Gauteng College of Nursing 2027 Intake: Apply Free by 30 October
The Gauteng College of Nursing (GCON) is taking applications for its 2027 student nurse intake until 30 October 2026. The programme is the Diploma in Nursing, it is offered at four Gauteng campuses, applying is free, and the only way to apply is online through the Gauteng Department of Health portal at nursingintake.gauteng.gov.za. You qualify if you are a South African citizen who lives in and matriculated in Gauteng, hold a Senior Certificate, National Senior Certificate or NC(V) Level 4 with the required subject levels, and are not already funded by the state or enrolled at another institution.
This guide walks through who qualifies, how the APS is calculated, which documents to upload, what happens after you apply, and how to avoid the scammers who appear every intake season.
Key facts at a glance
Programme: Diploma in Nursing (registered with SAQA at NQF Level 6, 360 credits, which normally means three years of full-time study and work-integrated learning)
Institution: Gauteng College of Nursing, under the Gauteng Department of Health
Campuses: Ann Latsky, Bonalesedi, Chris Hani Baragwanath and SG Lourens
Applications opened: 11 October 2026
Closing date: 30 October 2026
Cost: free, with no application or admission fees at any stage
How to apply: online only at nursingintake.gauteng.gov.za (no walk-ins, emails or hand-delivered forms)
Contact: GCON Central Office on 060 541 4973
Who qualifies for the GCON 2027 intake?
The Department sets three conditions before it even looks at your marks. You must be a South African citizen. You must currently reside in Gauteng. And you must have matriculated in Gauteng. Applicants who completed school in another province are not eligible for this intake, even if they now live in Johannesburg or Pretoria.
Two groups are excluded outright:
Anyone already receiving a bursary, scholarship or other funding from a government department, provincial government, public entity or state-funded scheme for tertiary or vocational studies. This includes current NSFAS beneficiaries.
Anyone already enrolled at a university, university of technology, TVET college, nursing college or other tertiary institution, whether full-time, part-time or by distance learning.
The Department has said it may check your details against official records and disqualify anyone found to be in breach, so it is not worth hiding a current registration or bursary.
Academic requirements by certificate type
GCON accepts three school-leaving certificates. The minimum requirements differ for each.
National Senior Certificate (Grade 12)
English at Level 4 or higher
Life Sciences at Level 4 or higher
Mathematics at Level 4 or higher, or Mathematical Literacy at Level 5 or higher (only the subject on your certificate counts)
An Admission Point Score (APS) of 27 or more
Senior Certificate (the old Standard 10)
English: Higher Grade D or Standard Grade C
Biology: Higher Grade D or Standard Grade C
Mathematics: Higher Grade D or Standard Grade C
An M score of 17 or more
National Certificate (Vocational) Level 4
At least 50% in the fundamental subjects: English First Additional Language, Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, and Life Orientation
At least 60% in each of the vocational subjects: The South African Health Care System, Public Health, The Human Body and Mind, and Community Oriented Primary Care
Meeting the minimum means your application can be considered. It does not guarantee a place. Demand is high every year and the Department has already warned that only successful candidates will be contacted.
How the APS is calculated for this intake
Your APS is the sum of your subject achievement levels (1 to 7) on your NSC statement of results. The GCON portal applies one rule that catches many applicants out: Life Orientation counts for exactly half its level, with no rounding. A Level 5 in Life Orientation therefore adds 2.5 points, not 5 and not 3.
Where you wrote more than seven subjects, the compulsory subjects (English, Life Sciences, Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, and Life Orientation) are always included, and your highest-scoring additional subjects fill the remaining places. The portal has a built-in qualification checker that does the calculation from the levels you capture, and it verifies the APS against the certificate you upload, so enter your results exactly as they appear on your statement.
How to apply step by step
Scan your identity document and your matric certificate or statement of results. Both must be uploaded as PDF files. The portal labels the two required documents as a certified copy of your ID and your statement of results or certificate, so have certified copies scanned rather than photos.
Go to nursingintake.gauteng.gov.za and register an applicant account with a working email address and cellphone number.
Complete the qualification checker. Select your certificate type and capture your subject levels or symbols exactly as they appear on your results.
Build your profile. The portal asks for personal details, optional work experience, and up to three references with telephone numbers (a teacher is an accepted reference), so have those details ready.
