Bachelor of Nursing

Level 7

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Let UCOL help give your nursing career the best start. It’s the personal approach from our industry experienced lecturers that sets us apart & gives our Bachelor of Nursing graduates an excellent professional reputation both here & overseas.

UCOL nursing learners learning at the campus

Quick info

Level: 7

Locations: UCOL Manawatū in Palmerston North, UCOL Whanganui, UCOL Wairarapa in Masterton

Duration: 3 years, full-time
43 weeks each year

Dates:
Palmerston North and Whanganui
Y1 S1: 03 Feb 2025 – 28 Nov 2025
Y1 S2: 28 Jul 2025 – 22 May 2026
Y2 S1: 03 Feb 2025 – 28 Nov 2025
Y2 S2: 28 Jul 2025 – 22 May 2026
Y3 S1: 20 Feb 2025 – 14 Nov 2025
Y3 S2: 22 Sept 2025 – 17 Jul 2025

Masterton
Y1: 10 Feb 2025 – 05 Dec 2025
Y2: 20 Jan 2025 – 14 Nov 2025
Y3: 27 Jan 2025 – 21 Nov 2025

Domestic Fees: *
Y1: 8,738.00 Y2: $8,738.00 Y3: $8,738.00

Scholarship info

Find out if you're eligible for fees-free study

International Fees:*
$29,734.00 per year

Additional Fees
Compulsory course costs may apply.

* Fees are indicative only, and are inclusive of the student services levy and GST (goods and services tax). The fee shown is for one year of study.

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Programme Development

The UCOL Bachelor of Nursing will provide you with learning opportunities that enable you to become an effective registered nurse who provides competent, comprehensive nursing care.

We have a team of lecturers to guide you through your nursing journey. They’ll support you through the curriculum, which includes up to 160 hours of clinical placements in your first year. As you continue through the programme, these clinical experiences will include primary health care, medical and surgical wards, and mental health settings across the lower North Island. Across 24/7 rotating rosters, you will gain experience and develop your skills alongside registered nurses on site and UCOL lecturers.

Is this for you?
This programme is designed for:

School leavers with University Entrance
International students wishing to complete a Bachelor of Nursing degree in New Zealand
Internationally qualified nurses wishing to apply for registration as a nurse in New Zealand
Mature learners who are currently employed in the caring professions who wish to enhance their career opportunities by studying at a degree level
People returning to study from the workforce who are seeking a career in the nursing profession.

Course Hours & Duration

This programme runs for 43 weeks each year, including 5 holiday weeks.

Per week, your learning will include approximately:

Year 1, 2 and 3

4 to 12 hrs of lectures, tutorials and/or online recordings.

Work Time

Year 1: 4 days a week for a 5 week block placement, Monday-Thursday, morning and afternoon shifts only.

Year 2: 2 blocks of 6 week placements, 7 days a week on a rotating roster.

Year 3: 1 block of 3 weeks and then 1 block of 9 weeks, depending on your placement setting, could be 24/7 rotating roster shiftwork.

Study Time

11 to 17 hrs - study in your own time.

Career & Study Outcomes

Graduates of UCOL's Bachelor of Nursing may be employed in the following types of settings:

Hospitals
Community agencies
Māori health education
Iwi-based health centres
Pharmaceutical companies
Government departments
Employment overseas

To find out more about possible job prospects and salaries for Registered Nurses, see careers.govt.nz

Course Information

Note: As a business division of Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, UCOL is committed to providing the best learning outcome for you. As part of this, all programmes are currently being reviewed to make them portable, consistent, and closely aligned with the needs of the industry. When published, this course information is correct, but the courses offered may change over time. If you have any questions, call an enrollment advisor at 0800 468 265.

This programme consists of 360 credits.

Year 1

Society And Health in Aotearoa/New Zealand (15 Credits)
Develop knowledge of the nature of health across the lifespan in Aotearoa/New Zealand and its relevance to nursing practice.

Professional Nursing: An Introduction (15 Credits)
An introduction to nursing, the associated knowledge base and the cultural safety framework for nursing practice.

Bioscience for Health Professionals (25 Credits)
Gain foundation knowledge of the normal form (anatomy) and function (physiology) of the human body and an understanding of the basic scientific components and concepts that underpin this.

Fundamental Skills for Nursing (25 Credits)
Develop a range of fundamental clinical practice skills required for safe and effective nursing practice.

Communication and Education for Professional Practice (20 Credits)
Develop skills and knowledge required for effective therapeutic communication and health teaching.

Clinical Practice (Introduction) (20 Credits, 160 hours of practical experience)
Integrate theoretical and clinical learning within a practice setting at a novice level.

Year 2

Aotearoa/New Zealand Health Care System and Professional Practice (20 Credits)
Develop knowledge and understanding of the Aotearoa/ New Zealand health care system, the professional, ethical, legal and cultural safety responsibilities of Registered Nurses (RN’s) and the relationship to health outcomes.

