Entry Requirements

Applicants must have NCEA Level 2, or equivalent.

Applicants 20 years or older who do not hold the minimum entry requirements will be eligible to be enrolled where their previous educational, work or life experience indicates they have a reasonable likelihood of success.

Work experience requirements must be met.

English Language Requirements

If English or te reo Māori is not the applicant’s first language, applicants will need an IELTS (General or Academic) score of 5.5 with no band score lower than 5.0, or equivalent.

Work Experience Requirements

Learners are required to be employed in, or have access to, a suitable healthcare workplace (such as a hospital) where sterile services are performed. 

To complete this programme, learners must complete a minimum of 120 hours of supervised workplace experience (paid or unpaid). These hours are completed across the three courses in the programme and must be met separately for each course: 

• STE404 Foundations of Sterilising Practice – 20 hours
• STE405 Decontamination and Instrument Reprocessing – 50 hours
• STE406 Sterilisation, Storage and Quality Systems – 50 hours

 Hours cannot be double counted across courses. As part of this requirement, learners must complete at least 20 hours involving at least one form of sterilisation under supervision. Learners must have a workplace agreement in place and a workplace supervisor who can verify their experience hours.

To confirm your workplace hours:

• You must have a workplace supervisor who can oversee and verify your work.
• You and your workplace will need to sign a workplace agreement.

When you complete the enrolment form, you need to include your workplace details. They will be emailed a form to complete, and need to name a verifier for you, who will also be emailed a form to complete.

International students and domestic students living overseas

You can study this programme if you are an international student living in New Zealand. Domestic students living overseas and international students living overseas are not eligible. Learners must be employed in, or have access to, a suitable workplace where sterile services are performed and must complete the required supervised workplace experience hours. For more information about the special conditions and fees that you’ll need to meet, visit:

Studying with us as an international student