Dhiraj Kandel
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Quick answer
The essentials at a glance
A diploma of nursing in Australia trains you as an enrolled nurse in about 18 months, and a bachelor of nursing trains you as a registered nurse in three years. This page explains both routes for Nepali students after +2, the entry and English scores, sample fees at TAFE Queensland and Griffith, and how AHPRA and the Nursing and Midwifery Board register nurses.
Key takeaways
Main points from this page
- A diploma of nursing leads to enrolled nurse registration, and a bachelor of nursing leads to registered nurse registration.
- Nurses and midwives must register with AHPRA through the Nursing and Midwifery Board before they can work.
- AHPRA asks for IELTS Academic 7 overall, with 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing, or an accepted equivalent.
- Every approved nursing course includes clinical placement, with health checks and a criminal record check.
- A diploma graduate can later study a bachelor of nursing, and the university decides what credit to give.
Can You Study Nursing in Australia After +2?
Yes, you can start nursing in Australia after +2, either with a diploma or with a bachelor’s degree.
Nursing is one of the most searched health courses among Nepali students. This guide is part of our study in Australia from Nepal series. It covers the diploma, enrolled nurse and registered nurse routes, and how nurses and midwives get registered.
If you want a health career that focuses on movement and fitness, compare nursing with sports science in Australia.
If you are still comparing levels, read our courses in Australia page first. Our blog on studying nursing in Australia gives a second view of the same subject.
- Diploma of nursing: about 18 months, and it leads to enrolled nurse registration.
- Bachelor of nursing: three years, and it leads to registered nurse registration.
- Midwifery: registered by the same Board, so check each university’s midwifery course page for its own rules.
- Regulator: the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, which works through AHPRA.
What Is the Difference Between a Diploma of Nursing and a Bachelor of Nursing?
The diploma makes you an enrolled nurse, and the bachelor’s degree makes you a registered nurse.
An enrolled nurse (EN) cares for patients under the direction of a registered nurse. A registered nurse (RN) carries more responsibility. A registered nurse plans care, assesses patients and often leads a team.
The diploma is taught at TAFE and private colleges. The bachelor’s degree is taught at universities. For a wider view of how diplomas and degrees differ after +2, see our diploma vs bachelor’s in Australia blog and the diploma courses in Australia page.
Some students start with the diploma and then move on to a bachelor of nursing. Each university decides how much credit it gives, so ask before you pay. Griffith College, for example, offers a pathway into Griffith’s bachelor’s degree.
Which Australian Providers Can You Look At for Nursing?
Good places to start are TAFE Queensland for the diploma and Griffith University and the University of Technology Sydney for the bachelor’s degree.
TAFE Queensland: Diploma of Nursing
The diploma runs for 18 months at most campuses and leads to enrolled nurse registration. Read the course page and our TAFE Queensland profile. Check with TAFE Queensland which campuses take international students.
Griffith University: Bachelor of Nursing
Griffith teaches this three-year degree on its Gold Coast, Logan and Brisbane South campuses. See our Griffith University profile and the course page.
University of Technology Sydney: Bachelor of Nursing
UTS teaches the three-year degree at its City campus. Clinical placement is compulsory, and UTS registers students with AHPRA from the first year. Read the UTS course page.
Which Route Should You Choose After +2?
Choose the bachelor’s degree if you want to be a registered nurse, and the diploma if you want a shorter and cheaper start as an enrolled nurse.
The diploma takes about 18 months and costs less in total. You can start earning sooner. But the enrolled nurse role has a narrower scope than a registered nurse.
The bachelor’s degree takes three years and costs more. It gives you the registered nurse role. It is also the usual base for later study such as a master’s degree.
If your marks or English score are not yet at degree level, a diploma or a college pathway can be a step. Ask the provider in writing how many credits you would get later. Our study in Australia after +2 with low GPA blog explains the options.
How Much Does Nursing Cost in Australia?
The TAFE Queensland diploma costs AUD 33,600 in total, and the Griffith bachelor’s degree costs about AUD 44,000 a year.
