Study nursing in Ireland and you choose a branch from the start — general, children's, mental health, intellectual disability or midwifery. This guide compares every CAO course and its points, the lower-points routes in, study options in the UK and Europe, and exactly how the degree leads to NMBI registration.
Unlike many degrees, nursing in Ireland is chosen by branch (discipline) at CAO application stage, each with its own course code and points. The five registered divisions are General, Children's & General (Integrated), Psychiatric / Mental Health, Intellectual Disability, and Midwifery. You commit to one from day one — there is generally no common first year to delay the decision — so it is worth understanding what each branch actually involves before you list your CAO choices. Every branch is a four-year, Level 8 honours degree that leads directly to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), including a paid 36-week internship in fourth year. The degree is the route to registration; there is no separate professional exam afterwards in Ireland.
A representative selection across the universities, showing how points vary by branch. General and Integrated Children's tend to be highest; Mental Health and Intellectual Disability are often the most accessible routes into the profession.
| UNIVERSITY | CAO CODE | BRANCH | AWARD | YEARS | 2025 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCD | TR091 | General Nursing | BSc | 4 | 423 |
| TCD | TR911 | Children's & General (Integrated) | BSc | 4.5 | 529 |
| TCD | TR913 | Midwifery | BSc | 4 | 510 |
| UCD | DN450 | General Nursing | BSc | 4 | 444 |
| UCD | DN451 | Children's & General (Integrated) | BSc | 4.5 | 510 |
| UCD | DN452 | Midwifery | BSc | 4 | 511 |
| UCC | CK710 | General Nursing | BSc | 4 | 452 |
| UCC | CK712 | Children's & General (Integrated) | BSc | 4.5 | 522 |
| UCC | CK740 | Midwifery | BSc | 4 | 441 |
| Galway | GY515 | General Nursing | BSc | 4 | 441 |
| Galway | GY517 | Midwifery | BSc | 4 | 455 |
| UL | LM150 | General Nursing | BSc | 4 | 412 |
| UL | LM156 | Midwifery | BSc | 4 | 444 |
| DCU | DC215 | General Nursing | BSc | 4 | 424 |
| DCU | DC218 | Children's & General (Integrated) | BSc | 4.5 | 509 |
| Maynooth | MH701 | General Nursing | BSc | 4 | 466 |
Points shown are 2025 CAO Round 1 cut-offs. Verify at cao.ie/points. All are Level 8 and covered by the Free Fees Scheme for eligible EU students. Most universities also offer Mental Health and Intellectual Disability branches at lower points — see the cards below. Integrated Children's & General programmes run 4.5 years; all others 4 years.
Maynooth, MTU, ATU, TUS, SETU and DkIT all run NMBI-approved nursing degrees — often at lower points than the big universities and rooted in their regional hospitals. The Mental Health and Intellectual Disability branches in particular open at very accessible points.
Every nursing degree on this page is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland. That approval — not the points you needed or whether the institution is a university or a TU — is what makes you eligible to register and practise. A registered general nurse who qualified at a TU on 340 points holds the exact same NMBI PIN, does the same paid internship, and starts on the same HSE staff-nurse pay scale as one from a 450-point university programme. Patients and employers care about your registration and your competence, not your CAO points.
| Institution | CAO Code | Branch | Level | Duration | 2025 R1 | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maynooth | MH701 | General Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 466 | Maynooth |
| MH702 | General (via partner sites) | L8 | 4 yrs | Check CAO | Kildare | |
| MTU | MT926 | General Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 341 | Cork/Kerry |
| MT927 | Mental Health Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 389 | Cork/Kerry | |
| ATU | AU380 | General Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 340 | Sligo/Donegal/Mayo |
| AU381 | Mental Health Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 270 | Sligo/Donegal | |
| AU382 | Intellectual Disability Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 288 | Sligo | |
| TUS | US877 | General Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 389 | Athlone |
| US878 | Mental Health Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 327 | Athlone | |
| SETU | SE915 | General Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 409 | Waterford |
| SE914 | Psychiatric Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 326 | Waterford | |
| SE916 | Intellectual Disability Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 309 | Waterford | |
| DkIT | DK870 | General Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 381 | Dundalk |
| DK874 | Mental Health Nursing | L8 | 4 yrs | 310 | Dundalk | |
| DK877 | Midwifery | L8 | 4 yrs | 425 | Dundalk |
A representative sample. Points are 2025 CAO Round 1 cut-offs; verify at cao.ie/points. All programmes are NMBI-approved Level 8 honours degrees with the same registration outcome.
Mental Health and Intellectual Disability nursing consistently open at lower points than General — not because they are easier or lesser, but because demand for the General branch is highest. They are demanding, deeply rewarding registered-nurse careers in their own right, often with excellent employment rates and real shortages. If your points fall short of General nursing, a Mental Health or Intellectual Disability programme is not a consolation prize — it is a full, protected nursing registration and, for many, a better fit.
Did not get the points, leaving school later, or already working as a healthcare assistant? Several well-established routes lead to the same NMBI registration — including one that is specifically designed for mature applicants.
