Nurse Practitioners | M膩tanga tapuhi (NP)
These are highly skilled health practitioners with advanced education, clinical training and experience. They have demonstrated clinical competence and have the legal authority to practice as an independent healthcare provider.
Pathways
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are required to have completed a masters degree in nursing through a Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) approved pathway at an approved tertiary education provider. There are two funding streams for nurse practitioner training.
Visit the for more information on Nurse Practitioners and their role advancing NP practice and enabling high quality integrated and accessible healthcare throughout New Zealand.
The NPTP is a national programme that includes the final year of preparation for NP registration funded by Health NZ.
Health NZ are currently taking expressions of interest from nurse practitioner candidates for 2026. Please complete the . This closes on 31 August 2025.
Nurses may complete Master's courses to register as nurse practitioners delivered through other tertiary education providers. Students attending these programmes are eligible to access Postgraduate Nursing Funding (Health Workforce Directorate funding) through their local district health board (DHB) under the direction of the Director of Nursing and their postgraduate education coordinator.
Applications can be sent to pgnursing@waikato.ac.nz
Applicants should include:
- Cover letter outlining your area of practice and why you want to train as a nurse practitioner
- CV
- Transcript (record of your academic history - courses, grades and achievements)
- A page outlining what you have organised for clinical mentorship as you need to complete 500 hours practicum time over the year
- A page outlining workplace support