Nursing Schools and Programs in Italy

Nursing Studies in Italy

Basilica of St. John Lateran, Rome

In Italy, nursing is a university subject. To become a nurse (infermiere), students complete the three-year degree in nursing, the laurea in Infermieristica. The degree is both an academic qualification and the professional qualification: graduates can register as nurses and start work without a separate state exam. Teaching is in Italian, and places are limited nationally.

SpainExchange lists one school in Italy with nursing programmes: the University of Ferrara (Unife). The sections below describe how the degree works across Italy, with examples from Ferrara and from the course pages of the universities of Genoa and Udine.

How the nursing degree is organised

According to FNOPI, the national federation of nursing professional bodies, the laurea in Infermieristica lasts three years and carries 180 CFU. Italian credits (CFU) are equivalent to ECTS credits; for nursing, FNOPI counts 30 hours of work per credit. The degree belongs to the official class L/SNT1, which groups the nursing and midwifery degrees. Graduates are responsible for general nursing care.

A large part of the programme is clinical training (tirocinio) in hospitals and health services. At Unife, the degree is taught in Italian in Ferrara, Pieve di Cento and Adria, and the university describes it as a degree that qualifies students to enter the job market straight away. The Università degli Studi di Udine teaches the same 180-CFU degree in Udine and Pordenone, and the Università degli Studi di Genova runs it at several hospital sites in Liguria.

Master's degrees and further study

After the first degree, nurses can continue with a two-year laurea magistrale (120 CFU). The classic option is the master's in Nursing and Midwifery Sciences (Scienze infermieristiche e ostetriche, class LM/SNT1), which Unife also offers. From the 2026-27 academic year, three new clinical master's degrees in specialist nursing are available, according to FNOPI:

• primary care and family and community nursing
• neonatal and paediatric care
• intensive and emergency care

Nurses can also take first- and second-level university master's programmes, and a PhD (dottorato di ricerca) of at least three years after the laurea magistrale.

Admission, language and costs

Nursing has national programmed access (accesso programmato nazionale): each university has a fixed number of places and admits students through an entrance test. Places for students from outside the EU are few. For 2026-27, Genoa lists 459 places for EU students and 5 for non-EU students. The same national system applies to Unife's master's degree in nursing.

All three programmes mentioned here are taught in Italian. Universitaly, the portal of the Ministry of Universities and Research, notes that most undergraduate programmes in Italy are taught in Italian and that each institution tests applicants' Italian. Students from outside the EU pre-enrol on Universitaly and then apply for a student visa at the Italian embassy or consulate; for 2026-27, visa applications must be submitted by 30 November 2026. CIMEA, the Italian ENIC-NARIC centre, gives information on recognition of foreign school qualifications.

Fees are set by each university. Genoa, for example, gives a range of €0 to €3,000 a year for its nursing degree and refers students to its grants and fee exemptions.

Working as a nurse

To work as a nurse in Italy, a graduate needs the qualifying degree and registration in the professional register (albo) kept by the provincial nursing bodies (OPI). According to Genoa, nurses work in hospitals of the National Health Service, in accredited private facilities and in home care. FNOPI adds that nurses can work as employees or as self-employed professionals.

Students who plan to work in another country should check how that country recognises an Italian nursing degree before they enrol.

Frequently asked questions

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

Three years. The laurea in Infermieristica carries 180 CFU and qualifies graduates for the profession once they register with a provincial nursing body.

Is there an entrance exam for nursing in Italy?

Yes. Nursing has national programmed access with a limited number of places, and admission is by entrance test. Places for non-EU students are few: Genoa offers 5 for 2026-27.

Can I study nursing in Italy in English?

The programmes at Ferrara, Genoa and Udine are taught in Italian. Clinical training with patients also takes place in Italian, so a good level of the language is needed.

Is there a separate state exam for nurses?

No. FNOPI describes the three-year degree as qualifying for the profession; the final step is registration in the professional register.