Medicine is one of the most popular fields of study worldwide as graduating with a medical degree means you’ll work a job with many benefits. You can help people, land a prestigious job and make a whole lot of cash! However, medical degrees come with challenges, especially if you choose to study abroad at one of the top study destinations. You might be hesitant to pursue a medical degree abroad especially if you don’t speak the language of your host country. However, thankfully there are many options for medical programs where you can study medicine in English and many of these are in Europe. In this article, we cover everything you need to know about choosing to study medicine in English in Europe for 2023. 

Why should you study medicine in English abroad? 

The first question you might be asking yourself is why should you study medicine in English abroad? Why not just stay in your home country and study in your mother tongue and get it over with? This might be especially tempting because medicine is a difficult degree to study and needs a lot of time and energy. Nonetheless, choosing to study medicine in English abroad has many benefits, like expanding your mind and horizons. You also gain valuable life-long skills that you’ll need for your career, like learning to be self-reliant, mature, flexible and disciplined. Students who choose to study medicine in English abroad also have a competitive boost when they apply to jobs as they are known to have unique skillsets and great international and cultural backgrounds. 

 

Studying medicine abroad is becoming more and more popular, especially if you choose to study in Europe as it has some of the best study destinations worldwide. Some students may be choosing to do so as they don’t make the selection criteria in their home country to get into the medical program of their dreams. It might also be cheaper to study medicine in English in Europe than to study it back home. Medical schools in Europe also offer competitive programs that are certified worldwide and are recognised by many health organisations. This means you’ll be able to work wherever you may choose after you study a master’s degree or bachelor’s degree in the field of medicine. 

Read more: Study medicine at the Plovdiv Medical University in 2022

What are the eligibility requirements to study medicine in English in Europe?

There are universities to study medicine in English in Europe in more than 40 countries. Each of these universities has their own eligibility criterion when it comes to studying medicine in English there. Besides the common entry requirements, you might need to do a Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths entry exam. These exams may be just multiple choice questions but they may also have other forms of questions to answer. 

 

Even though requirements if you choose to study a degree in medicine vary, there are some entry requirements that are common to all, or most programs when you apply to study medicine in English: 

 

  • BTEC, GCSE, or equivalent high school diploma and transcripts 
  • Good grades in the subjects of Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and Physics
  • Proof of English language proficiency 
  • Passing subject entrance exams for Biology, Chemistry, and English language- if your school requires those 
  • Passing an online interview where you talk about your motivation to study medicine in English in Europe. 
  • Letter of recommendation or personal statement letter
  • Passport or other valid form of identification
  • Proof of paid admission fees, ranging from €20 to €200 depending on the program and country of choice

Read more: Study in UK in 2022: What are the Visa Requirements?

How much does it cost to study Medicine in English in Europe? 

How much it’ll cost you to study medicine in English in Europe will depend mostly on whether you choose to study at a public university or private university. It’ll also differ based on your nationality in some cases, as in most European countries, they tend to differentiate between EU/ EEA and international students. However, Public universities are usually free, even when it comes to international students. If you choose a private school, tuition can cost you anywhere between €3,000 to €30,000 a year. This fluctuation in prices depends on the country where you are studying. Keep in mind that a more expensive program doesn’t always mean a more prestigious or better program, and the opposite applies. You should always evaluate all aspects of the program you are choosing to study rather than just base your decision on program price. 

 

For public universities, as we previously mentioned, you’ll usually pay little to no tuition fees to study medicine in English. This is regardless of your nationality in most countries. If you choose to study in Germany, public medical schools are free to all students, including international students. The same case also applies to public medical schools if you want to study in Norway. Public medical universities in Denmark, Sweden and Finland have slightly different rules as tuition is free for EU/EEA students but international students pay moderate tuition fees. For all other European countries, you’ll need to look into each destination separately to find out how much tuition costs in public universities. 

 

When it comes to private universities, here are some of the prices if you choose to study medicine in English at these study destinations:

 

  • Georgia and Serbia have affordable tuition fees starting from € 4800 on an annual basis.
  • Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, and most of Central and Eastern Europe have medical tuition costs ranging between €4950 and €15000 per year, which is the median of the costs.
  • Countries like Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, and Germany have the highest tuition fees if you want to study medicine in English at a private university, ranging from €4800 and higher on a yearly basis. 

study medicine in english

What are some universities I can study medicine in English in Europe at? 

When it comes to the Universities to study at if you want to study medicine in English in Europe there are many and beyond. However, it’s important to choose universities with good programs that have teaching styles that you are comfortable with. You should also consider the local culture and make sure you’ll fit in and check that you fulfill the eligibility requirements of the school. Some good English language medicine programs to consider at European universities are the following: 

Lithuanian University of Health Sciences 

Location: Lithuania 

The first on the list is the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, which was founded in the city of Kaunas in 1922. It was first part of the general university but then later separated to become a medical school. Now, it’s considered one of the best medical schools in Lithuania and has one of the best English language medical programs in Europe. 

Vilnius University 

Location: Lithuania 

Also in Lithuania, another of the best programs if you want to study medicine in English in Europe is the one at Vilnius University. Vilnius University, established in the year 1781, is one of the most ancient universities in Central and Eastern Europe. It’s considered one of the most critical medical schools in Europe with an awesome English medical program. 

University of Latvia

Location: Latvia

Another university to consider if you want to study medicine in English is the University of Latvia. The Faculty of medicine there was created in 1919 and was renewed in 1997. The school has English-language programs in subjects like medicine, nursing and pharmacy. The approach to learning is a contemporary one with a highly scientific basis. 

European University Cyprus

Location: Cyprus

European University in Cyprus also has a great program to study medicine in English. This school has been created to comply with EU Directives and standards of international healthcare. It has also won two international awards for the“Best Educational Facility” and the “Best Medical Solution.” Located in a student-friendly country with reasonable costs of living, the university is a great place to study an English language medical degree in Europe. 

University of Nicosia 

Location: Cyprus 

A good English-language Medical program can be found in the University of Nicosia in Cyprus. The university helps students develop skills like critical thinking and lifelong learning, which are important during their medical careers. Students can also get involved in many medical research projects to develop their research skills. 

 

Semmelweis University 

Location: Hungary 

 

The Semmelweis University also has a great medical program for those who want to study medicine in English. In this program, you can choose to study in English or German. The university was founded in 1769 under the name of Budapest Medical University but was later renamed after the great doctor Ignaz Semmelweis. The school has around 9,000 students with almost 2,000 of them coming from abroad, making it a highly international school. 

Victor BabeĹź University of Medicine and Pharmacy

Location: Romania

Finally, the Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy was founded in the year 1945 under the rule of King Mihail the first. The school was named after the Romanian pathologist Victor Babeş. The school has an excellent medicine program in the English language for those who want to study a medical degree. The program lasts for 6 years and has concentrations in Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy taught by professional doctors who are multilingual. Since the time it was founded, a whopping 25,000 doctors have graduated from the school, many of them of an international background. 

 

In conclusion, there’s a lot to be known about English language medical programs in Europe. Choosing to study medicine in English abroad can give you many benefits like soft skills and professional ones, as well as receive an excellent education at a top European school. Tuition costs can also be pretty reasonable or even cheaper than studying at your home country, especially if you choose to study at a public university. If you still don’t know enough about choosing to study medicine in English in Europe, you can always contact us at Udrus to help you find out everything you need to know!