NURSING IN SINGAPORE

DIPLOMA IN NURSING

The prospects for nursing graduates are very promising. They will be eligible for registration with the Singapore Nursing Board which gives them the licence to practise as professional nurses.
Career opportunities are also numerous. Attractive opportunities await graduates in hospitals, polyclinics, specialist clinics, and organizations involved in clinical trials and research.
The diploma course provides graduates with the basis for further studies and specialisation in nursing at the School of Health Sciences and universities abroad. The School offers post registration programmes at an advanced diploma level in the disciplines of critical care, community health, emergency, gerontology, management, medical-surgical and mental health nursing, midwifery, nephro-urology, neuroscience, ophthalmic, oncology, operating theatre, orthopaedic and paediatric nursing.


Admission Criteria For BSc (Nursing) Programme At NUS

Admission of candidates into the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) programme of NUS will be based on the academic merit of and in open competition with all eligible applicants who must fulfil the minimum university requirements for admission to full-time undergraduate studies.

(a)Academic Ability/Subject Requirements

To be eligible to apply for admission, applicants need to present:
the Singapore –Cambridge GCE 'A' level certificate, or
a diploma from a polytechnic in Singapore; or
equivalent international qualifications.

Subject requirements
applicants should also satisfy the subject pre-requisites which require a pass in any two of the following at 'A' Level: Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Physics, Physical Science, either Mathematics or Further Mathematics.

Language AbilityOnce admitted, the following categories of students will be required to take the University administered Qualifying English Test (QET):
students who obtained a grade of C5 and below in General Paper (GP) in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' level or Cambridge HSC examinations conducted in English;
students who have taken GP in any non-English medium examinations; and
students who have not taken GP at all.
Students who fail the QET will be required to read and pass prescribed English proficiency module(s) in their respective faculties in order to graduate.

(b)Graduate Entry

Candidates in possession of a university degree can also be considered for admission into the BSc (Nursing) programme. However, the Singapore Tuition Grant policy will apply to all candidates who have already obtained their first degree from a local university, including NUS, NTU and SMU.

(c)Applicants with Accredited Diploma from a Polytechnic in Singapore

The Nursing Curriculum Committee will review the course curricula for the Diploma in Nursing offered by the Polytechnics in Singapore and will then recommend the extent of advance placements (up to 20 MCs for ULRs and up to 20 MCs for Programme Requirements) in accordance with NUS rules and regulations. -->
The extent of advance placements for diploma holders from a polytechnic of Singapore will be reviewed and granted in accordance with NUS rules and regulations.

(d)Minimum Residency Requirement

Direct entry into the third year of the BSc (Nursing) programme will not be permitted, as NUS has established a minimum residency requirement for all its degree programmes.

(e)Overseas Qualifications

Applicants with overseas qualifications will be assessed for their equivalency in Singapore's context by the NUS Office of Admissions and the Nursing Admissions Committee.

(f)Interview Of Candidates

All candidates, local and foreign, who are short-listed, will be asked to attend an interview between April and May. The selection of students for the BSc (Nursing) programme will be determined by factors over and above the candidates' academic record.

(g)Health Status

In accordance with Ministry of Health requirements, candidates who test positive for Hepatitis B surface antigen are not eligible for the Nursing programme in Singapore, regardless of their Hepatitis B e-antigen status.