Want to become a nurse with an international education? Here are your pathways

"Can I become a nurse in the UK, Australia or Canada?" We hear this from school leavers, from graduates in other subjects, and from nurses who already work in Dhaka hospitals. The answer depends on where you are starting from, because each starting point opens different doors. This guide is a map: find your starting point, then see the realistic route in each country.

The pathway map: find your starting point

Nursing has three main entry doors.

• Pre-registration nursing degree. You go straight from school into a 3–4 year nursing degree. At the end, you can apply to the regulator in that country. This is the normal route everywhere.
• Graduate-entry pre-registration nursing. You already hold a bachelor's in another subject, often a science or health subject. You study a shorter, intensive nursing course of about two years, usually called a master's or an "after degree" programme. It still leads to registration.
• Registration as an internationally educated nurse. You are already a registered nurse in Bangladesh. You usually do not need a new degree. You need the host regulator's assessment: document checks, English, and often exams.

Take three examples. Mitu has just finished HSC in science with GPA 5.00. Sajid has a BSc in Microbiology with a 3.2 CGPA and IELTS 6.5. Rehana has a BSc in Nursing, is registered with the Bangladesh Nursing and Midwifery Council (BNMC) and has three years of hospital experience. They are on three different pathways.

Two kinds of English score

This point saves families a lot of confusion. There are two English hurdles, and they are not the same.

1. Admission English is what the university asks for to start the course. It can be quite modest. The University of Auckland asks international Bachelor of Nursing students for IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0. Management and Science University in Malaysia lists IELTS 5.5.
2. Regulator English is what the nursing regulator asks for before you can register. It is usually higher. The Nursing Council of New Zealand says plainly that its English requirement is higher than what may be needed for study or immigration.

Some universities simply ask for the regulator level at the start. In Australia, for example, Adelaide University's Bachelor of Nursing asks for IELTS 7 in every band. Plan for IELTS 7 as your real target, even if your offer letter asks for less.

Pathway 1: straight after HSC or A-levels

This is the most common route. You study a pre-registration nursing degree, which includes long hospital placements, then apply to that country's regulator.

What universities look for

• Good grades in school-level science. Biology is the most useful subject. In the UK, NHS Health Careers says universities usually ask for two or three A-levels or equivalent, and may prefer a science such as biology or a social science such as psychology.
• Clear motivation. Interviews and personal statements test why you want nursing, not medicine. Talk about care, communication and teamwork.
• Health and character checks. Placements need vaccinations, a police check and sometimes a fitness-to-practise declaration.
• The right English, as explained above.

Country by country

Pathway 2: you already have a bachelor's in another subject

If you have a degree in biology, microbiology, psychology, public health or even business, you do not have to start again from year one. Graduate-entry pre-registration courses squeeze nursing training into about two years. They still include hundreds of hours of hospital placements, so they are intense.

• UK: accelerated courses for graduates take two years. They are usually called MSc Nursing (pre-registration) or PG Dip, with a field such as adult or mental health.
• Australia: the Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry) is two years full-time. The University of Queensland accepts a bachelor's in any discipline completed within the last 10 years, with IELTS 7 in each band. Adelaide University also asks for study in human anatomy and physiology.
• New Zealand: the University of Auckland's Master of Nursing Science is two years for graduates with a BSc or health sciences degree, and includes at least 1,100 placement hours. The 2026 international fee is NZ$55,214 a year.
• United States: according to AACN, accelerated BSN programmes take 12–18 months including prerequisites, and entry-level master's programmes take about 2–3 years.
• Canada: the University of Alberta's two-year BScN After Degree is open to international applicants. Some other accelerated options are paused or limited, so check each intake.

Sajid, with his BSc in Microbiology, fits well. His science background covers most prerequisites. His main task is to lift his IELTS from 6.5 to 7 in every band and to show real interest in patient care, for example through hospital volunteering.

1. 1
   12–15 months beforeCheck your degree fits

   Read each course's rules on subject, GPA and how recent your degree is. Some ask for anatomy and physiology.

2. 2
   10–12 months beforeAim for regulator-level English

   Book IELTS Academic and target 7 in each band. Use our IELTS level check first.

3. 3
   9 months beforeGet patient-facing experience

   Volunteer in a hospital, clinic or care home. Keep a short diary of what you learned.

4. 4
   6–9 months beforeApply to two or three countries

   Intakes and deadlines differ. The UK uses UCAS for undergraduate courses; master's courses usually take direct applications.

