You can study nursing in Australia for free through the diverse range of study options they offer their students.
Australia has over 1,100 institutions, with the Australian tertiary education system distinguished from many other countries.
In this article, we will be looking at how to can study nursing in Australia for free and the necessary steps to take in order to land yourself in a tertiary institution in Australia.
Step-by-Step Guide to Study Nursing in Australia
- Step 1: Research
- Step 2: Check what is needed to study nursing in Australia
- Step 3: Fulfill English Requirements
- Step 4: Make your application
- Step 5: Accept your offer
- Step 6: Apply for a student visa
Step 1: Research top universities
The first step is to research the perfect school to get your nursing degree. It is at this stage that you choose the city and the lifestyle that suits you.
You might also be interested in checking the course descriptions and university reviews.
Finding universities with nursing programs won’t be hard because there are several universities and colleges that offer this program.
Each of the nursing schools in Australia has specific criteria that applicants must meet in order to be eligible for the program.
As we stated earlier, the location, curriculum and reputation of the school you choose are very important.
Step 2: Check what is needed to study nursing in Australia
Having decided to study nursing in Australia, you need to consider the general qualification levels.
Australia has numerous courses available to prepare students for the demand for nursing.
The first qualification level is a bachelor’s degree in nursing which is usually completed in three or four years, depending on the university.
A lot of universities and colleges offer this program with different specialization courses available.
The University of Technology Sydney is an example of a university where students can obtain a Bachelor of Nursing degree in three years full-time or six years part-time for 144 credit points.
After you complete your bachelor’s degree in nursing, international students can decide to study nursing in Australia for their Master’s.
Most universities and colleges offer different specialization courses such as Critical and Emergency Care, Mental Health Care, Palliative Care, Community Health Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, and many more.
The University of Sydney is an example of a university that offers a master’s degree.
International students can earn a Master of Nursing degree in two years full-time for 96 credit points.
Any student who wishes to further their education and career can pursue postgraduate degrees in nursing.
The University of Queensland is an example of a university where you can obtain a doctorate degree that can be completed in three to four years full-time.
To take a doctorate degree usually requires students to have experience in research, a university degree, and an English proficiency test.
Once you complete any of the degrees we mentioned, then you can start your registration to become a registered nurse in Australia if you choose.
The registration is applied at the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and there is the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) where you have to adhere to the certification requirements.
Step 3: Fulfill English Requirements
While planning to study nursing in Australia for free, you must know that Australia is an English Speaking country, therefore it is very necessary that you have enough English Language skills to live and study nursing in Australia for free.
If you are from a country where the English Language is not their first language, then English proficiency level is part of the course requirements.
In addition, if you come from a country where the English Language is not their native language and your previous curriculum is not an English medium, you will therefore need to present proof of English proficiency.
For instance, the University of Sydney requires an English language declaration form and an English language proficiency test with the required minimum score.
The tests can be any of the following: IELTS overall score of 7; PTE Academic overall score of 68; and TOEFL iBT overall score of 96.
Step 4: Start your application
Once you have chosen the university or college of your choice, it is time to apply.
Having completed the steps above, you must check out if you are eligible to apply for the program or not.
The requirements for most nursing schools are the same. However, it is necessary to look into their website for complete details.
The most common requirements are:
- English Language Certificate
- A high school Diploma with Year 12
- Proof of Financial Document
- Passport
- Motivational Letter
At the University of Sydney, international students need to present a secondary education qualification or a higher education diploma, an English language proficiency certificate, and additional inherent requirements that are ideal for a nurse.
The inherent requirement that we just mentioned are community tasks, observation or sensory tasks, physical tasks, intellectual tasks, and interpersonal and social interactions of a good nurse.
Step 5: Apply to a Nursing School
Once you start your application, for instance, Monash University will review your application if it is at par with their criteria.
They will also check that you are a Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE), which means that your sole purpose of entry to Australia is for study purposes only.
