Nursing in Glasgow: Studying, working, and living guide
Find out about nursing in Glasgow - where nurses can find jobs, the hospitals they might work in, colleges & universities to study in, plus living information.
Glasgow is a vibrant city and a wonderful place to live and work. It is Scotland’s largest city, located on the River Clyde in the Western Lowlands. It is easily commutable from Scotland’s other major cities and is accessible to all destinations in England and beyond.
It is famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, and for nurses it’s a beautiful part of the world to live and work in. These days it is a national cultural hub and home to the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, and National Theatre of Scotland.
Where do nurses work in Glasgow?
Glasgow is home to the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Trust, as well as a large number of private hosiptals and care homes that specialise in a number of diffrent areas, such as support for the elderly.
Here are some of the employers located in the city:
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital
Royal Hospital For Children
The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Trust has nine main hospital sites and thirty five hospitals- including five maternity hospitals/units, five Emergency Departments and three Minor Injuries Units.
There are thousands of vacancies for nurses across multiple specialisms throughout Glasgow – so there’s no shortage of work for anyone wishing to relocate here.
Where do aspiring nurses study in Glasgow?
Anyone wishing to train to become a nurse at a university in Glasgow can study at the University of Glasgow. The university is consistently ranked at the top of the league tables and in 2022 it was second in the UK in the Complete University Guide and second in the UK in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.
The main Gilmorehill campus is in the West End of the city within easy reach of the city centre by public transport or on foot. Courses start in September.
Find our nursing university guide here.
According to Zoopla, the average monthly rental costs for students in Glasgow, including bills, is £786 for a one-bedroom flat – around two thirds of the cost in London.
Where do nurses live in Glasgow?
Nurses live all over the city and surrounding areas, but some of the the most popular locations are:
Dennistoun
East of Glasgow, popular with young people and students
Merchant City in the City Centre
Appeals more to young people
Hillhead
Located in the West End of the city and home to Glasgow University
Bearsden
Part of East Dunbartonshire, six miles from the city centre
Glasgow is a large city, with communities of nurses and Student Nurses found in every area. There are hospitals, GP surgeries, care homes and health centres all over the city, so finding a home close to your employer won't be a challenge.
What are the living costs for nurses in Glasgow?
Overall, Glasgow is one of the more affordable places for nurses to live and study in the UK.
The average price for a home in Glasgow is currently £187,806– much lower than the UK national average of £293,000.
The average rental price for a property in Glasgow is £1087 per month for a two-bedroom property. But if you’re only looking to rent a room in a shared house, the average cost is about £700.
The average Council tax cost (for a year) in Glasgow for a Band B property is £1481.
Utility bills are about the same as the rest of the UK, but other costs such as dining out and transport are lower overall.
All in all, Glasgow is cheaper than a lot of UK cities, and this means you'll be able to spend your free time without worrying (too much) about money.
Is travel easy in Glasgow?
Access is easy to all parts of Scotland and England, with London a four to five hour trip by train. You can reach Manchester in three hours and Newcastle in two and a half hours.
By road London takes approximately seven hours to reach or you can fly from Glasgow Airport in one hour and twenty minutes, with flights to other major UK destinations. Major motorways through Glasgow are the M6 (To Birmingham) and the M8 (to Edinburgh).
Glasgow is one of the UK’s best located and connected cities where you’re never too far from work, airports, or most of the country’s biggest cities.
What to do in Glasgow: walks, culture, nightlife and eating out
Glasgow caters to all tastes when it comes to your valuable free time.
Culture and attractions
Glasgow is regularly visited by tourists from all over the UK and beyond for its cultural attractions.
For anyone with a passion for the great outdoors Pollok Country Park is just ten minutes from Central Glasgow, while closer to hand is Glasgow Botanic Gardens.
You can marvel at The Finnieston Crane, and the Clyde recalling the city’s iconic shipbuilding history, wander around Glasgow Cathedral or visit The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
Glasgow is the UK’s first UNESCO City Of Music and has amazing music venues across the city including Barrowland Ballroom, the O2 Academy, OVO Hydro plus Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and many more.
The ‘Old Firm’ football fixture involving Glasgow Rangers and Celtic is known among football fans worldwide, while the city is extremely well catered for whatever your sporting passion.
Nightlife and eating out
Glasgow offers a wealth of options for nightlife, with more bars and clubs than you would ever need, while every possible option for eating out is within reach too.
Highlights include:
Popworld Nightclub- located on West George Street
Cathouse Rock Club
Murphy’s Pakora Bar- rated number one on Trip Advisor
The Gannet – a Michelin Star restaurant in the city centre
The choices are endless, so it won't be hard to find somewhere to relax or socialise.
What are the school options in Glasgow?
The City has 29 secondary schools, 149 primary schools and three specialist schools – the Dance School of Scotland, Glasgow School of Sport and the Glasgow Gaelic School, which is the only secondary school in Scotland to teach exclusively in Gaelic
Glasgow ranks in the top 10 in Europe or top 25 globally for the quality of its education and cultural provision.
There is a brilliant choice of schools here no matter the age group they cater for.
Population and demographics in Glasgow
Here are some of the stand-out population and demographic facts in Glasgow:
Glasgow City has a population of 630,000 – making it Scotland’s biggest city
The Greater Glasgow Urban Area has a population of more than 1.2 million
Its population density of 8700 per square mile is the fourth biggest in the UK
Population growth in Glasgow is predicted to be slow in the near future, at around 2%
3.5% of Glasgow’s population is unemployed – a lower rate than the UK average
In summary: is Glasgow a good place to be a nurse?
With an average salary of more than £35,000, nurses in Glasgow earn well above the national average. Best of all, you get to live in Glasgow – a historic, culturally vibrant and rapidly developing city.
It’s a fantastic place to study, with so much to do and such an international population. And with so much on your doorstep, it’s a great place to live, work and raise a family too. So, if you’re sold on the idea of moving to Glasgow, check out our latest roles across the city to see what’s on offer, and where.
Glasgow is undeniably getting more expensive – a consequence of its growing international appeal. But compared to London and other southern UK cities, it’s very affordable.
With overall living costs lower than many parts of the UK, your money should go reasonably far. Here are a couple of examples:
As a Newly Registered Nurse on an NHS Band 5 salary, if you rented a room in a shared house you’d likely still have more than £800 left each month for everything else - a much healthier disposable income than in much of the UK
As a Band 6 Nurse, you’re likely to earn enough money to get a mortgage that, deposit dependent, could cover the cost of a one or even two bedroom flat in the city
All in all, it’s a fantastic place to live and study.
