Nursing Ausbildung in Germany: Duration, Pay and the German You Need
The nursing Ausbildung (Pflegeausbildung) in Germany takes three years full-time, costs you no tuition, and pays a monthly training allowance. The federal training portal puts the average allowance at about 1,400 euros in the first year and 1,600 euros in the third. You finish as a Pflegefachfrau, Pflegefachmann or Pflegefachperson. Schools and Länder ask for German at B1 or B2, so you cannot start without solid German.
Checked in October 2026 against pflegeausbildung.net (the federal portal for nursing training), Make it in Germany, the Berlin health authority and the Federal Ministry of Health. Pay differs by employer and year, so treat the allowance as a guide, not a promise.
Nursing Ausbildung at a glance
| Question | Answer | Source type |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Three years full-time; up to five years part-time | Make it in Germany, pflegeausbildung.net |
| Title at the end | Pflegefachfrau / Pflegefachmann / Pflegefachperson | pflegeausbildung.net, Berlin authority |
| Hours | 2,100 hours of theory, 2,500 hours of practice | Berlin health authority |
| Tuition | None, including at private schools | pflegeausbildung.net |
| Pay | Monthly allowance; averages of about 1,400 to 1,600 euros are quoted | pflegeausbildung.net |
| School entry | Intermediate school certificate or ten years of general schooling, with alternatives | pflegeausbildung.net |
| German level | B1 or B2, depending on the federal state | Make it in Germany |
| Ending | State examination | Berlin health authority |
If you only need the overall picture of how foreign nurses get to work in Germany, start with how to become a nurse in Germany. This page focuses on the training itself.
How long is nursing school in Germany?
Three years if you train full-time. Part-time training is possible and stretches to five years. The training uses the generalist model introduced in 2020: you learn nursing for all age groups instead of choosing between the older separate paths for hospital nursing, children’s nursing and elderly care. In the final third you can choose a focus such as paediatric or elderly care, according to the Berlin authority’s description.
How is the time split?
Practice is the bigger share. Make it in Germany describes the practical part, which takes place in a hospital, a care facility or an outpatient service, as more extensive than the theory taught in a nursing school. Berlin’s authority gives the legal minimum as 2,100 hours of theory and 2,500 hours of practice over the three years.
| Part | Where | Hours (minimum) |
|---|---|---|
| Theory | Nursing school (Pflegeschule) | 2,100 |
| Practice | Hospital, care home, outpatient service, other placements | 2,500 |
You sign a training contract with the employer that provides the practical training (the Träger der praktischen Ausbildung). That employer, not the school, pays your allowance.
Is nursing school in Germany free?
The training is. The federal portal says plainly that the training costs you nothing and that you do not pay school fees even at private schools. That does not make the whole project free, because you still pay for living, language courses and exams before and during training. For non-EU applicants, the visa also requires proof of funds. Make it in Germany lists at least 822 euros net or 1,048 euros gross per month for dual training in 2026, which your allowance can contribute to. Check the current visa page of the German embassy in your country before you apply.
How much do trainee nurses earn?
The federal portal says trainees in nursing receive on average between 1,400 euros a month in the first year and 1,600 euros in the third, which it describes as among the best-paid apprenticeships. Make it in Germany adds that the amount depends on profession, region, employer and year of training and refers to BERUFENET of the Federal Employment Agency for details.
| Training year | Typical average (federal portal) |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | about 1,400 euros a month |
| Year 3 | about 1,600 euros a month |
Employers differ, so ask each one for the exact figure in the training contract before you accept. Gross figures also lose social contributions, so the amount in your bank account will be lower. After you qualify, salaries rise sharply; see nurse salary in Germany for verified figures.
Who can apply?
Make it in Germany lists these requirements:
- A certificate of intermediate education (or equivalent school leaving certificate)
- German at B1 or B2, depending on the federal state
- A certificate of physical and mental fitness
- Proof of trustworthiness (a clean record)
The federal portal also describes routes for people with a lower school certificate: a completed assistant training in nursing, or a Hauptschulabschluss plus another completed vocational training of at least two years.
Foreign school certificates are assessed by the school or the authority in the Land, and the rules vary. Ask the nursing school which documents it needs, because this step can take weeks.
