Alternative entry pathways into a nursing degree

Nursing degree pathways at a glance

It can be disappointing to see entry requirements you don’t meet, particularly when you’ve got a career in nursing in your heart. It’s a profession that many people simply feel “born to do”.

The important thing to remember is that there are other pathway options available.

Below outlines each Bachelor of Nursing entry pathway. You'll see that there are avenues available no matter your unique circumstances.

What entry pathways are available?

Let’s go through each pathway option separately to see how you can get into nursing without an ATAR.

Undergraduate certificate

An undergraduate certificate is a brief, foundational qualification. At the end of these certificates, you will not be a nurse, but you will have prepared for further study in nursing.

There are two types that can lead to a Bachelor of Nursing:

1. Undergraduate Certificate in Nursing Study Foundations with Torrens University

2. Undergraduate Certificate in Health Sciences with Curtin University

How it works

You enrol in either certificate online through Open Universities Australia. You then spend the following year or so studying subjects that prepare you to succeed in a nursing degree, in person, down the track.

Pathway duration

You’ll complete four subjects total, which takes one year full time, or part time equivalent to complete.

Where it leads

If you study the Undergraduate Certificate in Nursing Study Foundations with Torrens University, you’ll satisfy the entry requirements for a Bachelor of Nursing with Torrens University specifically.

This Bachelor of Nursing is completed in-person direct through the university. This means you need to be willing to relocate to live and study near a campus in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide if you don’t already live in these regions.

Explore the Undergraduate Certificate in Nursing Study Foundations with Torrens University.

If you study an Undergraduate Certificate in Health Sciences, available with Curtin University, you’ll satisfy the requirements for a Bachelor of Science (Nursing) with the same university.

This Bachelor of Science (Nursing) is completed in-person direct through the university. This means you need to be willing to relocate to live and study near a campus at Bentley (Perth), Albany or Kalgoorlie in Western Australia if you don’t already live in these regions.

Explore the Undergraduate Certificate in Health Sciences with Curtin University.

The other benefits

• Online study: While nursing is a field that typically requires in-person, hands-on learning at a bricks and mortar university, these courses allow you to study online while you build confidence, before progressing to the in-person study required to be a nurse later on.

• Credit: Study the Undergraduate Certificate in Nursing Study Foundations with Torrens University, and you will receive credit for three of the four subjects you complete when you progress onwards to the Bachelor of Nursing with the same university. This means you will enter your first year of the degree already partway through. If you’re studying an Undergraduate Certificate in Health Sciences with Curtin University instead, you may be able to apply for recognition of prior learning towards the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) with Curtin University.

• Confidence: While you won’t be qualified to work as a nurse just yet, you will have a certificate that boosts your confidence in studying nursing when you do complete a bachelor.

Vocational study

You can choose to use vocational study to build a future in nursing in two ways. You can either study a Diploma of Nursing at a TAFE level to become an enrolled nurse, or you can use your completed TAFE qualification to gain entry into a Bachelor of Nursing, allowing you to work towards becoming a registered nurse.

Enrolled nurses work under the direction of a registered nurse and are limited to direct patient care. This includes wound care, giving medications and monitoring. Registered nurses, on the other hand, are able to manage patient care plans and administer more complicated treatments. Registered nurses earn more and have greater capacity for career growth.

How it works

It varies depending on the TAFE provider, but you’ll usually need Year 12 or Certificate III to get in. You may also need to complete a literacy and numeracy assessment and demonstrate that you meet English language requirements.

While you can sometimes complete theory subjects online, it's important to know that a Diploma of Nursing can’t be studied entirely online, which is why this course isn’t available through Open Universities Australia. For this reason, we can’t directly advise on this course either.

Pathway duration

The 8 subjects of a diploma will generally take 1-year full time, or longer part time.

Where it leads

A Bachelor of Nursing.

The other benefits

• Hands-on experience: Diplomas in nursing require you to complete placements at hospitals and healthcare providers. This allows you to get a real sense for what a career in nursing entails while building your confidence and connections.

• A standalone qualification: A diploma will give you a more substantial standalone qualification if you decide you would like to work as an enrolled nurse instead of continuing study at university level to become a registered nurse.

