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The Central State Office for Distance Learning (ZFU) has approved the course Bachelor Nursing under the number 1156523c. Who this German-taught B.Sc. in Nursing fits – and what you need to get in
This programme suits working nursing professionals who want an accredited German bachelor’s degree while staying employed. Typical profiles include: registered nurses in hospitals aiming to move into quality, process or case management; licensed nurses in long-term or community care who want to strengthen evidence-based practice and communication; internationally trained nurses planning a medium-term move to Germany and looking to formalise their qualifications through a flexible, remote format. As the course is taught in German, you should be comfortable studying and taking exams in academic German.
Admission requirements
Formal entry is profession-centred. You need a completed nursing training and professional licence; access is possible with or without a traditional school-leaving certificate.
- Core requirement: completed vocational training in nursing and a valid licence to practise as a Pflegefachkraft (registered nurse).
- With higher education entrance qualification: admission with Abitur or Fachhochschulreife (or comparable international secondary qualification).
- Without Abitur – recognised professional route: admission based on a subject-related advanced certificate in healthcare; an advisory interview may be part of the process.
- Without Abitur – vocational route: admission based on completed nursing training plus relevant professional experience; an entrance assessment may be required.
- Recognition of international documents: foreign school and professional qualifications can be admitted if they are comparable in level; expect document checks, certified translations and verification of your professional licence.
- Language of instruction: German. You must have sufficiently advanced German to follow study materials, seminars and assessments; the university confirms acceptable proof during application.
- Start dates and study form: distance learning with rolling admission; full-time or part-time pacing is possible.
Personal requirements
Success in a cross-border distance degree depends less on your job title and more on how you study. You need consistent self-organisation, perseverance and reliable weekly slots for learning. Plan roughly 20–22 hours per week in the standard track; if you accelerate, budget more time. You should be able to read and write in professional German, participate in synchronous online sessions across time zones, and communicate confidently with tutors and peers. A stable internet connection, a laptop, and a quiet study space are essential. Realistically map your shifts and private commitments to assessment windows and the few compact seminars (typically online) so deadlines remain manageable. If you bring solid clinical experience, are open to evidence-based methods, and can sustain a steady study rhythm alongside work, you are well prepared for this programme’s remote learning demands.
What will you study in the Care (B.Sc.) at European Distance Learning University Hamburg?
The programme is taught in German. You need solid academic German to follow lectures, complete assessments and take part in seminars. This is a Fernstudium (distance learning) run by a German Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences) and carries ZFU approval for distance-learning courses.
You build a 180-ECTS Bachelor foundation in four competence blocks. First, you deepen nursing science and research: current nursing evidence, research methods, and the transfer of findings into practice. Second, you strengthen communication, counselling and teaching – for patient and family education, culturally sensitive care and interprofessional exchange.
Third, you develop quality, process and case management: quality management, process design, patient safety, case management and health law. Fourth, you gain health systems and business basics: public health, health marketing, social law, project management and controlling – to navigate organisations and plan resources responsibly.
Electives let you sharpen your profile in two areas. Options span three clusters: Communication and special needs (e.g. Supported Communication, Ethics & Palliative Care, Gerontology), Health and psychology (e.g. Public Health, Psychological Health Promotion, Workplace Health Management) and Nursing specialisations (e.g. Digital Care Technologies, Wound and Pain Management). Electives provide basis-level knowledge; they do not replace formal specialist nursing certifications.
Practice integration is explicit: you apply tools like process or case management directly in your workplace and document outcomes. The programme culminates in a Bachelor’s thesis. The course is ZFU-approved (state distance-learning authority; admission no. 1156523c) and the degree is fully Bologna-aligned with 180 ECTS.
How does the Care distance programme work?
This is a flexible Fernstudium (distance learning) with rolling admission. You study largely online with structured materials and monthly exams; there are a few compact seminars. Important: up to 10 on-site seminar days in Hamburg are scheduled during the programme.
