What kind of student am I?

Nursing at Melbourne offers courses to students seeking their first nursing qualification and to registered Division 1 nurses seeking speciality or research qualifications.  If you have no prior nursing qualifications or if you are a registered nurse seeking further qualifications it is helpful to first identify your current qualifications so that you can choose the best course for you.

• I am a school leaver
• I am graduate with a degree in a discipline other than nursing
• I am a Divison 1/Registered Nurse in Australia
• I am a Registered Nurse in a country other than Australia
• I am a Division 2/Enrolled Nurse in Australia
• I am a mature person with no formal qualifications

I am a school leaver

If your highest qualification is the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), Higher School Certificate (HSC) or equivalent and you are interested in a nursing career you have a number of options to consider.

The University of Melbourne offers a range of generalist bachelor degrees for suitably qualified school leavers under the new Melbourne Model which is being introduced in 2008.  Once you have completed a generalist degree you can apply to study the Master of Nursing Science to gain your nursing qualification.

There is not a direct entry pathway from School into nursing at the University of Melbourne since the introduction of the Melbourne Model.  Applications will be considered for the Master of Nursing Science from graduates of the University of Melbourne and other universities.

I am a graduate with a degree in a discipline other than nursing

If you have completed an Australian three-year bachelor degree or equivalent you may be eligible to apply for the Master of Nursing Science (MNSc).  The MNSc is a unique program giving graduates the opportunity to gain a masters qualification while meeting the entry-to-practice requirements of the Nurses Board of Victoria (NBV).

If you have an honours degree in a health-related discipline related and you are interested in a research career you may be interested in our Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or PhD programs.

I am a Division1/Registered Nurse in Australia

If you are a Division 1 nurse with at least one year’s work experience post-registration, you may wish to consider specialist, advanced practice or research training.  Eligibility for these programs may depend on whether you have completed your Division 1 qualification by gaining a bachelor degree or by training in the hospital.

Division 1 nurses with at least one year's work experience are eligible to apply for the Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing Practice or Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Practice and Master of Advanced Nursing Practice. Please see the specialty and advanced admission requirements for full selection criteria.

If you have an honours degree you may be eligible to apply for the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or PhD programs. 

I am a registered nurse in a country other than Australia

If you are a registered nurse in a country other than Australia your eligibility for courses depends on recognition of your nursing qualification.

If your nursing qualification is recognised by the Nurses Board of Victoria and you are allowed to practice in Victoria, Australia, you may wish to consider applying for specialty and advanced practice qualifications offered within the Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Practice and the Master of Advanced Nursing Practice clinical stream. 

If you are not registered to practice in Victoria you may apply for the Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing and Master of Advanced Nursing Practice theory stream.

I am a Division 2/Enrolled Nurse in Australia

If you are a registered Division 2 Nurses you have a number of options available to you if you wish to gain Division 1 registration.

You may be eligible for regular or non-school leaver entry to one of the University of Melbourne generalist bachelor degrees. Once you have completed a generalist degree you can apply to study the Master of Nursing Science to gain your Division 1 nursing qualification.  Division 2 Nurses find that this path may take longer than they wish to commit to study. Alternatives include mature-age entry schemes offered by some universities and the Division 2 entry pathway into a small range of Division 1 nursing programs.  For information about providers of nursing courses for Division 2 nurses, please see the course search option on the Victoria Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) website or the list of education providers on the Nurses Board of Victoria website.

I am a mature person with no formal qualifications

If you are interested in a nursing career but do not meet the academic requirements for the Master of Nursing Science, you may be eligible for non-school leaver entry to one of the University of Melbourne generalist bachelor degrees. Once you have completed a generalist degree you can apply to study the Master of Nursing Science to gain your nursing qualification.

There is no direct entry pathway into nursing at the University of Melbourne since the introduction of the Melbourne Model. Applications will be considered for the Master of Nursing Science from graduates of the University of Melbourne and other universities.

If none of the above applies to you please contact us and we will guide you in choosing the right course for you.