Admission criteria

Requirements for health, welfare and teaching courses

If you apply for courses related to health, welfare and teaching, you’ll need to satisfy requirements related to:

If you apply for medicine and some health science degrees, you must also pass the University Clinical Aptitude Test or International Students Admissions Test (ISAT).

Students who need to complete clinical placements in the NSW public health system will be subject to NSW Health’s policies. If you do not comply with the following requirements, you will not be permitted to attend your clinical placement in the NSW health system and progress in your course may be affected.

Criminal record checks

In accordance with NSW Health policy, students who need to complete clinical placements in the NSW public health system are required to:

  • obtain a National Criminal Record Check before they commence clinical placements in NSW Health facilities
  • sign a Code of Conduct Agreement stating that they will abide by the NSW Health Code of Conduct.

NSW Health employment-related checks

NSW Health Education and Training student placement requirements

Infectious diseases

Students who need to complete clinical training in NSW public health facilities are subject to NSW Health requirements for healthcare workers to demonstrate their protection against specified infectious diseases in the first year of their course, including COVID-19: NSW Health employment-related checks.

There are other restrictions on clinical practice of healthcare workers with certain blood-borne viruses. For more information, refer to Management of health care workers with a blood borne virus and those doing exposure prone procedures.

University Clinical Aptitude Test (Previously UMAT)

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is used specifically to help universities with the selection of students into medicine, dentistry and some clinical science degree programs at undergraduate level.

The test helps universities to select applicants with the most appropriate mental abilities, attitudes and professional behaviours required for new doctors and dentists to be successful in their clinical careers. It is used in collaboration with other admissions processes such as interviews and academic qualifications. It does not measure academic knowledge.

UCAT 2024 will be held in July. Visit the UCAT website or call (03) 8508 7643 for further information.

International Student Admissions Test (ISAT)

The International Student Admissions Test (ISAT) is a three-hour computer-based multiple choice test produced by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to assist with the selection of international students for undergraduate courses.

ISAT measures intellectual skill and abilities that are the foundation of academic success at tertiary level.

Visit the ISAT website for more information and for a list of courses that require ISAT.

Before you can start studying to become a registered nurse, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) requires you to demonstrate a high level of English language proficiency. To do this, you must do one of the following:

  • Declare that:
    • English is your primary language (ie the language you primarily use for reading, writing, listening and speaking and the language you know best and are most comfortable with)
    • before the course start date, you will have completed six years of schooling in English – including at least two years of secondary school in English – in one of the following countries: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, Canada, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom. All the requirements for schooling are specified below.
  • Upload your results from an English language proficiency test accepted for entry to your nursing course and completed no more than two years before the course start date. You cannot be considered for an offer to a nursing course until you have done the test, achieved the minimum result requirements and uploaded your test results to your UAC application.
    Note:     ANMAC does not accept the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition or the IELTS Indicator online tests as suitable to meet English language proficiency requirements for admission to nursing courses.
    English language tests accepted by each institution

  • Declare that you are currently registered as an enrolled nurse or registered nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency – Nursing and Midwifery (AHPRA). If you choose this option, you cannot be considered for an offer to a nursing course until your nursing registration has been verified. If you meet the requirements for English being your primary language, choose that option instead.

When you graduate and apply for registration as a nurse or a midwife in Australia, you will also need to meet the English language skills registration standard of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

ANMAC English language skills requirements

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia English language skills registration standard

English as primary language: schooling requirements

Australia: six years of primary and secondary education, including at least two years of secondary education
New Zealand: six years of primary, junior secondary and senior secondary education up to NCEA L3, including at least two years between junior secondary and/or senior secondary education
South Africa: six years of primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education up to NSC, including at least two years between lower secondary and/or upper secondary education
United States: Six years of elementary, junior and senior school education up to a High School Diploma, including at least two years between junior and/or senior school education
Canada:
Alberta: six years of education in grades 1 to 12, including at least two years between grades 7 and 12
British Columbia: six years of education in grades 1 to 12, including at least two years between grades 8 and 12
Manitoba: six years of education in kindergarten to grade 12, including at least two years between grades 5 and 12
New Brunswick: six years of education in kindergarten to grade 12, including at least two years between grade 6 and 12, or between grade 9 and 12 if in French system
Newfoundland: six years of education in kindergarten to grade 12, including at least two years between grade 7 and 12
Nova Scotia: six years of education in grades 1 to 12, including at least two years between grade 7 and 12
Ontario: six years of education in grades 1 to 12, including at least two years between grade 9 and 12
Quebec: six years in primary, secondary and pre-university education, including at least two years in secondary and/or pre-university education
Saskatchewan: six years of education in grades 1 to 12, including at least two years between grade 6 and 12
Ireland: six years of primary education, junior cycle and senior cycle up to Irish Leaving Certificate, including at least two years in junior and/or senior cycles
UK: six years of primary, secondary and upper secondary education up to GCE A Level or Scottish Advanced Higher Level, including at least two years in secondary and/or upper secondary education

Admission requirements

Students entering accredited teaching programs need to have achieved a minimum of three Band 5s, one of which must be in English, in their HSC (or equivalent) or:

  • pass bridging units benchmarked to a Band 5 HSC result
  • enrol in an accredited degree that has a full year of academic studies in the subjects you will teach before you begin studying teaching
  • complete a NESA-approved alternative entry pathway as advised by your prospective university.

Students entering primary teaching programs also need to have achieved at least an HSC Band 4 in mathematics.

Minimum academic standards for entry to teaching degrees

Check with individual institutions for further information on requirements for particular teaching programs and other approved pathways to study if you do not meet these requirements.

Also check the admission requirements set out in the individual course descriptions accessed through the UAC course search.

Some institutions require you to complete a questionnaire as part of your application: how to complete the teaching questionnaire

Subject content requirements for graduate entry teacher education programs

You must meet the NESA subject content requirements either before admission or before graduation.

To be offered admission to a postgraduate primary teaching degree, your undergraduate (or any postgraduate) degree/s must contain at least one year of full-time study in one key learning area or a combination of key learning areas from the primary school curriculum.

To be offered admission to a postgraduate secondary teaching degree, your undergraduate (or any postgraduate) degree/s must contain a major in the first subject you intend to teach and a minor in any additional subjects you would like to teach.

The initial teacher education providers determine if you meet these subject content requirements.

Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students

All initial teacher education students will need to meet the benchmark set by the national Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students before their final professional experience placement and graduation. Literacy and numeracy test details

Background checking processes

If you intend to engage in child-related work, you must hold a valid Working With Children Check clearance.

Additionally, you must be employment screened before beginning an internship or associate teacher program in schools. This involves providing a Working With Children Check clearance number and completing other employment screening requirements with the NSW Department of Education.

If you do not meet these requirements, you will not be able to undertake practical course requirements in NSW schools.

Requirements for placements in NSW public schools

Accreditation

For accreditation as a teacher in NSW, graduates need to meet requirements set by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).