New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 4) Nursing, Health and Applied Science pathway

Graduates will be equipped with the skills, capabilities, knowledge and attributes needed to advance to higher level study in nursing, midwifery, and other health or applied science related careers.

Entry Requirements

All applicants must meet one of the following:

• Have achieved 40 credits NCEA Level 2, including 10 Level 1 Literacy credits and 10 Level 1 Mathematic credits; or
• Have successfully completed the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 3); or
• Be able to demonstrate skills for tertiary study (including literacy and numeracy) that have been acquired through study, work and/or life experience.

Applicants for whom English is not a first language must attain an IELTS score of 5.5 with no band score lower than 5; or an accepted international equivalence.

Full-time study

Full time study is completing all four papers (60 credits) in one 17-week intake. This requires around 35 hours of study per week for the duration of the intake.

Full time acceptance in to the programme is at the Programme Manager’s discretion and is not guaranteed.

Part-time study

The number of papers you select to study per intake should depend on work, family, and other commitments. 

All work for a paper must be completed during the intake in which you are enrolled in it. If you do not complete the paper within the intake, you must re-enrol in the paper in a later intake.

Additional information

• As a guideline, one credit equates to approximately 10 hours study within an intake period. Click HERE to download a Study Load Calculator (spreadsheet).
• All papers selected within a particular intake must be completed within that intake unless a transfer is requested (conditions apply; see FAQs).
• Online enrolments are on a year-by-year basis, and students are welcome to apply for multiple intakes in one enrolment. Further enrolment is the responsibility of individual students. There is no automatic enrolment rollover. 

Credit Transfers

Some NZQA unit standards meet the requirements for their corresponding paper in this programme. If you have previously completed a unit standard with a similar title and/ or content to one of the papers listed above, please contact SIT Online administration to see if that unit can be credit transferred into the programme to replace its corresponding paper.

All SIT Online courses require you to have a computer and internet access. Students are required to use their SIT webmail only for all SIT Online communications. All course materials and information, including assessments and due dates, are located on the online Blackboard system. Once you have been accepted into a programme you will receive an Important Information Booklet that includes information that you can use to familiarise yourself with our online Blackboard learning environment. From the intake start date you will have access to the online course materials to work through.

Facilitator Assistance:  During the enrolled intake period, students have email access to Facilitators, who endeavour to respond to emails within 48 hours (week days only).  All students are required, within the first two weeks of an intake, to send an email to their Facilitator confirming their start on the programme of study.  Students who have not emailed their facilitator or embarked upon their course of study by the end of the 2^nd week of an intake, will be Faculty Withdrawn from the programme.  Such withdrawals may impact on future access to SIT Zero Fees Scheme and Student Direct Material Costs are still liable for payment.

All students will get an official academic transcript on successful completion of their programme of study which will be posted or given at Graduation.  After each intake is finished, it is suggested that students check their results on MySIT.

We recommend students new to SIT Online read through the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website for further study and enrolment information.

Please use the following checklist to ensure that all relevant information and documentation has been included. Remember, your application will be assessed based on the information that you provide us with.  Processing of your application will be delayed if we need to come back to you for missing information.

• I have read all sections of the Programme Information on this page
• I have read the SIT Online Frequently Asked Questions section
• I have met all admission criteria for the programme (found under Application Criteria)
• I have met all the criteria for individual papers (found under Course Content).
• I have selected the paper(s) I wish to study
• I have selected intake(s) (I have selected alternate intakes rather than overlapping intakes)
• I know my intended payment method
• If my organisation/company is paying for my studies, I have a completed and approved purchase order to attach to my online application.  I am aware that should my organisation or company not pay my fees, these will become my responsibility.
• I have completed and attached a cross credit form (if applying for a cross credit)
• New students – I have provided an active NSN in the name I am enrolling in or I have verified ID and will attach it to my online application.
• New students – I will attach academic documentation (NZQA record of achievement/academic transcripts/certificates).  These do not need to be verified. (If you do not have any academic documentation to support your application, please attach a comprehensive CV outlining your education and work experience).
• I have computer access, an Internet connection and access to software to create electronic documents e.g. Microsoft Word or Open Office

What is the Zero Fees Scheme?

The Zero Fees Scheme means we do not charge tuition fees. However, there is a Student Direct Material Cost that you need to pay. The administration fee is for processing your application and the Student Direct Material Cost gives you secure access to Blackboard® our online learning environment and to student support services throughout your study with us.

Who qualifies for the Zero Fees Scheme?

• A New Zealand citizen completing the full qualification or 
• An Australian citizen/New Zealand Resident or Permanent Resident who will be residing in New Zealand for the duration of your enrolment.

Instructions to help you with your application:

1. Read the Programme Information on this page and the SIT Online Frequently Asked Questions and find out if you meet the application criteria for both the programme and the unit/s you wish to study.
2. Check your eligibility for Zero Fees. If you are not eligible to study under this scheme, please call 
   0800 748 257 for further options.
3. Complete your online enrolment checking that:

If you are a new student …

• Provide an active NSN number in the name you are enrolling in (contact NZQA on 0800 697 296 to get your NSN number if you do not know it);
• If you do not have an active NSN, then attach a copy of your verified ID in the name you are enrolling in.
• If you are a Resident or Permanent resident of NZ, please provide a copy of proof of residency;
• Attach all academic documentation to support your application including copies of any certificates of courses you have undertaken / NZQA record of achievement / transcripts / CV;

Attach supporting documents as required and outlined on the previous page.

1. Please check that you have included all the required information and supporting documents.  Your application will be assessed based on the information that you provide.  Missing information will delay the processing of your application.
2. Please scan and email all additional documentation to sitonline@sit.ac.nz.

What happens next?

• You will receive an automatic email confirmation when we receive your online application. Processing may take up to three weeks. However, we will get in touch with you sooner if we require further documentation.
• Once your application has been accepted you will be sent a conditional offer of acceptance with an invoice and instructions on how to make payment.
• Once we have received your payment (or if you have opted to pay by Credit Card, Student Loan or Purchase Order) you will be sent an Enrolment Confirmation Letter and Important Information Booklet. Closer to the start of the intake you will receive a Time To Get Started Letter which will give you all the necessary information, tools and guidance to start your study with us.

To satisfactorily complete the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 4), and be awarded this qualification the student must successfully achieve:

• A minimum of 60 credits in accordance with the programme schedule for the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 4)
• The student will normally be expected to complete the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 4) full-time over six months or part-time over two years.

Please Note: Students failing to engage in study as per programme requirements may forfeit Zero Fees entitlement.

After completing the certificates in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 4) Nursing, Health and Applied Science, students could pursue further study (at diploma or degree level) in health, wellbeing and science related subjects, such as:

• Nursing
• Massage
• Sport and Exercise
• Health and Wellbeing
• Social Work (starts 2027)
• Midwifery (not available at SIT)

Assessments for this programme include online tests and written, short answer assessments. There are no external exams for this programme.

For more information on required and recommended textbooks for this course please refer to the textbook list here.