Overview
EIR stands for Enfermero Interno Residente (resident intern nurse). It is Spain's national entrance exam for nurses who want to enter specialised residency training in one of the country's recognised nursing specialities. Spain's Ministerio de Sanidad (Ministry of Health) convenes the exam once a year as part of the wider Formación Sanitaria Especializada (specialised health-training) system.
EIR works on the same model as the MIR exam for doctors - a single, simultaneous, nationwide written test that ranks every candidate - but it is a separate exam with its own question paper, its own specialities and its own yearly intake; it is not a medical exam and should not be confused with MIR.
Passing the exam and being assigned a residency place lets a nurse train in a chosen specialty inside a hospital or primary-care unit and, on completion, receive the official "Enfermera/o Especialista" (specialist nurse) qualification in that field.
Who can apply
Hold a Spanish nursing degree (Grado en Enfermería) or the earlier Diplomatura en Enfermería, or an equivalent nursing qualification.
If the degree was obtained outside Spain, hold the official recognition or homologation for it issued by the responsible Spanish ministry before applying.
Nationality: Spanish nationals and nationals of an EU member state, a country in the European Economic Area, or Switzerland apply under the general call. Nationals of other countries can also apply, but under the separate conditions set out in that year's official call (published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado).
Exam pattern
For the January 2025 sitting, the paper was structured as follows.
| Aspect | Detail (2025 exam) |
|---|---|
| Format | Single written paper, multiple-choice |
| Scored questions | 200 |
| Reserve questions | 10 extra questions, used only to replace any of the 200 that are later annulled |
| Options per question | 4 |
| Duration | 4 hours 30 minutes |
| Approximate subject mix | Roughly 60-75% nursing-specific content, 25-30% general medical/clinical content, 5-7% image-based questions |
Marking and results
Each correct answer scores +3 points; each incorrect answer scores -1 point; an unanswered question scores 0.
A candidate's raw exam score is (number correct x 3) minus (number incorrect).
The final ranking score combines the exam (90% weight) with the candidate's academic record from nursing school (10% weight, based on the average of their best yearly grades).
All candidates who pass are ranked nationally by this combined score. Candidates then choose a residency place, in strict order of rank, from the specialities and locations still available - so the score needed to get into a particular specialty changes every year depending on demand and the total number of places.
Note
The Ministry of Health's own exam and residency portal could not be fetched directly in this environment, so the facts above are corroborated from nursing-sector press and professional-college sources rather than read directly off sanidad.gob.es. Readers should confirm exact figures for their own call year on the official Ministry of Health site before relying on them.
Important dates
Figures below are for the exam held in January 2026 (commonly referred to as the "EIR 2026" call).
Online registration: 1-18 September 2025.
Exam date: Saturday, 24 January 2026, at 14:00 peninsular time (13:00 in the Canary Islands).
Candidates admitted to sit the exam: 11,134.
Residency places offered: 2,279 in total (2,199 in public-sector centres, 80 in private centres) - the largest EIR offer to date.
Places by specialty for 2026: Family and Community Nursing 964, Obstetric-Gynaecological (Matrona) 477, Mental Health 356, Paediatrics 275, Occupational Health 108, Geriatrics 99.
Fees
For the 2025 call, the exam fee was 23.33 euros, payable online or through a collaborating bank during the registration window. Fee-reduction or exemption categories (e.g. large families, disability, jobseeker status) are set out in each year's official call.
How to apply
Registration is done online, through the Ministry of Health's application portal, during the dates fixed by that year's call. Applicants typically need a digital identification method (such as Cl@ve or a digital certificate), their nursing degree details, and proof of nationality or of the required degree homologation, and must pay the exam fee before the registration window closes.
After the exam
The Ministry publishes a provisional answer key, opens a window for candidates to raise objections, and then publishes the final answer key and individual results.
Final results combine the exam score and academic-record score into one national ranking.
Candidates who passed take part in a self-assignment process, choosing a residency place from the remaining specialities and centres in order of their rank.
A residency place normally runs two years, after which the resident obtains the official specialist-nurse qualification for that specialty.
FAQs
What does EIR stand for?
EIR stands for Enfermero Interno Residente (resident intern nurse). It is Spain's entrance exam and residency system for nurses pursuing a recognised nursing specialty.
Is EIR the same exam as MIR?
No. MIR (Médico Interno Residente) is the equivalent residency-entrance exam for doctors. EIR is a separate exam, run by the same ministry under the same Formación Sanitaria Especializada system, but with its own question paper, specialities and places for nurses.
Can a nurse with a degree from outside Spain take the EIR?
Yes, provided the degree has received the official recognition or homologation issued by the responsible Spanish ministry before the application is submitted. Nationality rules also apply and are set out in each year's official call.
What happens after passing the EIR exam?
Candidates who pass are ranked nationally on a combined score (90% exam, 10% academic record) and then choose a residency place, in order of rank, from the specialities and centres still available. The residency normally lasts two years and leads to an official specialist-nurse qualification.