Teaching language and certificates
The teaching language is German across all modules, exams and seminars. If you apply from abroad, you should realistically have advanced German (B2–C1) to succeed. Formal proof of German proficiency may be required; check what you can document before applying.
Learning format and study materials
You study part-time or full-time with digital study texts, webinars, audio study units, learning apps and a KI-based study assistant. As a Fachhochschule, the university emphasises applied learning: assignments and projects link theory to your current nursing role.
Exams and taking them from outside Germany
Exams run monthly and can be taken online or at around ten exam centres in Germany. This makes assessments feasible from abroad via online proctoring. Missed attempts can be postponed to a later month.
Mandatory on-site sessions in Germany
Plan for up to 10 mandatory on-site seminar days in Hamburg during the programme, plus several online seminar days. Travel and accommodation are at your own expense. A purely remote path is therefore not completely possible.
Workload, time models and time zones
Standard duration is 36 or 48 months (180 ECTS). If your completed nursing training is recognised with 90 ECTS, the remaining programme typically takes about 18–24 months. Expect roughly 20–22 hours per week of self-study. Live elements and exam times follow Central European Time (CET/CEST).
The programme is ZFU-approved (no. 1156523c). As a distance course, it does not require a student visa; however, you must be able to enter Germany temporarily for the on-site seminar days, subject to your nationality’s entry rules.
What does the Care (B.Sc.) cost?
If your nursing qualification is recognised for 90 ECTS, the reduced route totals about €7,098, typically paid in monthly instalments of about €317 per month over 18–24 months. This reflects the shorter track designed specifically for licensed nurses.
For the full 180-ECTS track over 36–48 months, fees are higher; the ZFU framework lists €317 per month over 48 months (€15,216 in total). The university offers a free extension of up to 18 or 24 months beyond the chosen model without additional tuition. Exams are included; travel for on-site days is extra.
Payments are made in monthly instalments in euros. If you pay from abroad, check with your bank for transfer costs and exchange rates. No German residence is required for tuition payment.
What careers and recognition does the Care (B.Sc.) offer?
You earn a Bachelor of Science, 180 ECTS, within the Bologna framework. The programme is accredited by the German Accreditation Council through internal accreditation at the university for the period 01/10/2024–30/09/2032 and is state-approved by the ZFU for distance learning. The Accreditation Council is listed on EQAR, which supports international recognition of the degree’s academic level.
Career paths span both patient-facing and organisational roles. Typical next steps include:
- Quality, process and case management in hospitals, long-term care and ambulatory services
- Nursing management roles in wards, units or community-based services
- Patient and family education and counselling, discharge and care coordination
- Public health and disease prevention projects, workplace health promotion
- Implementation of digital care technologies and safety/quality initiatives
Salaries vary widely by country, employer type and seniority. The academic upgrade primarily strengthens your eligibility for advanced roles and further study (e.g. Master’s degrees). Note that this programme does not grant initial nurse licensure; it builds on your existing registration.
Who is the Care (B.Sc.) right for – and who not?
This distance degree suits practising nurses who want an academic upgrade with clear flexibility. If you already have a nursing licence and need a structured, applied pathway you can follow alongside shifts, the format and monthly exam schedule are designed for you.
- Licensed nurses seeking a German-taught, flexible distance Bachelor with rolling admission
- Professionals who value monthly online exams and digital materials for study alongside work
- Those wanting to advance into quality/process/case management or patient education roles
- Nurses planning further study in the Bologna system (180 ECTS Bachelor leading to a Master’s)
- Applicants who can benefit from the 90-ECTS recognition of prior nursing training to shorten duration and cost
There are also clear situations where this programme is not a fit. Read these carefully to avoid costly misapplications from abroad.
- You do not speak German at an advanced level; all teaching, exams and seminars are in German
- You cannot travel to Germany for up to 10 mandatory on-site seminar days in Hamburg
- You seek initial nurse licensure/registration in Germany or another country; this degree does not provide that
- You need a programme taught fully online with zero in-person days; this course includes compulsory attendance
Advisory Service
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