Study Nursing in the Netherlands as an International Student
The Netherlands trains nurses at two levels: mbo-verpleegkunde (vocational) and hbo-verpleegkunde (Bachelor of Nursing). Here is how the programmes work, what they cost, the language reality most universities undersell, and what your career looks like after graduation.
The two routes into nursing
Both lead to the protected title of verpleegkundige and BIG registration after graduation.
Hbo: Bachelor of Nursing
Four years at a university of applied sciences (hogeschool). Broader scope, more theory, leads to roles like nurse specialist later. Roughly half the programme is internship (stage) in real care settings.
Mbo: verpleegkunde niveau 4
Three to four years vocational training, very hands-on, often combined with a paid learn-work track (BBL) where a care employer trains and pays you while you study.
The language reality
This is the part international students underestimate. Nursing is a patient-facing profession, so nearly all nursing programmes teach in Dutch, and your internships (half of your study time) run on Dutch wards with Dutch patients from year one or two. A handful of institutions offer English-taught starts or bridging tracks, but the internship problem does not go away: you cannot practise care on a Dutch ward without workable Dutch.
Practical translation: if you want to study nursing here, start Dutch now, not after admission. B1 makes the classroom survivable; B2 makes internships genuinely useful. With daily practice, A2 in 4 to 6 months is realistic, and B1 to B2 in the following months, so a year of preparation puts you in a strong position.
Costs and admission in short
- EU/EEA students pay the statutory tuition fee (around €2.600 per year, with a discount in year one) and can borrow via DUO under conditions.
- Non-EU students pay institutional fees, typically €8.000 to €12.000 per year for nursing programmes, plus visa and living costs.
- Admission usually requires a secondary school diploma comparable to Dutch havo (hbo) or vmbo-t/havo (mbo), checked by the institution, plus proof of Dutch for Dutch-taught programmes, often at B2 via Staatsexamen NT2 Programma II.
- Already a nurse abroad? You may not need to study again at all. Check the BIG registration route first; diploma recognition is often faster than a new degree.
Get to B2 before your intake
Dutch Daily trains the Staatsexamen NT2 that hogescholen accept as language proof: 85 Programma II exercises across all four skills, AI feedback on every written sentence, and 15 minutes of AI speaking practice per day. Start a year before your intended intake and walk into the intake interview speaking Dutch.
After graduation: the job is waiting
Dutch healthcare has structural shortages. Graduating verpleegkundigen register in the BIG-register and walk into a job market where hospitals, home care and nursing homes compete for them, with CAO salaries from around €2.900 gross and real growth paths (wijkverpleegkundige, verpleegkundig specialist, teamcoördinator). Read what the work and pay look like in working as a nurse in the Netherlands.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I study nursing in the Netherlands in English?
Mostly no. Because internships on Dutch wards make up about half the programme, nearly all nursing degrees teach in Dutch. A few institutions offer English-taught starts or preparatory years, but you will need Dutch for the internships regardless.
What Dutch level do I need to be admitted?
For Dutch-taught programmes, institutions typically ask B2, provable with the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma II. Some accept B1 with a language track alongside year one.
How much does the Bachelor of Nursing cost?
EU/EEA students pay the statutory fee of roughly €2.600 per year. Non-EU students pay institutional fees, usually €8.000 to €12.000 per year, plus living costs of around €1.000 to €1.400 per month.
I am already a qualified nurse abroad. Should I study again?
Usually not. Diploma recognition via the BIG certificate of competence route is designed for exactly your situation and is typically faster and cheaper than a new degree. Study again only if recognition is not achievable for your diploma.
Is there paid work while studying?
Yes. The mbo BBL route combines employment and study from day one. Hbo students often work as zorgassistent alongside their studies, which doubles as language immersion.