STUDY PATHWAYS TO BECOME A REGISTERED NURSE
IN NEW ZEALAND
There are three pathways to qualify as a
Registered Nurse in New Zealand, which applies
to the following category of applicants:
-
Applicants without a nursing qualification
-
Applicants with an overseas Diploma in
Nursing and registered as a nurse in their
own country
-
Applicants with an overseas 4 year B.Sc. in
Nursing and registered as a nurse in their
own country
For the first category of applicants, applicants
would need to complete a Bachelor of Nursing (3
years) before applying to Nursing Council of New
Zealand (NCNZ) for registration. The second
category of applicants would need to complete
the Bachelor of Nursing for Registered Nurses (1
year) before applying to NCNZ for registration.
The third category of applicants would need to
enrol on WIE’s ESNR programme to fulfill the
IELTS requirement.
For Bachelor of Nursing, the IELTS requirement
is 6.5 across all bands and for Bachelor of
Nursing for Registered Nurses, it is 6.5 with no
band less than 6.0. For WIE’s ESNR programme,
applicants need to have at least 6.0 in all
bands.
All three categories of applicants would need to
have an IELTS score of 7.0 across all bands for
registration with the NCNZ.
Entry requirements for the two degrees and WIE’s
ESNR programme are as follows:
Bachelor of Nursing (3 years)
Entry requirements
-
All applicants must meet the general
admission criteria as approved by the
Academic Board of the enrolling institute.
-
IELTS (Academic Test) score of 6.5 across
all bands.
-
Declare any previous criminal convictions
prior to admission being confirmed.
-
Authorise the enrolling institute to request
for a criminal record report from the
relevant authority.
-
Provide certified copies of all relevant
documentation, and
-
Any other additional information requested
by the enrolling institute.
Bachelor of Nursing for Registered Nurses (1
year)
Entry requirements
-
Registration as a nurse in own country.
-
Current practicing certificate.
-
At least one year of employment as a
registered nurse in a practice setting in
the last five years.
-
IELTS (Academic Test) score of 6.5 with no
band less than 6.0.
-
Any other additional information requested
by the enrolling institute
WIE’s English Studies for Nursing
Registration (ESNR)
Entry requirements
-
A complete 4 year B.Sc. Nursing degree.
-
Current practicing certificate.
-
Registration as a nurse in own country.
-
Employment as a registered nurse in a
practice setting in the last five years.
-
IELTS (Academic Test) score of 6.0 across
all bands.
An applicant from any of the first two
categories intending to gain a NZ Nursing
Registration would need to do the following:
-
Applicant enrolls in a Bachelor of Nursing
(3 years) or Bachelor of Nursing for
Registered Nurses (1 year).
-
Completes the programme and gains a Bachelor
of Nursing degree+.
-
Applies to NCNZ for registration (requires
IELTS 7.0 across all bands).
-
NCNZ recommends applicant to undertake a
Competency Assessment Programme (CAP)
through a nursing school.
-
Applicant undertakes CAP.
-
On passing CAP, NCNZ awards New Zealand
registration.
+Completion of a nursing degree does not
enable the applicant to practice as a nurse in
New Zealand.
An applicant from the third category intending
to gain a NZ Nursing Registration would need to
do the following:
-
Applicant enrolls in
WIE’s ESNR programme.
-
Completes the programme and sits for the
IELTS test and obtains a score of at least
7.0 in all four Academic Test modules.
-
Applies to NCNZ for registration.
-
NCNZ recommends applicant to undertake a
Competency Assessment Programme (CAP)*
offered by an accredited service provider or
jointly by an accredited service provider
and school of nursing.
-
Applicant undertakes CAP.
-
On passing CAP, NCNZ awards New Zealand
registration.
*Competence assessment programmes may be
offered by an accredited health care service
provider or jointly between an accredited health
care service provider and a tertiary provider
with a Council approved programme leading to
registration as a nurse. |
