Study Nursing in Europe: Degrees, Entry Requirements and Fees by Country
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
Nursing is taught very differently across Europe. In Spain and Portugal it is a four-year university degree. In Italy, France and Czechia it takes three years. In Germany most nurses train in a vocational programme rather than at a university. Our catalogue lists 680 nursing programmes at 636 institutions.
Country by country
- Spain. 64 four-year degrees. At public universities the last admitted student had between 10.05 and 12.53 out of 14, so nursing is among the more demanding degrees. Nursing in Spain.
- Portugal. 39 four-year degrees at nursing schools and polytechnics, closing between 113.3 and 160 out of 200. Nursing in Portugal.
- Italy. 163 three-year degrees. Places are limited nationally and the admission test for the health professions is held on a date set for the whole country. Nursing in Italy.
- France. 342 nursing institutes (IFSI) recruit through Parcoursup on the basis of the application file. The course lasts three years. Nursing in France.
- Germany. Only 17 degree programmes: the usual route is three years of paid vocational training at a hospital school, which is outside the university system and outside our catalogue. Nursing in Germany.
- Switzerland. Three-year bachelor's degrees at universities of applied sciences. Nursing in Switzerland.
- Czechia. 47 three-year bachelor's programmes. Nursing in Czechia.
What it costs
Typical fees for EU students at public institutions: €1,014 a year in Spain, €697 a year in Portugal, €178 a year in France and €2,778 a year in Italy before income-based reductions. Czech-taught programmes at public universities are free of tuition.
Language comes first
Only 6 of the 680 programmes are taught in English. Nursing students spend a large part of the course on hospital placements from the first year, so admission in practice depends on speaking the local language well. If you are not there yet, plan a language year before you apply.
Recognition
Nurses responsible for general care are covered by automatic recognition in the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, provided the training meets the common standard of at least three years. Specialised nursing roles are recognised case by case.
Where to look next
Official sources
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.