Apply To Nursing Courses
Uni Enrol is Malaysia’s top university enrolment platform for over 200+ universities in Malaysia, Australia and UK. We provide unique insights, efficient service, scholarship matching and compare similar or alternative options.
Table of Contents
1. What Is Nursing?
A Nursing Course integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the facilitation of healing through trained medical care and compassion.
Why it matters?
- An experienced nurse can make a profound difference in the lives of individuals and communities.
- Doctors cannot do it alone. They require the skill, assistance and nurturing nature of nurses to aid in any restoration procedure and are there to tend to the patient until complete recovery.
- Nurses are an integral part of the healthcare support system and they have many specialisations that hospitals need.
Watch this video for an overview of what nurses do:
2. Where To Study Nursing Courses In Malaysia?
Here are our recommendations of top universities to study Nursing courses in Malaysia.
| University | Course |
| 1. IMU University | Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) Diploma in Nursing |
| 2. Sunway University | Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) Diploma in Nursing |
| 3. University of Cyberjaya | Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) Diploma in Nursing |
| 4. Mahsa University | Bachelor of Science (Hons) Nursing Diploma in Nursing |
| 5. UOW Malaysia | Diploma In Nursing (offered at all campuses) |
| 6. AIMST University | Bachelor in Nursing Science (Hons) Diploma in Nursing |
| 7. Oriental Nilam College of Nursing | Diploma in Nursing |
| 8. SEGI University & Colleges | Bachelor in Nursing (Hons) in Collaboration with USM Diploma in Nursing |
| 9. Nilai University | Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) Diploma in Nursing |
| 10. UTAR | Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) |
| 11. Systems College | Diploma In Nursing |
3. Nursing Course Pathways & Entry Requirements
There are 2 pathways one can consider when studying a Nursing Course.
Pathway 1: SPM/O-Levels ➔ Diploma ➔ Nursing Degree
Studying a Diploma in Nursing is the more popular pathway as many aspiring nursing students can immediately begin their career in the healthcare industry.
To become a Registered Nurse (RN), you need to fulfil a series of requirements after graduating from your Diploma. More on this later.
As an SPM / O-Level leaver, the entry requirement is 3 credits including Bahasa Melayu, Mathematics and one Science subject to enter a Diploma in Nursing.
A Diploma in Nursing generally takes 3 years to complete.
If you proceed to continue with a Degree in Nursing, you only need to enrol for an additional 2 years to complete the Degree with a minimum entry requirement of CGPA 2.50 for your Diploma.
As a Degree in Nursing is 4 years long, having a Diploma qualification means you only need to study for 3 years instead.
As such, the Diploma+Degree path takes 6 years to complete. But most graduates typically work first and continue with their Degree after a few years of working experience and saving up.
Pathway 2: SPM/O-Levels ➔ Pre-University/Foundation ➔ Nursing Degree
Another pathway towards Nursing studies is to enter a Pre-University course (A-Level, SACE, STPM) or a Foundation course offered by the university of your choice.
As an SPM / O-Level leaver, the entry requirement is 5 credits including Bahasa Melayu, Mathematics and one Science subject to enter Pre-U or Foundation.
A Pre-University course or Foundation in Science/Nursing typically takes 1 to 2 years to complete and will qualify you to enter into a Degree in Nursing.
A Nursing Degree in Malaysia will take 4 years to complete as you will receive rigorous off-campus postings during your course.
Here are the general requirements to enter with qualifications from popular pre-university courses or a foundation course:
| Qualifications | General Requirements |
| A-Level | 3C |
| AUSMAT/SACE | ATAR 65 |
| CIMP | 65% |
| STPM | CGPA 2.5 |
| UEC | 5B |
| Foundation | CGPA 2.5 |
Note: Actual minimum requirements will differ between different universities.
In total, this pathway generally takes 5 years to complete.
How Can Uni Enrol Help?
Uni Enrol’s experienced counsellors help you compare the pros and cons of studying a Nursing Course at different universities and different locations.
4. Accreditation For Nursing In Malaysia
How To Become A Nurse In Malaysia?
Whether you graduated with a Diploma or a Degree in Nursing, you’ll need to qualify as a Registered Nurse (RN) and explore a specialisation under what is known as Post-Basic Programmes.
Registered Nurse (RN)
After graduating with an accredited nursing course, you need to follow these steps to become a full-fledged RN in Malaysia:
- Sit and pass the Malaysian Nursing Board Examination.
- Thereafter, you can register yourself with the Malaysian Nursing Board.
- The final step is to apply for the Annual Practising Certificate (APC) from the Nursing Council. To get your APC, you need to fulfil certain conditions laid out here, which include documentation and proof of your nursing employment at recognised healthcare establishments.
- Once you obtain your APC, your details will be shown in the Register of Practicing Nurses in Malaysia.
Post-Basic Programmes
Once you have achieved your status as an RN, you will likely begin exploring specialisation skills as a nurse in order to reach better career prospects.
Post-Basic programme is essentially a 6-month programme conducted by a qualified educationl institution to equip RNs with the necessary skills in a specialisation that they have chosen.
The tricky part is that not all specialisation programmes are conveniently offered by a single education institution.
Once you have completed your Post-Basic programme, you are then required to work at least 3 years in the hospital unit that focuses on this particular specialisation to secure your recognition by the Nursing Board.