Nursing Science and Practice Skills (35 Credits)
Develop knowledge of pathophysiology and pharmacology in relation to specific body systems and their application to nursing assessment and patient care. To further develop basic nursing skills that were taught in 513, and develop a range of clinical skills required by an advanced beginner nursing student to enhance effective nursing practice.

Person-centred Care: The Mental Health Context (15 Credits)
Develop an understanding of specific nursing skills necessary for the delivery of competent management of care. Assess and provide appropriate interventions for individuals and their whanau experiencing mental illness and distress.

Clinical Practice (Medical/Surgical) (25 Credits, 240 hours practical experience)
Integrate theoretical and clinical learning within a medical/surgical practice setting at an advanced beginner level.

Clinical Practice (Mental Health) (25 Credits, 240 hours practical experience)
Integrate theoretical and clinical learning within a mental health practice setting at an advanced beginner level.

Year 3

Primary Health Care (15 Credits)
Gain a deeper understanding of primary health care context and primary health care nursing across the lifespan.

Preparing for Registration: Promoting Practice Improvement and Lifelong Learning (15 Credits)
Prepare for your role as a new graduate registered nurse through the integration of theory and evidence-based practice, demonstrating an understanding of the potential professional and research-related contributions in contemporary nursing practice.

People with Acute and/or Complex Care Needs: A Partnership Approach (15 Credits)
Develop an understanding of the needs of patients/clients who require acute and/or complex care.

Chronic Conditions and Person-centred Care (15 Credits)
Develop an understanding of people with long-term health conditions and their personal experiences of their healthcare journey.

Clinical Practice (Primary Health Care) (24 Credits, 240 hours practical experience)
Integrate theoretical and clinical learning within a primary health care setting at a competent level.

Clinical Practice (Transition) (36 Credits, 360 hours of practical experience)
Integrate theoretical and clinical learning within a health care setting at a maintenance of competence level.

Industry Connections

The Nurse Education team have strong links with industry and learners have a wide range of clinical experience in mental health, medical/surgical, aged care and primary health environments across the three years of study.

Domestic Entry Requirements

General Admission Criteria
All applicants must meet the general admission criteria as approved by the Academic Board. In addition, all applicants are required to:

Declare any previous criminal convictions (including international convictions) prior to admission being confirmed. Convictions of any offence may not necessarily exclude applicants from enrolment; the decision is at the discretion of the Academic Portfolio Manager; and
Authorise UCOL to obtain a background check from the New Zealand Police Licensing and Vetting Agency. If a conviction and/or a matter of concern is identified, the decision for accepting the applicant's enrolment onto the programme is at the discretion of the Academic Portfolio Manager; and
Complete a Health Declaration Form; and
Provide certified copies of all relevant documentation.

Note: Before commencement of first clinical placement all learners must supply a current Comprehensive First Aid certificate.

The Academic Portfolio Manager may require learners to provide additional information before admission is confirmed.

Applicants under 20 years of age:
Applicants under the age of 20 years must have University Entrance

Successful completion of the UCOL Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 4).

On a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Executive Dean

Provisional enrolment, which is defined by NZQA as being Discretionary Entrance and includes the following clauses:

Discretionary enrolment may be granted to those applicants under the age of 20 who:

are a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand or Australia*,
have received secondary schooling to at least New Zealand Year 12 level (or its equivalent overseas) and earned at least 14 credits in an approved subject at Level 2 towards NCEA (or its equivalent), and
have met the literacy and numeracy standards required for University Entrance, or their equivalents,

* Australian applicants’ most recent year of schooling must have been in New Zealand.

Applicants 20 years of age or over
A person having reached the age of 20 years before the first day of the programme in the year for which admission is sought, is not required to meet any of the academic qualifications above. Applicants will be required to meet the criteria for enrolment to study nursing and may be required to attend a conversation, as set out in the advice and guidance section, prior to their enrolment being accepted. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss their career goals, reasons for study, choice of study, possible challenges, and the support that is available for them at UCOL.

English language proficiency
If English is not your first language, you must also demonstrate English language skills equivalent to an IELTS overall band score (academic) of 6.5 in all bands (or equivalent including TOEFL). IELTS scores used must be taken from a single IELTS Test Report Form (i.e. combining scores from more than one test is not permissible).

For more information about NCEA Credits see the UCOL NCEA explained page.

International Entry Requirements

International learners will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to ensure they meet New Zealand University Entrance requirements. In addition, in accordance with NCNZ (2017) and the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act [HPCA] (2003) requirements, all learners whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the general medium of instruction is not English, will be required to provide documentary evidence of proficiency in English (reading, writing, listening, and speaking).

