Nursing courses

It’s because you can upskill in nursing online, but you can’t complete the core practical training that’s required to work with patients. Most of these courses are designed to help already qualified nurses learn more about a specific area of care or move into a leadership role. They focus on theory and don’t usually need you to do clinical placements away from your desk. 

If you’re interested in an undergraduate degree in the health sector, there are general health courses available online that will prepare you for on-campus nursing study. Or you might like to explore these public health courses, mental health courses, or aged care courses.

You can study part of an undergraduate nursing degree online, but not all of it. To become a nurse in Australia, you need to complete at least 800 hours of clinical placements. These placements happen in healthcare settings and on a university campus. Because of this, you won’t find an online Bachelor of Nursing offered through Open Universities Australia.

If you want to start your journey towards becoming a nurse, however, you can study Curtin University’s Undergraduate Certificate in Health Sciences online through us. This 4-subject course is for students who didn’t get the required ATAR for nursing and would like to qualify for entry. It’s entirely theoretical, so it doesn't require in-person attendance.

Studying nursing online offers a lot of benefits. It gives you the flexibility to learn at your own pace and on your own schedule, which is great for balancing your work commitments or family life. You can study from anywhere, so you don’t need to worry about travelling to campus.

You’ll learn a wide range of skills and knowledge that will help you specialise in your area of interest. Postgraduate nursing courses are designed to help you build on your existing nursing knowledge and prepare you for advanced roles in healthcare.  

Depending on the course you choose, you could study topics like:  

• Patient care and management  

• Advanced clinical skills in areas such as mental health, cardiac care, or emergency nursing  

• Evidence-based practice and research  

• Leadership and management in healthcare settings  

• Ethical and legal considerations in nursing  

• Communication and teamwork in healthcare environments 

You’ll be taught by experienced educators and have access to a variety of online resources to support your learning.

Studying a nursing course can be tough, but incredibly rewarding. To succeed, you should be prepared to tackle theoretical research from the inside out. Most of our postgraduate students spend at least 12 hours a week on reading and research per subject, but you’ll need to set aside even more time if you’re completing a dissertation or research project as part of your studies. You can gauge how intensive a subject is likely to be by looking it up on our website. Check the reading list, assessments and prior study required before you enrol.

Remember—while you’ll be studying online, you will never be in this alone. You will still be able to virtually collaborate with classmates and receive advice from staff with years of clinical experience. You can lean on them for support as you progress through your qualification.

It depends on a few things, including the duration of your course, the complexity of the study content, and the university you study with.

The cost of your nursing course could range from $4,500 for a short graduate certificate to $35,000 for an advanced masters degree. However, all online postgraduate courses available through us are covered by FEE-HELP. This means that if you’re eligible, you won’t have to pay the cost of your course upfront.

You can explore many different career options depending on your area of interest. Some options include:  

• Clinical nurse specialist: Work in areas like mental health, paediatrics, or emergency care.  

• Nurse educator: Teach and train new nurses.  

• Nurse practitioner: Provide advanced care in areas like chronic illness or family health.  

• Healthcare manager: Manage teams or healthcare facilities.  

• Research nurse: Help with healthcare research to improve treatments.  

• Public health nurse: Work on community health and disease prevention.  

You could also take on a leadership role (check out these health management courses), like charge nurse or nursing director, or work in areas like telehealth or occupational health.

Enrolling online is simple. Here’s how it works:

1. Find your course

• Browse the options on this page.

• Use our comparison tool to explore the different choices.

• Need help? Book a free phone consultation with a student advisor for personalised guidance.

2. Start your enrolment

• When you’re ready, click ‘Start studying now’ on the course page.

• Follow the prompts to begin your enrolment.

• You’ll need to provide supporting documents, such as:

  • Proof of identity

  • Your tax file number

  • A Unique Student Identifier (USI)

3. Wait for confirmation

Your chosen university will email you to confirm if your enrolment has been successful.

Note: Some courses have enquiries and applications handled directly by the university. If this applies, it will be clearly stated on the course listing page.

For more details, check our online self-service enrolment guide. And if you need help at any stage, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.