A QQI Level 5 award in Nursing Studies, Pre-Nursing or Healthcare Support lets you apply through the Higher Education Links Scheme for a nursing degree via the CAO — no Leaving Cert points needed beyond a completed Leaving Cert. These full-time, one-year PLC courses run in ETB colleges nationwide and many are SUSI-supported.
Nursing degrees require a laboratory science subject (Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Ag Science) and Maths and English/Irish at set grades. A good PLC will cover the science components — confirm the specific QQI modules match your target university's HELS criteria before enrolling.
Nursing has a dedicated mature-applicant route. If you are 23 or over by 1 January of your entry year, you apply through the CAO and sit a standardised assessment rather than competing on points. Healthcare-assistant and care experience is highly valued.
Mature nursing applicants register for the national nursing entry assessment (administered for the participating universities) by the CAO deadline of 1 February. Your assessment result, not your Leaving Cert, determines your offer. Check each university's mature-entry page for the current process and any interview stage.
Many nurses start as healthcare assistants. A QQI Level 5 Healthcare Support award plus the mature-entry route or HELS is a very common progression. Your hands-on experience strengthens a mature application and helps confirm the branch that suits you before you commit to four years.
Build care experience and the science/healthcare modules at the same time.
Progress into a Level 8 nursing programme and qualify for NMBI registration.
If you trained as a nurse abroad, you do not repeat the degree. Nurses qualified in the EU/EEA generally benefit from automatic recognition of the General Nursing qualification under EU Directive 2005/36/EC; the NMBI confirms compliance and registers you.
Non-EU/EEA nurses go through a two-step NMBI process — qualification recognition then registration — which may include an adaptation period or assessment and proof of English. Apply early via the NMBI portal at nmbi.ie.
Direct CAO entry, PLC and HELS, mature entry, or progression from healthcare assistant — all lead to the same NMBI registration and the same staff-nurse role. The Board does not record how you entered your degree; it records that you completed an approved programme and are fit to practise.
Irish students have strong options abroad — and for nursing the UK is especially relevant thanks to the Common Travel Area. There is one essential thing to understand first: which regulator your degree registers you with, and how to bring that registration home.
A UK nursing degree registers you with the UK regulator, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) — not automatically with Ireland's NMBI. The two are separate bodies. If you train in the UK and want to practise in Ireland, you apply to the NMBI for recognition of your UK qualification (this is well-established and routine, but it is a step, with fees and paperwork). The reverse is also true — Irish NMBI nurses can register with the NMC to work in the UK. UK branches map closely to the Irish ones: Adult (≈ General), Mental Health, Children's, and Learning Disability (≈ Intellectual Disability). Choose the UK branch that matches the Irish division you ultimately want to register in, and confirm the programme is NMC-approved before applying.
Under the Common Travel Area, Irish students who meet the residency criteria can study in England paying the same tuition fees as English (home) students — not the much higher international rate — and can access the UK Tuition Fee Loan to cover those fees. Scotland routes Irish students through the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for fee assessment. This makes a UK nursing degree far more affordable for Irish students than it is for other international applicants. Always confirm your fee status and funding eligibility with the specific university before you apply, as criteria and rates change.
UK degrees are applied for via UCAS (separate from the CAO), usually with a personal statement and often an interview. Most UK nursing degrees are three years.
Clinical placements are with NHS trusts from year one. UK newly qualified nurses typically start on the NHS Agenda for Change Band 5 scale.
English-taught nursing bachelors exist in parts of Europe, but are less common than in the UK and recognition for Irish practice must be checked carefully with the NMBI.
For most Irish students, an Irish NMBI degree is the simplest route to working as a nurse in Ireland — it includes the paid internship and registers you automatically. The UK is worth serious consideration if you miss Irish points, want a three-year (rather than four-year) degree, prefer a border-county or Scottish campus, or intend to work in the NHS. Just plan the NMBI recognition step from the start if your long-term goal is Ireland, and confirm fees, funding and NMC approval for the exact course before committing.
Nursing splits into registered branches, and the degree itself is your route onto the NMBI Register. Here is what each branch involves and how registration works.
Adult care across hospitals and community — the largest branch and the most widely offered. Highest demand, so often the highest points.
Supporting people with mental-health conditions across hospital, community and specialist services. Frequently more accessible on points; strong demand.
Supporting people with intellectual disabilities to live full lives. Among the most accessible entry points and a real shortage area.
A 4.5-year programme giving dual registration in both Children's and General nursing. Highest points; opens paediatric and adult roles.
A distinct profession and register, not a nursing sub-branch — caring for women through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.
Registered nurses can specialise via postgraduate study — ICU, theatre, public health, prescribing, Advanced Nurse Practitioner and more.
Four years (4.5 for integrated Children's), with clinical placement every year. There is no separate professional entrance exam in Ireland — the approved degree is the route.
A rostered, supervised internship paid at roughly 70% of the first point of the staff-nurse scale. You work as part of the team while consolidating your competence.
