OSCE
Observed Structured Clinical Examination
ADMISSION STARTED
Internationally Qualified Nurses
You may apply to become registered as a nurse in New Zealand if you are currently registered with an overseas regulatory authority and meet Nursing Council requirements. If you are a nurse with a current practising certificate in Australia, and you want to apply to register in New Zealand, click here
For all other internationally qualified nurses, the Nursing Council has the following process:
All nurses are required to provide documents proving their:
- identity
- current registration/s held in the last 10 years
- nursing qualification/s (assessment of equivalency to New Zealand nursing qualifications will be made by the Nursing Council of New Zealand)
- evidence of English language proficiency
- 1,800 hours post-registration nursing experience
You must first verify your documents with TruMerit before applying to the Council to register.
Applicants from U.S. Government-restricted Countries click here
Apply to the Nursing Council AFTER your documents have been verified and complete the following:
- Welcome to Aotearoa New Zealand online courses
- All nurses must complete two free online courses introducing you to culturally safe nursing practice in New ZealandFitness to practise checks
- All nurses are required to undergo a criminal history check.Competence assessment
- Some registered nurses and all enrolled nurses will be required to undergo a competence assessment.
The Nursing Council fee to process your application is
$485 (NZ)
There are additional costs from external providers:
Some internationally qualified nurses will be required to undergo a competence assessment to become registered.
This is in two parts and you need to complete both.
You need to undertake the clinical competence assessment in person at the Nurse Maude Simulation and Assessment Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand.
All nurses are required by the Council to complete a criminal history check:
- If you have lived in New Zealand for more than six months, you apply to the NZ Ministry of Justice for a check here.
- For an international criminal history check, you must apply to Fit2Work which has been accredited by the Nursing Council. You can find out more here.
Their fee (per country) currently is
$155 (AUS).
1. Verifying and authenticating documents
All nurses are required by the Council to have their documents verified and authenticated by TruMerit, an external company. You must do this before you can apply for registration to the Nursing Council.
Their fee currently is
$380 (US).
2. Apply to the Nursing Council to become registered
Apply to the Nursing Council AFTER your documents have been verified and complete the following:
- Welcome to Aotearoa New Zealand online courses
- All nurses must complete two free online courses introducing you to culturally safe nursing practice in New ZealandFitness to practise checks
- All nurses are required to undergo a criminal history check.Competence assessment
- Some registered nurses and all enrolled nurses will be required to undergo a competence assessment.
The Nursing Council fee to process your application is
$485 (NZ)
There are additional costs from external providers:
3. Competence assessment examination
Some internationally qualified nurses will be required to undergo a competence assessment to become registered.
This is in two parts and you need to complete both.
Theoretical examination - Pearson
Costs are quoted in New Zealand dollars but are payable in the currency of the country in which you are sitting the examination.
Clinical competence assessment
You need to undertake the clinical competence assessment in person at the Nurse Maude Simulation and Assessment Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand.
There may be additional related costs from external providers, such as translation of original documents into English.
International criminal history check
All nurses are required by the Council to complete a criminal history check:
- If you have lived in New Zealand for more than six months, you apply to the NZ Ministry of Justice for a check here.
- For an international criminal history check, you must apply to Fit2Work which has been accredited by the Nursing Council. You can find out more here.
Their fee (per country) currently is
$155 (AUS).