5. 5
   After your offerPlan money and checks

   Budget for every year, plus vaccinations, police checks and uniform. See our country checklists.

Pathway 3: you are already a nurse in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, nurses usually qualify through a four-year BSc in Nursing or a three-year Diploma in Nursing Science and Midwifery, and register with the BNMC. If that is you, the key question is not "Which degree should I study?" but "How do I get registered abroad?"

Here is the registration route in each country, in short.

Rehana, with her BSc in Nursing and three years of experience, has real choices. A common plan is to reach IELTS 7 (6.5 in writing), start the NMC or NMBA process, and prepare for the multiple-choice exam at home while she keeps working. One useful fact: the NCLEX-RN is the multiple-choice exam for the US, Canada and Australia's OBA, so the same preparation helps with more than one country. Each regulator decides how you register for it.

Midwifery: a separate profession

In many countries, midwifery is its own profession with its own degree, not a nursing specialism.

• UK: a 3-year midwifery degree straight after school, as NHS Health Careers explains. Registered adult nurses can take shorter courses.
• Australia: Bachelor of Midwifery degrees approved by the NMBA lead to registration as a midwife, for example at Adelaide University.
• New Zealand: the Bachelor of Midwifery is a four-year programme.
• United States: midwives with the CNM or CM credential need a graduate degree in midwifery. CNMs are also registered nurses; CMs hold a bachelor's in any subject plus prerequisites, according to the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
• Canada: midwifery is a separate direct-entry degree of usually 3–4 years, offered at only six programmes. Check international eligibility with each university. There are also bridging programmes for midwives educated abroad.
• UAE: the unified PQR says a Registered Midwife needs a midwifery degree, or a nursing degree plus a one-year midwifery certificate, and two years of experience.

Nurses who trained in Bangladesh through the Diploma in Nursing Science and Midwifery should check whether each regulator treats the midwifery part as a separate qualification.

Pathway 4: shorter healthcare roles near nursing

Some students ask about shorter courses that lead to care work. These are real jobs, but be honest about the limits.

• Australia: enrolled nurse. The HLT54121 Diploma of Nursing prepares you to work as an enrolled nurse, under the supervision of a registered nurse. The course must be approved by the NMBA. Many enrolled nurses later top up to a Bachelor of Nursing.
• Canada: personal support worker (PSW). Ontario college PSW certificates are short, often about two semesters. For a programme under two years, a post-graduation work permit, if you qualify, is valid for up to the length of the programme. A PSW certificate is not a nursing licence.
• UK: healthcare assistant or care worker. The UK closed overseas recruitment for care workers and senior care workers from 22 July 2025. Do not plan to enter the UK as a care worker.

A shorter course can be a good first step if it connects to a clear next step, such as enrolled nurse to registered nurse. It is a weak plan if it leaves you with a short visa and no route forward.

Use our course list

Our nursing and midwifery course list shows a label on each course card: "After HSC", "After a bachelor's" or "After a nursing degree", with a short entry note. You can also use the filter buttons, "Apply after HSC / A-levels" or "Apply after a bachelor's", to see only the courses that match your stage. The notes are general guidance; the university's own page decides.

A note for parents

When you compare countries, look at the whole journey, not just the first year.

• How many years until a salary? A nursing degree takes 3–4 years. Graduate entry takes about 2 years after a first degree. In Germany, trainees are often paid from the start, but they must learn German first.
• What does every year cost? Multiply the yearly fee by the full length. Add living costs, health cover, uniforms, vaccinations and exam fees.
• What happens after graduation? Ask each university where its recent international graduates work, and whether they registered with the regulator. A clear answer is a good sign.

Nursing is demanding work with shifts, nights and emotional pressure. Students who choose it for themselves, after some time in a hospital or care setting, usually cope best.

What to do next

1. Name your starting point: after HSC, after a bachelor's in another subject, or already a registered nurse.
2. Shortlist two or three countries from the pathway map, and read each course or regulator page yourself.
3. Set your English target at the regulator level: IELTS 7 with 6.5 in writing, or OET. Start with our IELTS level check.
4. Check that your course leads to registration, and ask in writing if you are not sure.
5. Cost the full journey, including exams and registration fees. See our destination guides.
6. Browse courses on our nursing and midwifery page, and read how we work. For visa questions about your own case, use the official visa pages or a licensed adviser.