Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia & Georgia are gaining popularity as medical education hubs
Lower tuition fee, reasonable living cost & quality of education are key reasons Indian students are preferring Central European countries for medical studies.
The cost of medical education in Anglophone countries such as the US, the UK, and Australia is substantially higher as compared to some Central European nations such as Poland, Georgia. Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary. Top medical programs in the US ranges from $45,000–$60,000 per year while in the UK, it is between £38,000 and £50,000 annually. In Central Europe, annual medical education cost can range anywhere from €7,000 to €15,000 per year. Add to it the comparatively much lesser living expenditure.
Manisha Zaveri, Founder and Managing Director of Career Mosaic , an international student recruitment firm that has partnered with more than 900 universities across 24 countries, believes that lower tuition fee, reasonable living cost and quality of education are the key reasons Indian students are now preferring Central European countries as their study abroad destinations.
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Here, Manisha Zaveri picks six countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Georgia) and lists their best medical programs, eligibility criteria, course duration, fees, living cost etc.
Poland:
Top 5 Medical Programs: Medical University of Warsaw, Jagiellonian University Medical College (Kraków), Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Gdańsk, Medical University of Lodz.
Course Duration: 6 years (including clinical training and internship)
Tuition Fees: Approximately €66,000-€84,000 for full course;
Admission Criteria: Age: Minimum 17 years.
Educational Qualification: 10+2 with PCB (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) with a minimum of 60-70% aggregate in PCB. Language Proficiency: English-taught programs do not require IELTS/TOEFL, though it’s preferred by some universities.
Entrance Examinations: Some universities may conduct their own entrance examination and interview.
Average Monthly Living Cost: Approximately €300- €500 (includes accommodation, food, transport, health insurance, and other essentials)
Student Visa: National Visa Type D. Documents required are admission letter, financial proof, health insurance, and accommodation proof.
Processing time: 3 to 6 weeks.
Dependents: Students visa holders are not typically allowed to bring dependents. Once the residence permit is granted to students (may take 1–3 months), their spouse and children can apply for family reunification visas or temporary residence permits.
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The Czech Republic
Top 5 Medical Programs: Charles University, Masaryk University (Brno), Palacký University (Olomouc), University of Ostrava (Ostrava), University of South Bohemia (České Budějovice) Course Duration & Fees: Course duration is 6 years; annual tuition fees approximately €10,000-€12,000.
Admission Criteria: Age: Minimum 17 years.
Educational Qualifications: 10+2, with excellent performance in chemistry and biology. Language Proficiency: For English-taught programs, proof of English proficiency might be required (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL).
Entrance Examinations: Some universities might require entrance examinations.
Average Monthly Living Cost: €500-€750 (includes accommodation, food, transportation and miscellaneous).
Student Visa: Students must apply for the long-term visa; documents required includes acceptance letter from a Czech university, proof of sufficient financial means, valid health insurance and accommodation confirmation. Processing time: 60 days.
Dependents: Student visa doesn’t grant the privilege to bring dependents. The dependents must apply for the separate visa, for which the processing time is 90 to 120 days.
Hungary
Top 5 Medical Programs: University of Debrecen, Semmelweis University (Budapest), University of Szeged, University of Pécs (Pécs), Eötvös Loránd University (Budapest) Course Duration & Fees: Course duration is 6 years; annual fee is approximately $16,900-$18,200.
Admission Criteria: Age: Minimum 17 years. Educational Qualifications: 10+2 with exemplary performance in biology and chemistry. Language Proficiency: For English-taught programs, proof of language proficiency (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL) may be required. Entrance Examination: Some universities might require entrance examinations in PCB.
Average Monthly Living Cost: €500-€700 (includes accommodation, food, transportation and miscellaneous)
Student Visa: Students must apply for Type-D visa; documents required includes acceptance letter from a Hungarian university, proof of sufficient financial means, valid health insurance and accommodation confirmation. Processing time: 30-60 days.
Dependents: To bring a family member along, the student must apply for a family unification visa or dependent visa that allows the family member to stay in Hungary for the duration of the student’s studies.
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Slovakia
Top 5 Medical Programs: Comenius University Faculty of Medicine (Bratislava), Pavol Jozef Šafárik University (Košice), Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin (Comenius University), Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice
Course Duration & Fees: Course duration is 6 years; annual tuition fee €8,950-€13,500.
Admission Criteria: Age: Minimum 17 years. Educational Requirements: 10+2 with exceptional performance in chemistry and biology. Language fluency: Proof of language fluency (such as the IELTS or TOEFL) may be necessary for English-taught programs.
Entrance Examination: Most college demand admission tests for biology and chemistry.
Average Monthly Living Cost: €500-€800 (includes accommodation, food, transportation and miscellaneous)
Student Visa: Students must have a long-term visa; documents required includes acceptance letter from a Slovak university, evidence of adequate financial resources, proof of current health insurance, and confirmation of housing.
Processing time: 30 to 60 days.
Dependents: Spouses and children are allowed to accompany overseas students in Slovakia while they are enrolled in classes.
Austria
Top 5 Medical Programs: Medical University of Vienna (Med Uni Vienna), Medical University of Graz, Medical University of Innsbruck, Johannes Kepler University Linz –Faculty of MedicineParacelsus Private Medical University
Course Duration & Fees: Course duration is 6 years; annual tuition fees approximately €1,453.
Admission Criteria: Age: Minimum 17 years. Educational Requirements: 10+2 with exceptional performance in chemistry and biology.
Language Proficiency: Most programs demand proficiency in German. Although certain colleges may offer English-language degrees, fluency in German is typically required.
Entrance Examination: MedAT (Medizinische Aufnahmetest) must be cleared by applicants.
Average Monthly Living Cost: €700-€1,200 (includes accommodation, food, transportation and miscellaneous)
Student Visa: Students must have a resident permit to study; documents required includes an acceptance letter from an Austrian university, evidence of adequate financial resources, proof of current health insurance, and confirmation of housing are needed for the visa application process. Processing time: 2 to 4 weeks.
Dependents: Spouses and minor children who are not married members of the student's family may apply for a Residence Permit–Family Community to accompany the student.
Georgia
Top 5 Medical Programs: Tbilisi State Medical University (TSMU), Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University (BSU), Georgian National University (SEU), Grigol Robakidze University, BAU International University Batumi
Course Duration & Fees: Course duration is 6 years (including clinical rotations); annual fees ranging between US$6,000 and US$8,000.
Admission Criteria: Age: Minimum 17 years old. Educational Requirements: High school with a minimum of 50% marks in PCB. Language Proficiency: For English-taught programs, proof of language proficiency may be necessary, and university may conduct their own English proficiency tests. Standardised tests like IELTS and TOEFL are generally not necessary. Entrance Examinations: Georgian Universities do not require any entrance examination for admission. However, for Indian students, clearing NEET examination is mandatory.
Average Monthly Living Cost: US$400-700 (includes accommodation, food, transportation and miscellaneous)
Student Visa: Students need a D3 category long-term visa. Documents required include a letter of acceptance from a Georgia university, proof of sufficient financial means, proof of current health insurance, and housing confirmation. Processing time: 30 days.
Dependents: Dependents are not permitted to travel with a student on a Georgia student visa. On the other hand, if the student is seeking for a residence permit in Georgia, their spouse and kids might be qualified to apply for a visa.
Returning to India: To practice medicine in India after completing an MBBS degree in any foreign country, students must clear the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE). Along with this, they should have a primary medical qualification from an institution recognised by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