Graduates of approved Irish programmes meet the education requirement automatically. You apply online, and NMBI issues your PIN — usually within 4–8 weeks for Irish-qualified applicants.
You are on the relevant division of the Register and legally entitled to practise. You renew annually (retention fee) and maintain continuing professional development.
Registration is a legal requirement — you cannot practise as a nurse or midwife in Ireland without a current NMBI PIN. The Register has five divisions (General, Psychiatric, Intellectual Disability, Children's, and Midwife), and your degree branch determines which one you enter. Nurses qualified in the EU/EEA or abroad apply to NMBI for recognition before registering.
The HSE staff-nurse scale starts around €37,800 before allowances (night, weekend, location), which lift take-home pay meaningfully. The 4th-year internship is paid at ~70% of this.
The staff-nurse scale rises with annual increments to roughly €50,000+ at the top point, plus premiums. Specialist and senior posts pay more.
Clinical Nurse Managers, Clinical Nurse/Midwife Specialists and Advanced Nurse Practitioners earn substantially more. ANPs are among the highest-paid clinical nursing roles.
HSE and voluntary hospitals across every specialty — ED, theatre, ICU, paediatrics, maternity, oncology. Employment rates for new graduates are very high.
Public health nursing, community mental health, disability services, GP practices, and care of older people — a growing area as care moves into the community.
Irish nursing degrees are recognised internationally — the UK, Australia, the Middle East and Canada actively recruit. Specialist, education, research and industry roles also open up.
Salary figures are indicative and based on the HSE Staff Nurse/Midwife pay scale and public pay data; they vary with increments, allowances, location, role and employer. UK figures use the NHS Agenda for Change Band 5 scale. Verify current rates before making decisions.
From choosing your branch to your NMBI PIN — the key deadlines and milestones. The CAO steps are the same for every course; the registration steps follow your degree.
Research the branches and check the science requirement. Decide which branch fits you — spend time understanding Mental Health and Intellectual Disability nursing, not just General. Confirm you are taking a laboratory science subject (Biology is most common) plus Maths and English/Irish at the required grades. Try to get care experience or talk to working nurses in different branches.
CAO opens (5 Nov). Early-bird fee €35 by 20 January. List your branches in genuine order of preference — and consider listing the same branch at several institutions, and more than one branch, to widen your chances of an offer.
Normal CAO application closes. Also the deadline for HEAR/DARE and for mature nursing applicants (who register for the mature nursing assessment by this date). Nursing is a restricted-application area for mature entry, so do not miss it. After this you can amend choices, with a late-application window to 1 May.
Change of Mind opens 5 May, closes 1 July (5pm). A free chance to reorder. If your points look tight for General, this is when to move a Mental Health or Intellectual Disability branch, or a TU programme, up your list as a realistic route in. Sit the Leaving Cert in June.
Leaving Cert results and CAO Round 1 offers arrive on the same day. Accept promptly. Nursing places fill quickly — if you missed your preferred branch, watch later rounds and Available Places, where some lower-points branches occasionally reopen.
Study and rotate through clinical placements every year. You will alternate academic blocks with supervised, unpaid clinical placements in hospitals and community settings from first year. This is hands-on from the start — be ready for shift patterns and the emotional realities of care.
The rostered, paid internship. For 36 weeks you work as a paid member of the nursing team (about 70% of the first staff-nurse point), consolidating your skills before qualifying. Many interns are offered a staff-nurse post where they intern.
Apply to the NMBI and receive your PIN. As an approved-programme graduate you meet the education requirement automatically; registration typically takes 4–8 weeks. You are now a Registered Nurse/Midwife — total journey from Leaving Cert is about four years, with year four paid.
Because you register in the branch you study, the branch matters more than the institution. Be honest about whether you are drawn to acute adult care (General), mental health, intellectual disability, children, or birth (Midwifery). Spend real time understanding each — the lower-points branches are not lesser, they are different careers that suit different people.
Your clinical placements (and often your first job) are with the university's partner hospitals. Look at where you would actually be placed — commuting to shifts at unsocial hours is a real consideration. A regional TU near home with good local hospitals can beat a prestigious campus three hours away.
Integrated Children's & General (500s) and Midwifery (440s–510s) are highest. General sits in the low-to-mid 400s. Mental Health and Intellectual Disability open in the 270s–400s, and the TUs lower again. Every one of them ends in NMBI registration and the same staff-nurse pay scale — choose a realistic mix.
A UK degree is three years, registers you with the NMC, and (in England) can be home-fee for eligible Irish students under the Common Travel Area. Strong if you miss Irish points or want NHS experience — but plan the NMBI recognition step from the outset if you intend to come home, and confirm the course is NMC-approved.
There is no single "best" place to study nursing in Ireland — every programme here is NMBI-approved and leads to the same registration and the same staff-nurse pay scale. What matters most is choosing the right branch for the person you are, in a place whose hospitals and location suit your life. The nurse who qualified in Mental Health at a TU on 300 points is every bit as registered, as needed, and as respected as one who did General at 450. Pick the branch you would be proud to do for forty years, not just the one with the highest points.