Part-time pre-registration nursing programmes aim to widen participation to female mature students and to reduce tension between domestic and study roles by 'tailoring' provision to the perceived needs of this group but there is little evidence of whether these aims are achieved. Findings are presented from an evaluation of a part-time pre-registration adult diploma nursing programme which suggest that this programme was successful in widening participation to female mature students but did not succeed in reducing role conflict for female mature students. The authors relate these findings to the literature and conclude that that this second aspect of tailoring may be difficult to achieve due to socio-economic changes, particularly increased female participation in the workforce.