Nursing Schools and Programs in Germany

Nursing Studies in Germany

Rheichstag mit Wiese, Berlin

Nursing in Germany is a regulated profession with two routes to the same licence. Most nurses qualify through three years of vocational training at a nursing school and a training employer. A smaller number take a bachelor's degree at a higher education institution that includes the state examination. Both routes are governed by the Nursing Professions Act (Pflegeberufegesetz), which has applied to all nursing training since 1 January 2020.

SpainExchange lists 4 schools in Germany under Nursing, in Heidelberg, Freiburg, Bremen and Frankfurt.

How nursing education is organised

The Pflegeberufegesetz merged the former separate training courses for general nursing, elderly care and children's nursing. All trainees follow a common generalist programme for two years. Those who continue the generalist route in the third year qualify as Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann (nursing professional). Trainees may instead choose a separate qualification in elderly care or children's nursing in the third year, but few do: according to the Federal Statistical Office, just under 1.2% of graduates in 2025.

• Vocational training: three years full-time, or up to five years part-time. Trainees sign a contract with a training employer and attend a nursing school. No school fees may be charged, and trainees are paid: on average between €1,400 a month in the first year and €1,600 in the third, according to the federal information site pflegeausbildung.net
• Nursing degree (Pflegestudium): a dual bachelor's programme of at least three years, with at least 2,100 hours of teaching at the higher education institution and at least 2,300 hours of practice placements. The state examination for the licence is part of the university examination, and graduates hold the professional title together with the academic degree. Students receive a training allowance during the degree
• Further study: bachelor's and master's programmes in nursing science, nursing education or health care research for people who are already qualified nurses

The title Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann may only be used with a state licence (Erlaubnis). According to the Federal Ministry of Health, the generalist qualification is recognised automatically in other EU member states under the EU directive on professional qualifications, while the separate elderly care and children's nursing qualifications are assessed case by case.

Admission and language

For vocational training, applicants need an intermediate school-leaving certificate or another completed ten-year general school education. For a nursing degree, the entrance requirements follow the higher education access rules of each federal state. International applicants with a school-leaving certificate from outside the EU may first need a Studienkolleg, the one-year preparatory course described by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Nursing is taught in German, and patient care requires it. DAAD states that most higher education institutions ask for German at B2 level of the CEFR or above. The law also makes sufficient knowledge of German a condition for the nursing licence itself.

Nurses who trained abroad do not start again from the beginning. They apply for recognition of their qualification; where the training is not equivalent, the law provides for an adaptation course or a knowledge test.

Where to study

The federal site pflegeausbildung.net publishes a list of the degree programmes that lead to the nursing licence, by federal state; most are at universities of applied sciences. Two universities among the schools listed here teach nursing science:

• The Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg has offered a Bachelor of Science in Pflegewissenschaft at its Faculty of Medicine since the 2010-11 winter semester. A new version of the degree that leads to the title Pflegefachfrau / Pflegefachmann Bachelor of Science starts on 1 October 2026. The earlier programme, which requires completed nursing training, lasts six semesters. The university also offers a four-semester Master of Science in Pflegewissenschaft
• The University of Bremen offers a B.A. in Berufliche Bildung - Pflegewissenschaft, aimed at teaching in nursing education, and a master's programme in Community Health Care and Nursing

Costs and visa

Vocational nursing training is free of school fees and paid. At state higher education institutions there are generally no tuition fees for bachelor's degrees, but all students pay a semester contribution of between €70 and €430. Baden-Württemberg, where Freiburg is located, charges non-EU citizens €1,500 per semester. Citizens of EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland do not need a visa. Other students usually apply for a national visa at the German embassy or consulate in their home country and, as of 1 January 2025, must show €992 per month in financial resources for a study visa, according to DAAD.

Careers

The Federal Statistical Office reports that about 63,900 trainees signed a new training contract as Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann in 2025, 8% more than a year earlier, and that about 35,300 people completed the training that year. Qualified nurses work in hospitals, long-term care homes and home care services. With a degree or further training they can move into specialist practice, management, teaching or research.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a nurse in Germany?

Three years full-time through vocational training, or at least three years through a nursing degree that includes the state examination.

Is nursing training in Germany paid?

Yes. Trainees receive a training salary, on average between €1,400 a month in the first year and €1,600 in the third according to pflegeausbildung.net, and no school fees may be charged.

Is a German nursing qualification valid in other EU countries?

According to the Federal Ministry of Health, the generalist qualification as Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann is recognised automatically in other EU member states.