Nursing Schools and Programs in Colombia

Nursing Studies in Colombia

Nursing in Colombia is a university degree at professional level (pregrado). It is taught face to face in faculties of nursing or health sciences and leads to the title of Enfermero or Enfermera. Depending on the university, the programme takes 8 to 10 semesters.

Our directory lists 5 universities in Colombia that teach Nursing: two in Bogotá and one each in Medellín, Sincelejo and Villavicencio. Teaching is in Spanish.

How the Nursing degree is organised

Colombian universities measure programmes in semesters and academic credits, and each programme is registered with the Ministry of National Education under a SNIES code. The universities in our directory show the range:

• Universidad de Sucre (Sincelejo): 8 semesters (4 years) and 144 academic credits, with admission once a year
• Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá): a study plan designed for 9 semesters and about 160 credits, with contact with real and simulated practice settings from the first semesters
• Universidad de los Llanos (Villavicencio): 9 semesters, face to face, with admission every semester
• Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín): 10 semesters on the Medellín campus; the university states that the programme is accredited as high quality by the Ministry of National Education
• Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Bogotá): Nursing is on the list of undergraduate programmes offered at the Bogotá campus

After the degree, nurses can continue with postgraduate studies. The Faculty of Nursing of the Universidad de Antioquia, for example, offers specialisations (such as oncology nursing, maternal and perinatal nursing and critical care of adults and children), a master's degree in Nursing, a master's degree in Collective Health and a doctorate in Nursing.

Admission

Each university runs its own admission process, and the methods differ:

• The Universidad Nacional de Colombia selects by its own admission test. For the first semester of 2027 the test was held on Sunday 20 September 2026. Foreign applicants follow the regular admission process; those who apply from abroad pay the registration fee online (US$87.50 for the 2026-02 intake).
• The Pontificia Universidad Javeriana uses an individual exercise and a group interview that assess attitude and skills.
• The Universidad de Antioquia holds its own admission exam for undergraduate programmes.

Not every programme opens every semester, so the admission calendar of the chosen university is the first thing to check. Applicants with a school-leaving certificate from another country should ask the admissions office which documents and legalisations it requires.

Costs

Costs differ widely between universities. At the Universidad de Sucre, a public university, the cost per semester is between 25% and 100% of the legal monthly minimum wage, depending on the socio-economic stratum. The Pontificia Universidad Javeriana publishes an estimated cost per semester for each year on its programme page.

Student visa

According to the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería), the student visa covers higher education as well as student internships and academic exchanges. Holders of passports from visa-exempt countries do not need this visa if their stay in Colombia does not exceed 180 calendar days, which is not enough for a full degree. The requirements include a certificate of admission or enrolment that states the programme and its length, and a health insurance policy valid in Colombia for the whole stay. The visa is issued for up to two years. It allows only postgraduate university students to work, for up to 20 hours a week. The full list of requirements is on the Cancillería site.

Professional registration and careers

To practise in Colombia, a nurse has to be entered in the Registro Único Nacional del Talento Humano en Salud (ReTHUS). The Ministry of Health and Social Protection defines it as the registration of health workers who meet the requirements of Law 1164 of 2007; with it, the person is authorised to practise a health profession. Citizens can check in the register whether a health worker meets the requirements.

Graduates work in hospital and community care, public health, management of health services, teaching and research, the areas that the study plans cover. A graduate who wants to work in another country needs the recognition of the degree and the registration that the nursing regulator of that country requires.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study Nursing in Colombia?

Between 8 and 10 semesters. The programme lasts 8 semesters at the Universidad de Sucre, 9 at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and the Universidad de los Llanos, and 10 at the Universidad de Antioquia.

Is there an entrance exam?

It depends on the university. The Universidad Nacional de Colombia and the Universidad de Antioquia use their own admission tests, and the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana uses an individual exercise and a group interview.

Can a foreign student work while studying Nursing?

The student visa allows work only for postgraduate university students, up to 20 hours a week, according to the Cancillería.

What do I need to work as a nurse in Colombia after graduating?

Registration in ReTHUS, the national register of health workers of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, which authorises the practice of a health profession.