Step 6: Accept your offer
Once the university or college receives the application, it will be assessed and you will be notified of the result.
It can take a few weeks for your application to be processed. Usually, it takes longer for postgraduate courses.
If your application is successful, you will receive a letter of offer and an acceptance form.
If you applied to different schools and got accepted in all, then you will have to decide which option is best for you.
Step 6 : Apply for a student visa
This is a very vital stage. It all starts with preparing the student’s visa requirements and passing the interview.
On the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website, you will get details for the visa application documents.
Before you can apply, you need to get an electronic confirmation of enrolment (eCoE) from the university.
The eCoE is given once you have paid the initial down payment for the tuition.
In general, if you are an international student, you must submit a valid passport, electronic confirmation of enrolment (eCoE), an English proficiency certificate, Overseas Student Health Cover, certificate of completion of year 12 or equivalent, and financial proof of documents.
In addition, to maintain the student visa while studying in Australia, you should be fully aware of the conditions expected that are expected from you such as studying part-time or full-time.
You also need to be aware of how you can maintain a satisfactory grade, and work only part-time, which is about a maximum of 40 hours and more.
It might interest you to know that, not adhering to these conditions may result in a cancellation of your student visa.
How to Study Nursing in Australia for Free
We shall be talking about two ways in which you can study nursing in Australia for free. But, before that, you need to prepare your application early.
There are a lot of applicants in most universities these days and these universities rely on difficult exams and grading systems for selection criteria.
The higher grades you have, the better the chances of standing out among numerous applicants.
If you want to study nursing in Australia for free, then you must not joke with your admission and scholarship proposals.
Preparing your applications early goes a long way in helping you achieve this fit.
- Apply for Scholarships in Australia
- . Apply to Affordable Universities in Australia
Apply for Scholarships in Australia
The best bet to study nursing in Australia for free is scholarships.
Australian universities provide great scholarship opportunities both for international students and domestic students.
Scholarships can reduce or completely cover your tuition fee.
Before you apply, ensure you enlist the most appropriate scholarships offered by your target university and target the best ones.
The higher paying scholarships are the ones higher to get but that shouldn’t discourage you from applying.
Apply to Affordable Universities in Australia
Another means by which you can study nursing in Australia for free or almost free is by applying to the affordable universities in Australia.
The cost of studying in Australia is high, but these affordable universities can make the cost of your education cheap.
When you combine these affordable universities in Australia with scholarships, you are eliminating tuition fees.
In Australia, you will find some public and private universities that offer quality education at a lower tuition expense.
Study Master’s in Australia for Free
The universities below offer master’s degree scholarships. As you know, a master’s degree in nursing can lead to a lucrative, in-demand career with a salary approximately three times the national average.
There are different types of nursing master’s degrees that can open some professional doors. Graduates with these master’s degrees can find jobs as nurse practitioners (NPs), nurse researchers, nurse administrators, and even nurse educators.
- University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarship (Masters)
- Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (Masters)
- Macquarie Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships
- Swinburne International Excellence Scholarships
University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarship (Masters)
This scholarship is available to high-achieving students who are undertaking graduate research at the University of Melbourne.
No application is required and there is 100% fee remission and up to $110,000.
Up to 600 scholarships approximately are awarded. The scholarship is open to domestic and international students.
For master’s students, the duration of this scholarship is 2 years.
It offers up to 31,200 USD allowance for living per year, and 2000 USD relocation grant for students who are on movement between states, and 3000 USD for students from abroad. Scholarship Link.
General allowance
Fee remission
Full benefit details
Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (Masters)
This is another helpful option for studying Master’s in Australia for free. It is given by Flinders University.
This scholarship covers health insurance, tuition fee waivers, and stipends for accommodation.
This scholarship is usually awarded to only 10 students and they get up to 28,000 USD as living stipends too.
There is another establishment allowance of up to 1500 USD with airfares and relocation costs that are given to students who are coming from overseas.
