Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Re-Entry)

What you will study

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Re-entry), you must successfully complete units totalling 24 credit points as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 6 credit points.

Core units

• The Nurse Professional
• Contemporary Australian Healthcare
• Clinical Nursing Practice (12 credit points)

Entry requirements

To be eligible to enroll in this course, the AHPRA/NMBA must refer applicants to undertake "a board-approved re-entry to practice program". A copy of this referral must be supplied with your application. NMBA/AHPRA referrals have an expiry date. Therefore, applicants are responsible for ensuring they have sufficient time to complete the course (including work-integrated learning). For further information, please refer to the Nursing and Midwifery Board Re-Entry to Practice.

Domestic students from non-English speaking backgrounds may be required to undertake an academic IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum achievement of 7 across all bands and overall prior to undertaking their clinical placement. This is in order to meet Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council standard 5.6. At the discretion of the Head of Course, students may be referred to an internal English short course at their own expense. This is in order to meet Australia Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council standard 2.2.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help reduce the number of units you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Career outcomes

Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Re-entry) and acquiring registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia you will be equipped to work as a registered nurse in Australia. As a nurse, you can choose from a number of roles in the healthcare profession, including positions in:

• Public and Private Healthcare
• General Health Services
• Mental Health Services
• Community Health Services
• Residential Care Services
• Indigenous Health Services
• Remote and Rural Health Services

Fees and CSP

Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2026: $2,368 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2026: $15,078 (domestic full-fee paying place)

All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of 24 credit points (normally four units) per year.

A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:

• The number of units studied per term.
• The choice of major or specialisation.
• Choice of units.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

Commonwealth Supported Places

The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.

If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.

Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.

Your student contribution amount is:

• Calculated per unit you're enrolled in.
• Depending on the study areas they relate to.
• Reviewed and adjusted each year.

HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.