Professional Bachelor of Nursing
Karel de Grote University of Applied Sciences and Arts (KdG) · Antwerp, Belgium
Taught in EnglishNo CAO points neededNo entrance testEU-recognised nursing degree2,300 hours clinical training
⚠ Language warning: Classes are in English, but placements are in Flemish hospitals and care settings where Dutch is the working language. A Dutch course is built into year 1 and KdG says you use it with patients and colleagues during internships. You also need a high level of spoken English (C1 speaking).
Duration4 years (60 credits a year)
StartsSept 2027
EntryOpen entry (diploma + English)
Deadline (EU)Rolling (opens 12 Jan 2027)
EU fee€1,181 / yr (2026/27)
About the course
A four-year professional bachelor’s that mixes theory with practice from the start, with about 2,300 hours of clinical training. Year 1 covers anatomy and physiology, nursing basics, taking blood and inserting IV lines, communication, ethics and patient rights, plus a 6-credit Dutch course and a 7-week full-time placement (early, late and sometimes weekend shifts). Later years (details not yet published) continue with placements, simulation training and an optional exchange or internship abroad. The degree is recognised in Europe for work as a nurse responsible for general care, and a bridging year leads to a master’s in nursing or midwifery. The English course started in September 2026.
Entry requirements for Irish students
- You need a secondary school diploma that gives access to similar higher education in the country where it was issued. Each file is assessed individually; the Leaving Certificate is not named. If you are still at school, apply with a signed and stamped statement of expected graduation and get a conditional offer.
- No specific school subjects are listed.
- English: B2+ overall and C1 for speaking (e.g. IELTS 7.0 in speaking, TOEFL speaking 25). Two or more years of schooling in Ireland or the UK counts as proof of English in general, but check with KdG that this also covers the nursing C1 speaking requirement.
- No interview or entrance test. Before your first placement you need a medical check, proof of Hepatitis B vaccination and possibly a police certificate.
How to apply
- Apply onlineApplications for 2027–28 open on 12 January 2027. Fill in KdG’s web form and upload your diploma (or expected-graduation statement), English proof and ID.
- Pay the application feePay the non-refundable €139.40 fee. It is taken off your tuition if you are accepted.
- Get your decision and pay tuitionAdmissions checks your file and sends a decision, then a tuition invoice. Send your final Leaving Cert results before the year starts.
- Health checks and Welcoming DaysComplete the medical screening and Hepatitis B vaccination before your first placement. Welcoming Days in mid-September are compulsory (2026: 16–18 September).
EU applicants have no closing date, but apply early in 2027 so you have time for vaccinations and to find housing in Antwerp.
Costs
- Tuition 2026/27: €1,181.40 a year for EU/EEA students (2027/28 not yet published). Books are extra.
- Application fee €139.40 (non-refundable, deducted from tuition). You need your own laptop, and books are bought through Universitas.
- KdG offers no scholarships. Some EU students may qualify for a Flemish study grant (studietoelage) or reduced fee, depending on nationality and residence conditions.
No selection test: if you meet the diploma and English requirements, KdG should offer you a place, though the number of places is not published.
Checked against the official KdG website on 23 October 2026. The 2027–28 tuition fee, number of places and year 2–4 course details are not yet published. Always confirm details with the university before applying.
