Bachelor of Nursing
at Southern Cross University, New South Wales.
A three-year nursing degree at Lismore, Coffs Harbour and the Gold Coast, all with the same selection rank, with about 840 hours of supervised clinical placement. Assumed knowledge: any 2 units of English and Mathematics Advanced.
Lowest selection rank
The lowest selection rank (LSR) is the lowest ATAR plus adjustment factors (equity, subject and regional bonuses) that received an offer to the SCU Bachelor of Nursing for that intake. Universities publish it in their admissions student profiles. Only intakes with a published figure are listed.
| Intake | Lowest selection rank | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 65.00 | uac.edu.au |
| 2024 | 71.00 | uac.edu.au |
| 2023 | 70.00 | uac.edu.au |
A lowest selection rank describes a past intake, not a guaranteed entry score. Check the current entry requirements on the official course page before you apply through UAC.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
No formal Year 12 subject prerequisites; assumed knowledge may still apply.
What you will study
Study areas are anatomy and physiology, clinical practice, chronic health and disability, health and Indigenous Australian peoples, health assessment, mental health nursing, nursing practice, paediatric health and pharmacology. Biology, Chemistry or Physics are recommended.
Placement and industry experience
Students complete approximately 840 hours of supervised clinical placements in health settings across the degree.
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as registered nurses in hospital, community and aged-care settings after registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
- Common destinations include public hospital graduate transition programmes, mental-health services and rural and remote nursing positions.
- Many alumni progress into specialty practice (intensive care, paediatrics, midwifery), nurse-practitioner study or clinical education roles.
Professional accreditation
- Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia accredited
Typical first jobs
- Registered Nurse in the NSW Health Transition to Professional Practice graduate program
- RN at Catholic and private hospital networks (St Vincent's, Mater, Ramsay Health Care)
- Aged care RN at residential aged care facilities
- Community health nurse
- Mental health RN in inpatient and community settings
- Rural and remote graduate RN with NSW Health regional pathways
Graduate starting salary
$72,000 - $80,000 per year
Source: health.nsw.gov.au. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
The course is accredited through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and provides the academic qualification for registration as a registered nurse. Graduates work in hospitals, community and aged care, often in regional NSW and Queensland.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students with strong people skills and clinical resilience
- Those willing to work shifts during placements (mornings, evenings, weekends)
- People who can balance theory with the physical and emotional demands of clinical practice
- Students comfortable with pharmacology and physiology study
- Those committed to a regulated profession with strict practice standards
It is probably not for you if
- Students unwilling to do shift work or rural placement blocks
- Those uncomfortable with bodily fluids, distress and high-stakes clinical scenarios
- Anyone hoping to avoid pharmacology and pathophysiology
Related courses at SCU
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and selection ranks on the Southern Cross University website and on UAC before applying.