Nursing Schools and Programs in Ireland

Nursing Studies in Ireland

Nursing in Ireland is a four-year honours bachelor's degree taught at universities and colleges, with clinical placements in the health service throughout. The profession is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), which approves the programmes and keeps the Register of Nurses and Midwives. Only graduates of an NMBI-approved programme can register, and it is against the law to practise in Ireland without registration.

SpainExchange lists 4 schools in Ireland under nursing, 3 in Dublin and 1 in Cork. Three of them appear in the NMBI list of general nursing degree courses: Dublin City University (DCU), Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork (UCC).

How the degree is organised

According to the NMBI, 14 education bodies in Ireland offer nursing and midwifery degree programmes. Nursing is divided into disciplines, each with its own degree and its own division of the register:

• General nursing, leading to Registered General Nurse (RGN)
• Children's and general nursing, leading to two qualifications (RCN and RGN)
• Intellectual disability nursing (RNID)
• Mental health nursing (RPN)

Midwifery is a separate degree.

The general nursing degree at UCC shows the usual structure. It lasts four years full-time and leads to a BSc (Hons) at level 8 of the Irish National Framework of Qualifications. Each year combines theory modules with supervised clinical practice of 35 hours per week for a number of weeks, in hospitals, the community and other healthcare settings. In the second half of the fourth year, students complete a 36-week paid internship with the health service provider they are linked to.

Students must be on the NMBI Candidate Register before they come into contact with patients. After graduating, they apply to join the Register of Nurses and Midwives. The NMBI reports more than 92,000 registered nurses and midwives.

Where it is taught

At DCU, the School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health offers a BSc in Nursing in three disciplines (general, mental health and intellectual disability) and a BSc in Children's and General Nursing. UCC's School of Nursing and Midwifery, in Cork, teaches the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing described above. Trinity College Dublin has a School of Nursing and Midwifery at D'Olier Street in central Dublin, with undergraduate and postgraduate programmes up to PhD level.

For nurses who are already qualified, Trinity lists master's programmes open to international students, among them the MSc in Nursing, the MSc in Mental Health, the MSc in Dementia and an MSc in child health and wellbeing.

Warnborough College Ireland, a distance-learning college based in Dublin, does not appear in the NMBI list of general nursing degree courses. Anyone who wants to register as a nurse in Ireland should confirm with the NMBI that a programme is approved before enrolling.

Admission and language

School leavers from Ireland, the EU, EFTA and the UK apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO). The NMBI sets minimum Leaving Certificate requirements: six subjects, with grade H5 in two and O6/H7 in four, including Irish or English, mathematics and a laboratory science subject. Places are then allocated by CAO points, which vary by year and by college; UCC's general nursing course required 463 points in 2026. Applicants aged 23 or over can use the mature entry route, which includes an NMBI assessment test.

Applicants from outside the EU apply directly to the university. UCC expects qualifications equivalent to the Irish Leaving Certificate and, for non-native speakers, proof of competence in English. The NMBI also states that evidence of English competence is required when an applicant's first language is not English. For the comparability of foreign qualifications, the NMBI refers applicants to NARIC Ireland, run by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

Because students work with patients, they are vetted. At UCC, students who have lived outside Ireland for six months or more must provide a police clearance certificate from each country of residence.

Costs

Fees depend on whether a student has EU or non-EU status. According to UCC, the State pays the tuition fees of EU students who are eligible under the Free Fees Scheme, and the student pays the annual student contribution and a capitation fee. Non-EU students pay different fees, which each university publishes in its fee schedule.

Recognition and careers

The NMBI describes nursing as an internationally recognised profession. General nurses work in hospitals, GP practices, nursing homes, residential care, community health centres and people's homes. With further study, a nurse can move into clinical specialist or advanced practice, management, research or teaching.

Nurses who qualified outside Ireland follow a two-step process with the NMBI: recognition of qualifications, then registration. The NMBI advises applicants not to move to Ireland or leave their job until they have a registration decision.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a nursing degree in Ireland?

Four years. The general nursing degree at University College Cork, for example, is a four-year full-time BSc (Hons) and includes a 36-week paid internship in the final year.

Can non-EU students study nursing in Ireland?

Yes. At University College Cork, non-EU applicants apply directly to the university, need qualifications equivalent to the Irish Leaving Certificate and must prove their English if it is not their first language.

Do nursing graduates have to register to work in Ireland?

Yes. All nurses and midwives who practise in Ireland must be on the Register of Nurses and Midwives kept by the NMBI. Graduates of approved Irish programmes apply to join it after completing the degree.