Each year HWNZ provides funding to support registered nurses across the rohe to undertake post graduate nursing studies.
Nurses can apply for papers that build towards a postgraduate qualification such as a Postgraduate Certificate (60 pts), Postgraduate Diploma (120 pts) or Masters degree (180 and 240 pts). On this page you will find the information you need to apply for funding and support to undertake this study. Please note that, due to funding constraints, Clinical Release time is not able to be funded in 2022.
The HWNZ Administrator (
hwnz@midcentraldhb.govt.nz) will email the application form to all nurses on this date. This application will be for the entire academic year (i.e. Summer School, Semester 1 and Semester 2).
Applications close on the last Friday in October. - HWNZ postgraduate programme information
- Professional Development Funding for nurses and midwives
- Terms and Conditions HWNZ funding
- Nursing Career Pathway
- Professional Development Career Plan
- Attend the Post Graduate Nursing Roadshow and identify your preferred Tertiary Education Provider.
- Complete your Career Plan in discussion with your Professional Lead.
- Use the Four Steps to Career Planning to help you identify the goals, activities, timelines and resources you need to achieve your career plan.
- Career planning helps identify whether your current role requires this level of preparation.
Māori, Pacific and Aged Care applicants will be prioritised. MDHB applicants need to have a current PDRP and career plan.
- Competent RNs may be funded to PG certificate level (2 papers).
- Proficient RNs, including ACNs and Specialty Clinical Nurses may be funded to PG diploma level (4 papers).
- Expert RNs may be funded to PG diploma (4 papers) based on service specifications/role.
- A nurse on a NP pathway will be funded to Masters level based on service specifications.
- Senior Nurses who are required to have a Master’s degree for their role will be prioritized for funding.
No clinical release time is funded : nurses on the DHB MECA have access to 32 hours per calendar year (pro-rated for part time employees) of professional development leave.
Primary, Community, Iwi provider and Aged and Residential Care
- Applicants to have professional development and career conversation with Nurse Lead.
Cultural Support funding is open to any person who has whakapapa and cultural links to whānau, hapū and iwi (for Māori) or is of Pacific Peoples descent and has established cultural links to the Pacific Peoples' communities.
Additional information can be found here:
PDRP is fundamental to the commitment we have to Nursing workforce development as it supports nurses to articulate their practice. This is key to identifying nurses’ unique contribution as part of the healthcare team. All HHS applicants are required to be progressing or maintaining PDRP at the appropriate level including a current Performance Review and discussion with manager to ensure the choice of postgraduate papers is appropriate to scope, level of practice, and role.
Primary/ARC participants will be accepted without a current PDRP with the recommendation that they will the applicable level within the year of study.
Otago University Wellington Virtual Roadshow
Victoria University of Wellington
Massey University Massey
Whitireia