Are you interested in entering the healthcare field? Many students choose to pursue a nursing degree because it can prepare them for a meaningful career supporting patients and contributing to the healthcare system.
Once you have decided to study nursing, the next question is where to pursue your degree. Some students prefer to study in their home country, while others explore opportunities abroad.
The Netherlands has nursing and nursing-related study options. However, the academic level, professional purpose, and language of instruction vary by institution. Several programs below are taught in Dutch, so international applicants should review the official admissions pages carefully before applying.
Here are institutions to consider. Some entries offer a professional nursing degree, while others offer nursing science or broader health sciences programs.
Top Schools Offering Nursing Programs in the Netherlands
1. Christelijke Hogeschool Ede
Christelijke Hogeschool Ede, also known as CHE, offers a bachelor’s program in Nursing, or Verpleegkunde. Its full-time route starts in September and lasts four years. CHE also offers a part-time or deeltijd+ route, which starts in September or February and lasts approximately 2.5 to four years.
CHE also lists post-HBO and MBO options and short modules related to nursing and healthcare. For example, Public Health & Migration is listed as a module rather than as a bachelor’s or graduate public health degree. The nursing curriculum covers areas such as clinical reasoning, nursing procedures, prevention, lifestyle, self-management, ethics, quality, safety, and nursing leadership.
2. The Hague University of Applied Sciences
The Hague University of Applied Sciences, also known in Dutch as De Haagse Hogeschool, offers an HBO-V bachelor’s program. Its official name is Opleiding tot Verpleegkundige. The program is available in full-time, part-time, and dual formats. The full-time route lasts four years, starts in September, and is taught in Dutch.
The HBO-V program combines theory and practice. Students learn about clinical reasoning, nursing procedures, anatomy, physiology, psychology, health promotion, quality improvement, technology, and digitalization in healthcare. Applicants with a foreign or international diploma may be admitted if their diploma qualifies them for higher professional education and they can demonstrate sufficient Dutch-language proficiency.
3. Utrecht University
Utrecht University offers a master’s program in Nursing Science, or Verplegingswetenschap, within Clinical Health Sciences. This Dutch-taught, part-time program lasts two years and starts in September. It is designed for students who want to combine work and study while developing and applying scientific knowledge in nursing practice.
Utrecht University’s Faculty of Medical Sciences and UMC Utrecht work together in medical education, biomedical education, and research. The Nursing Science research group at UMC Utrecht teaches the master’s program and conducts applied and clinical research intended to improve nursing care. Utrecht University’s current Faculty of Medical Sciences program list does not include a bachelor’s degree specifically in nursing.
4. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s Department of Health Sciences offers bachelor’s and master’s programs in Health Sciences rather than a professional nursing degree.
The bachelor’s program in Health Sciences is a Dutch-taught, full-time program that lasts three years. The master’s program in Health Sciences is a one-year, full-time program. From the 2026–2027 academic year onward, the master’s program is taught in Dutch. These programs may interest students seeking a broader public health or health sciences education, but they should not be presented as qualifying nursing degrees.
FAQs: Nursing Studies in the Netherlands
Can International Students Take a Nursing Program in the Netherlands?
International students may apply to nursing programs in the Netherlands, but the requirements vary by institution. Applicants should confirm whether their prior diploma is eligible and whether they meet the language requirements for their chosen program.
For example, The Hague University of Applied Sciences states that applicants with a foreign or international diploma may be admitted to its HBO-V program if the diploma qualifies them for higher professional education and they can demonstrate sufficient Dutch-language proficiency. Utrecht University’s Nursing Science master’s program is also taught in Dutch. At VU Amsterdam, the bachelor’s program in Health Sciences and the master’s program from the 2026–2027 academic year onward are taught in Dutch.
Before applying, review each institution’s official program page to confirm the degree type, language of instruction, admission requirements, tuition fees, and whether the program leads to a professional nursing qualification.
We hope that this article on nursing and nursing-related study options in the Netherlands was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Netherlands Page and Available Programs in Europe for International Students for more study opportunities.
