It is well known that thousands of international students travel to Europe for further education. Europe offers excellent opportunities in medicine. EU countries have long been recognized for their quality medical education. Popular countries for studying medicine in Europe include the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Italy, and more.
One of the primary reasons thousands of international students prefer Europe for medical studies is the affordable cost of education. Tuition fees for studying medicine in Europe are a huge advantage. English-speaking countries, like the US, the UK, and Canada, have high study costs. International students also find it challenging to manage their living expenses. For example, the average annual tuition fee for a medicine program in the US can range between USD 60,000 and 80,000.
Comparatively, Europe offers the same education and living standard at surprisingly lower costs. Moreover, many medical universities in Europe offer General Medicine programs in English.
Read this article to find out the tuition costs at some of the best medical universities in Europe. Also, discover the living costs for international students in various parts of Europe.
What you’ll learn from this article
- Popular countries to study medicine in Europe
- Tuition fees for medical programs in Europe
- Living costs for international students in Europe
Popular countries to study medicine in Europe
The EU has 27 countries. Gyanberry is partnered with universities in more than half of these countries. That means you, as an international student, can easily study medicine in any of the following countries:
- Czech Republic
- Ireland
- Poland
- Italy
- Hungary
- Cyprus
- Latvia
- Lithuania, and more!
Although not a part of the EU, Gyanberry can also help you study medicine in the UK.
Tuition Fees for medical programs in Europe
Medicine in Europe is offered as a long-cycle master’s program. So, international students can apply after high school. This is unlike the US and Canada, where students can only apply after completing their bachelor’s degree.
The duration of a long-cycle master’s program is six years. The tuition fee ranges for studying medicine (MBBS / MD) in Europe are presented in the table.
| Country | Average Tuition Fee in EUR (€) | Average Tuition Fee in USD ($)* |
| Czech Republic | 10,500-18,335 | 10,714-18,709 |
| Ireland | 49,500-57,135 | 50,510-58,300 |
| Poland | 10,891-13,900 | 11,113-14,183 |
| Italy | 16,200-20,140 | 16,530-20,550 |
| Hungary | 15,200-18,573 | 15,510-18,200 |
| Cyprus | 12,600-21,198 | 12,860-21,630 |
| Latvia | 10,238-12,600 | 10,446-12,857 |
| Lithuania | 11,000-12,500 | 11,224-12,755 |
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is among the most popular medical studies destination. Because the medical universities of the Czech Republic rank exceptionally well. Charles University, Masaryk University, and Palacky University are known for their excellent English language medical curriculum.
The tuition fees at these universities are
- Charles University, First Faculty of Medicine: € 18,335* (CZK 450,000) per year
- Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine: € 15,930* (CZK 390,000) per year
- Charles University, Faculty of Hradec Kralove: € 12,631* (CZK 310,000) per year
- Masaryk University: € 13,446* (CZK 330,000) per year
- Palacky University: € 10,500 per year
Ireland
Ireland is the only country in the EU that has an English-speaking population. Ireland’s education system is often regarded as one of the best in the world. To international students, Ireland may seem to be a little costlier than other countries in this article.
The tuition fees for Irish medical universities are
- University College Dublin: € 54,630 per year
- Royal College of Surgeons Ireland: € 57,135 per year
- Trinity College Dublin: € 49,500 per year
Poland
Poland has more than 10 medical universities. These universities offer medical programs in English. International students have ample choices to choose from. But the admission process for Polish universities can seem lengthy. Applying through Gyanberry can ensure your applications to Polish medical universities are completed quickly and hassle-free.
Tuition fees at some popular medical universities in Poland are
- Medical University of Bialystok: € 11,000 per year
- Medical University of Silesia: € 10,891* (PLN 52,000) per year
- Medical University of Lodz: € 11,800 per year
- Medical University of Warsaw: € 13,900 per year
Italy
In Italy, students can choose to study in a public university or a private one. The tuition fees at public universities depend on a student’s financial situation according to ISEE. The fee for private universities is higher than for public ones.
The tuition fees for popular medical universities in Italy are
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University: € 20,140 per year
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore: € 16,200 per year
- University of Humanitas: € 20,000 per year
- UniCamillus University: € 20,000 per year
Hungary
Hungary is known to have some of the oldest universities. These universities cover a wide range of programs, including medicine. These universities rank within the best 500 in the world for medicine per QS Ranking 2022.
The tuition fees for Hungarian medical universities are
- University of Pecs: € 17,094* ($16,750) per year
- University of Debrecen: € 17,247* ($16,900) per year
- University of Szeged: € 15,200 per year
- Semmelweis University: € 18,573* ($18,200) per year
Cyprus
Cyprus has 11 medical universities. These universities offer medical programs entirely taught in English. Although education costs are low, international students can also receive scholarships. Most medical universities in Cyprus offer scholarships to their students.
Tuition fees at some medical universities in Cyprus are
- Eastern Mediterranean University: € 21,198 per year
- Near East University: € 12,600 per year
- University of Nicosia: € 18,000-22,000 per year
Latvia
In Latvia, there are two prominent medical universities offering medical degrees. The University of Latvia and Riga Stradins University are among the top-ranking globally. Riga Stradins University is also known to attract the highest number of international students.
The tuition fee at these universities is:
- University of Latvia: € 10,238-12,600 per year
- Riga Stradins University: € 12,000 per year.
Lithuania
Similar to Latvia, international students can apply to any of the two prominent universities in Lithuania. Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Vilnius University offer medicine in English. Both universities rank among the best 500 medical universities in the world per QS World Rankings for medicine.
The tuition fees at medical universities in Lithuania are
- Lithuanian University of Health Sciences: € 12,500 per year
- Vilnius University: € 11,000 per year
Cost of living for international students in Europe
Living in Europe is considerably less expensive than living in the US, UK, and Canada. The below table presents an overview of the average annual living expenses for various countries.
| Country | Annual Living Expense in USD* |
| Czech Republic | 4,200-9,000 |
| Ireland | 7,142-12,245 |
| Poland | 4,040-5,255 |
| Italy | 6,900-9,500 |
| Hungary | 3,600-7,400 |
| Cyprus | 7,200-11,400 |
| Latvia | 4,900-8,570 |
| Lithuania | 3,600-11,600 |
* All currency conversions in this article are done according to the following currency exchange rates.
1 CZK = 0.041 EUR; 1 PLN = 0.21 EUR; 1 EUR = 1.02 USD; 1 USD = 0.98 EUR
Exchange rates are subject to periodic changes.