist, depending on where and how a nurse trained.
Types of Nursing School Accreditation in Zambia
Not all “approval” means the same thing, and it helps to understand the layers involved:
- Institutional accreditation — Under the Higher Education Act, every college or university, including nursing schools, must first be registered with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) as a legitimate higher education institution before it can enrol students at all.
- Programme-level approval by NMCZ — Separately, each specific nursing or midwifery programme a school wants to run must be approved by NMCZ in consultation with the HEA and the Zambia Qualifications Authority. A school can be a registered higher education institution while still lacking NMCZ approval for a particular programme, so both layers matter.
- Full vs. provisional/withdrawn status — NMCZ can also suspend or withdraw approval from a programme that no longer meets standards. This has happened before with specific institutions, which is why checking current status matters even for schools that were previously approved.
- Qualification-level registration — Once a graduate applies to practise, NMCZ registers them according to the qualification level obtained (Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Degree, Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s, or Doctorate), which ties back to whether the originating programme was properly approved at that level.
Check This: List Of Accredited Nursing Schools in Zambia
How to Verify NMCZ Accreditation Status
Before committing to any nursing school in Livingstone or elsewhere in Zambia, it’s worth confirming its accreditation status directly rather than relying on a school’s own marketing claims:
- Check NMCZ’s published list of approved training institutions. NMCZ maintains an official list of higher education institutions whose nursing and midwifery programmes are approved, available via its website (gnc.org.zm) under its Training Institutions section, along with a downloadable PDF of approved institutions.
- Look for recent public notices. NMCZ periodically publishes notices about programme withdrawals or changes in approval status for specific institutions — worth checking before assuming a past approval still holds.
- Contact NMCZ directly. You can reach the council at Plot No. 171, Luanshya Road, Villa Elizabetha, Lusaka, by phone at +260 211 221284, or by email at nmcz@nmcz.org.zm to confirm a specific school’s current status.
- Ask the school for its NMCZ approval reference. A legitimately accredited school should be able to readily provide documentation or a reference confirming its programme-level approval.
- Cross-check registration examples. Since NMCZ also publishes registers of practitioners and licensed facilities under the Nurses and Midwives Act, 2019, graduates from a genuinely approved programme should be able to register and sit competence and licensure examinations without issue.
General Admission Requirements
While specific requirements can vary by institution, most diploma nursing programmes in Zambia expect applicants to have:
- A senior secondary education certificate (Grade 12) or equivalent
- At least five ‘O’ level credits or better
- Compulsory passes in English and Mathematics or a Science subject
- A minimum entry age of around 16 years
Always confirm current entry requirements directly with the school, since standards and required subjects can shift between intakes.
How to Apply
- Contact the school directly using the phone numbers above to confirm current intake dates and requirements.
- Prepare your academic documents, including your Grade 12 certificate and result slip.
- Submit your application within the school’s stated intake period — many Zambian nursing schools run limited annual or biannual intakes.
- Watch for the admission list, which schools typically post on notice boards or their official communication channels rather than broadly online.
- Confirm your place promptly once selected, following the specific instructions given by the school.
What Comes After Graduation?
Completing a diploma at either institution is only the first step. Graduates must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia before they can legally practise, and many go on to write NMCZ’s competence and licensure examinations as part of that process.
Some graduates move directly into clinical roles at hospitals or clinics in Livingstone, Lusaka, or elsewhere in the country. Others use their diploma as a foundation for further study a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a specialised diploma in midwifery or another clinical area, or eventually a master’s degree. A smaller number pursue international opportunities, particularly where a school has established exchange or partnership programmes, as Livingstone Nursing School has done with institutions in Finland, Norway, and Sweden.
Read Also: Career Progression in Nursing
FAQs About Nursing Schools in Livingstone
1. What nursing schools are located in Livingstone, Zambia? The two well-known nursing training institutions in Livingstone are Livingstone Nursing School on Airport Road and Livingstone College of Nursing and Midwifery on Akapelwa Street.
2. What programmes do these schools offer, and how long do they take? Both schools offer General Nursing diplomas (typically 3 years) and Midwifery diplomas (typically 1 year, usually after a general nursing qualification). Livingstone Nursing School also offers Public Health Nursing, HIV Practitioner training, and Operating Theatre Nursing.
3. How do I verify a nursing school’s NMCZ accreditation status? Check NMCZ’s published list of approved training institutions at gnc.org.zm, or contact NMCZ directly by phone (+260 211 221284) or email (nmcz@nmcz.org.zm) to confirm a specific school’s current status.
4. Which body regulates nursing schools in Zambia? The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia (NMCZ), formerly the General Nursing Council, regulates nursing and midwifery education, training, and registration nationwide.
5. What are the minimum requirements to study nursing in Zambia? Typically a Grade 12 certificate with at least five ‘O’ level credits, including English and Mathematics or a Science subject, and a minimum age of around 16.
Conclusion
If you’re specifically looking for best nursing training in Livingstone, your two confirmed local options are Livingstone Nursing School on Airport Road and Livingstone College of Nursing and Midwifery on Akapelwa Street. Both operate within Zambia’s national nursing regulatory framework, offering diploma-level training that can lead to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia.
Before applying to any nursing school in Livingstone, call ahead to confirm current intake dates, programme offerings, and accreditation status directly with NMCZ, details that can change from one academic year to the next.
