Nursing Schools and Programs in Montevideo, Uruguay

About Nursing Schools and Programs in Montevideo, Uruguay

Nursing degrees prepare students to plan, give and manage care for individuals, families and communities, in hospitals, primary care and public health. In Uruguay the university degree is the Licenciatura en Enfermería, and Montevideo, the capital, is home to both the public and the private university programmes listed in our directory. Teaching is in Spanish.

Where to study nursing in Montevideo

• Universidad de la República (Udelar), the public university, teaches nursing at its Facultad de Enfermería, which became a full faculty in 2004. It trains both university-level nurses and nursing auxiliaries, and offers the Licenciatura en Enfermería in Montevideo, Salto, Rocha and Rivera. Its departments cover education, administration, adult and older-adult care, community nursing, child and adolescent health, maternal and child health, and mental health. The degree was accredited under ARCU-SUR, the Mercosur regional accreditation system, for 2018 to 2024.
• Universidad Católica del Uruguay (UCU), a private Jesuit university, offers a four-year, on-campus Licenciatura en Enfermería in Montevideo, with morning classes and an intermediate qualification as Auxiliar de Enfermería Integral. Students do placements from the start of the degree and train in laboratories with full-size simulators. The degree is also ARCU-SUR accredited. Graduates need English at B1 (speaking and writing) and B2 (reading); UCU offers free courses to reach that level. UCU also runs a three-year Licenciatura en Enfermería (Profesionalización), with the final pre-professional placement in health centres across the country.

Admission and costs

All Udelar degree programmes are open-access and free of charge, with no tuition or fees whatever the student's country of origin. Registration for 2027 takes place in February. Residents of Uruguay who finished secondary school abroad can enrol with their legalised or apostilled school-leaving certificate, which the faculty assesses within 40 working days, or with a revalidation from ANEP, the national public education administration. Udelar has an office that advises foreign and migrant students. UCU is a private university and sets its own admission process and fees.

Careers

Licensed nurses work in hospitals and clinics, primary care, public health, education and company health services, and can go on to specialise or move into management and teaching. According to UCU, its graduates find work quickly in Uruguay's Sistema Nacional Integrado de Salud, the national integrated health system.

Frequently asked questions

Is nursing free at the Universidad de la República?

Yes. Udelar charges no tuition or fees for any of its degree programmes, regardless of the student's nationality.

How long does a nursing degree take in Montevideo?

The Licenciatura en Enfermería at UCU takes four years; its Profesionalización track takes three.

Can I study nursing in Montevideo with a school-leaving certificate from another country?

Residents of Uruguay who finished secondary school abroad can apply to Udelar with their legalised or apostilled certificate or with a revalidation from ANEP. The faculty assesses the certificate within 40 working days.