Medical School Without an Entrance Exam in Eastern Europe: The Most Affordable Locations

The four cheapest NC-free locations in Eastern Europe

All four universities teach medicine in English, require no German numerus clausus and are priced well below the Western European level. The difference between the cheapest and the most expensive location is almost threefold.

Foča (Bosnia and Herzegovina) — €1,750 per semester

• Tuition fees: approx. €3,500 per year → €1,750 per semester
• Programmes: human medicine (6 years) and dentistry (5 years) in English
• Admission: general higher-education entrance qualification + entrance test (biology/chemistry, in English)
• Final clinical year (Praktisches Jahr, PJ) in Germany: possible
• The city: small, quiet town on the Drina, compact campus, very low cost of living

Niš (Serbia) — €3,000 per semester

• Tuition fees: approx. €6,000 per year → €3,000 per semester
• Programmes: human medicine (6 years) and dentistry in English
• Admission: general higher-education entrance qualification + entrance test (biology/chemistry)
• Final clinical year in Germany: not possible
• The city: Serbia's third-largest city, considerably bigger than Foča, usually reached via Belgrade

Pleven (Bulgaria) — €4,500 per semester

• Tuition fees: approx. €9,000 per year → €4,500 per semester
• Programme: human medicine (6 years) in English
• Admission: general higher-education entrance qualification + science entrance test
• Final clinical year in Germany: not possible
• The city: manageable university town, strongly international year group, reached via Sofia

Varna (Bulgaria) — €5,000 per semester

• Tuition fees: approx. €10,000 per year → €5,000 per semester
• Programmes: human medicine and dentistry in English
• Admission: general higher-education entrance qualification + science entrance test
• Final clinical year in Germany: possible
• The city: large university and coastal city on the Black Sea, with its own international airport

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What does the degree really cost?

Over the standard six-year period, tuition fees alone add up to:

• Foča: approx. €21,000 (12 semesters × €1,750)
• Niš: approx. €36,000 (12 semesters × €3,000)
• Pleven: approx. €54,000 (12 semesters × €4,500)
• Varna: approx. €60,000 (12 semesters × €5,000)

That puts around EUR 39,000 between the cheapest and the most expensive location — in tuition fees alone, without living costs and flights.

For context: in Foča, €1,750 per semester covers roughly what a single semester of administrative fees costs at many Western European locations. German child benefit (Kindergeld) covers the tuition fees in Foča almost in full.

Cost of living

The same gradient continues in the cost of living:

• Foča: the lowest costs in this comparison, with rent and everyday expenses well below Western European levels
• Niš: one-room flat in the centre approx. €300–400, total costs for students often €350–650 per month
• Pleven: inexpensive, a smaller city without big-city price levels
• Varna: the highest cost of living of the four locations, a coastal and tourist city

Anyone genuinely looking at the total price therefore lands clearly on Foča, followed by Niš.

What total costs are realistic in your case is something we work through in a free consultation.

Admission: no NC, but not without requirements

All four locations require a completed higher-education entrance qualification. A German numerus clausus plays no part. What counts instead is a local entrance test:

• Foča: science entrance test (biology/chemistry, in English)
• Niš: entrance test in biology/chemistry for the English-language programme
• Pleven and Varna: science entrance tests (biology, in part chemistry)

The difference from the German system is decisive: the NC measures how you performed at school years ago. An entrance test measures what you know today — and you can prepare for that in a targeted way.

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Final clinical year in Germany

For many people this is the second decisive point after price: can I complete my final clinical year in Germany and build contacts there early?

• Foča: possible — the sixth year of study can be completed at a German teaching hospital if you wish
• Varna: possible
• Niš: not possible
• Pleven: not possible

If you can imagine working in Germany later on, that is a strong argument — especially because it is the cheapest location of all that offers this option. What this looks like specifically in your case is something we discuss individually in the consultation.

Whether the location you have in mind allows a final clinical year in Germany is something we clarify in a free consultation.

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City and travel compared

• Foča: Sarajevo airport (approx. 50 km), with regular connections from Zurich, Frankfurt and Vienna. A small town, short distances, a close-knit atmosphere within the international year group.
• Niš: a small airport with limited international connections; the journey usually runs via Belgrade. Considerably bigger than Foča.
• Pleven: no airport of its own, reached via Sofia (approx. 170 km). A manageable university town.
• Varna: its own international airport with many direct connections, the largest city in the comparison, broad infrastructure.

Pros and cons at a glance

Foča — the winner on price

For: at €1,750 per semester the cheapest medical location in the comparison, very low cost of living, admission without a German NC, final clinical year in Germany possible, an international and close-knit atmosphere.

Against: a small town with limited leisure options, and travel via Sarajevo.

Niš

For: €3,000 per semester, low cost of living, a bigger city than Foča.

Against: limited flight connections, a more awkward journey, no final clinical year in Germany.

Pleven

For: a compact university town, a strongly international year group, cheaper than Varna.

Against: considerably more expensive than Foča and Niš, no direct flight connection, no final clinical year in Germany.

Varna

For: a large university and coastal city, very good flight connections, final clinical year in Germany possible.

Against: the highest tuition fees and the highest cost of living in the comparison.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the cheapest location for studying medicine without an NC?

Foča in Bosnia and Herzegovina, at €1,750 per semester, that is €3,500 per year. That makes it the cheapest location in this comparison — and at the same time one of the two where the final clinical year in Germany is possible.

Do I need an NC for Foča, Niš, Pleven or Varna?

No. At none of the four locations does the German school-leaving grade decide admission. What is required is the general higher-education entrance qualification and a local entrance test in biology and, in part, chemistry.

How much does the whole degree cost?

In tuition fees alone over six years: Foča approx. €21,000, Niš approx. €36,000, Pleven approx. €54,000, Varna approx. €60,000. Living costs and travel come on top.

Can I do the final clinical year in Germany?

In Foča and Varna that is possible. In Niš and Pleven it is not. What that looks like for you personally is something we clarify in a free consultation.

Is teaching in English?

Yes, all four locations offer English-language programmes. You do not need the local language to start your degree; it helps later in clinical practice.

How high is the cost of living?

Lowest in Foča, followed by Niš and Pleven. In Niš the total costs for students are frequently €350–650 per month. Varna, as a coastal and university city, is the most expensive.

Is dentistry available too?

Yes, dentistry is also offered in English in Foča, Niš and Varna. Pleven offers human medicine in this comparison.