NCK Exam Registration 2025: Timetable, Requirements and Deadline

Nursing professionals in Kenya are among the few marketable courses students want to pursue year in and year out. The career starts with preparing for nursing courses in the country, which are available either as a diploma or a bachelor’s certificate. These courses at either level take 2 to 3 years for those doing a Nursing Diploma, and for Bachelor students, it takes about 4 years. Upon completing your course, before you proceed with the internship and even think about getting employed, you must take the NCK Exams.

The Nursing Council of Kenya exams are usually advertised at specific timeframes (months) every year. During this period, when the exams period is announced, all nursing students must take time to register for the exams before the set deadline. The good news for the 2025 period is that NCK has already announced when the examination dates. In this article, we will walk you through everything you need to know about NCK exams.

The Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK)

The Nursing Council of Kenya, better known as the NCK, is a government parastatal body established in 1983 under the Nurses Act, Cap 257. Its main objective is to regulate nursing and midwifery education and practice standards across all nursing cadres in the country.

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Its other functions are:

• Establishing and enhancing standards across all branches of the nursing profession
• Improving nursing standards and healthcare within the community
• Providing training avenues and conducting examinations for individuals seeking registration or enrollment, with the approval of the Cabinet Secretary
• Prescribing badges for registered nurses
• Recommending institutions for approval by the Cabinet Secretary
• Overseeing the conduct of registered individuals and maintaining standards of nursing care
• Ensuring that all nurses and midwives within its jurisdiction meet an acceptable level of competence before they begin to practice

The NCK serves as the only professional regulatory body for all cadres of nursing and midwifery in Kenya, making it essential for every nursing graduate to pass their examinations before practicing professionally.

NCK Exam Dates and Deadlines for 2025

For those wondering if the NCK portal is open for 2025, you will be glad to know that the portal was open for exam applications starting on 18th December 2024. The application deadlines and withdrawal deadlines vary for each examination period, as shown in the table below:

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The NCK requests all training institutions (colleges and universities) to submit the required list of eligible applicants before the deadlines mentioned in the table. Additionally, mock rehearsals are mandatory for all candidates, and the dates for each examination period are provided above. These mock sessions help candidates familiarize themselves with the examination environment and reduce anxiety on the actual exam day.

NCK Examination Schedule for 2025

It is important to note that the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) has already released the examination timetable for the 2025 examinations. The last mock rehearsals are scheduled for the 20th of May 2025, and the main exams will commence on the 21st of May 2025. The examination periods for 2025 are as follows:

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May 2025 NCK Exams

August 2025 NCK Exams

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NCK Exam Structure and Format

The NCK examination structure varies depending on your nursing cadre. For basic cadres (Kenya Enrolled Nurse and Kenya Enrolled Midwife), the examination consists of 4 individual papers, while other cadres take 3 papers. Each paper examines specific competencies expected of nurses and midwives practicing within that capacity and is administered over the course of three hours, not two hours as commonly misunderstood.

The examination papers comprise multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and long answer questions where candidates are expected to respond to brief healthcare scenarios. This comprehensive format tests both theoretical knowledge and practical application skills essential for safe nursing practice.

Requirements to Sit for NCK Exams

Only candidates meeting NCK exam guidelines can sit for their papers. The examination instructions are as follows:

• Each paper takes about 3 hours, with morning sessions starting at 9 AM and afternoon sessions at 2 PM
• The deadline for changing exams is 3 weeks before the announced rehearsal dates
• Candidates must attend rehearsals and sit for the mock exams at the exam centres
• Electronic devices and external documents are not permitted in the exam rooms
• All candidates are expected to adhere to a professional dress code during the examination and avoid revealing or casual attire
• Candidates trained in Kenya must wear either their school uniform or appropriate professional attire
• If you are found carrying out exam malpractices, your results will be canceled, and you will be prohibited from sitting on any NCK exams for a year
• All applicants should apply and pay for the exam fees
• Completion of all course modules and clinical hours is mandatory
• Valid student identification from your training institution is required

How to Register for NCK Exam 2025

The process of registering for the NCK exams is easy as long as you are an eligible student. First, the whole process is done by the institution where you study. They must submit to the council for processing. Once they do so, you will receive an email confirmation with a link that you will have to access the NCK Online exam portal.

It is mandatory for exam candidates to register on the NCK exam portal. You can access the portal using the link https://osp.nckenya.com/register, create your account, and then proceed to log in.

Once you have logged in to your account’s dashboard, navigate to the exams tab and click on the exam application. Choose your exam centre and proceed to make payments of KSh 8,500 so that you can be booked for the examination dates. The registration process should be completed well before the deadline to avoid late registration penalties, which attract additional fees.

NCK Exam Fees and Payment Structure

The examination fees for NCK exams in 2025 have been set at Ksh 8,500, which breaks down as follows:

• Registration fee: Ksh 7,000
• Processing fee: Ksh 1,500
• Total amount: Ksh 8,500

Some institutions may charge additional fees. For instance, some colleges charge Ksh 5,000 per sitting for their students. Late registration attracts penalty fees, so it’s advisable to register early to avoid extra costs.

NCK Grading System and Pass Requirements

The minimum pass mark for all NCK exams is set at 49.5%, not 50% as commonly believed. The comprehensive grading system is as follows:

• Distinction: 74.5 to 100%
• Credit: 64.5 to 74.4%
• Pass: 49.5 to 64.4%
• Fail: 0 to 49.5%

You must score at least 49.5% in all papers to pass. Failure to achieve this mark in any paper means you will have to resit all papers. Candidates are allowed a maximum of 4 resits. If you fail your first NCK exams, the body still gives you these opportunities to retake the examination.

NCK Exam Centres

All the Nursing Council of Kenya exams are only conducted at designated exam centres. As of 2025, the list includes various locations nationwide to ensure accessibility for all candidates. The Complete List of Exam Centers is as follows:

Post-Exam Registration and Licensing Process

Upon passing the Council’s national licensure examination, successful candidates are required to submit an online application for registration and licensing after the release of results. Once registration and licensing is completed, nurses and midwives will receive a practice license within 72 hours and a registration certificate within 4 weeks respectively.

This licensing process is crucial because all nurses who practice in Kenya must be on the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) Retention Register. The Council provides accurate nurse practice license information and allows users the ability to verify licenses online.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Wrapping-Up

And that is all to know about the NCK exam registration in Kenya 2025. Nothing can be said anymore, and we hope this guide has taken you through everything you need to know about the NCK exams in Kenya. Remember to pay earlier to avoid missing the deadline dates, and if you happen to miss the first exam, NCK will give you another chance when the new exam dates are announced. The key to success lies in thorough preparation, understanding the exam format, and following all the guidelines provided by the Nursing Council of Kenya.

If you have any questions that you would like to shoot, please comment down below, and we will get back to you ASAP.