Nursing is the largest health pathway in Western Australia by enrolment. UWA, Curtin, Notre Dame, Edith Cowan and Murdoch all offer Bachelor of Nursing programs. Most are 3-year courses, with UWA's Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) running 4 years.
The good news: nursing prerequisites are softer than medicine. The bad news: cohort competition is high, and your subject choice still affects both your ATAR and how prepared you are for first-year clinical content.
What each WA university requires
| University | Required ATAR subject | Recommended | Typical ATAR cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| UWA Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) | None specified beyond English competency | Human Biology, Methods or Apps | ~75 to 80 |
| Curtin Bachelor of Science (Nursing) | None | Human Biology, Chemistry | ~70 to 75 |
| Curtin Bachelor of Science (Advanced Nursing) | None | Human Biology, Integrated Science | ~80 |
| Notre Dame Bachelor of Nursing | None specified | Human Biology | ~70 |
| ECU Bachelor of Nursing | None specified | Human Biology, Maths | ~70 |
| Murdoch Bachelor of Nursing | None specified | Human Biology, Maths | ~70 |
The shape: nursing has no strict ATAR subject prerequisites at any WA university. But Human Biology is universally recommended, and Mathematics (Methods or Applications) is recommended at most.
The smart 5-subject combination
If your goal is nursing and you want to maximise both your ATAR and your first-year preparation, take:
- English (required for WACE).
- Human Biology (recommended at every university; high overlap with first-year anatomy/physiology).
- Mathematics Applications (sufficient for biostatistics in first year; Methods is overkill unless you are aiming for high ATAR).
- Chemistry (lifts your ATAR through scaling; useful for pharmacology in first year).
- One subject of strong interest (Psychology, Modern History, Geography, etc.) to keep your weekly load varied.
This combination gives you 4 strong scaled subjects (English, Human Bio, Apps, Chem) for ATAR, plus one variety subject. ATAR projection: 75 to 85 for a competent student.
What about Methods over Applications?
Methods scales better than Applications (by approximately 8 marks at the median in the recent TISC reports). If you can confidently score 60+ raw in Methods, take it. If you would score below 50 raw, Applications is the safer choice. The scaling boost from Methods is wiped out by a low raw mark.
For students aiming at UWA Bachelor of Nursing (Honours), where the ATAR cutoff is 75 to 80, Methods can be the difference between making cutoff and not.
What about Psychology?
Psychology ATAR is a popular pick for nursing-bound students. It scales slightly above neutral (1 to 2 marks at the median) and aligns with mental health nursing content in first year. It is a defensible "interest" subject if your other 3 are stronger scalers.
The non-ATAR pathways
If your ATAR falls below cutoff, three pathways exist:
- UniReady at Curtin: a free pre-bachelor program that bridges into the Bachelor of Science (Nursing).
- Diploma of Nursing at TAFE: 2-year qualification for enrolled nursing, with credit transfer into a 3-year Bachelor of Nursing afterwards.
- Murdoch UniPath: an alternative entry program for students just below cutoff.
None of these are second-tier outcomes. Many practising registered nurses in WA enter through TAFE then bridge to a bachelor degree.
What to actually do this week
- Pick three universities you might apply to. Read their Bachelor of Nursing entry pages on the official websites. Note the ATAR cutoff and any non-ATAR pathways.
- Use our ATAR calculator with the recommended 5-subject combination above. Compare to your current trajectory.
- If you are in Year 10, lock in Human Biology and an English subject. Add Maths Applications or Methods based on your school test performance.
If you want a 30-minute call to plan your ATAR pathway for nursing, book a free consultation at our centres.