Article
Types of Nursing Roles: Adult, Children’s and Mental Health Nursing
Last reviewed: June 2026
Nursing is not one single degree route. In the UK, students normally apply for a specific field of nursing: adult nursing, children’s nursing, mental health nursing or learning disability nursing. Some universities also offer courses that combine fields.
Your choice can affect your UCAS course choices, application answers, interview preparation, placements and future direction. If you are studying an Access to HE Diploma, check the nursing field and the exact university requirements before applying. Our guide to applying for nursing with Access to HE explains the wider application process.
The main types of nursing degrees
| Nursing branch | Who nurses support | What the work may involve | Skills and qualities that may help | Things to consider before applying | Related guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult nursing | Adults with acute illnesses, long-term conditions, injuries or rehabilitation needs. | Assessment, care planning, treatment, health education and coordination across hospital and community settings. | Communication, empathy, organisation, teamwork and resilience. | The range of adult settings, placement expectations and course-specific entry requirements. | Adult nursing route |
| Children’s nursing | Babies, children and young people, while also working closely with parents and carers. | Age-appropriate care and communication, safeguarding, family support and work in hospital or community services. | Adaptable communication, empathy, observation, emotional resilience and an understanding of family-centred care. | Working with different ages, supporting families and the safeguarding responsibilities involved. | Children’s nursing route |
| Mental health nursing | People experiencing mental health difficulties at different stages of life. | Therapeutic communication, assessment, risk awareness, relationship-building and support for recovery. | Listening, empathy, professionalism, patience, reflection and emotional resilience. | The importance of sustained professional relationships and work across hospital, community and specialist services. | Mental health nursing route |
| Learning disability nursing | People with learning disabilities, together with their families and support networks. | Communication support, advocacy, reasonable adjustments, health promotion and multidisciplinary working. | Inclusive communication, patience, advocacy, collaboration and respect for individual choice. | Which universities offer this field, the placements included and its specific entry requirements. | Learning disability nursing route |
Adult nursing
Adult nurses support adults with a wide range of health needs. Depending on the role and placement, this can include acute hospital care, community nursing, long-term condition management and rehabilitation.
Applicants may need to demonstrate communication, empathy, organisation, resilience and an informed understanding of adult health settings. Check the entry requirements for each adult nursing degree carefully, as qualification, grade and experience expectations can vary. Read more about the adult nursing route.
Children’s nursing
Children’s nurses support babies, children and young people, as well as their parents or carers. The work requires communication that is appropriate to a child’s age and development, alongside support for the wider family.
Applicants may need to show an understanding of safeguarding, family-centred care, communication and emotional resilience. Check the entry requirements for each children’s nursing degree carefully. Explore the children’s nursing route.
Mental health nursing
Mental health nurses support people experiencing mental health difficulties in hospital, community and specialist settings. Their work can involve therapeutic communication, risk awareness, relationship-building and support for recovery.
Applicants may need to demonstrate empathy, listening skills, professionalism and emotional resilience. Check the entry requirements for each mental health nursing degree carefully. Explore the mental health nursing route.
Learning disability nursing
Learning disability nurses support people with learning disabilities to live healthier, more independent and more included lives. The work can involve communication support, advocacy, reasonable adjustments, health promotion and collaboration with families and multidisciplinary teams.
Explore the learning disability nursing route, then check university course pages directly for current degrees, placement information and specific entry requirements.
How to choose the right nursing branch
No branch is automatically easier or better than another. Use course research, reflection and relevant experience to decide which field may fit your interests and motivation.
- Which age group or type of support am I most interested in?
- What paid, caring or voluntary experience have I had, and what did I learn from it?
- Which nursing branches do my chosen universities offer?
- What settings and placements might the course involve?
- Which branch best fits my strengths and motivation?
- Can I explain clearly why I want to study this branch in my UCAS application?
- Have I checked the entry requirements for this specific course and branch?
Read current university course pages and professional guidance rather than relying on a course title alone. If a requirement is missing or ambiguous, ask the university’s admissions team.
How your nursing branch affects your UCAS application
Students apply for specific nursing courses and fields. Your chosen branch should therefore shape your course research, application answers, interview preparation and the examples you draw from work or voluntary experience.
For example, an applicant for mental health nursing may need to demonstrate different preparation and insight from an applicant for children’s nursing, even though both are applying for nursing degrees. Avoid submitting a generic explanation of why you want to be a nurse when your choices focus on a particular field. See our practical guide to applying for nursing with Access to HE.
Entry requirements can vary by nursing branch
Entry requirements can differ between universities, courses, nursing fields and years of entry. Check the required Access to HE subject and grade profile, GCSEs, accepted Functional Skills qualifications, Science GCSE, UCAS Tariff points and any subject-specific conditions. Do not assume that the requirements for one nursing branch apply to another.
Use our guide to nursing degree entry requirements to understand common conditions, then research which universities accept Access to HE for nursing. The exact university course page should remain your main source for the current intake.