Nursing in Germany: Become a Nurse Through Ausbildung
One main route into nursing in Germany is the generalist nursing Ausbildung (Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann): three years full time and paid throughout (Nursing Professions Act §§ 6 and 19). Trainees under the TVAöD Pflege agreement earn EUR 1,490.69 gross a month in year one (valid from 1 May 2026, checked 11 October 2026). Start free with the nursing application kit.
280,000 to 690,000
Nurses Germany is projected to be short of by 2049
Federal Statistical Office, January 202457per 100
Unemployed qualified nurses per 100 reported vacancies (2025)
Federal Employment Agency, May 202620%
Of care workers in Germany hold a foreign nationality (June 2025)
Federal Employment Agency, May 202664,300
People who started the nursing Ausbildung in 2025, a record
Federal Statistical Office, March 2026
Official figures from the Federal Statistical Office and the Federal Employment Agency, not from us. Checked June 2026.
The Pflege Ausbildung, one clear path
The generalist nursing Ausbildung (Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann) combines paid work at a clinic or care facility with vocational school, and ends in a recognized German nursing qualification.
- Duration
- Three years full time
- Pay
- Paid for the whole training
- Outcome
- A recognized German nursing qualification
Checked 11 October 2026
Nursing trainee pay, year by year
Under the TVAöD Pflege agreement, public-sector trainees earn this gross each month from 1 May 2026. Other employers set their own rates, and the law says the pay must be appropriate.
Year one
EUR 1,490.69
gross a month
Year two
EUR 1,552.07
gross a month
Year three
EUR 1,653.38
gross a month
Checked 11 October 2026
On 11 October 2026, in the nursing apprenticeship listings on GoAusbildung that state first-year pay, the median is €1,490 a month (270 of 767 listings), as our October 2026 listings report shows.
See the full nursing training guideWhich route fits you?
Two ways into nursing in Germany. Pick the one that matches where you are now.
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The 3-year paid nursing training, year by year: entry steps, pay and what you learn.
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How to get your nursing qualification recognized and find a placement in Germany.
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