The minimum requirements are:

Successful completion of an internationally recognised English Language proficiency tests to the equivalent of IELTS score of at least 6.5 (Academic) in all bands, achieved in one sitting authorised by the awarding body and which is within the preceding two years at the time the learner’s application is received and stamped by Registry; OR

Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; OR

Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; OR

Successful completion of a Bachelor’s Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters’ Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States; OR

Exemption or waiver on the basis of equivalence; UCOL may offer an evaluative test to domestic leaerners (Citizens and NZPR) to determine equivalence.

The English Language requirements for this programme are higher than the minimum set by NZQA; therefore, applicants who have achieved NCEA Level 3 University Entrance may be required to provide evidence of English Language skills.

Under 20 years of age
In addition to this, international applicants under 20 years of age must have NCEA equivalency.

Advice & Guidance

Entry to Nursing
You may be required to attend a conversation with UCOL staff after applying for the Bachelor of Nursing. The purpose of the conversation is to gauge your motivation, support, preparedness for study, and to inform teaching staff of your needs. (Refer to the UCOL admission policy and variations).

Timetable
The UCOL Bachelor of Nursing is a full-time programme of study. In a typical week, when you are studying theory course you will have a combination of face-to-face, online and self-directed learning. This includes laboratory work, practicing clinical skills and tutorial classes. As you progress through your studies each year, the weighting of self-directed learning will increase to prepare you for life-long learning.

Clinical placements

Clinical placements are an essential part of the Bachelor of Nursing. In order to successfully complete your degree, the New Zealand Nursing Council requires you to complete a minimum of 1,100hours of clinical placement. To meet this, you can expect to undertake rotating rostered shifts. This means shifts that fall any time of the day, any day of the week including weekends and public holidays. You will be required to travel to and from your placement. Any travel or accommodation costs associated with clinical placement are your responsibility.

Before clinical placement begins, you will be required to provide evidence of immunity to, or vaccination for, a number infectious diseases and a current comprehensive First Aid Certificate. There are costs associated with these.

Safety check
After you enrol, UCOL will undertake a safety check to ensure you meet the legislative requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act, 2014. This is undertaken for all students before clinical placements. UCOL will do this on behalf of Hospitals, Primary Health Organisations and other providers that host UCOL student placements. The safety check involves confirming your work history, verifying your suitability to work with children with a trusted referee, and completing New Zealand Police vetting.

Recognition of prior learning
Applications for Recognition of Prior Learning, including Cross Credit, Credit Transfer and Assessment of Prior Learning may be made on the Recognition of Prior Learning Form where a learner believes all learning outcomes for a course have already been met. Applications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the UCOL Academic Statute and other relevant policies and procedures.

Application checklist
It will make the process easier if you prepare the following before you apply:

National Student Number (NSN) (If you don't have a NSN, you may request one from NZQA, or you can supply a verified copy of your birth certificate, passport or Whakapapa statement.)
Evidence of your highest level of academic achievement (and evidence of prior learning, if applicable)
Evidence that you meet the entry requirements of the programme
A completed Police Declaration Form
A completed Health Declaration Form
Check if you're eligible for additional support or a scholarship. If you're 19 years or younger, you may be eligible to enrol in one of our free Youth Transition programmes.

Note that you will need to provide any verified documents in person, via post or email (not via the online application form).

Additional Costs

Please note the costs you will need to budget forwith the Bachelor of Nursing:

Clinical placements
Before starting clinical placement, you will need to provide evidence of:

A Comprehensive First Aid Certificate. You will need to arrange and complete this on your own time. The two main providers of this are NZ Red Cross and St John. This needs to include NZQA Standards 6400, 6401 and 6402.
Immunity to, or recent vaccination for, a number of infectious diseases. There will be a cost for serology blood tests. At times, vaccination will be required following blood tests.

While on clinical placement, you may be required to travel to other towns or rural areas. The Manawatū, Wairarapa and Whanganui regions are quite large with remote areas. Be prepared to travel for periods of time during your studies for clinical placement. Plan how you would travel for clinical placements as public transport is not always available at convenient times for shifts on a 24/7 rotating roster.

Required Items
For each year of the three-year degree there are specific items that you will need to provide. Please note that these are approximate costs. High quality and well maintained second hand items are more than acceptable. Please discuss with the teaching staff.

Serology testing fee approximately $300.00
Shoes and trousers $200.00
Stethoscope/scissors/penlight $125.00 (wait until the start of the programme to purchase, as staff will give you the best advice).
Watch with second hand $40.00
First Aid Certificate $250.00

State Final Examination Fees

State Final Examinations and Registration Fees are determined by the Nursing Council of New Zealand. The approximate cost is $240.00 per learner (subject to change) and payable by the student. This fee is paid at the time each student registers with the NCNZ for the State Finals Examination.