• More specialised: Your studies will be specialised in nursing itself, instead of broad health study and academic readiness subjects as offered by the undergraduate certificate options.

If you already have a vocational qualification

Already completed study at TAFE or another vocational provider? In many cases you can use this as an alternative pathway into a Bachelor of Nursing.

Work and life experience

While ‘work and life experience’ is a common pathway option in courses outside of the health (such as business), you’ll notice it is often listed on Bachelor of Nursing courses. However in this case, it works a little differently.

Having ‘work and life experience’ that supports an application into a Bachelor of Nursing would be work as an enrolled nurse in a healthcare setting – which would have required you to complete a TAFE course, such as a diploma, in the first place.

An example of this scenario might be that you are working as an enrolled nurse, because you completed a diploma previously through TAFE. You could use your work experience in, say, an aged care home, to help support your entry into a Bachelor of Nursing. This would allow you to progress to become a registered nurse, increasing your earning capacity and career options.

How it works

Each university is different when it comes to assessing your work and life experience, but in general you may be asked to:

• sit a Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

• complete a Personal Competency Statement, which involves reflecting on your unique life experience and why you want to study at university; or

• apply for entry through an Experience Based Entry Scheme, which involves submitting a portfolio of evidence like your resume, academic records (this is where a Diploma in Nursing via TAFE would come in) and written references from employers or your school

Where it leads

A Bachelor of Nursing.

Which entry pathway is right for your situation?

Simply tick the one that best describes you and see the pathway options likely to be best suited.

☐ I know I want to study nursing. I just don't meet the entry requirements

Consider: The Undergraduate Certificate in Nursing Study Foundations with Torrens University or the Undergraduate Certificate in Health Sciences with Curtin University. They’re some of the most direct ways to qualify for a Bachelor of Nursing, noting that you will need to continue to study with the respective universities (in person, on campus), after studying your undergraduate certificate online.

☐ I already have a TAFE qualification

Consider: Applying directly to a bachelor degree. Your previous study will likely help you meet the entry requirements.

☐ I'd like to earn a recognised qualification before committing to a bachelor degree

Consider: A diploma via TAFE. This can act as a stepping stone into a degree while giving you a foundational qualification that allows you to earn money as an enrolled nurse while you’re studying.

☐ I've been working for years in health using a TAFE qualification, but don't have Year 12 or previous university study

Consider: A work and life experience pathway. At the discretion of the university, your professional experience and TAFE qualification will be considered for entry.

If you're still not sure, book a consultation with a dedicated student advisor. They’re experts at listening to unique situations to find the option that fits.

What should you think about before choosing an entry pathway?

Grab a good old notebook and pen (or the Notes app on your phone). Then, consider your answers to the following questions.

• What’s your career goal? Are you wanting to work as an enrolled nurse or a registered nurse? If you don’t know how to answer this question, perhaps think about the daily tasks you’d be happy doing, and the future growth you’re expecting (or happy to go without).

• How much time do you want to spend preparing for degree entry? Some pathways are shorter and completely online, like the Undergraduate Certificate in Nursing Study Foundations with Torrens University. Others, like a diploma through a TAFE, will be more lengthy, in person, and require placements (however, this option allows you to work in the field immediately).

• Is a standalone qualification important to you? If you’d like to be able to work instantly using a qualification, a diploma through TAFE will empower you to do so as an enrolled nurse (noting that you will need to keep studying to become a registered nurse). However, the undergraduate certificate options do not allow you to work as a nurse without further study.

How can you get started?

Whether you’re ready to enrol or not, you can keep exploring with these helpful resources.

• Explore nursing courses – see what else is out there (noting that the majority of these are at a postgraduate level, requiring a Bachelor of Nursing before entry).

• Read our career guide on nursing – it's packed with what nurses do each and every day, as well as career options and study advice.

• Find out what the most in-demand jobs are in Australia – you’ll find that nursing is well and truly one of them.

Of course, above all else it is recommended that you speak with a student advisor for personalised guidance on your entry options and next steps. They’re experts in unbiased guidance, and better yet, their advice is completely free.

Need help with your next step?

Take a look at nursing pathway courses or book a consultation with a dedicated student advisor. They’re available to give prompt, personalised guidance and they do it for free.

FAQs about entry pathways into nursing degrees