Diploma
New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Companion Animal)
Unitec · Veterinary Nursing (Environmental and Animal Sciences) · Mt Albert, Auckland, New Zealand
- Official award
- New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Companion Animal)
- Pathway
- Veterinary nursingStated for New Zealand
- Format
- HybridFull-time for two years or distance learning options available
- Tuition
- NZ$8,700per year, as displayed on 2026-10-19
Hybrid program
About this program
A two-year diploma that prepares companion animal veterinary nurses, taught onsite or by distance with practicum placement in clinics.
Role the program prepares for: Qualified veterinary nurse in companion animal clinics.
- Subject
- Veterinary nursing
- Department
- Veterinary Nursing (Environmental and Animal Sciences)
- Awarding body
- Unitec
Qualification and professional pathway
Pathway is classified only from a statement on an official page. An award title such as DVM, BVSc, BSc or MSc does not decide it, and no degree, accreditation or listing by itself grants permission to practise anywhere.
- Degree level
- DiplomaA non-degree award, or a qualification at a level the national framework defines. It is not counted as an academic degree.
- Pathway
- Veterinary nursingPrograms preparing veterinary nurses. The role, title and regulation differ by country and are not interchangeable with veterinarians or technicians.
- Why we classify it this way
- The page says graduates are qualified veterinary nurses eligible for voluntary registration.“You will graduate as a qualified veterinary nurse who is able to work effectively and efficiently in a clinical setting”Source
- Prior degree required
- No
- Further professional requirements
- Voluntary registration with the Allied Veterinary Professional Regulatory Council of New Zealand.Source
| Route | Duration | Credits | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry from secondary school | Full-time for two years or distance learning options available | 240 | NCEA Level 2 or higher including 12 credits each in English (L2), Mathematics (L1) and relevant science (L1), or an equivalent NZ certificateSource |
Accreditation, evaluation and recognition
Recorded for this program and campus, with the authority’s role. Program accreditation, evaluation status, professional-body recognition, eligibility toward registration, institutional recognition, directory listings and memberships are different things; none of them is automatic permission to practise, and recognition in one country does not guarantee registration in another.
Stated by the schoolAllied Veterinary Professional Regulatory Council of New ZealandEligibility toward registrationNZ
Scope: Graduates are eligible for voluntary registration as stated by Unitec; the council's own list of approved qualifications was not checked
Further requirements: Registration is voluntary and made with the council after graduation.
Study structure
- Delivery
- HybridPart online and part in person (campus attendance, laboratory work, attendance-based exams or clinical placements). A hybrid program is never described as fully online.
- Online instruction
- Mostly online
- Mandatory campus attendance
- Yes
- Campus residencies or workshops
- Four compulsory block courses at the Mt Albert campus each year (one week each) for distance learners.
- In-person assessment
- Distance learners must attend all block courses, exams and practical assessments.
- Mandatory clinical or workplace placement
- Distance learners arrange their own clinical placement in both Year 1 and Year 2.
- Placement arrangement
- Student arranges the placement
- Must already work in a veterinary setting
- Not published
- Placement site approval
- Not published
- Live attendance
- Live attendance not published
- International enrolment
- Not published
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Duration
- Full-time for two years or distance learning options available
- Credits
- 240 240 credits (2.0 EFTS)Credit systems differ between countries and institutions.
- Campus attendance
- Onsite learners attend classes two to three days a week
- Clinical placement
- During first year as an onsite student Unitec arranges a clinical placement; in the second year students arrange their own.
- Intakes
- February
- Campus
- Mt Albert campus
Teaching language
- Taught in
- English
- English
- English teaching not verifiedAn English-language website does not mean a program is taught in English.
- Differences by campus or pathway
- Two delivery options: onsite at Mt Albert, or distance (mainly online with four compulsory on-campus block weeks per year).
- Published language requirements
- IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with no band lower than 5.5, or equivalent
Admissions
- Animal or veterinary experience
- Not published
- Interview
- Interview possible
- Previous qualification
- NCEA Level 2 including English, Mathematics and science credits, or equivalent
- Science prerequisites
- 12 credits of relevant science (preferably Biology) at Level 1 or higher
- Documents
- Veterinary Nursing Student Declaration Application
Fees and costs
Original currency is authoritative. Each price keeps its basis (per year, per credit, whole program), academic year and student category, and is never converted. Annual tuition and whole-program tuition are different figures.
| Item | Amount | Applies to | Dated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual tuition fee, domestic (approximate, includes GST, excludes CSSF levy)Tuition | NZ$8,700per year, as displayed on 2026-10-19 | Domestic/NZ students | 19 October 2026Source |
No total is shown: the sources do not state a whole-program figure and the published duration and fee basis do not support a calculation.
Clinical or laboratory charges, equipment and protective clothing, mandatory travel, placement expenses and insurance are not listed by the institution on the pages we checked; ask what is extra.
Sources and verification
Not published on the program’s source pages: animal or veterinary experience requirement.
Sources and how this was checked
Last checked 19 October 2026. Each fact carries a verbatim quote that is re-checked against the live page. Research methodology.
Sources (checked 19 October 2026)