Can I study nursing in Germany without German?
No. The training is organised in German, and schools and Länder require B1 or B2. For the residence permit for vocational training, Make it in Germany says German at B1 is normally expected unless the training provider has already checked your language skills. In practice a nursing school or employer interviewing you will also expect to understand patients and colleagues, so reaching B1 is the minimum entry ticket and B2 gives you a much easier first year.
Typical German levels in this process:
| Step | Level mentioned by official sources |
|---|---|
| Training visa | B1, unless the provider confirms your skills |
| School/state requirement | B1 or B2, depending on the Land |
| Recognition of a foreign nursing diploma (different route) | B2 |
Because the level differs, ask the school and the Land’s authority which one applies to you before you book an exam. The telc B1/B2 Pflege exam and what German level nurses need cover the test options.
Practise your German out loud with SipLingo, free to try on iPhone and Android:
Where SipLingo fits
Nursing school asks you to speak early: a ward handover, a conversation with a patient’s relatives, a question to your practice instructor. SipLingo (our app) lets you rehearse these in voice conversations with an AI partner and explains your mistakes in your language with the correct sentence and an example. It is speaking practice, not a course and not exam material, so use it next to a B1 or B2 class. You can try it with the free trial and check the store for your local price.
What about the nursing degree (Pflegestudium)?
If you qualify for university, nursing is also offered as a degree that leads to the same professional qualification. The federal portal says these programmes, launched in 2020, take at least three years and end with a bachelor’s degree, and that foreign graduates of the generalist degree gain automatic recognition in the EU. Berlin’s authority describes a seven-semester bachelor’s programme. Since 2024, students receive appropriate pay throughout the studies under the Federal Ministry of Health’s reform. The ministry gives no single national amount, so ask the university for its contract terms.
A new assistant route from 2027
According to a Federal Ministry of Health press release of October 2025, a nationwide nursing assistant training (Pflegefachassistenz) of 18 months starts on 1 January 2027, usually with a Hauptschulabschluss, with trainee pay and a connection to the three-year training that allows shortened paths. If you are not yet ready for the full training, check later whether this route fits you.
Training or recognition: which one is yours?
| Your situation | Likely route |
|---|---|
| Finished nursing school abroad | Recognition (see nurse recognition in Germany) |
| No nursing qualification, school certificate available | Training |
| Abitur or similar and want a degree | Pflegestudium |
| Under A2 German | Language first; both routes need proof |
A 12-month starting plan
- Months 1–2: confirm your school documents, choose Länder and employers, ask which language level they require.
- Months 3–9: take a B1/B2 course and practise speaking every day. German for nurses: study plan lays out the stages.
- Months 6–10: apply to nursing schools and employers, and ask each about its next start date.
- Months 10–12: visa application with the training contract; check processing times at your embassy, which differ by country.
Those months are a planning frame, not an official timeline. Your starting level and the embassy decide the real dates.
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- Make it in Germany (Federal Government): Nursing training (Ausbildung) in Germany – 3-year training, training allowance, B1/B2 by state, free learning resources
- Federal Ministry of Health (BMG): FAQ on the Nursing Professions Act (German) – 3-year generalist training, pay, Pflegefachfrau/-mann title, specialisations
Frequently asked questions
Is nursing school in Germany free?
Yes for the training itself: you pay no tuition fee, even at private nursing schools, and you receive a monthly training allowance. You still pay your living costs, language courses and exams.
How long is nursing school in Germany?
Three years full-time, or up to five years part-time. A nursing degree takes at least three years as well.
How many years does it take to become a nurse in Germany?
The standard training takes three years after you have entered the programme. Add the time you need to reach B1 or B2 German and to arrange the visa.
Can I study nursing in Germany without German language?
No. Schools and Länder ask for B1 or B2 German, depending on the federal state, and the visa normally expects B1.
How much will it cost to study nursing in Germany?
There is no tuition fee for the Pflegeausbildung, and trainees are paid. Your costs are mainly language courses and exams, document translations, visa fees and living expenses before the first allowance arrives.
Practise the German you will need on your first ward day: talk it out loud, and get corrected in your own language.