Scholarship Amount: Full Tuition Coverage, Annual Living Stipend of AUD $29,000 (USD $20,800). Scholarship Link.
Macquarie Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships
The Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship is awarded to recognize academic excellence for international students.
It is a highly competitive scholarship that is based on academic merit and awarded to future students.
This scholarship provides up to AUD $10,000 applied towards your tuition fee.
Scholarships are limited so we encourage you to accept your offer and scholarship early to avoid disappointment.
Undergraduates and Postgraduates are eligible and this scholarship reduces fess. See how to apply.
Swinburne International Excellence Scholarships
If you want to study nursing in Australia for free, Swinburne has a range of scholarships just for international students.
If you’re awarded one, you can focus less on finances, and more on learning and experiencing all that Swinburne and life in Melbourne have to offer.
Most of their scholarships are awarded based on the grades of your previous study and this simply means that the higher your grades, the higher the amount of scholarship you will receive. Scholarship Link.
Study nursing in Australia for free at the PhD. Level
Here are some PhD. Scholarships that you should consider:
- ANU PhD. Scholarships
- University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarship (PhD.)
- AGRTP Scholarships for PhD. Students
ANU Ph.D. Scholarships
This scholarship covers travel and removal allowances for students who are relocating to Canberra to commence their research program.
This scholarship also covers thesis allowance, dependent child allowance for international students, and also for paid medical, maternity and paternity leave.
This scholarship requires both local and international students to have a first-class bachelor’s degree and a research element master’s degree from renowned universities to be eligible.
The value is $28,854 per annum. Scholarship Link.
University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarship (PhD.)
If you want to study nursing in Australia for free, this is another scholarship to consider. It is available to high-achieving students undertaking graduate research at the University of Melbourne.
No application is required. You will be automatically considered for this award once you have applied to this university.
You stand to gain 100% fee remission and up to $110,000 and it is applicable in all nursing area-Nursing inclusive.
Australian and international students are eligible to apply. Approximately 600 are awarded.
You also stand to gain a living allowance of $32,400 per year pro-rata (2022 full-time study rate) for up to two years for students undertaking a Master by Research degree or up to 3.5 years for students undertaking a doctoral degree.
AGRTP Scholarships for PhD. Students
Scholarship Amount: Full Tuition Coverage, Annual Living Stipend of AUD $29,000 (USD $20,800).
Up to 10 students receive full free studentships and up to 28,000 USD living stipends to further improve their research independence and quality. Scholarship Link.
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Top Universities to study Bachelor of Nursing
Having seen the options through which you can be able to study nursing in Australia for free, here are some top universities where you can obtain a Bachelor of Nursing (based on QS ranking).
- University of Technology Sydney
- The University of Sydney
- Monash University
- The University of Queensland
- Deakin University
- Griffith University
University of Technology Sydney
It takes 3 years to obtain a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Technology in Sydney.
They cover subjects like behavioural science, physical science, ethics and subjects related to modern nursing practice. Check out UTS.
The University of Sydney
The Bachelor of Nursing (Advanced Studies) at The University of Sydney develops a comprehensive understanding of the professional nursing practice. Check out the University of Sydney.
Monash University
Nursing graduates at Monash University are highly sought after, due to the quality of evidence-based teaching and clinical practice experience students receive. Check out Monash University.
The University of Queensland
This is one of the top universities in Australia where the Bachelor of Nursing is a respected and innovative program developed in consultation with healthcare professionals. See how to study at UQ.
Deakin University
Obtaining a nursing degree at Deakin University prepares you to provide high-quality, safe, patient-centred care in a range of healthcare settings, with clinical placements starting from year 1. Check out Deakin University.
Griffith University
This is one of the universities that combine extensive experience with the key skills required to deliver excellent nursing care. See more about Griffith University.
What are your thoughts on these tips on how to study nursing in Australia for free?
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- Study nursing in Australia for Free