Care of the elderly and of disabled adults
A field of study in health and welfare
Vocational or degree?Mostly vocational7 in 10 train through vocational routes in the EU: 181,000 finished vocational training and 97,000 higher education in this field (2024). Figures for the wider field.Eurostat
Do graduates use it?81% in a matching jobof health and welfare graduates with a degree in the EU work in a job that matches what they studied. After vocational training: 73%.All health and welfare fields · Eurostat 2024
Do they find work?87% in workof people who finished higher education in the last 1 to 3 years in the EU (2025). Vocational training: 80%. General upper secondary only: 67%.All fields · Eurostat
What you'd learn
Disability careDisability typesOlder adults' needsHearing disabilityAssistive instrumentsDevelopment delaysStrategies for handling cases of elder abuseVisual disabilityMobility disability
The knowledge areas ESCO files under this field, those most needed by jobs first. Actual programmes vary by school and country.
Where it can lead
4 jobs use what this field teaches.
| Job | Prospects | Pay | Usual study | AI exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home care aide | Good | Below average | Vocational | Low |
| Healthcare assistant | Good | Below average | Vocational | Very low |
| Special educational needs assistant | Average | Below average | Vocational | Very low |
| Special educational needs teacher | Good | About average | Degree | Very low |
Jobs that need the knowledge this field teaches (ESCO), closest match first. This is not a record of where graduates actually end up: no EU-wide data says that per field.
Where to study
946 institutions in the EU offer health and welfare bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.