9 Healthcare Diploma Courses In UK For International Students (No IELTS)

If you are in the healthcare field and want to upskill or want to switch careers to one of the healthcare roles, this blog post will guide you through the list of healthcare diploma courses in UK for international students, to help you decide on which healthcare course to go for.

The United Kingdom has one of the best healthcare systems in the world and is home to some of the most reputable medical facilities and medical schools in Europe. Due to this, the healthcare sector in Britain is booming, thus, international students who want to pursue a medical degree and other medical professionals who want to gain advanced skills come to the UK in search of reputable medical education.

The medical schools in UK such as the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge tend to draw the attention of these international students and others who want to earn a world-class medical degree. Just in case you have no idea how reputable these institutions are, they are on par with the likes of Ivy Leagues in the US.

Just like every other program, healthcare programs in the UK are split into bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, doctorate degrees, diploma courses, and certificate courses. Students get to choose which qualifications depending on what they aim to achieve in their careers.

If you are already a healthcare professional looking to upskill yourself and take your career to the next level by engaging in theoretical and practical courses that will equip you with the latest skills, knowledge, and techniques within your specialty or another healthcare specialty then what you should go for is a healthcare diploma course.

In this article, I have curated a list of healthcare diploma courses in UK for international students. UK citizens interested in healthcare diploma courses may also take them as well but this article is designed to suit international students.

The healthcare diploma courses in the UK for international students require interested candidates to have at least a bachelor’s degree in healthcare or a related field. The length of the course is between a few weeks to 2 years. Since you are an international student, you must have a student visa or a visiting visa, depending on the length of the diploma, to enter the UK and study for your healthcare diploma.

In fact, without a student visa or visiting visa, you can’t enter the UK to study as a student from another country. To get a student or visiting visa, there are certain requirements you must also meet and one of the major requirements is the IELTS, or an English language proficiency test that is recognized by UK universities.

And as it is generally known, the IELTS is a requirement for non-English natives who want to study abroad including in the UK. However, there are other ways to get your student visa and study in the UK without the IELTS. These steps are outlined in my previous article on “diploma courses in UK without IELTS” which will guide you to successfully enter the UK without taking the IELTS.

So, yes, you can study for a healthcare diploma in the UK as an international student without IELTS.

healthcare diploma courses in UK for international students

Healthcare Diploma Courses In UK For International Students

The following are healthcare diploma courses offered by prestigious universities in the UK to international students with a student or visiting visa:

  • Postgraduate Diploma International Healthcare Management – The University of Essex Online
  • Diploma of Higher Education in Health and Social Care – UK Open University
  • Level 2 Diploma Health and Social Care – Bradford College
  • Diploma in Healthcare Management and Leadership – Westford University College
  • PG Dip Public Health – The University of Essex
  • Diploma of Higher Education in Counseling – UK Open University
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – The University of Oxford
  • Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing – College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE)
  • Diploma of Higher Education in Psychology – UK Open University

1.     Postgraduate Diploma International Healthcare Management – University of Essex Online

The University of Essex is a prestigious citadel of higher learning in the UK. Through its PG Dip in International Healthcare Management, the university is giving everyone an equal opportunity to earn a healthcare qualification from a top-tier UK school. The course is fully online which gives you the flexibility to study while working and saves you the cost of flying to the UK to enroll for the course.

The course length is part-time and takes 16 months to complete. To enroll, you must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited university and at least 3 years of work experience in a relevant field. Although IELTS is required if you don’t want to take it, the university has its own free online English test to access your proficiency. The cost of the PG Dip in International Healthcare Management at the University of Essex is £7,891.

Apply Here

2.     Diploma of Higher Education in Health and Social Care – UK Open University

Healthcare professionals can enroll in this flexible course to stay up to date in the latest tech, theory, and practices in health and social care policy used today. The course will also equip learners with the skills they need for effective practice in a diverse, multidisciplinary environment.

The course can be taken from any location (distance learning) and takes 2 or 4 years to complete depending on whether you go for the full-time or part-time model. There are no entry requirements to enroll for this course. The total estimated cost of this diploma is £13,848.

Apply Here

3.     Level 2 Diploma Health and Social Care – Bradford College

If you are looking to enroll for a health and social care diploma course that offers face-to-face instruction, then you should consider applying for the level 2 diploma health and social care course offered by Bradford University. The site of learning is at David Hockney Building inside the college campus. The course is offered only as a full-time option which takes as little as 12 months to complete.

You don’t need to have a bachelor’s degree to apply for this course. All that is required is a GSCE English and Math at grade 3 or D and you should be above 16 years old. Those between the ages of 16-18 won’t have to pay tuition fees while students 19 or older will pay a fee.

Apply Here

4.     Diploma in Healthcare Management and Leadership – Westford University College

If you want to take up a leadership role in a healthcare facility, you do not have to go back to college and begin studying for a degree. The quickest way to go about it is to apply for a diploma course which does not take long and still equips you with professional skills and knowledge to excel in that role.

As a nurse who wants to step up their career, and take up managerial positions in a clinic or hospital, you should consider taking the diploma course in healthcare management and leadership offered by Westford College to gain the appropriate skills required to excel in such a role. The course is only 3 months to complete.

Apply Here

5.     PG Dip Public Health – The University of Essex

This is one of the diploma courses in the UK for international students without a compulsory IELTS requirement. This postgraduate diploma in public health explores varieties of topics related to public health and students gain advanced knowledge of the field.

The course is part-time and fully online with a tuition fee of £7,891. The duration is 16 months.

Apply Here

6.     Diploma of Higher Education in Counseling – UK Open University

Advance your counseling skills in just a few years with this diploma course. It takes 3 or 4 years to complete depending on whether you take it in full-time or part-time mode. The diploma course is hybrid, that is, it combines online distance learning with in-person instructions. The estimated cost of the diploma is £6,924.

Apply Here

7.     Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – The University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is offering existing therapists and new therapists an opportunity to earn a diploma qualification in cognitive behavioral therapy from one of the leading institutions in the world. Applicants are required to have a minimum of 3.5 GPA on a scale of 4.0 in their undergraduate degree.

The duration of the diploma is between 5 to 11 months and it is only part-time.

Apply Here

8.     Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing – College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE)

This is one of the healthcare diploma courses in the UK for international students who are already practicing to become registered veterinary courses. This diploma course covers cats, dogs, rabbits, and guinea pigs. It takes 2.5 years to complete and instruction is face-to-face at Greenmount Campus.

You must be at least 16 years old and have completed 3 months or 400 hours of work experience in a veterinary practice.

Apply Here

9.     Diploma of Higher Education in Psychology – UK Open University

This diploma course in psychology is best suited for those with no prior knowledge of psychology. The diploma explores core areas of psychology and research methods used by psychologists to conduct psychology research of your own. You can also take this diploma course even if you are a practicing psychologist.

The course is offered in both full-time and part-time format which requires 2 years and 4 years respectively to complete. The instruction format is distance learning and requires no formal entry requirements. The total estimated cost of this diploma is £13,848.

Apply Here

From these 9 lists, you should be able to decide on where to study for a healthcare diploma in the UK. Note that these institutions require IELTS for international students to study but they also have alternatives for students who do not want to take the IELTS.

Recommendations