Limpopo College of Nursing Student Nurse Intake 2027: R.171 Diploma and R.169 Auxiliary Nursing Applications

The Limpopo Department of Health has officially opened applications for two Student Nurse Training programmes at the Limpopo College of Nursing for the 2027 academic year.

Applicants can apply for the three-year Diploma in Nursing: General (R.171) or the one-year Higher Certificate in Auxiliary Nursing (R.169). These are separate programmes with separate application forms, prospectuses, district reference numbers, online application links and closing dates.

The official R.171 circular invites suitably qualified candidates to the three-year Diploma in Nursing: General, while the R.169 circular covers the one-year Higher Certificate in Auxiliary Nursing.

Applicants interested in nursing should also use the Edupstairs Career & Qualification Explorer to research nursing qualifications and careers, compare other study opportunities through the University Explorer and TVET College Explorer, and explore healthcare skills-development pathways through the SETA Platform.

Quick Overview

The closing dates come directly from the respective official advertisements.

1. Diploma in Nursing: General R.171 – 2027 Intake

The first opportunity is the Diploma in Nursing: General, offered in accordance with Government Notice R.171 of 8 March 2013.

The programme runs for three years.

The Department’s advertisement is issued as Departmental Circular No. 67 of 2026, with reference S5/05/27.

Applicants interested in the profession can use the Career & Qualification Explorer to investigate nursing careers and recognised qualifications before deciding which training route is appropriate.

Prospective students considering university nursing can also compare programmes through the University Explorer. For example, the Edupstairs University of Limpopo database currently includes the Bachelor of Nursing among its Faculty of Health Sciences programmes.

Official R.171 Application Documents

The R.171 advertisement contains three separate document download links.

Download the R.171 Application Form and Rating Scale

Applicants should first download and complete the official application documentation:

Download the R.171 Limpopo College of Nursing Application Form and Rating Scale for 2027

Download the R.171 Revised Prospectus

Applicants should read the prospectus before submitting an application because it contains important information about the programme and application process:

Download the R.171 Revised Prospectus

Download the RPL Application Form

The Department specifically states that Enrolled Nurses employed by the Department must complete the Recognition of Prior Learning form.

Download the Limpopo College of Nursing RPL Application Form

The official advert identifies this as being for study-leave candidates only.

R.171 Online Applications: Apply According to Your District

Applicants must upload their completed documentation through the online application link assigned to the appropriate district.

The Department has created five separate R.171 application routes.

Capricorn District – R.171

Reference: LDH/10/006

Apply for R.171 Student Nurse Training – Capricorn District

Mopani District – R.171

Reference: LDH/10/007

Apply for R.171 Student Nurse Training – Mopani District

Sekhukhune District – R.171

Reference: LDH/10/008

Apply for R.171 Student Nurse Training – Sekhukhune District

Vhembe District – R.171

Reference: LDH/10/009

Apply for R.171 Student Nurse Training – Vhembe District

Waterberg District – R.171

Reference: LDH/10/0010

Apply for R.171 Student Nurse Training – Waterberg District

2. Higher Certificate in Auxiliary Nursing R.169 – 2027 Intake

The second opportunity is the Higher Certificate in Auxiliary Nursing, offered under Government Notice R.169 of 8 March 2013.

Unlike the three-year Diploma, this programme runs for one year.

It is advertised under Departmental Circular No. 66 of 2026, Department reference S5/01/27.

Applicants should not confuse this programme with the R.171 Diploma. The application documentation and district references are completely separate.

Official R.169 Application Documents

Two document links are provided in the official R.169 advertisement.

Download the R.169 Application Form and Rating Scale

Download the R.169 Limpopo College of Nursing Rating Scale and Application Form

Download the R.169 Revised Prospectus

Download the R.169 Revised Prospectus

The Department specifically instructs applicants to download these documents and then upload the completed application through the relevant district link.

R.169 Online Applications: Apply According to Your District

Five separate online application links are provided.

