Graduate Certificate in Critical Care Nursing

What you will study

To be eligible for the award of Graduate Certificate in Critical Care Nursing, a student must earn 40 credit points. Each course is valued at 10 credit points.

Core courses

• Advanced Health Assessment
• Managing Complex Clients
• Transforming and Leading Healthcare
• Foundations of Critical Care Nursing Practice

Entry requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Critical Care Nursing, you must have:

• A recognised Bachelor of Nursing degree (or higher).
• Current or temporary, unrestricted registration as a registered nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).
• Be working with critical care presentations for at least two days per week.

Degrees from overseas institutions must be assessed as equivalent to a recognised Australian accredited qualification.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery has instituted a Recognition of Prior Experience (RPE) procedure for registered nurses without an undergraduate qualification. Applicants will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate eligibility requirements. The School of Nursing and Midwifery will determine eligibility for admission into the requested program based on the application, curriculum vitae and referee reports.

A higher qualification refers to a qualification at a higher level than a Bachelor's degree, which includes any of the following: a Bachelor's Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Master's Degree, MPhil, or PhD.

English language requirements

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are as follows:

• A minimum overall band score of 6.5 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 6.0.
• A minimum score of 575 on the TOEFL.
• An internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 79 (no sub-score less than 19).
• No score less than 3+ in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only).
• A minimum overall score of 176 (no score less than 169) on C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English) or C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English).
• An overall score of 58 on the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 50.

All applicants who hold current unrestricted registration as a Nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) are deemed to have met the English language requirements for admission to the program due to the requirements outlined in the Registration Standard (English Language Skills) set by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).

English test results must be no more than two years old.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for credit based on your previous study or experience. This may reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your degree. Credit can include:

• Prior study undertaken through an accredited education provider
• Prior experience through professional or life experience, such as employment, workplace training, volunteer work or community-based activities.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) to meet entry requirements is assessed at the time of admission. If approved, your offer and program duration will be automatically updated to reflect this change. You may also be eligible for additional credit if you have prior study or experience beyond what is required for entry.

For more information, please visit the Credit Transfer page.

Check the Credit Precedent Database to discover past credit decisions - and see what you might be eligible for. If your completed courses aren't listed, they can still be assessed when you submit a credit application.

Outcomes

Career outcomes

You may take on employment and nursing leadership roles in the clinical specialist area of critical care nursing. You may also expect increased professional recognition and mobility, an enhanced ability to remain in employment and an ability to provide leadership in the health field.

Fees and CSP

Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2026: $4,000 (Commonwealth Supported Place).

Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2026: $11,750 (domestic full-fee paying place).

All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of 40 credit points (normally four units) per year.

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

• The number of units studied.
• Choice of courses.
• 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 the courses 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.