Choose your campus preference. Final placement is decided by the college's selection and placement process, not by your choice alone.
Upload your two documents and check that each shows as received.
Review every field, then submit before 30 October 2026. Late, emailed or walk-in applications will not be accepted.
Keep your login details. The portal has an applicant dashboard where your document status (for example "pending review" or "correction requested") and progress are shown, which is how you will know if something needs fixing.
What happens after you apply
Selection runs in stages, and every stage is compulsory for those who are shortlisted.
Screening: the Department checks your application against the eligibility and academic requirements and verifies your uploaded documents.
Psychometric assessment: all shortlisted applicants must sit a compulsory psychometric assessment.
Medical surveillance and verification: applicants who pass the assessment undergo medical surveillance and verification of all documentation.
Offer and learning contract: successful candidates sign a learning contract with the Gauteng College of Nursing.
Completing the whole process does not guarantee selection. Because of the volume of applications, only successful candidates are contacted. If you have heard nothing for several months after the closing date, it is reasonable to assume your application did not succeed.
What student nurses commit to
This is a training post with a public health department, not a classroom-only course. Successful applicants must take part in Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in Gauteng Department of Health hospitals and clinics. That includes shift work, nights, weekends and public holidays. If your circumstances make shift work impossible, think carefully before applying, because the learning contract commits you to it.
The Department has not published a stipend amount, bursary value or number of funded places with this intake advertisement, so treat any figure you see on social media as unconfirmed until it comes from the Department or the college.
Scam warning: nobody can sell you a place
Every intake season brings WhatsApp messages and Facebook pages offering "guaranteed admission" for a fee. The Gauteng Department of Health has been explicit that applications and admission are free of charge and that no fee is payable at any stage. Anyone asking for money to secure a place, fast-track your file or "release" your results is a scammer. Report them and apply only through the official portal. The same pattern was used against SAPS applicants earlier this year; see our guide to the R15,000 SAPS recruitment WhatsApp scam for the warning signs.
Why this intake matters
With youth unemployment in South Africa at 47.4%, a fully funded, free-to-apply route into a registered health profession is one of the most valuable opportunities a Gauteng matriculant can get. Nursing remains one of the few fields with consistent public and private sector demand. You can see current openings on our nurse jobs in South Africa listings and the nurse jobs in Johannesburg page to get a sense of what qualified nurses are being hired for. If nursing is not for you but you want a public-sector start, the latest DPSA vacancy circular lists entry-level government posts.
Frequently asked questions
When is the closing date for the Gauteng College of Nursing 2027 intake?
Applications close on 30 October 2026. The portal opened on 11 October 2026 and late applications are not accepted.
Can I apply if I matriculated in another province but now live in Gauteng?
No. For this intake you must both reside in Gauteng and have matriculated in Gauteng, and you must be a South African citizen.
What APS do I need for nursing at GCON?
Grade 12 applicants need an APS of 27 or more, with English and Life Sciences at Level 4, and Mathematics at Level 4 or Mathematical Literacy at Level 5. Life Orientation counts for half its level.
Is there an application fee?
No. The Department has confirmed there are no application or admission fees at any stage. Anyone asking for payment is not acting for the college.
Can I apply if I am on NSFAS or already studying somewhere else?
No. Applicants funded by any government department, public entity or state-funded scheme, including NSFAS, and applicants already enrolled at another tertiary institution are not considered.
Sources
Gauteng Department of Health, GCON 2027 Student Nurse Intake portal and advertisement: nursingintake.gauteng.gov.za
The Citizen, "Gauteng nursing diploma 2027: How to apply for free before 30 October" (11 October 2026): citizen.co.za
Daily Sun (SNL24), "Nursing applications are open!" (12 October 2026): snl24.com
SAQA, Diploma in Nursing, qualification ID 116409 (NQF Level 6, 360 credits): allqs.saqa.org.za
Written by the Jobsiz South Africa editorial team. Last updated 15 October 2026. Requirements and dates are taken from the official Gauteng Department of Health intake advertisement; always confirm on the portal before you submit.
Ready to start a nursing career? Apply on the official portal before 30 October 2026, and browse entry-level healthcare jobs on Jobsiz while you wait for the outcome.
Sources
Spotted an error or out-of-date detail? Report a correction — we review every report. See our editorial policy.