Student nurse applications have dropped almost a third since the height of the pandemic.
Just 33,570 people applied to a UK nurse undergraduate course by the January deadline, down from 41,220 in 2022 and 46,040 in 2021.
The 27% fall in two years was revealed by UCAS data as 15,000 nurses were striking over a real-terms NHS pay cut from the Tories.
There are a record high 47,000 nursing vacancies in England.
The Royal College of Nursing staged a two-day walkout this week after the Government only granted the NHS a 4% pay rise, with inflation running at over 10%.
General Secretary Pat Cullen said: “These figures are damning for the Government. Not only are they losing record experienced nurses but they are compounding the problem by deterring the next generation.
“Nursing staff – today’s and tomorrow’s alike – need to know they are valued and that starts with fair pay.”
The UCAS data also shows nursing course applications from over-35s dropped to 7,230 for 2023, compared to 9,300 two years earlier.
Ms Cullen added: “A big drop in mature student applicants to nursing courses is deeply concerning too.
“During the pandemic, people were drawn to apply to study nursing by the professionalism showcased. These figures show that has been reversed entirely. Ultimately, patient care will continue to suffer.”
Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “It is a badge of shame for the Conservatives that they have turned off thousands of young people from a career in the NHS when we need them more than ever before.”
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “We know the number of applicants was exceptionally high during the pandemic but there continues to be strong interest in nursing and midwifery careers, with applications above 2019 levels.”
