Bachelor of Nursing – BN

Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

• Massey University entry requirements

Specific requirements

This is a ‘selected entry’ qualification. This means as well as applying you will need to provide additional material as part of your application.

You will be selected into the qualification on the basis of a process which includes providing:

• a curriculum vitae of approximately 3 pages, which should include your academic and work history
• contact details for 2 character referees. Your referees must not be family or friends. One referee should be a confidential report from your school or institution (if applying within 2 years of leaving secondary school or a private training establishment). The other should be an employer or community group representative. If you have not studied in the last 2 years a second professional referee is required. In some circumstances we may request an additional referee.
• a completed vetting service request and consent form for a New Zealand Police check – a criminal record check under the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004
• a current police certificate from any overseas countries you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years
• a completed Health and Disability Declaration.

Where you have indicated any health issue or disability on the Declaration form, you may be asked to supply further information.

You may be required to attend an interview. 

Once you have been accepted into the Bachelor of Nursing, in order to be eligible for Clinical Placement (a compulsory part of the qualification) you will need to complete the following tasks: 

• Meet the immunisation standards of practice for healthcare professionals in New Zealand. This includes, Hepatitis B, Varicella (Chicken pox), Measles, Pertussis (Whooping cough), Tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19, and must be completed by 31 March. Further details will be sent to you on admission into the qualification.
• Hold a CPR First Aid Certificate (at a minimum), and must be completed by 31 March.
• Fill out a VCA 2014 Questionnaire- Vulnerable Children Act 2014 (VCA 2014) (provided at orientation).
• Sign a Professional Conduct and Confidentiality document (provided at orientation).

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are essential skills and attributes successful students will demonstrate to complete nursing courses while preserving the academic integrity of Massey University and New Zealand Nursing council’s learning, assessment, and accreditation processes. Please read through this list of inherent qualities.

Inherent requirements for nurses

Registration as a Nurse

To become registered as a nurse in New Zealand you must complete and pass your Bachelor of Nursing degree. You will then be eligible to apply to sit the NCNZ registration exam. On successful completion of the registration exam you will be sent the documents and invoice for your annual practicing certificate (APC). All registered nurses are required by law to have a current APC to practice as a registered nurse in New Zealand. 

English language requirements

You need to demonstrate your ability to communicate and comprehend English sufficiently to protect the health and safety of the public (section 16 (a) & (b) HPCA Act 2003). If English is not your first language you must provide your results in an Academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test or an approved alternative English Language test. You must have achieved at least 6.5 across all bands with no band less than 6.5 (or equivalent score in an approved alternative English Language test) within the preceding 2 years.

If English is not your first language and you experience communication difficulties in theory, laboratory or clinical components of any nursing course within the qualification, you will be required to sit a further IELTS, or approved alternative English Language test, at your own expense. Failure to achieve a score of 6.5 (or equivalent) in one sitting, may result in being withdrawn from the qualification. Massey University does not accept any responsibility for student’s lack of achievement in a course due to lack of English proficiency. 

Campus

Nursing is available on Massey's Manawatū and Wellington campuses. As places are limited we encourage you to apply early. Should a campus reach its maximum number of places you will be waitlisted and contacted regarding other options.

Application closing date

Applications close on 31 January of the year of study. Late applications that are complete may be considered if places allow.

About referees

Referees need to be able to provide informed responses on your personal suitability for the qualification. A referee should be someone who has known you for 1 year or more in the capacity of employer,  educator, or person of community standing, ie kaumātua, minister or similar. Your referee should not be a friend, flatmate, relative or someone who has known you for less than year. The information your referee supplies is confidential to those involved in the selection process. 

Additional costs

Participation in this qualification incurs further associated costs. These can be in excess of $2,000. These include but are not limited to;

• Uniform
• Equipment
• Textbooks
• Travel to and from placements
• First Aid Certificate
• Immunity Screening

On successful completion of the qualification, in order to become a registered nurse, students will need to pay for:

• NCNZ State examination State final examinations
• NCNZ APC (Annual practicing certificate) Annual practising certificates

Travelling to clinical placements

You will need to travel to and from clinical placements throughout the qualification. These placements vary in shift times as you progress. It is important to consider how you will travel and what level of driver licence you have. If you do not have a full driver licence you will need to apply for an exemption to NZTA Waka Kotahi to travel outside of your limitations for each occurrence. Each application involves a fee. 

Prior learning, credit and exemptions

Transfers

If you are a nursing student from another institution wishing to transfer into the Bachelor of Nursing at Massey, please contact us prior to making any application. You will need to provide an academic transcript from your current provider along with a reference from the Head of School/qualification, number of clinical hours completed, and the course outlines (prescription and learning outcomes). Applications for transfer need to be submitted no later than 1 October for the following academic year.

For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:

• review the Recognition of Prior Learning regulations
• contact us through the Get advice button on this page.

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Maximum time limits for completion

There are maximum time limits to complete this qualification. If you do not complete within the maximum time, you may be required to re-apply for the qualification if you wish to continue your studies. 

The Bachelor of Nursing is normally completed in 3 years of full-time study. If you are granted any extensions during your studies, the maximum time to complete this qualification is 5 years.   

• Look for information under ‘Completion Requirements’ in the regulations for this qualification
• Contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Undergraduate Degrees, Undergraduate Diplomas, Undergraduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may be no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

*This course is not available to international students.