EQF level physiotherapy degree requirements determine how a national physiotherapy qualification compares across Europe. The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is an 8-level system that describes what a graduate knows, understands and is able to do, making it possible to compare qualifications issued in different EU/EEA countries regardless of local naming conventions. According to the European Commission’s mapping of physiotherapy education, the minimum entry-level qualification across EU/EEA countries sits at EQF Level 6 or Level 7 in the vast majority of cases, with two notable exceptions at Level 4 and Level 5.
What the EQF Level Actually Measures
The EQF does not measure years of study or ECTS credits directly — it measures learning outcomes: the knowledge, skills and level of autonomy a graduate is expected to demonstrate. This is why two countries can require a different number of ECTS credits while still placing their physiotherapy qualification at the same EQF level, and why the EQF level is central to the recognition of professional qualifications across the EU/EEA.
EQF Levels by Country
The table below summarises the EQF level, the level of qualification and the minimum ECTS credits required to enter the physiotherapy profession in each EU/EEA country.
| Country | EQF Level | Level of Qualification | Minimum ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 |
| Belgium | Level 7 | Master’s degree | 240 / 300 |
| Bulgaria | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 / 240 |
| Croatia | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 |
| Cyprus* | Level 7 | Bachelor’s degree | 240 |
| Czech Republic | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 |
| Denmark | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 210 |
| Estonia | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 |
| Finland | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 210 |
| France | Level 7 | Master’s degree | 300 |
| Germany** | Level 4 | Vocational training (minimum) / Bachelor’s also available | 180–210 (academic route) |
| Greece | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 240 |
| Hungary | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 240 |
| Iceland | Level 7 | Master’s degree | 300 |
| Ireland | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 240 |
| Italy | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 |
| Latvia | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 240 |
| Lithuania | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 |
| Luxembourg | Level 7 | Master’s degree | 300 |
| Malta | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 240 |
| Netherlands | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 240 |
| Norway | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 |
| Poland | Level 7 | Master’s degree | 300 |
| Portugal | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 240 |
| Romania | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 |
| Slovakia** | Level 5 | Vocational training (minimum) / Bachelor’s also available | 180 |
| Slovenia | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 |
| Spain | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 240 |
| Sweden | Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree | 180 |
Germany and Slovakia: The Vocational Exception**
Germany and Slovakia are the only surveyed countries where the minimum entry-level EQF level physiotherapy degree qualification sits below Level 6. Both countries operate a dual-track system: a vocational training route, which is legally recognised as the minimum requirement to practise, and a parallel academic bachelor’s degree route offered at Level 6. In Germany, the vocational route is regulated at EQF Level 4. In Slovakia, it is regulated at EQF Level 5, though its content is governed by the same legislation as the bachelor’s degree, making the two pathways largely equivalent in substance. Graduates from either route in these two countries are fully qualified to practise physiotherapy nationally.
* Cyprus is categorised at EQF Level 7 based on stakeholder responses to the European Commission’s survey, although the minimum entry-level qualification in Cyprus remains a bachelor’s degree, which in most other countries corresponds to Level 6.
EQF Level 6 vs. Level 7: What Changes for Graduates
The distinction between Level 6 and Level 7 is not merely academic. Level 6 qualifications, typically bachelor’s degrees, are expected to provide advanced knowledge of the physiotherapy field, the ability to solve complex and unpredictable clinical problems, and the capacity to take responsibility for decision-making in unpredictable work contexts. Level 7 qualifications, typically master’s degrees, build on this foundation with a stronger emphasis on evidence-based practice and research, complex case management, and the ability to manage the professional development of individuals and teams. In practice, both levels prepare graduates for autonomous clinical practice, but Level 7 programs generally involve deeper theoretical and research training.
Why the EQF Level Matters for Cross-Border Recognition
The EQF level of a physiotherapy degree plays a central role in the ongoing discussion around a common training framework for the profession. Since the large majority of EU/EEA countries place their entry-level qualification at Level 6 or Level 7, there is a strong basis for mutual recognition through the recognition framework under Article 11 and the European Professional Card. Physiotherapists planning to work in another EU/EEA country should always check both the EQF level and the ECTS credits of their qualification, since these two factors together determine how a national degree is assessed abroad.
Check the EQF Level by Country
Explore the specific EQF level, qualification structure and admission requirements for physiotherapy degrees in each EU/EEA country.
