Media release

08 Oct 2013

Fee cut for final-year students applying for registration to practise

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (National Board) has cut the application fee for final-year students to $20, saving new graduates $140.

The fee cut will take effect on 16 October 2013. Any graduating student of a Board-approved program of study that leads to registration as a nurse or midwife (excluding a bridging program for an internationally qualified nurse or midwife) who has applied, or applies, for registration between 1 July 2013 and 16 October 2013 will get a refund.

National Board Presiding Member, Dr Lynette Cusack, said the National Board cut application fees for students to support new entrants to the nursing and midwifery professions and address the five-month period of initial registration, to 31 May next year.

‘This is an important initiative to support graduating students. We want to encourage them into the nursing and the midwifery professions,’ Dr Cusack said.

The application fee cut also recognises the brevity of the initial period of registration for the majority of graduates. By 31 May 2014, these new nurses and midwives will need to apply to renew their registration along with their 360,000 colleagues around Australia, Dr Cusack said.

An online graduate application service at the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website enables final-year students to apply for registration four to six weeks before completing their program of study. All nursing and midwifery graduates who apply between 1 July 2013 and 16 October 2013 will automatically be refunded $140 by AHPRA.

The National Board urges all graduating nursing and midwifery students to apply online from 16 October 2013. All applicants are required to return some supporting documents to AHPRA by mail to complete their application.

Dr Cusack said a graduate of a Board-approved program of study must also meet the National Board’s registration requirements to be registered as an enrolled nurse, a registered nurse or a midwife.

Registration standards that relate to the new graduate are:

• criminal history
• English language skills, and
• professional indemnity insurance.

‘Graduates need to be an enrolled nurse, a registered nurse or a midwife before they can start practising. We encourage graduating students to go online and apply for registration from mid-October, before completing their program,’ Dr Cusack said.

The application fee for enrolled nurses applying for registration as a registered nurse or a midwife has also been reduced by $140 to $20. Those applying for registration as a registered nurse can do so online by logging into their AHPRA account and selecting ‘Apply for registration as a registered nurse’. For those applying for registration as a midwife, a form is available on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia website.

‘Graduates wishing to apply for registration as both a nurse and a midwife are also urged to apply early using the appropriate streamlined graduate application form,’ Dr Cusack said.

‘It is important that graduates read all the information about what documents must be sent to AHPRA in support of their application.’

Online application for graduating students aims to smooth the path from study to work in five simple steps:

1. Students apply for registration from 16 October 2013, before completing their program, at Graduate applications on the AHPRA website
2. Applicants fill out an online application (if eligible) or download an application form. All applicants are required to return some supporting documents to AHPRA by mail to complete their application.
3. Education providers advise AHPRA directly when applicants are eligible to graduate.
4. AHPRA finalises assessment, confirms registration with the National Board, publishes new graduates’ names on the national register of practitioners and sends out registration certificates.
5. New graduates registered with the National Board are eligible to start work as soon as their name is published on the national register.

For more information 

• Go to Graduate applications on the AHPRA website for FAQ and links to more information
• For registration enquiries: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 3 8708 9001 (overseas callers)
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200

Download a PDF copy of this Media release - 8 October 2013 (209 KB,PDF).