Why study medicine in Europe?
What are your thoughts on studying medicine in Europe? As we all know, getting a place to study medicine in the UK is extremely difficult.
Not only are medical courses heavily over-subscribed, but the entire application process is also very competitive. In addition, you will need to pass the BMAT or UCAT and get an extremely high score, and you will probably also need to sit an interview or take part in a circuit of multiple mini-interviews, and offer a broad range of work experiences, connected to medicine.
Acceptance rates vary, but the majority of universities refuse between 60 and 90 per cent of candidates, and this is likely to continue, since applications to study medicine are going up at an average steady rate of four per cent from one year to the next. And, of course, tuition fees in the UK are expensive.
Europe is increasingly offering a range of degrees taught in English, and medicine is among them. Why not read this introduction to studying medicine in Europe and consider doing your degree abroad?
Can I study medicine in English in Europe?
Yes, but not everywhere.
At the time of writing, France, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium either offer no or very few places, or expect you to speak their national language in order to undertake the clinical part of your studies or teach the first three years in English – which of course gives you time to learn a new language – before reverting to the mother tongue.
Where can I study for the entire six years of my medical degree in English?
Studying medicine in Bulgaria
Tuition fees for medicine degrees in Bulgaria range from 7,000 to 8,000 euros a year and applicants are required to have passed A levels in biology and chemistry. Bulgaria is, I must confess, one of my favourite European countries, a view shared by thousands of UK citizens, who have settled on the coast and in the old capital, Veliko Tarnovo, or who gravitate to the Black Sea every summer, and go skiing in Varna during the winter. The cost of living is low, the climate is predictable – hot in summer, cold in winter – and the countryside is unspoilt, varied and stunning.
You can study medicine in English at the following three universities:
- Medical University of Varna
- Medical University of Pleven
- Sofia University
Courses run for six years.
Studying medicine in Romania
Tuition fees vary from 5000 to 10,000 euros per year and competition for admission is fierce, with the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Craiova, for example, offering 50 places a year. Nevertheless, if Romania appeals to you, you could apply to:
- Carol Davila University in Bucharest
- The University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Craiova
- Ovidius University in Constanta
Studying medicine in the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is another popular destination for UK students who wish to study medicine in Europe. Tuition fees are slightly higher here, ranging from 9,000-13,000 euros, and you can apply, for example, to:
- Charles University
- Masaryk University
- Palacky University
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Studying medicine in Belarus
Average tuition fees for studying medicine in Belarus come in at around 5,000 euros, while the prestigious Belarusian State Medical University charges tuition fees of 7,000-8,000 euros a year. Belarus offers three additional universities which teach medicine in English:
- Gomel State Medical University
- Vitebsk State Medical University
- Grodno State Medical University
The application process in Belarus is different to that in the rest of Europe. To clarify, you will need to submit application papers through the migration authorities for initial assessment. Response times are quick and the process works well. The cost of living is low, much of the country is still rural, with forests and wetlands spreading across the steppes, and the Niemen river thundering through the city of Grodno, on its way to the sea. Belarus is home to the largest medieval forest on the continent, and I have personally seen lynxes sunbathing in late autumnal afternoon sunshine.
If you opt to study medicine in Belarus you will receive an excellent, modern, well-resourced education, taught by outstanding academics, and join the thousands of foreign students who have already discovered what Belarus has to offer and are pursuing their six year courses in medicine in one of Europe’s friendliest countries.
Studying medicine in Sweden
Unfortunately, all medical undergraduate programmes are taught in Swedish. However, you can apply to study biomedicine, taught in English, at:
- The University of Göteborg
- Linköping University
If you gain a degree in biomedicine, you will of course be eligible to transfer to an accelerated course in medicine. For example, you can choose to study in Krakow, Poland, and complete the course in four years.
Studying medicine in Poland
In Poland, medical and dentistry courses have now been taught at universities in English for over twenty years. The following public institutions offer degrees in medicine and/or dentistry:
- Medical University of Warsaw
- Medical University of Lublin
- Pomeranian Medical University
- Medical University of Łodź
- Medical University of Gdańsk
- Poznań University of Medical Sciences
- Medical University of Białystok
- Jagiellonian University of Kraków (also runs accelerated four-year courses for graduates with pre-medical degrees)
- Medical University of Wrocław
- University of Varmia and Mazury Medical School
- Medical University of Silesia
If Poland seems like the right option, then contact our Elab office in Warsaw, who will give you a breakdown of fees, explain how the universities differ, the locations on offer, entry requirements etc. Many of our experienced consultants have taken their first degree in Poland and as a result can give you the inside track on this wonderful country and its medicine courses.
Studying medicine in Serbia
The University of Belgrade teaches medicine in English. Courses run for the standard six years and tuition fees are 7,000 euros a year.
Studying medicine in Slovakia
You have three options for studying medicine in English in this gentle and scenic country:
- Pavol Josif Šafárik Košice
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine
- Slovak Medical University
Tuition fees are approximately 9,500 to 11,000 euros a year. You will need 3 A levels in science subjects and to pass the IMAT to apply for a place.
A summary of studying medicine in Europe
This blog has hopefully given you an idea of the many options open to you for studying medicine in English, in Europe. It is not an exhaustive list – since you could always consider Cyprus, Russia etc. – but there is a host of information to cover.
If you have any questions about courses, countries, fees and lifestyles etc, then do not hesitate to contact us here at Elab in order to get the most up to date information. We can guide you in choosing the best European university for your interests, budget and career prospects, and go through entry requirements and examinations, accreditation and onward steps.
To sum up, drop us an email or call us and let us work together to select a destination and a university where you can study medicine in English, in Europe.
