The programme prepares learners to meet the Nursing Council of New Zealand Standards of competence for registered nurses (2025). Graduates will be eligible to sit the Whakamātautau Mutunga o te Motu State Final Examination.

1. Apply the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and demonstrate kawa whakaruruhau in nursing practice by building equitable partnerships with Māori health consumers and their whānau, advocating for equitable health outcomes for Māori, and integrating te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, and mātauranga Māori
2. Demonstrate culturally safe practice by responding to the impact of historical, political, social, economic, environmental and cultural factors on health and health care in Aotearoa New Zealand and by challenging racism and working to reduce bias and inequities
3. Demonstrate collaboration, leadership, support, respect and advocacy while working in interprofessional teams, and participate in quality improvement activities
4. Engage with initiatives that support hauora, improve health literacy, and address inequities across diverse populations
5. Develop and maintain partnerships with health consumers, whānau and communities by using professional, therapeutic communication, identifying language and communication needs, and acknowledging their cultural, spiritual, physical, and mental health
6. Utilise digital and online technologies safely and effectively and support health consumers, whānau and communities to use technology for managing health concerns and promoting hauora
7. Support health consumers and whānau to make informed decisions and contribute to care planning, including consideration of complementary therapies and cultural preferences
8. Manage information professionally by complying with legal, ethical, and organisational requirements for documentation and confidentiality, adhering to the Nursing Council of New Zealand code of conduct
9. Undertake comprehensive assessments using appropriate frameworks and clinical judgement to develop differential diagnoses and inform care planning
10. Utilise evidence-based practice to implement and evaluate nursing care, and to coordinate, delegate, and support the delivery of care by others
11. Engage in safe practice by identifying and escalating risks, applying infection prevention and control principles, safely managing medicines, and demonstrating self-awareness by seeking guidance
12. Engage in proactive, sustainable and continuous professional development by giving, receiving, and acting on constructive feedback, and informing practice through an understanding of the global healthcare environment

Graduates can continue with further study in nursing at higher levels, for example Post-Graduate Certificate, Post-Graduate Diploma or Master of Nursing, nurse practitioner and nurse prescriber.

General Entry Requirements
Prior to confirmation of admission, all applicants to this programme are required to:
a. Declare any previous or pending criminal convictions (including international convictions); and
b. Authorise the provider to obtain a background check from the New Zealand Police Licensing and Vetting Agency; and
c. Provide consent to undergo a process of safety checking as required under the Children's (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children's Workers) Regulations 2015; and
d. Complete a health declaration form and specify any health conditions, learning disabilities, or other challenges which may impact their participation in the programme; and
e. Provide certified copies of all relevant documentation.

Academic entry requirements
Applicants under the age of 20 must meet one of the following requirements:
- Hold New Zealand University Entrance as defined by NZQA; or
- Have successfully completed the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 4); or
- Be admitted on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Executive Dean; or
- Be granted Discretionary Entrance.

Applicants who will have reached the age of 20 years before the first day of the programme offering to which they are applying are not required to meet any specified academic entry requirements. Applicants will be required to meet all other entry requirements and may be required to attend a pre-enrolment conversation,.
In some instances, applicants may be advised to complete the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 4) prior to enrolment in the programme.

International applicants
Applicants who are not domestic residents of New Zealand or Australia must still meet the relevant academic entry requirements or equivalent.

English Language Entry Requirements
The following English language requirements apply to all applicants whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the general medium of instruction is not English.
These applicants will be required to provide documentary evidence of proficiency in English (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). The minimum requirements are:
- New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Academic) (Level 5) ; or
- Successful completion of an internationally recognised English Language proficiency test to the equivalent of IELTS score of at least 6.5 (Academic) in all bands, achieved in one sitting, authorised by the awarding body, and which is dated within the preceding two years at the time the application is received and stamped by Registry; or
- Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu where the ākonga was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
- Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu where the ākonga was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
- Successful completion of a Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters' Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English, and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, or Vanuatu

The English Language requirements for this programme are higher than the minimum set by NZQA. Applicants who have achieved NCEA Level 3 University Entrance may be required to provide additional evidence of English Language skills.