Requirements To Study Nursing Courses In South Africa (2025)

There are requirements to study nursing courses in South Africa 2025. Interested persons who want to have a career in nursing and further their academic prowess will have to meet the requirements for studying nursing before they can get admission to any Nursing Education Institution.

Nursing is one of the most commendable professions in South Africa and the world at large, requiring licensed healthcare professionals to take care of patients at health facilities.

A professional or qualified nurse is as important as a professional doctor. Nursing is an in-demand career, especially in South African public hospitals, which always face nursing shortages.

Nonetheless, although public nurses are always in need of nurses, those interested in the profession must be qualified before they can become one.

So, let’s look at the requirements for studying nursing courses in South Africa.

Requirements To Study Nursing Courses In South Africa

Here are the general requirements for studying nursing courses

1. A Senior Certificate / National Senior Certificate
2. Physical Science, Biology, Mathematic, Physiology (recommended subjects)
3. English
4. A minimum Admission Point Score (APS) of 28.

These are the common requirements to study nursing courses in most Nursing Education Institutions (NEI’s).

However, other specific requirements are needed depending on the nursing qualification you are going to study.

This means you must meet the specified requirements for the nursing program you want to study other than the general nursing requirements.

So, let’s see the qualification-specific requirements for nursing.

Higher Certificate in Auxiliary Nursing

Students who aspire to study for a Higher Certificate in Auxiliary Nursing will need to have these requirements to get study admission at any Nursing Education institution be it a private or public nursing college.

• A Senior National Certificate (NSC)
• An overall NSC score of 16 points with
• At least 40% in English or Home Language
• At least 50% in Life Sciences or Biology

The study period of this nursing course is 1 year which is the shortest learning length for nursing courses in South Africa.

Diploma/Advanced Diploma in Nursing

Students who want to study for a Diploma in Nursing qualification are expected to meet the requirements for the course before getting admission at any Nursing Education Institution in South Africa. Here are the requirements for studying a nursing diploma qualification.

• Must have at least Matric Education standard and have passed;
• Mathematics, English/ a first or Home Language, Life Orientation, and Life Science
• Students must enroll as nurses with the South African Nursing Council (SANC)

The study period for Diploma/Advanced Diploma in Nursing is three (3) years.

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing

The requirements to study nursing for a bachelor’s degree in Nursing in any Nursing Education Institution be a private or public registered and accredited in South Africa includes

• Must have at least Matric Education standard and have passed;
• Mathematics, English, a first/Home Language, Life Orientation and Life Science
• Must enroll as a nurse with the South African Nursing Council (SANC)

The study period for a bachelor’s degree in nursing is 4 years.

These are the three main nursing programs in South Africa that are in high demand for nurses for public and private hospitals.

Students can apply to registered nursing colleges to study the program they prefer only if they meet the study requirements specified.

The South African Nursing Council (SANC) is the body that oversees the eligibility of colleges to offer nursing courses to students.

Students are encouraged to make sure they choose a nursing college that is registered by the South African Nursing Council (SANC).

Again, many nursing schools are not registered by the South African Nursing Council or accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE).

Students must avoid studying at those institutions at all costs. The best way to find a registered nursing education institution is by looking it up on the www.sanc.co.za website for the South African Nursing Council.

Read also:

1. How To Register With SANC Online

2. How To Pay SANC Fees Online

3. SANC Accredited Private Nursing Schools

4. Is Khanyisa Nursing School Registered With SANC?

5. How To Register With SANC Register

6. List Of Nursing Colleges Registered With SANC

7. SANC Accredited Private Nursing Schools

8. Nursing Intake Online Application

9. Nursing Colleges In Cape Town

10. SANC eRegister Login

You can ask your question about the requirements for studying nursing courses in the comment box below.