Do you dream of a career
in medicine?

Perhaps you are wondering which countries allow you to study medicine in English? There are plenty of options, but tuition fees can vary significantly. That is why we have divided the selection of international universities into two categories:

1. Public universities where the cost of studying is lower than 4400€ per year
2. Private or public universities where tuition fees start at 9.000€ and can reach as much as 65.000€ or more per year of study

In addition, we have divided the information about medical studies abroad into two geographical categories:

1. Medical studies in Europe
2. Medical studies in the USA, Australia and Canada

Would you like to study medicine at an excellent university and do not want to leave our continent? We have good news for you – medical studies in Europe offer the opportunity to return home within just a 2, 3 or 4-hour flight, while the standard of education is among the highest. Below, we have divided universities into those with tuition fees of up to 4400€ per year of study and more expensive options.

Medical studies in Europe for up to 4400€ per year

As of 2026, there are two countries in Europe where the cost of studying medicine is lower than 4400€ per year. These are Ireland and Italy. The Netherlands was previously also on this list, but since 2026 none of its universities has offered medicine in English (although many medicine-related degree programmes are available in the country).

Medical studies in Italy

Italy offers the widest range of options for this degree programme. Medicine in English is offered by 16 universities in the country, while an additional 2 universities offer dentistry. The programme lasts 6 years. The cost of education ranges from 157€ to 4400€ per year and depends on the financial circumstances of the student’s parents (which means that tuition fees are adjusted to each student’s financial situation). Italy is a beautiful, culturally rich country with friendly people and delicious cuisine. Are you wondering about the standard of education at its universities? According to the QS Top Universities Ranking as many as 6 Italian medical schools are among the world’s top 200, including 3 in the top 100. By comparison, no Polish university appears in the ranking. Italy is one of the most popular countries for medical studies!

New universities regularly begin offering medicine in English in Italy, while those that already offer the programme are increasing the number of available places. One interesting example is the University of Padua, which plans to increase the number of places available to international students by 100 each year from 2026 until it reaches 600 places. In summary the trend of encouraging international students to study medicine in Italy will most likely continue to grow.

When applying to study medicine in Italy, your IMAT test result is what matters. You can find more information about the test and the application process here: link.

Ireland

Five Irish universities offer medical degree programmes. Following Brexit and the significant increase in the cost of studying in the United Kingdom, many people choose Ireland as an alternative. Tuition fees for medical programmes are 3000€ per year. The programme lasts 5 or 6 years. Ireland offers a high standard of education, friendly people, excellent career prospects and beautiful green landscapes.

The universities offering medicine in Ireland are: Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, RCSI, University College Cork, University of Galway, University of Limerick.

When applying to study medicine in Ireland, your school-leaving examination results and HPAT test score are taken into account. You can find more information on this here: link.

Medical studies in Europe from 9.000€ per year

Here, the universities can once again be divided into two groups. Medical studies cost from 9.000€ to 15.000€ at universities in Central/Eastern Europe. The programme is offered in English in countries including Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Slovakia and Hungary.

Western Europe offers medical studies costing from approximately 15.000€ to 35.000€ per year (excluding the public universities in Italy and Ireland mentioned above). These are private universities.

If you are also considering dentistry in addition to medicine, the countries where you can study these subjects include:

• The United Kingdom (more information can be found below)
• Spain
• Germany
• Malta
• Italy (in addition to the public universities described above, several private universities also offer these programmes)
• Cyprus

The United Kingdom

The choice here is much wider. In the United Kingdom, the cost of medical studies starts at approximately £22.000 and can reach as much as £65.000 per year of study. In terms of tuition fees, it is by far the most expensive country in Europe.

There is no doubt that medical studies in the United Kingdom are among the best in the world. It is enough to mention universities such as: University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University College London which are among the world’s top 10 universities for medicine.

It is worth starting your preparations for medical studies in the United Kingdom well in advance. The success of your application depends on: the admissions test, interview, personal statement, reference letter, while your school results will also be taken into account.

Spain

Spain is also a fairly popular destination, where you can study medicine in English at two universities and dentistry at several others. Importantly, medicine may be taught in English only during the first two years of study. The universities are located among others in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Malaga.

Outside Europe, medical studies in the United States, Canada and Australia are very popular. These countries offer the highest standard of education, excellent clinical facilities and outstanding career prospects – and these are the qualities that attract applicants to these countries the most.

United States

Medicine in the USA is available only at the “graduate entry” level, meaning after completing a bachelor’s degree (the so-called pre-med). The MD programme lasts 4 years. This system is slightly different from Europe, where medical studies are usually offered as a single-cycle programme. When considering medical studies in the USA, it is impossible to overlook universities that rank among the ten best in the world: Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, University of California, or Yale. The admissions process has several stages and includes, among other things, the MCAT exam and an interview.

The cost of medical studies in the USA varies depending on the university chosen. Most often, the fees range from: 50.000 – 75.000 USD per year.

Canada

As in the USA, medical studies in Canada begin only after completing a bachelor’s degree. In recent years, the country has become increasingly popular and is often considered an alternative to the USA.

The most prestigious universities include the University of Toronto (No. 14 in the world), McGill University, the University of British Columbia and McMaster University. The MCAT is required, and interviews in the MMI format are often required as well.

The cost of studying is from 40.000 to 70.000 CAD per year, which is equivalent to approximately 30.000–52.000 USD per year.

Australia

Australia offers both 6-year programmes after secondary school and shorter “graduate entry” pathways. The best universities include the University of Melbourne (No. 25 in the world), the University of Sydney (No. 27 in the world), Monash University and the University of Queensland. The UCAT or GAMSAT exams play an important role in the admissions process.

Medical studies in Australia cost from 50.000 to 80.000 AUD per year, which is equivalent to approximately 33.500–53.600 USD per year.

The country of beaches and kangaroos has become increasingly popular among Polish students in recent years and is often considered an alternative to the USA or Canada.

When discussing the section “Where can you study medicine abroad?”, we covered this topic. Below you will find a brief summary.

If you are interested in studying medicine in English in Europe, Italy and the Netherlands are the only countries offering the programme you are interested in at public universities, which means that tuition fees are the lowest there: from 157€ to 4400€ per year.

Tuition fees in the United Kingdom range from 22.000 to as much as 65.000 pounds per year. In Spain, Germany, Malta or Cyprus, fees range from approximately 15.000€ to 30.000€ per year, while in Central and Eastern European countries, you will pay between 9.000€ and 15.000€.

Studying in the USA, Canada or Australia costs from approximately 30.000 to as much as 80.000 USD per year. This is the most expensive option, but remember that Canada and Australia are less expensive than the United States.