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- German-taught only: every programme at HGE is delivered in German, with no English-language track at present.
- Degree and professional licence together: the dual programmes end with a bachelor's degree and the state authorisation to work as a midwife or nursing professional in Germany.
- Tuition usually paid by the employer: for dual students, member institutions of the founding association cover the monthly fees and pay a training salary.
- Three learning venues: lectures on campus, simulation training in skills labs, supervised practice at a partner healthcare provider.
- No numerus clausus: admission rests on an interview and a contract with a practice institution, not on grade averages.
- EU-wide recognition for the licence: nursing and midwifery qualifications obtained in Germany fall under the sectoral recognition rules of the EU professional qualifications directive.
What is Eberswalde University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions known for?
HGE is a private university of applied sciences in Brandenburg, run on a non-profit basis by the Academy of Health Berlin/Brandenburg. It received state recognition from the State of Brandenburg and started teaching in the winter semester of 2023/24. The recognition currently runs until 31 October 2027 and has to be extended, which is the normal pattern for newly founded private institutions in Germany.
The university exists for one purpose, namely to move the training of regulated health professions from vocational schools into higher education. German law has allowed midwifery and nursing to be taught as primary-qualifying degree programmes since 2020, and HGE was built around that change. There is no faculty outside the health professions and no general bachelor's degree in health management or similar fields.
State recognition in Germany is not the same as an English-language orientation. HGE is a regional institution serving the healthcare system of Brandenburg and Berlin, and its curriculum, examinations and practice placements are designed for that market.
Which programmes at HGE are actually taught in English?
None. HGE maintains an English-language profile page, but all degree programmes are taught in German. International applicants need German language proficiency to apply, and they need it again later to obtain the professional licence.
The reason is structural rather than administrative. Both dual programmes lead to a state authorisation under the German Nursing Professions Act and the Midwifery Act. Practical training takes place with patients in German hospitals and nursing services, written and oral examinations follow the national regulations, and documentation is kept in German. An English track is not possible without separating the degree from the licence.
For admission to a German-taught degree programme, universities usually require DSH-2 or TestDaF level 4 in all four sections. HGE does not publish its own minimum scores, so applicants should confirm the required certificate with the admissions office before preparing documents. For the professional licence, the competent authority of the Land additionally expects German at a level sufficient for patient care, which in practice is assessed separately from the university admission.
Applicants looking for English-taught options in this field will find them outside HGE. The overview pages for nursing science, medicine and health education list the language of instruction for every programme.
Can international students apply to HGE?
Yes, but two conditions come before the application. International applicants need their secondary school qualification recognised as equivalent to the German Hochschulzugangsberechtigung, and they need a German language certificate. Equivalence can be checked in the anabin database of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education.
A third condition applies to the dual programmes only. Students must hold a contract with a practice institution before they can enrol, and that institution runs its own selection process. Applicants from abroad therefore have to secure a placement in Brandenburg or Berlin while still outside Germany, which is considerably harder than applying to a university alone.
Non-EU applicants should also clarify the residence status early. The practical phases are an integral part of the degree and are paid by the practice institution, which makes the arrangement different from an ordinary student job. The conditions attached to a student residence permit under section 16b of the German Residence Act should be confirmed with the competent immigration office before signing any contract. EU and EEA citizens are not affected by this and can take up the placement without further permits.
Visa processing for non-EU applicants regularly takes three to four months, so applications should be complete well before the start of the winter semester.
What does it really cost to study at HGE in Germany?
Tuition is 490 € per month in the dual programmes and 390 € per month in the work-integrated bachelor, plus a one-off enrolment fee of 240 €, an examination fee of 490 € and a student services contribution of 70 € per semester.
In practice, most dual students do not pay these fees themselves. Member institutions of the founding association cover the monthly tuition for students admitted from the winter semester of 2023 onwards, and the practice institution pays a training salary on top. The exact amount depends on the collective agreement of the employer. Applicants should ask for both points in writing, because the fee waiver is tied to membership in the association and is not a blanket rule for every partner.
Living costs in Eberswalde are well below Berlin levels, with rents for a room in a shared flat typically in the lower three-digit range. Health insurance is mandatory and costs around 140 € per month under the student rate. Non-EU applicants must prove financial means for the first year in a blocked account, currently 11.904 €; a training salary from the practice institution can reduce or replace this requirement, which again should be clarified with the immigration office.
Compared with tuition at private universities in the United Kingdom, Ireland or the United States, the total cost of a German dual programme is low even when students pay the fees in full.
Is HGE recognised internationally?
The degree itself is a recognised German bachelor's degree. HGE is state-recognised by the State of Brandenburg, which is the German equivalent of institutional recognition, and its programmes carry ECTS credits and a Diploma Supplement. Graduates can therefore apply for master's programmes elsewhere in the European Higher Education Area.
More relevant for health professions is the licence rather than the degree. Nursing and midwifery are sectoral professions under the EU directive on the recognition of professional qualifications, which means a German licence that meets the minimum training requirements is recognised in other EU and EEA member states without an aptitude test. Outside the EU, recognition depends on the rules of the destination country and is never automatic.
