English Language Proficiency Requirements for Registration and Enrolment
Non-native speakers of English applying to the Nurses Board of South Australia (nbsa) for registration or enrolment as a nurse, or registration as a midwife, must demonstrate English language proficiency.
In September 2006, the Board aligned its English language proficiency requirements to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (ANMC) policy on English Language Proficiency for Overseas Educated Nurses and incorporated additional criteria.
nbsa accepts two English language proficiency tests:
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – Academic.
- Occupational English Test (OET) for Nurses.
Applicants are required to obtain either an:
- IELTS score of at least 6.5 in Reading and Listening and a score of at least 7 in Writing and Speaking with an overall band score of 7 or greater.
or
- OET score of a B pass or higher in all four sections of the test (Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing).
This test must be undertaken within the previous two years of applying to nbsa for registration or enrolment. nbsa requires that the applicant’s English language proficiency test results are sent from the test centre directly to:
Nurses Board of South Australia
PO Box 2809
Kent Town
South Australia
Australia 5071
Where an applicant is undertaking a nursing or midwifery education program in South Australia leading to registration or enrolment, nbsa requires that the English language proficiency test is conducted in Australia whilst undertaking the program.
In certain circumstances nbsa will consider a waiver to the English language proficiency tests. The conditions of the specific waivers are provided below in the section entitled 'Waiver of the Requirement to Produce an English Language Proficiency Test'.
Waiver of the Requirement to Produce an English Language Proficiency Test
The requirement to produce one of two nbsa recognised English language proficiency tests International English Language Testing System (IELTS)– Academic Test or Occupational English Test (OET) for nurses is waived when applicants who are non-native speakers of English can produce evidence for the following criteria.
Education - International
1. Completion of a nursing and/or midwifery education program leading to registration in the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States of America or New Zealand.
2. *Completion of a nursing and/or midwifery education program leading to registration in Canada through an examination that was in English.
3. *Completion of a nursing and/or midwifery program leading to registration in South Africa and that both the theoretical and clinical practice modules were conducted in English. Evidence is also required of recent experience as a registered nurse or midwife in a health care setting where the medium of communication used is English.
Note.* The required evidence in support of waiver 2 or 3 is a transcript or letter from the training institution confirming that the education was undertaken in English or included in the verification from the nursing and midwifery regulatory authority.
Education - South Australia
4. Existing and new Waiver 4 are outlined below;
Applies to students who commenced their nursing or midwifery education programs prior to 31 December 2008.
An applicant from overseas, who has successfully completed a course of not less than four semesters (two years full-time study) within the last two years through an Australian University on-shore in Australia and who has provided the appropriate award as evidence may not be required to undertake an English Language Proficiency Test.
Applies to students commencing nursing and midwifery education programs from 1 January 2009. The evidence required will include all of the following:
Successful completion of a nbsa recognised nursing or midwifery program at degree level; with a minimum of four full-time semesters over 2 years continuous study in that program on campus; at an on-shore Australian tertiary institution; within two years of the date of application; and a copy of the English Language test prior to commencement of program that demonstrates an overall IELTS test score of 6.0 with a minimum of 6 in each of the four sub-bands or equivalent.
5. Completion of an nbsa approved enrolled nurse program and completion of a minimum of three years secondary education in one of the following English speaking countries: Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States of America or Canada. If this education was completed in Canada, there must be evidence that the school was English speaking.
Practice (currently working as a Nurse or Midwife)
6. Registered and practised as a nurse or midwife in either the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States of America or New Zealand for a period of no less than 12 months full time or equivalent. The work experience must have occurred no more than six (6) months prior to the date of the application.
