Diploma of Health Science in Sri Lanka at Nawaloka College

TL;DR: The Diploma of Health Science (UniLink) at Nawaloka College of Higher Studies is a full-time pathway diploma awarded by Swinburne University of Technology. It is designed to mirror the first year of a Swinburne health bachelor's degree, and Uplift lists the tuition at LKR 1,083,000 in total. It suits A/L students who want a structured start in health science and a clear route into a degree.

Apply now for the Diploma of Health Science

Health science is a broad field. It covers public health, human nutrition, community health and the research methods that sit behind clinical and policy work. Many students finish their A/Ls knowing they want to work in health but not yet knowing which role, and a pathway diploma gives them a year of university-style study before they commit to one bachelor's degree.

This guide explains what the Diploma of Health Science (UniLink) covers, who can enter, what it costs according to the Uplift catalogue, and what to check before you apply.

The programme at a glance

Level: diploma, delivered full-time at Nawaloka College of Higher Studies
Duration: 8 months
Awarded by: Swinburne University of Technology
Tuition: LKR 1,083,000 in total
Application fee: LKR 150,000
Structure: eight core units, designed to mirror the first year of a Swinburne bachelor's degree

On successful completion of all eight units, students can progress with one year's credit into a designated bachelor's degree at Swinburne. The programme page states that three intakes are offered each year, in February, June and October. Intake dates change, so confirm the next start date with Nawaloka before you plan around it.

UniLink diplomas at Nawaloka College

What you study

The eight units are all core, so every student covers the same ground.

Introduction to Human Biology
Health in a Social Context
Global Health
Introduction to Health Science Research
Foundations of Health Science
Human Nutrition
Introduction to Public Health
Health and Wellbeing

Skills you build

Alongside the subject content, the programme develops academic research and writing, evidence-based practice, communication and teamwork. These matter because first-year degree assessments reward students who can find evidence, reference it and write about it clearly. A smaller class size, which the programme describes as one-on-one time with lecturers, gives you room to practise those skills before you enter a larger degree cohort.

Entry requirements

There are two parts to entry: an academic requirement and an English requirement.

Academic entry

Sri Lankan GCE A/L: satisfactory completion of a minimum of three subjects
UK or Cambridge A-level: satisfactory completion of a minimum of three subjects, or predicted grades of at least three passes
Other recognised pathway: successful completion of an Australian recognised foundation programme in Sri Lanka

English proficiency

Sri Lankan GCE O/L: a C grade in English Language, together with successful completion of the A/Ls
Sri Lankan GCE A/L: a C grade in General English
IELTS Academic: overall 5.5 with no individual band below 5.0
PTE Academic: 42, with no communicative skill below 36

If your English result is borderline, ask Nawaloka which of these routes it will accept for your situation. The page lists several, and a different one may suit you better than the one you assumed.

Who this diploma suits

It suits students who have completed their A/Ls and want health science, public health or an allied health field rather than a single clinical profession. It also suits students who like the idea of a smaller first year before moving into a full bachelor's degree.

It is a pathway programme, not a licence to practise. Roles such as nurse or doctor need their own registered degrees and professional registration, so if you already know you want one of those, look at the nursing and medicine routes instead. Our guide to alternatives to medicine for Biology stream students shows how health science compares.

The programme page lists career directions that a health science education can lead towards, including health policy, health communication, hospital science and healthcare consultancy. Treat these as areas the field connects to rather than guaranteed job titles; the bachelor's degree you progress into will shape your options more than the diploma alone.

Other health and science options on Uplift

Nawaloka also offers diplomas in business, engineering and information technology through the same UniLink arrangement with Swinburne, which we cover in Swinburne diplomas in Sri Lanka at Nawaloka College. For a wider view of health study routes from O/L to degree, read Health science courses in Sri Lanka.

How to prepare an application

Start with your documents. You will need your A/L results or confirmation of your subjects, your O/L English result and, if relevant, an IELTS or PTE score. Gather them early, because English evidence is often the item that delays an application.

Next, decide which health field you are aiming for. The diploma units cover biology, nutrition, public health and research, so it helps to know which of these you enjoy most. If you are drawn to the laboratory side, compare it with the biomedical science routes. If you are drawn to community and policy work, public health is the thread to follow.

Finally, budget for the whole path, not only the diploma. The LKR 1,083,000 tuition covers the eight-month diploma; the bachelor's degree you progress into will have its own fees and may be paid in a different place. Add the application fee of LKR 150,000 and ask Nawaloka for the full schedule in writing.

Questions to ask before you apply

Which Swinburne bachelor's degrees can I progress to, and where will I study them?
What is the next intake date, and when does the application close?
How much of the LKR 1,083,000 tuition is payable up front, and is there an instalment plan?
Does my English result meet the requirement, or do I need a test?
How many credits transfer into the degree I want?

Write the answers down. They are the facts that decide whether this route is cheaper and faster for you than going straight into a degree.

Similar health science programs from other institutes

Bachelor's

Achievers International Campus

BSc (Hons) Professional Practice (Nursing) (Top Up)

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Bachelor's

KIU University

BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science

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Bachelor's

Esoft Uni

BSc (Hons) in Nursing (TOP UP) - London Metropolitan University (UK)

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PS. If health science is your direction, you can open the Diploma of Health Science at Nawaloka College page, compare it with the other options above, and apply through Uplift when you are ready.