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How to become an enrolled nurse in Australia

Enrolled and Mothercraft Nurses provide nursing care to patients in hospitals, aged care and other health care facilities and in the community, and assist parents in providing care to newborn infants under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or Midwife.

$1,777median full-time pay a week, before tax
+21.3%projected job growth to 2035
21,800people in this job

The all-jobs median is $1,852 a week. Jobs in the enrolled and mothercraft nurses group are projected to grow 21.3% between May 2025 and May 2035, faster than the 13.3% projected for all jobs. Projections are indicative, not forecasts, and JSA says they don't yet reflect generative AI.

What the job involves

  • Assessing, planning and implementing nursing care for patients according to accepted nursing practice and standards
  • Providing interventions, treatments and therapies such as administering medications, and monitoring responses to treatments and care plans
  • Assisting registered nurses and other team members to coordinate and evaluate care provided
  • Promoting and assisting in health education activities for the prevention of ill health
  • Bathing, feeding, changing and settling newborn infants
  • Providing advice and training on infant care to parents of newborn infants

How to get there

What it usually takes. A diploma or advanced diploma. This is the skill level Jobs and Skills Australia gives the enrolled and mothercraft nurses group, and some roles differ.

What people in the job have. Highest qualification held: 10% a degree or higher, 71% a diploma, 13% a Certificate III or IV.

Many jobs also need registration, a licence or a specific accredited course. Check the professional body or regulator before you choose.

Courses that can lead here

Victoria1 match

VTAC lowest selection ranks, December 2025 offer round.

Diplomas and other ways in

Nursing (Enrolled Nurse Pathway) · La Trobe, MelbourneNo cutoff
NSW and ACT22 matches

UAC lowest selection ranks, December Round 2, 2025-26 admissions.

Bachelor of Nursing (for Enrolled Nurses - Dip Nursing entry) · ACUNo cutoff
Bachelor of Nursing (Accelerated Program: Enrolled Nurse) · UTSNo cutoff
Bachelor of Nursing (Enrolled Nurses-Dip Nursing Entry) · WollongongNo cutoff

Diplomas and other ways in

Diploma of Nursing - HLT54121 · Wollongong31.90 Diploma of Nursing - HLT54121/Bachelor of Nursing · Wollongong31.90
Bachelor of Nursing (Enrolled Nurse Pathway) · CQUniversityNo cutoff
Diploma of Nursing Science/Bachelor of Nursing · GriffithNo cutoff

Showing 7 of 22 matches. Search every course.

Queensland32 matches

QTAC course pages, ATAR/Selection Rank profile for semester 1, 2026.

Bachelor of Nursing (Enrolled Nurse Entry) · UniSQ, ToowoombaNo cutoff
Bachelor of Nursing (Enrolled Nurse Entry) (Charleville) · UniSQ, CharlevilleNo cutoff
Bachelor of Nursing - Enrolled Nurse Entry · QUT, Kelvin GroveNo cutoff

Diplomas and other ways in

Bachelor of Nursing (for Enrolled Nurses - Diploma of Nursing Entry) · ACU, BrisbaneNo cutoff
Bachelor of Nursing (Enrolled Nurse Pathway) · CQUniversity, RockhamptonNo cutoff
Diploma of Nursing Science/Bachelor of Nursing · Griffith, LoganNo cutoff
Diploma of Nursing · TAFE Queensland, Alexandra HillsNo cutoff

Showing 7 of 32 matches. Search every course.

Western Australia2 matches

TISC Course Search: lowest ATAR offered for 2026 entry and guaranteed offer ATARs.

Bachelor of Nursing - Enrolled Nurses · Murdoch, PerthNo cutoff
Bachelor of Nursing - Enrolled Nurses (Mandurah) · Murdoch, MandurahNo cutoff

Matched on course names, 57 across four admissions centres. A lowest selection rank includes adjustment points and moves every year. Check prerequisites and whether the course is accredited for this job.

Does it fit your interests?

Strongest interest areas for this kind of work: Social, Realistic, Conventional.

Realistic
Investigative
Artistic
Social
Enterprising
Conventional

From O*NET ratings for "Nursing Assistants", the closest US occupation in JSA's correspondence (a acceptable match). US ratings are a guide to Australian jobs, not a measurement of them.

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Job data: © Commonwealth of Australia, Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profiles, February 2026 and Employment Projections, May 2025 to May 2035 (Victoria University), CC BY 4.0. Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO 2013 Version 1.2 to O*NET-SOC 2019 Taxonomy correspondence.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Curve ATAR has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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