HGE does not hold AACSB, EQUIS or AMBA accreditation. Those schemes apply to business schools and are not used in this field. German health profession programmes are reviewed through programme accreditation under the national system instead.
Where is HGE located in Germany?
The campus is in Eberswalde, a town of roughly 40,000 inhabitants in the north-east of Brandenburg, about 50 kilometres from the German capital and some 40 minutes from Berlin central station by regional train. Berlin Brandenburg Airport is reachable in a little over an hour.
Eberswalde is a small university town with a forestry campus and a low cost of living, but it is not an international hub. Everyday life in shops, administration and healthcare happens in German, and the English-speaking community is small. Students who want an international environment outside their studies commute to Berlin, which many do.
Practice placements are spread across Brandenburg and Berlin, among them university hospitals of the Brandenburg Medical School in Bernau and Rüdersdorf, acute care hospitals in Eberswalde, Schwedt and Berlin, rehabilitation clinics and outpatient care services. The choice of placement determines daily commuting for the whole programme. Other institutions in the region are listed in the overview of private universities in Brandenburg.
How does the application process work at HGE?
Applications run on two tracks at the same time. Candidates apply to a practice institution for the practical part of the programme and to the university for the academic part, and neither place can be confirmed without the other.
The university side requires the recognised school leaving certificate, the German language certificate and a successful admission interview. There is no numerus clausus and no entrance examination. The practice institution runs its own interview and decides on the training contract, usually six to twelve months before the programme starts.
The dual programmes Nursing and Midwifery begin in the winter semester. The work-integrated bachelor Pedagogy for Professional Practice in Healthcare starts on 1 April 2027 and is open to applicants who already hold a German vocational qualification in a health profession, including those without a university entrance qualification.
Non-EU applicants should add the visa lead time of three to four months on top of the placement timeline, which puts the realistic start of preparations roughly a year before enrolment.
Career prospects: can I work in Germany after graduating?
Graduates of the dual programmes hold both a bachelor's degree and the state authorisation to practise, which means they can start working immediately in hospitals, outpatient services, rehabilitation and long-term care. Nursing and midwifery are on the shortage occupation lists in Germany, and most practice institutions recruit their own graduates.
Non-EU graduates of a German university can apply for an 18-month residence permit to look for qualified employment and may switch to an EU Blue Card once they have a contract that meets the salary threshold. Because the licence is granted together with the degree, graduates of these programmes enter the labour market without the lengthy qualification recognition procedure that applies to nurses trained abroad.
The language requirement does not disappear after graduation. Patient care, handovers and documentation are in German throughout, and employers in Brandenburg rarely offer English-speaking roles in direct care.
For whom is HGE the right choice and for whom not?
HGE suits applicants who are committed to practising a regulated health profession in Germany and who already speak German or are prepared to reach the required level before applying. It is a poor match for anyone looking for an English-taught degree or a flexible online format.
HGE is a good choice if you …
- … hold DSH-2 or TestDaF 4 and want to work in German healthcare rather than study about it
- … want a degree and a professional licence in one programme instead of two separate qualifications
- … need an income during your studies and can secure a contract with a partner institution
- … already hold an EU or EEA passport, which removes the residence permit complications of the paid practical phases
- … plan to stay in Germany after graduation
HGE is less suitable if you …
- … are looking for an English-taught programme, because none exists here
- … cannot organise a placement with a German healthcare provider before enrolment
- … need a fully online or distance format, because attendance in Eberswalde is compulsory
- … want a master's degree or a doctorate at the same institution, because neither is offered
- … need planning certainty beyond 2027, because the university's state recognition runs out in October 2027 and has to be renewed
Frequently asked questions about HGE
Yes. Every programme is taught in German and there is no English-language track. German universities normally require DSH-2 or TestDaF level 4 for German-taught degrees. HGE does not publish its own minimum scores, so the exact certificate should be confirmed with the admissions office.
HGE is a private university of applied sciences run on a non-profit basis by the Academy of Health Berlin/Brandenburg. It is state-recognised by the State of Brandenburg, which means its degrees carry the same legal status as those of public institutions.
Within the EU and EEA, nursing and midwifery are sectoral professions, so a German licence meeting the minimum training requirements is recognised without an aptitude test. Outside the EU, recognition follows the rules of the destination country and has to be checked individually.
The practical phases of the dual programmes are part of the curriculum and are paid by the practice institution, which is not the same as an ordinary student job. Non-EU students should have the conditions of their residence permit confirmed by the immigration office before signing a contract, because the paid placement affects how the permitted working time is counted.
HGE does not run its own scholarship scheme. For dual students the question is largely moot, because member institutions of the founding association cover the tuition fees and pay a training salary. External options such as DAAD programmes apply under their own conditions.
HGE does not publish a figure. Given the German-only curriculum, the regional practice network and the licence requirements, the share of international students is small compared with universities that run English-taught programmes.
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