Nursing

Nurses work collaboratively with physicians, therapists, patients and families and focus on treating illness to improve quality of life. The Bachelor of Nursing degree prepares professionals for general nursing and midwifery practice.

Overview

Nursing combines compassion, knowledge and sophisticated health technology to restore, maintain and promote the health of individuals, groups, or communities. Nursing is both an art and a science: caring, compassionate relationships blended with the development and application of nursing knowledge, techniques and ethics.

As a Wits nursing student, you will study in a rigorous and vibrant multidisciplinary environment that will stimulate your intellectual inquiry and professional responsiveness. You will learn in small groups and engage in cooperative learning as you work through real-life health scenarios, deciding how to access information that produces the best results in managing health issues.

Nurses practice in a range of settings, including hospitals, community clinics, industry, the military, private practices, homes and in specialised areas such as hospice and rehabilitation and aged care facilities.

Career Opportunities

  • General nursing
  • Child nursing
  • Intensive care nursing
  • Nursing education
  • Nephrology nursing
  • Oncology and palliative nursing
  • Psychiatric nursing
  • Research
  • Trauma and emergency nursing
  • Midwife

Curriculum

First-year
  • Introduction to Medical Sciences
  • Human Behavioural Sciences I
  • Integrated General Nursing Sciences I
  • Anatomy for Nursing Sciences I
Second-year
  • Physiology and Medical Biochemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Integrated General Nursing Sciences II
Third-year
  • Pharmacology
  • Midwifery I
  • Integrated General Nursing Sciences III
Fourth-year
  • Midwifery II
  • Integrated General Nursing Sciences IV

Entry Requirements

NSC Requirements

English Home Language OR First Additional Language Level 4
Mathematics Level 4
Life Sciences AND/OR Physical Science Level 4

The Faculty of Health Sciences uses a composite index score to guide applicant selection. This includes:

  1. Your matric academic results for five subjects: English, Mathematics, Physical Science/Life Sciences and the best two other subjects. We consider the percentage achieved, not the symbol.
  2. National Benchmark Test (NBT) scores.

Each of the two components carries a 50% weighting.

All applicants must write the NBT

Click here for the NBT Test Dates. NBT results are valid for three years and Wits only considers the first attempt of the NBT from the most recent year. Visit www.nbt.ac.za 

The NBT should be written by 13 August 2023.

Applicants applying to the Graduate Entry Medical Programme (GEMP) only, as well as applicants who are in their final year of study towards a Bachelor’s degree, or who have already completed a Bachelor’s degree, are not required to write the NBT.

University Application Process

  • The Student Enrolment Centre at Wits handles all student applications.
  • Please click here for an overview of the application process. 
  • Check the admission requirements for your degree. Check if any additional selection requirements apply. 
  • Submit your application, required documentation and application fee before the closing date.
  • Once you have applied, an admissions consultant will be assigned to your application.
  • Applicants can monitor the progress of their applications via the Self Service Portal.
  • If you are an international applicant and/or have a foreign qualification, please click here.

Compliance with the minimum requirements does not guarantee a place at the University. The University has a specific number of places for first year undergraduates, approved by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Final selection is made subject to the availability of places, academic results and other entry requirements where applicable.

University Fees and Funding

Click here to see the current average tuition fees for the first year of study. The Fees website also provides information about the payment of fees and closing dates for fees payments. Once you have applied you will be able to access the fees estimator on the student self-service portal. 

The Financial aid office provides information on student funding and scholarships. University-funded Scholarships include Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships, University Entrance Scholarships, Equality Scholarships, Sports Scholarships and National Olympiad winner awards. For information about NSFAS funding, please visit the NSFAS website. External bursaries portal: The Bursaries South Africa website provides a comprehensive list of bursaries in South Africa.

Wits Plus applicants: terms of payment are in accordance with University regulations, and students are not eligible for University bursaries/NSFAS or residential accommodation.