Laurea is the largest educator of nurses in Finland. In our nursing programme taught in English, you will study in multicultural and diverse student groups. The nursing studies are practically oriented and contain lectures, workshops, and simulation exercises. As a registered nurse, you will work for the holistic wellbeing of individuals, their families, and other groups. Promoting and maintaining good health as well as preventing and treating illnesses will be your main interests. Good interaction skills and communication skills are required in nursing.

Programme content

Degree studies at Laurea consists of core competence studies, that are obligatory for all students, and complementary studies that allow you to deepen or extend your knowledge. Nurse education contains seven work placements where you work with your future colleagues in various health care settings, developing professional skills and the nursing profession.

Core competence (180 ECTS)

Core competencies are taught in English. Studies include 90 ECTS of theoretical studies and 90 ECTS of practice, out of which 15 ECTS are for complementary work practice done in different types of health care environments. Placements give you valuable experience and skills of working with real patients in authentic health care situations.

Core competencies studies give you fundamental skills and competencies in the following areas:

Complementary competence (30 ECTS)

Complementary competencies can be studied in either English or Finnish. During complementary competence studies, you can specialize and develop your skills in specific areas. We recommend that you take more than one study unit or project from the field of specialization to develop your overall competence, but you can also take separate studies. Complementary studies are divided into Complementary practice 15 ECTS, AND Finnish language courses OR other courses to deepen your professional nursing knowledge 15 ECTS.

If you don’t need Finnish courses, you can choose all 15 credits yourself.

See the curriculum

Studying in the nursing programme

Student groups are multicultural and diverse. One of the benefits of The nursing programme is a day-time programme and includes contact teaching and face-to-face instruction contact teaching is the opportunity to discuss diverse viewpoints with others and find a common understanding of nursing concepts such as health, illness, family e.t.c  

Multicultural student groups give you the possibility to develop multicultural competence as you get to learn about new cultures every day. Our students speak many different languages, and our groups have many second-generation immigrants.

In the beginning of your studies,  those who have  completed previous   higher education  studies will attend a workshop where you assess your previous studies and design a personal study path. Your previous studies and work experience can be recognized as a part of your nursing studies using methods of recognition of prior studies and demonstration of competence. Previous work and study experience from other fields  may  be suitable  for recognition.

All courses on clinical nursing include theory lessons, workshops and simulation exercises. Nursing skills (such as measuring blood pressure or administering injections) are initially practiced in simulation. After learning practical skills, you will advance to problem-solving situations. You will consider different scenarios and actions for different nursing situations, patients, and illnesses, after which, you will continue to deepen your knowledge and problem-solving skills in work placements in different nursing environments.

Close cooperation with companies, the public and third sector organizations is part of Laurea's pedagogical model known as Learning by Developing (LbD). During the studies you will carry out projects in authentic environments. For instance, students have carried out projects that include visiting English-speaking schools to give health education for children and teenagers and have participated in different community outreach work on health promotion in collaboration with working life partners.  

All applicants for the degree programme in Nursing are required to have basic Finnish skills (level B1) and English skills (level B2). 

Finnish language will be strongly supported throughout your studies. The programme also includes Finnish studies, particularly focusing on nursing-related vocabulary. All students whose first language is not Finnish will take a preliminary Finnish proficiency test, on the basis of which they will be offered different Finnish language courses.

See the certificates required for applying here.

Employment opportunities

As an expert in nursing, you will monitor the patient’s condition, administer medication, coordinate the overall treatment and provide guidance for patients and their family members. The most important areas of expertise in a nurse's job include support for health and functional ability, prevention and treatment of illnesses and disabilities, support for recovery and rehabilitation and alleviation of suffering. Encounters with clients and good social skills are also important areas of a nurse’s work.

Nurses graduating from Laurea have excellent employment opportunities in a wide range of nursing environments, and in national and international organizations. According to your personal interest, you may be employed in an inpatient ward, an operating theatre, home care services, a pediatric ward, a psychiatric hospital, geriatric care, substance abuse care or work in third sector organizations like the Red Cross, the Heart Association, and mental health associations etc. 

Because of the compulsory and complementary Finnish language courses, Laurea's nursing graduates have the sufficient skills in Finnish to be employed in Finland.

You will develop networks with workplaces already during your studies through different projects and placements. Nurses often find a summer job as substitute practical nurses, already after their first work placement, which is usually in elderly care. After earning 140 credits, you can also start working as a substitute registered nurse.

Internationality in studies

In your work as a nurse, you will meet people representing different cultures and backgrounds. Therefore, it is important to possess international and multicultural knowledge, regardless of whether you will be based in Finland or abroad. 

You may also go abroad on an exchange programme or work placement.

During your second year of nursing studies, you will have an opportunity to apply for admission to a so-called dual degree programme. This Dual Degree involves one academic year of studies at Nazareth University in the USA. The student receives a degree certificate from both countries, Finland and the USA.

Read more about the internationality in studies.

Tuition fees and scholarships

This programme has no tuition fees for EU students.

Non-EU/EEA area students in degree programmes taught in English are charged tuition fees.

Tuition fee: €8 000/ academic year for non EU/EEA students.

Read more about the tuition fees and scholarships

Further studies

After completing your Bachelor’s degree, you can apply for a Master’s programme either at Laurea or other universities or higher education institutions to continue your studies. It is possible to continue your study path all the way to a doctor’s degree.