Here are some of the popular specialisations for future consideration:
- Cardiac Nurse
- Anaesthetist Nurse
- Critical Care Nurse
- Geriatric Nurse
- Oncology Nurse
- Perioperative Nurse
- Orthopedic Nurse
- Nurse Midwife
What You Learn In A Nursing Course
You will learn an array of patient-caring skills, and about diseases, disorders and conditions so you can diagnose and assist doctors. Here are some of the core subjects you will learn in a Nursing Course:
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Behavioural Sciences
- Biochemistry
- Cardiovascular and Respiratory Disorders
- Clinical Practicum
- Communicable Diseases
- Community Health and Gerontology Nursing
- Critical Care Nursing
- Emergency and Disaster Nursing
- Emergency and Trauma
- End of Life Care
- Endocrine and Genitourinary Disorders
- Epidemiology
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Haematology and Oncology Disorders
- Immunology and Communicable Diseases
- Management & Administrative Nursing
- Mental Health Nursing
- Microbiology and Parasitology
- Musculoskeletal and Autoimmune Disorders
- Neurological and Special Senses Disorders
- Nursing Sciences
- Obstetric and Gynaecological Nursing
- Paediatric Nursing
- Perioperative Nursing
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacology & Nutrition in Nursing
- Professional Development, Ethics and Law in Nursing
- Psychology and Sociology in Nursing
- Research for Healthcare Professionals
- Surgical Nursing
Got Scholarship?
Use our Pathway Match tool to accurately get matched with your preferred courses, fees and scholarships you qualify for in 5 minutes.
5. Why Should I Study Nursing?
Nursing is a noble profession and accords many opportunities due to the constant demand for their services. If nursing is your calling, here are reasons why you should pursue it:
- Severe Shortage of Qualified Nurses – Globally and not just Malaysia faces a huge nursing shortage in hospitals, clinics and particularly rural areas. This presents an opportunity to seek a career overseas in Singapore, Australia or Europe.
- High Demand For Specialised Nurses – Certain nursing specialisations are high in demand, which provides job stability and opportunities such as Critical Care, Geriatric and Anesthetists.
- Making An Impact On Patient Lives – The quality care that patients receive during their stay at hospitals hinge on the empathy, diligence and experience of nurses. The level of nurture and everyday interaction can make a huge difference in their recovery.
6. RIASEC Compatibility To A Nursing Course
The John Holland Theory of Career Choice states that in choosing a career, people will choose one similar to their personality to ensure job satisfaction, job performance, and career success. The test generates 6 different personality types:
- Realistic (R)
- Investigative (I)
- Artistic (A)
- Social (S)
- Enterprising (E)
- Conventional (C)
With the RIASEC Test, the 6 personalities can generate up to 720 combination possibilities to provide career compatibility. You can try the test yourself here.
Nurses exhibit these Top 3 personality traits:
SOCIAL
Social individuals are compassionate, helpful, and drawn to careers where they can positively impact others, such as teaching, counselling, or healthcare.
REALISTIC
Realistic individuals enjoy working with their hands, using tools, and engaging in physical activity. This trait is essential for performing tasks such as administering medication, assisting patients with mobility, and operating medical devices.
INVESTIGATIVE
Nurses must be analytical and enjoy solving complex problems. The investigative personality is suited to science, research, and technical fields. In nursing, this involves critical thinking, diagnostic skills, and the ability to interpret medical information to provide the best patient care.
7. Career Opportunities For Nursing
As you already know by now, nursing has many branches of specialisation. But there are also a ton of other areas of opportunity within the healthcare field and outside. Here are some examples:
| Areas of Opportunity | Types of Roles |
| Clinical Nursing | Registered Nurse (RN), Critical Care Nurse, Emergency Room (ER) Nurse, Operating Room (OR) Nurse/Scrub Nurse, Medical-Surgical Nurse |
| Specialized Nursing Roles | Pediatric Nurse, Geriatric Nurse, Oncology Nurse, Cardiac Nurse, Neonatal Nurse, Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse |
| Community & Public Health Nursing | Community Health Nurse, Public Health Nurse, School Nurse, Home Health Nurse |
| Advanced Practice Nursing (Requires Advanced Degrees) | Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Nurse Anaesthetist (CRNA), Nurse Midwife |
| Education & Research | Nurse Educator, Clinical Nurse Educator, Nurse Researcher, Author/Content Developer |
| Healthcare Administration & Management | Nurse Manager, Healthcare Administrator, Case Manager Nurse, Director of Nursing (DON) |
| Specialised Fields & Emerging Roles | Travel Nurse, Forensic Nurse, Occupational Health Nurse, Infection Control Nurse, Telehealth Nurse |
| Corporate & Consultancy Roles | Legal Nurse Consultant, Healthcare Consultant, Pharmaceutical Nurse, Medical Sales Representative |
| Nursing in Non-Traditional Settings | Military Nurse, Flight Nurse, Humanitarian Nurse, Corrections Nurse |
| Holistic & Alternative Medicine | Holistic Nurse, Integrative Health Nurse |
Recommended Course Guides
Looking for other related courses? Here are various medical and health sciences-related course guides you should check out:
If you’re still not sure what to study, we have many other Course Guides that will provide more guidance on the subject matter. Share with your friends!
We also took the liberty to compile all our University Guides and Course Fees Guides so you don’t have to go anywhere else!
About the Author:
Ken Hoong is the co-founder of Uni Enrol and a contributing writer. Drawing on his close work with Uni Enrol’s counsellors, he brings keen insight into Malaysia’s evolving private higher education landscape and the shifting preferences of students in learning and career choices.
You must be logged in to post a comment.