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 will not have access to Te Whatu Ora Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay or Te Whatu Ora Hauora Tairāwhiti clinical placements/settings. This means that if you choose not to be vaccinated, this will have an impact on your ability to be accepted on placement in a healthcare organisation, and this will in turn have an impact on your ability to successfully complete the Registered Nurse Competence Training Scheme programme. 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 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.

Transfers/cross credits

As this is an integrated competency assessment programme, transfer and cross-crediting between institutes is unlikely.

Please note: Fees are not transferable between institutes.

Academic entry criteria

• Language requirements: IELTS 7.0 Academic in all bands, or Occupational English Test (OET) B pass in all areas (see details under English Language Entry Criteria)
• Documentation (specifically the “Decision Letter”) from the Nursing Council of New Zealand stipulating the requirement to complete a competency based integrated theory practice programme.
• Nursing Council of New Zealand requires a Police Clearance to be submitted prior to graduating from the programme.
• Verification that the applicant has successfully completed a Bachelor of Nursing or Bachelor of Health Sciences degree in Nursing.
• A current curriculum Vitae including details of education, qualifications, registration and career summary.
• Disclosure if you have had a previous CAP enrolment.

Immunological and serology requirements

You are required to have immunity and serology testing as part of the application process for acceptance into the programme.

You must supply the following evidence of serology and vaccination results:

• A blood test that gives results for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen and Surface Antibody within the last five years. You need this even if you have been immunised against Hepatitis B.
• Evidence of having received two vaccinations of MMR. If you are unable to supply evidence of two vaccinations of MMR your will need to provide evidence of your immunity to morbilli (measles) rubella and mumps.
• You must provide evidence of having had a Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination within the last five years. If you cannot provide the evidence you will need a vaccination against Pertussis.
• You must provide evidence of having had immunity or a vaccination to Varicella (chicken pox). If you do not have evidence of having had Varicella. If you are reasonably certain you had Varicella as a child we recommend you having the blood test first prior to having the vaccine.
• You must provide a Mantoux or Quantiferon Gold Blood Test. If the Quantiferon Blood test or the Mantoux test is positive then a chest x-ray and further laboratory tests will be required, (at your own cost). These may include Hepatitis B, C and HIV.
• 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 will not have access to Te Whatu Ora Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay or Te Whatu Ora Hauora Tairāwhiti clinical placements/settings. This means that if you choose not to be vaccinated, this will have an impact on your ability to be accepted on placement in a healthcare organisation, and this will in turn have an impact on your ability to successfully complete the Registered Nurse Competence Training Scheme programme. Accordingly, all students applying to enrol on the Registered Nurse Competence Training Scheme are strongly recommended to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

If you have any concerns or questions with these requirements please do not hesitate to contact the Programme Administrator, Sue Jackson, phone 06 830 1521 or email sjackson@eit.ac.nz.

English language entry requirements

Applicants for whom English is an additional language must demonstrate an acceptable level of English language fluency (spoken, written, and comprehension) prior to acceptance in the programme. An applicant’s English language assessment results must be less than three years old at the time they apply to Nursing Council for registration, following completion of their Registered Nurse Competence Training Scheme.

Acceptable English levels are:

Certificate of a pass in courses recognised by the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – Academic

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[1]: and
• either (i) an IELTS Academic score of at least 7.0 in every band; or (ii) an OET score of at least 350 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[2].

NZQA English language entry requirements for international students at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/our-role/legislation/nzqa-rules/nzqf-related-rules/programme-approval-and-accreditation/8/18/

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

Entry to the programme is limited by the number of places available in the clinical practice area, and applicants will be accepted in the order in which their completed application is received.