Sponsorship scheme for student public health nurses

Sponsorship is available for nurses who want to become public health nurses (PHNs).

The programme runs for 1 academic year starting September each year.

This programme involves a national joint application process between the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the HSE.

To apply for this programme you must be registered in the General Nursing Division with NMBI or entitled to be registered.

Who can apply?

To apply for this programme you must be registered in the General Nursing Division with NMBI.

To apply for this programme you must be registered in the General Nursing Division of the Register of Nurses maintained by the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) or entitled to be so registered and:

have a minimum of 2 years post registration general nursing experience
or
be registered in the General Nursing Division and another Division of the Register (including Registered Midwife (RM), Registered Children’s Nurse (RCN), Registered Nurse Intellectual Disability (RNID) or Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) Divisions of the Register of Nurses and Midwives) maintained by the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) or entitled to be so registered.
have a minimum of 12 months post registration general nursing experience as an RGN.
have a minimum of 12 months post registration experience as an RM or RCN or RNID or RPN.
meet the HEI academic criteria set by the relevant Higher Education Institutes if applicable.

Note: Students who do not meet the relevant HEI academic criteria may be considered for entry to the programme through the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) process. APEL is the framework for accreditation for prior experiential learning.

How to apply

To apply for the sponsorship scheme for public health nurses please go to the following link:

2025/2026 HSE Student Public Health Nurse Sponsorship

Currently 3 higher education institutions provide postgraduate public health nursing programmes:

Your application will be assessed by the HSE and the HEIs.

If you have a query about the status or outcome of your application contact:

After you complete the programme

You must immediately register as a Public Health Nurse with NMBI after you complete the programme.

On successful completion of the programme and registering with NMBI as PHN you will be offered a permanent post in the sponsorship area.

You will then get an initial assignment as a public health nurse in the area that provided your sponsorship. This will be in a full-time or part-time/pro rata capacity for at least 18 months from the date of registration with NMBI. Following the 18 months, you can apply to go on the National Transfer Panel for Public Health Nurses.

HSE HR Circular

Sponsorship of Student Public Health Nurses - HSE HR Circular 008.2015

Public Health Nursing Sponsorship Programme - Information Webinar

Contact

Grainne Ryan - National Lead for Public Health Nursing

Phone: 087 618 4972

Email: grainnea.ryan@hse.ie