Master of Nursing in Australia: A Two-Year Route into Registered Nursing for Graduates

TL;DR: A Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry) in Australia is a two-year, full-time course that lets graduates of other fields train as registered nurses. When the course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), graduates can apply for registration as a registered nurse. Expect an English score of IELTS 7 or close to it, 800 to 840 hours of clinical placement, and fees of about AUD 36,000 to AUD 55,000 a year.

A Master of Nursing in Australia is one of the few routes that turns a degree in another field into a professional registration in two years. Graduates in biology, psychology, public health, business and many other fields use it to move into a registered, regulated profession. The catch is that entry is competitive, the English bar is high, and the course is built around hundreds of hours on hospital wards.

This guide explains what the course is, what four universities ask for, and how to check a course leads to registration.

Not sure whether your degree and grades fit a graduate-entry nursing master's? Check your eligibility with Prosper.

What a graduate-entry Master of Nursing is

It is a pre-registration nursing degree for people who already hold a bachelor's degree, usually in a non-nursing field. You study nursing science and practice, then complete supervised clinical placements in hospitals and community settings.

Edith Cowan University describes its Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry) as two years full time for bachelor's or master's graduates, with graduates eligible to register as registered nurses with the NMBA. The University of Adelaide says its course is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) and approved by the NMBA. That approval is what matters: the NMBA says approved programs qualify a person for registration. Course titles differ a little between universities, so look for the words graduate entry in the course name when you compare options, and check the approval yourself.

Want to know which graduate-entry nursing courses fit your degree and English score?

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Master of Nursing in Australia: four universities compared

All four are two years full time and listed on CRICOS, so they can be studied on a student visa. International students study full time. Fees are each university's own indicative figures and usually rise each year.

Who the course suits

• Science and health graduates. Biology, biomedical science, psychology or public health graduates usually meet the science entry rules directly.
• Graduates from other fields. Business, IT or arts graduates can still qualify at the University of Queensland, which accepts any bachelor's, or after a short anatomy and physiology unit at Adelaide or Southern Cross.
• People ready for shift work. Placements follow hospital rosters. Edith Cowan expects students to avoid paid work during full-time placements.

If you are already a registered nurse, this is not your course. Graduate entry is for people who are not yet nurses. If you are weighing the UK version, see our guide to the pre-registration nursing master's in the UK.

English: entry score vs registration score

There are two English bars, and they are not always the same.

1. The university's entry score. Shown on each course page, as in the table above.
2. The NMBA's registration standard. You must meet it to register after you graduate. The NMBA revised its English language skills standard, with minimum scores that changed from 23 April 2026.

Plan your test around the higher of the two, and confirm on the NMBA site which tests and scores it accepts before you book. Our guide to OET vs IELTS compares two common choices.

How to check a course leads to registration

Before you apply, look the course up on the NMBA approved programs of study list. Choose Registered Nurse and search for the university. If the course is not listed as an approved program, it does not lead to registration as a registered nurse.

Placements and your visa work limit

Student visa holders can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while their course is in session. Deakin University's guidance says compulsory work-integrated learning that is registered as part of a CRICOS course does not count toward that limit, while elective placements do. Check your own university's advice. Our guide to Australia student visa work hours has the detail.

Timing for the next intake

The University of Queensland's next intake starts on 15 February, and applications close on 30 November. Edith Cowan also starts in Semester 1 only. If you miss February, Adelaide starts in July and Southern Cross in August.

FAQ

How long is a Master of Nursing in Australia? Two years full time at all four universities in this guide.

Can I study a Master of Nursing without a nursing degree? Yes. Graduate-entry courses are designed for graduates of other fields. Some ask for an anatomy and physiology unit first.

What IELTS score do I need for a Master of Nursing in Australia? Usually IELTS 7, sometimes with 6.5 accepted in writing. Check both the course page and the NMBA registration standard.

Can I register as a nurse after a Master of Nursing? Yes, if the course is an NMBA-approved program and you meet the registration standards, including English.

Do clinical placements count toward my 48-hour work limit? Deakin University says compulsory placements registered as part of a CRICOS course do not. Check your university's guidance.

How much does a Master of Nursing cost in Australia? About AUD 36,000 to AUD 55,000 a year at the four universities in this guide, before living costs.

PS: Graduate-entry nursing rewards early planning: the right English score, the right prerequisite and an approved course. If you want help matching your degree to the right course and intake, check your eligibility with Prosper.

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