Capricorn District – R.169

Reference: LDH/10/001

Apply for R.169 Auxiliary Nursing – Capricorn District

Mopani District – R.169

Reference: LDH/10/002

Apply for R.169 Auxiliary Nursing – Mopani District

Sekhukhune District – R.169

Reference: LDH/10/003

Apply for R.169 Auxiliary Nursing – Sekhukhune District

Vhembe District – R.169

Reference: LDH/10/004

Apply for R.169 Auxiliary Nursing – Vhembe District

Waterberg District – R.169

Reference: LDH/10/005

Apply for R.169 Auxiliary Nursing – Waterberg District

Again, the embedded links contain “2026” in their URL even though they appear in the Department’s 2027 academic-year advertisement. We have preserved the official links exactly as supplied.

Documents Required for Both Intakes

According to the two official circulars, applications must include:

• the appropriate application form;
• the appropriate rating scale;
• certified copies of educational qualifications, including Matric or National Senior Certificate;
• proof of residence; and
• identity document.

The R.171 Diploma circular additionally requires the applicable RPL form from Enrolled Nurses employed by the Department.

Applicants should read the relevant prospectus before applying rather than relying on requirements from an older Limpopo nursing intake.

For context, Edupstairs’ previous coverage of the 2026 Limpopo Diploma intake shows that admission rules have historically included programme-specific academic and subject requirements, reinforcing why applicants should consult the new 2027 prospectus rather than assuming previous requirements remain unchanged.

Application Fee

Both official 2027 advertisements specify a non-refundable administration fee of R150.

Applicants are instructed to consult the relevant prospectus for the banking details and attach proof of payment to their application.

The adverts also state that no payment is required when applying to be registered for training as a nurse at Limpopo College of Nursing.

Applicants should therefore only follow the official payment instructions contained in the prospectus and should never pay an individual who claims that they can guarantee admission.

Closing Dates

The two programmes have different closing dates.

R.169 Higher Certificate in Auxiliary Nursing

Closing date: 31 October 2026

R.171 Diploma in Nursing: General

Closing date: 30 November 2026

Applicants for the R.169 programme should therefore not mistakenly use the later November deadline.

What Happens After Applying?

The College reserves the right to select or not select applicants.

Correspondence will be entered into with selected candidates only.

Candidates who have not heard from the Limpopo College of Nursing by the end of February 2027 should consider their applications unsuccessful.

General Enquiries

Applicants who require clarification can contact the Limpopo College of Nursing Student Affairs Offices.

Telephone: 015 291 1120 during office hours.

The Department’s official provincial website is Limpopo Provincial Government.

Research Nursing Before You Apply

A nursing intake should be approached as a career decision rather than simply another open application.

Use the Edupstairs Career & Qualification Explorer to research nursing careers and qualifications and understand how different nursing pathways relate to longer-term career progression.

Applicants considering degree study can also use the University Explorer. Edupstairs’ current University of Limpopo 2027 database, for example, includes the four-year Bachelor of Nursing within the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Students wanting to investigate vocational alternatives can use the TVET College Explorer, which covers South Africa’s 50 public TVET colleges.

Healthcare students should additionally explore the Edupstairs SETA Platform and particularly the HWSETA Qualification Catalogue to understand other health and welfare skills-development pathways.

These resources are for career research and should not be interpreted as substitutes for the specific Limpopo College of Nursing programmes.

Other 2027 Student Nurse Intakes Published on Edupstairs

Applicants should consider multiple legitimate opportunities rather than depending entirely on one nursing application.

Mpumalanga College of Nursing 2027

The Mpumalanga College of Nursing 2027 applications are for a three-year Diploma in Nursing.

The published intake requires qualifying applicants to satisfy the specified academic, APS and Mpumalanga residency requirements. Its advertised closing date is 2 October 2026.

Gauteng College of Nursing 2027

Applicants can also read the Gauteng College of Nursing Diploma in Nursing Student Nurse Intake 2027 guide.

The intake covers Ann Latsky, Chris Hani Baragwanath, SG Lourens and Bonalesedi nursing campuses. The advertised closing date was 26 September 2026, so applicants should not assume applications remain open.

KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing 2027

Edupstairs has also published the KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing Diploma in Nursing Programme 2027 Intake guide.

That intake has its own academic, APS, document and residency requirements. Its application period should not be confused with Limpopo’s current intake.

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Edupstairs Advice

The most important part of this application is choosing the correct programme and correct district link.

If you want to apply for the Higher Certificate in Auxiliary Nursing, download the R.169 documentation and use one of the R.169 district links.

If you want to apply for the Diploma in Nursing: General, download the R.171 documentation and use one of the R.171 district links.

Do not mix the forms, prospectuses or reference numbers.

Before submitting, check that you have:

• downloaded the correct application form;
• read the correct revised prospectus;
• completed the rating scale;
• selected the correct programme;
• selected the correct district;
• used the correct reference number;
• prepared all required certified documents;
• followed the official R150 administration-fee instructions;
• attached proof of payment where required; and
• uploaded everything through the correct district application link.

Also keep a copy of your completed application and supporting documents for your own records.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are Limpopo College of Nursing applications open for 2027?

Yes. The official Limpopo Department of Health advertisements invite applications for the R.171 Diploma in Nursing: General and R.169 Higher Certificate in Auxiliary Nursing for the 2027 academic year.

2. What are the two programmes?

The R.171 programme is a three-year Diploma in Nursing: General. The R.169 programme is a one-year Higher Certificate in Auxiliary Nursing.

3. Are applications online?

Yes. Both official advertisements state that applications are completed online.

4. Which districts can applicants apply through?

The advertisements provide routes for Capricorn, Mopani, Sekhukhune, Vhembe and Waterberg.

5. Can I use the same application link for both programmes?

No. R.169 and R.171 have different forms, prospectuses, reference numbers and online application links.

6. What is the R.169 closing date?

31 October 2026.

7. What is the R.171 closing date?

30 November 2026.

8. How much is the application fee?

The official advertisements state that there is a R150 non-refundable administration fee. Applicants must use the banking information supplied in the appropriate prospectus.

9. When will successful applicants be contacted?

Correspondence will be entered into with selected candidates. If you have not heard from the College by the end of February 2027, the advertisements state that you should consider your application unsuccessful.

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Disclaimer

This Edupstairs Opportunity Explainer is based primarily on the two official Limpopo Department of Health Student Nurse Training advertisements for the 2027 academic year supplied to Edupstairs.

The application and document links above were extracted directly from the clickable links embedded in those official PDFs. Notably, the Department’s embedded district application URLs contain “2026” in their position parameters even though the advertisements themselves explicitly state that the intake is for the 2027 academic year. Edupstairs has reproduced those links as supplied rather than modifying an official government application URL.

Applicants must read the relevant official application form and prospectus and verify the information displayed on the Department’s application system before submitting.

Edupstairs does not recruit, select or admit students on behalf of the Limpopo Department of Health or Limpopo College of Nursing and cannot guarantee admission.

Editorial Integrity

The programme titles, durations, regulation numbers, circular numbers, supporting documents, district references, application fee, closing dates, application links and selection information in this article are drawn from the official R.169 and R.171 advertisements supplied by the Limpopo Department of Health.

The links to the Edupstairs Career & Qualification Explorer, University Explorer, TVET College Explorer, SETA Platform, other provincial nursing intakes and related educational resources are additional Edupstairs guidance designed to help applicants research their education and career options.

Where the official 2027 advertisements do not establish a requirement, this article does not present older requirements as though they automatically apply to the 2027 intake.

EDUPSTAIRS IS A REGISTERED NON-PROFIT ORGANISATION NPO No: 232 – 182, PUBLIC BENEFIT ORGANISATION (PBO): 930066984. EDUPSTAIRS DOES NOT, IN ANY WAY OR FORM, SOLICIT MONEY OR CV’S FROM PEOPLE FOR JOBS. PLEASE BE AWARE OF PHONY JOB POSTINGS AND RECRUITMENT FRAUD. USE THE EDUPSTAIRS SCAM DETECTOR TOOL TO SPOT A SCAM BEFORE YOU APPLY