Notre Dame pauses nursing admissions, sparking union fears of future staff shortfall

In June, the University of Notre Dame’s Fremantle campus announced a twelve-month freeze on new enrolments for its bachelor of nursing degree, citing that the course had become oversubscribed. Current students, including a 24-year-old named Madison, report truncated placements and difficulty obtaining replacement hours, raising concerns about their ability to graduate on schedule. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation warns that roughly 1,000 Notre Dame graduates could be absent from the workforce by 2029/30, potentially straining public and private hospitals, and has called on the Western Australian government to provide additional practicum slots.

A state government spokesperson downplayed the impact, noting that nursing pipelines are planned years ahead and involve multiple institutions. Meanwhile, the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency has launched a compliance process into the university’s actions. The university has offered no further comment beyond its June statement.