An interview may be part of the application process.

The academic entry criteria for the Registered Nurse Competence Training Scheme is a Bachelor degree in Nursing (or equivalent).

New Zealand registered nurses are required to provide:

• Evidence of Nursing Council of New Zealand registration;
• Evidence of most recent Annual Practising Certificate;
• Evidence of serology results indicating immunity;
• Current Curriculum Vitae including details of education, qualifications, registration and career summary; and
• NZ Police Vetting Service Request and Consent Form, which must be received by the Programme Administrator at least two weeks prior to the commencement of the programme.

Overseas registered nurses are required to provide:

• Evidence of Nursing Council of New Zealand Nursing Registration/Enrolment Verification form and decision letter recommending completion of a competency-based, integrated theory and practice programme;
• Evidence of serology results indicating immunity;
• Current Curriculum Vitae including details of education, qualifications, registration and career summary; and
• Evidence of a police check from country of origin, as well as any country in which they have worked.

Preferential selection criteria may apply as follows:

• For New Zealand registered nurses, preference may be given to applicants who have been out of practice for fewer than 10 years.
• For overseas registered nurses, preference may be given to applicants who have a minimum of two years’ paid registered nurse experience in the last three years.

You are required to supply the following evidence of serology and immunity results:

• Evidence of your COVID-19 vaccinations. It is not compulsory to have a COVID-19 vaccination but please be aware that students who are not fully vaccinated (2 doses + 2 weeks) for COVID-19 may be withdrawn from practicum if there is a COVID-19 outbreak and this may have an impact on your completion of the course. Accordingly, all students applying to enrol on the Registered Nurse Competence Training Scheme are strongly recommended to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
• Evidence of having received two MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) immunisations. If you do not have evidence of having received two MMR immunisations, you will need a blood test to show your immunity to Morbilli (measles), Rubella and Mumps.
• A blood test to show your immunity to Varicella or proof of having had chicken pox in the past.
• A blood test to show your Hepatitis B Antigen and Antibody status. You need a Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine if you cannot provide evidence of having received a Pertussis vaccine within the last ten years.

Please Note: All medical costs or expenses in providing proof of immunisation are your responsibility.

New Zealand registered nurses also need to complete the Tuberculosis questionnaire as part of the application process. For overseas registered nurses a Quantiferon Gold test is required.

Applicants for whom English is an additional language must demonstrate an acceptable level of English language fluency prior to acceptance in the programme. Such applicants need to provide evidence of:

• An IELTS test result with an Academic score of 6 and no band score lower than 5.5 gained within one sitting, or equivalent; and
• Either an IELTS Academic score of at least 7.0 in every band; or an OET score of at least 350 (B) in every band.

Applicants can achieve the minimum score in either English language tests over more than one sitting, however the required score must be met within 12 months of first sitting the test.

An applicant’s English language assessment results must be less than three years old at the time they apply to the Nursing Council of New Zealand for registration, following completion of their Registered Nurse Competence programme.

Entry Requirements

An interview may be part of the application process.

The academic entry criteria for the Registered Nurse Competence Training Scheme is a Bachelor degree in Nursing (or equivalent).

Overseas registered nurses are required to provide:

• Evidence of an appropriate visa for the duration of the programme;
• Evidence of Nursing Council of New Zealand Nursing Registration/Enrolment Verification form and decision letter recommending completion of a competency-based, integrated theory and practice programme;
• Evidence of serology results indicating immunity;
• Current Curriculum Vitae including details of education, qualifications, registration and career summary; and
• Evidence of a police check from country of origin, as well as any country in which they have worked.

Preferential selection criteria may apply as follows:

• For New Zealand registered nurses, preference may be given to applicants who have been out of practice for fewer than 10 years.
• For overseas registered nurses, preference may be given to applicants who have a minimum of two years’ paid registered nurse experience in the last three years.

Immunological and Serology Requirements

You are required to supply the following evidence of serology and immunity results:

• Evidence of your COVID-19 vaccinations. It is not compulsory to have a COVID-19 vaccination but please be aware that students who are not fully vaccinated (2 doses + 2 weeks) for COVID-19 may be withdrawn from practicum if there is a COVID-19 outbreak and this may have an impact on your completion of the course. Accordingly, all students applying to enrol on the Registered Nurse Competence Training Scheme are strongly recommended to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
  Evidence of having received two MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) immunisations. If you do not have evidence of having received two MMR immunisations, you will need a blood test to show your immunity to Morbilli (measles), Rubella and Mumps.
• A blood test to show your immunity to Varicella or proof of having had chicken pox in the past.
• A blood test to show your Hepatitis B Antigen and Antibody status. You need a Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine if you cannot provide evidence of having received a Pertussis vaccine within the last ten years.
• For overseas registered nurses a Quantiferon Gold test is required.

Please Note: All medical costs or expenses in providing proof of immunisation are your responsibility.

International English Language Entry Requirements

Applicants for whom English is an additional language must demonstrate an acceptable level of English language fluency prior to acceptance in the programme. Such applicants need to provide evidence of either:

• An IELTS test result with an Academic score of 6 and no band score lower than 5.5 gained within one sitting, or equivalent; and
• Either an IELTS Academic score of at least 7.0 in every band; or an OET score of at least 350 (B) in every band.

Applicants can achieve the minimum score in either English language tests over more than one sitting, however the required score must be met within 12 months of first sitting the test.

An applicant’s English language assessment results must be less than three years old at the time they apply to the Nursing Council of New Zealand for registration, following completion of their Registered Nurse Competence programme.