These are the amounts on the providers’ pages, and they change from year to year. Amounts here are in Australian dollars, so use our AUD to Rs forex converter for a current figure.
| Course | Length | International fee | In Nepali rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAFE Queensland, Diploma of Nursing | 18 months | AUD 33,600 for the whole course | about Rs 30 lakh |
| Griffith, Bachelor of Nursing | 3 years | about AUD 44,000 a year (indicative) | about Rs 40 lakh a year |
The Griffith figure is an indicative annual fee for a standard full-time load. These fees cover tuition only. You also pay for health cover, uniforms, vaccinations and living costs. Read our cost to study in Australia and scholarships in Australia pages to plan the full budget.
What Are the Entry and English Requirements for Nursing?
You need a completed +2, good marks in English and a science subject, and an English score that meets the provider’s rule.
UTS says it expects an Australian Year 12 or an equivalent qualification, with English assumed and science and maths recommended. Science stream students are best placed. Students from other streams should ask the provider before applying. Use our NEB GPA calculator to check your grade first.
Nursing asks for higher English than most courses. UTS asks for IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, with 7.0 in listening, speaking and reading and 6.5 in writing. Griffith lists the same bands for nursing. The general visa score is lower, so read our minimum IELTS and PTE for Australia blog and the student visa requirements page.
Diploma English scores differ by college, so check the provider’s international English page. UTS also asks for a criminal record check and vaccination records before placement, so expect similar checks elsewhere.
How Do AHPRA and the Nursing and Midwifery Board Register Nurses?
You cannot work as a nurse or midwife in Australia until you are registered with AHPRA, and the degree or diploma is only one step.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) sets the standards. AHPRA, the national health regulator, runs the registration.
Graduates of approved programs apply online, and the education provider confirms the results directly to AHPRA. You must also declare your full criminal history. The steps are on the AHPRA registration process page.
The Board has its own English rule. The English language skills standard asks for IELTS Academic 7 overall, with 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing. It also accepts OET and some other tests. Online or at-home versions of the tests are not accepted.
Choose a course that is approved for registration. A course that does not lead to registration will not let you work as a nurse.
Can You Work as a Nurse or Midwife After Graduating?
You can work as an enrolled nurse after a diploma and as a registered nurse after a bachelor’s degree, once AHPRA registers you.
Typical workplaces are hospitals, aged care homes, community clinics and home care. Midwives work with women before, during and after birth. If aged care interests you, read our aged care course in Australia blog.
While you study, you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight when your course is in session. The working hours in Australia page explains the rule.
After graduation, you may apply for the Temporary Graduate visa. Read our Australia 485 visa page for the length by qualification. No nursing course gives permanent residence on its own. Our PR courses in Australia page explains how to plan this honestly.
What Should You Know About Placements and Student Life?
Nursing courses include clinical placements in real hospitals and care homes, so your timetable is full.
Placements are compulsory, so plan your part-time work around them. Read our student accommodation in Australia blog if a placement means moving.
To get a student visa you need an offer from a registered provider. Read the Student visa (subclass 500) page and our visa success rate page for what we see at Goreto.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a vocational course of about 18 months that trains you as an enrolled nurse. After you graduate, you apply to AHPRA for registration.
No. A diploma leads to enrolled nurse registration. To become a registered nurse you need a bachelor of nursing or an approved master’s program.
Science is the safest choice, because nursing courses assume English and prefer science subjects. If you are from another stream, ask the provider before you apply.
UTS and Griffith ask for IELTS Academic 7 overall for the bachelor’s degree. AHPRA asks for 7 overall, with 6.5 in writing, at registration. Diploma scores vary by college.
The NMBA is the Board that sets the nursing and midwifery standards. AHPRA is the agency that processes your registration for the Board.
Yes, but midwifery is registered separately from nursing. Check each university’s midwifery course page for its entry and registration rules.
No. No course leads to permanent residence on its own. Read our PR courses page and the Home Affairs pages for the rules.
How Can Goreto Help You Apply for Nursing?
Goreto counselors help you pick an approved course, check your marks and English score, and prepare your papers.
You can meet a counselor at our Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari or Pokhara branch. Visit get in touch to find the nearest office.
Sources
Reference links
Disclaimer
Important guidance note
Fees, entry rules and registration standards change, so confirm each detail on the official provider or AHPRA page before you apply.
