8 interesting tips to study nursing in Germany in 2023

As a nursing student, you should be prepared for the excitement and the challenges you’ll have after graduating.

Be prepared for all the meaningful moments you’ll witness, the friendships you’ll make, and the best feelings of helping other people.

We also know that it will not be an easy journey to study nursing in Germany, but we’ve put together 8 interesting tips to help you pursue your dream and stay on track to become a registered nurse.

If you want to study a bachelor’s degree in nursing in Germany, you’ve come to the right place. We will tell you everything you need to know about how to take nursing courses in Germany, how much it costs to study nursing in Germany, how international students can study nursing in Germany, and more.

Table of Contents

Requirements to study nursing in Germany

Since the number of people over 65 is growing very quickly in developed countries, the governments need to expand their healthcare system and increase their qualified nursing staff, in order to properly care for these people.

In fact, the demand for healthcare professionals is expected to increase since the birth rate is declining while the average age of the population continues to rise.

Germany is one country where the number of older people is growing very quickly. It is also one of the top three countries in the world with a high percentage of people over the age of 65, which means that Germany needs new nurses every year.

According to recent studies, Germany will need about 1.5 new nurses in the next five years.

Therefore, nursing is a great choice for your career path, especially if you decide to study in Germany.

What courses do you need to take when you study nursing in Germany?

In order to study nursing in Germany, you will have to apply for an apprenticeship known as “Ausbildung” in a recognized hospital by the German government.

The most important requirement you need to do to get an apprenticeship in a German hospital is to be able to speak German with at least a B1 level.

Language is essential because most nurses who are working in Germany must be fluent in German.

Therefore, if you wish to pursue nursing education in Germany, you are required to have a solid understanding of the German language.

Qualifications to study Nursing in Germany

Here are the qualifications required to study nursing in Germany:

German Language B1 Level
A Pass in Plus Two
Under 24 Years old
Male & Female Students are Eligible to Apply

Outlines to study Nursing in Germany

If you are chosen for the nursing apprenticeship program, you will have to go through three years of both practical and theoretical training in the field. You will also get a monthly stipend of between €1,000 and €1,200.

German Hospitals usually have a partner college or vocational institution that handles all of the theoretical learning.

It’s a full-time program, and you’ll have to spend 2,100 hours in the classroom at the partner college or institute and 2,500 hours at the hospital.

At the end of your three-year apprenticeship, you will have to take and pass a state exam to get a valid nursing license.

Once you have that, you can work in:

Hospitals
Healthcare centers
Nursing homes
Outpatient clinics
Health insurance companies
Senior centers
And so many other places.

What do international students need to do to study nursing in Germany?

If you are an international student and want to study a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Germany, you must have the following requirements:

Earning a High school certificate
Studying Science subject in Class 10 or 12
Having a B1 level language proficiency in German.

For some universities, students must also pass the ‘Abitur exam,’ which is the university entrance test of Germany.

Best schools to study nursing in Germany in 2023

Here are the top five nursing schools in Germany based on recent studies, the job market, and their research methods:

1. Hamburg University of Applied Sciences

2. DHGS Deutsche Hochschule Für Gesundheit & Sport

3. Hochschule Bremen City University of Applied Sciences

4. Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University

5. HS Esslingen University of Applied Sciences

Cost of Living to Study Nursing in Germany

The average cost of living in Germany, including rent, food, and transportation, is between € 700 and € 900 per month. Compared to other countries around Germany, it is on the low side.

If you are given a hostel bed in a hospital or college, you will pay between €400 and €600 per month for both your room and food.

But you don’t need to worry since your stipend will cover the cost of living in Germany while you are taking a nursing course.

How to Study nursing for Free in Germany?

If you want to study nursing in Germany but are worried about the cost of tuition, you shouldn’t be.

If you follow the following steps, you’ll see that getting a degree in nursing from Germany doesn’t have to be very expensive:

1. Strong academic background

Most German universities accept students based on how well they do in school, so you must have a great academic record.

2. Early Application

If you apply early, you’ll be ahead of other applicants who wait until later in the admissions process.

3. Applying for Free German Universities

You can simply go to the websites of free universities and choose the program you want to earn. Here are a few of the free universities in Germany:

The University of Stuttgart
The Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich
The University of Tubingen
Heidelberg University
The Dresden University of Technology
The Technical University of Munich

4. German scholarships

Most public universities in Germany offer scholarships. You can get a scholarship from the German government, the university where you will study, or any other private organization that has been given permission to do so.

5. Part-Time Job

Once you start studying in Germany, you’ll notice that many of your classmates also work part-time jobs. So, it’s a good idea to get a part-time job to help pay for your living expenses.

6. Managing your budget

If you know how to handle your money well, you will be able to save money and keep your finances in order, even after you graduate and get a good job.

Whether you still didn’t make up your mind to study nursing or you are at your first hour of studying nursing, you can go exploring uni-app for more nursing programs.

And you may, also, want to get some extra ideas from people who are already in this field.

“Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation as any painter’s or sculptor’s work.”

That’s how Florence Nightingale, one of the most famous nurses in history, talks about how much dedication it takes to be a nurse.

She talks about how hard it is, but she also expresses how beautiful nursing is. The beauty to have someone by their side when you are alone, and the beauty of the healthcare team when they work together.

So, you always can remember that beauty when things are getting hard for you.

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