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Nursing or midwifery English language requirements

On submitting your application, you must declare that you meet the English Language Proficiency standards required to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). You need to meet this requirement to be offered a place in a Diploma/Bachelor of Nursing or Midwifery course. For further information on the requirements of each pathway, please refer to the NMBA website.

This form will only need to be completed once, even if you change your preferences. You can edit the form at any time. 

How can I meet the requirements?

English Proficiency can be demonstrated through three pathways:

●   Option 1: You meet all conditions of the Primary Language Pathway

●   Option 2: You have/will meet the requirements of the permitted English Language Test Pathway

●   Option 3: You currently hold a permitted AHPRA registration

All applicants must declare which pathway they meet by completing the below form. You must read the requirements of each pathway carefully and select the option that is applicable to your circumstances.

If option 1 or 3 are not applicable to your circumstances, you must follow the English Test Pathway (option 2) and provide evidence of your English test results to be eligible to receive an offer for a Nursing and/or midwifery course.

Self-declaring the wrong option may result in an institution being unable to make you an offer.

Failure to complete this declaration by the documentation deadline will prevent you from receiving an offer for any Diploma/Bachelor of Nursing or Midwifery course that has this requirement. 

Self-Declaration

Option 1: Primary Language Pathway:

●   English is your primary language

      AND

●   You have attended and satisfactorily completed at least six years of primary and secondary education, which meets ALL the below three conditions:

1) This education was taught and assessed solely in English.

2) This education was taught in either Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and/ or the United States of America.

3) At least two years of this education was between grades 7 and 12 (or 13). 


Option 2: English Test Pathway         

●   You have either sat or will sit one of the below approved English language tests within  the permitted timeframe*

(1)    and have achieved the minimum scores required for initial NMBA registration:

o   IELTS (Academic)

o   TOEFL Internet-based Test *

o   Pearson Test of English (Academic)

o   Occupational English Test (OET)

* If you are yet to sit an English test or do not currently hold a test result that meets ALL requirements listed above, you should book your test sitting as soon as possible to ensure you can upload test results using the upload your supporting documents link in the Apply Direct dashboard prior to the documentation deadline. Permitted test types and test scores are listed on the NMBA website.

** TOEFL IBT Special Home Edition is not accepted for NMBA registration.


Option 3: AHPRA Registration Pathway

●   You currently hold one of the following registrations with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA):

o   Enrolled Nursing (Division 2)

o   Registered Nursing (RN)

o   Midwifery 

You must select one of the above English language pathway options.