Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University (Kraków)

Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, known as AFMKU, is a private institution in Kraków and, according to the university itself, the first non-state university in Poland to offer an English-language medicine programme. The medicine programme lasts six years, covers approximately 360 ECTS, and ends with the degree of lekarz at Master's level. There is no Numerus clausus; selection is by a process with a personal interview. The academic year starts in the winter semester and teaching is conducted entirely in English.

What makes the faculty stand out

The structure of the curriculum is notable. It is integrated and organised by organ system, meaning pre-clinical and clinical content is thematically interwoven rather than taught strictly in sequence. Anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry therefore sit alongside a clinical frame of reference from the very beginning, which aids understanding and introduces medical reasoning early. From the third year, internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, gynaecology, neurology, and psychiatry are added, accompanied by placements at the university's Kraków teaching hospitals.

The second distinctive feature is admission. Instead of a written entrance examination, the university conducts a selection interview focusing on your motivation and your scientific foundations in biology and chemistry from upper-secondary school level. B2-level English is also required because the programme runs entirely in English. The interview can generally be conducted online; a trip to Kraków is not necessary for this. The sixth year of study is a continuous practical year modelled on the German Praktisches Jahr.

Where the limits lie

The fee of €7,650 per semester adds up over twelve semesters to approximately €91,800, making Kraków one of the more expensive English-language locations in Poland. Add to this approximately €600–900 per month for rent, food, insurance, and public transport; Kraków is the country's second-largest city, so rents are higher than at smaller university towns. Study-abroad BAföG is in principle possible at an EU location but does not cover the fee.

In terms of content, the integrated curriculum demands a high pace from the very first semester, because clinical references are introduced early. The Polish language courses in the pre-clinical section are compulsory and add to an already dense workload – without them you will depend on translation for patient history-taking in the clinical phase. And the selection interview is a genuine filter: it replaces the Numerus clausus, not the selection process.

Who this location suits

Kraków suits you if you can impress at interview, are looking for an English-language programme with an early clinical orientation, and can reliably cover the fees over six years. Those who need the lowest possible overall cost or would prefer a classically separated curriculum are better served elsewhere. The recognition situation also speaks for this location: as a Polish EU degree, the diploma is recognised in Germany without an equivalence examination. Whether your profile fits this admissions process is something Medschool Experts assesses individually in a free consultation.

Interview instead of school-leaving grade

There is no Numerus clausus at AFMKU. A general university entrance qualification is required; the decision is made by a selection process with a personal interview. The interview focuses on your motivation for studying medicine and your scientific foundations in biology and chemistry at upper-secondary school level. There is no traditional written entrance test. Because teaching is in English, proof of English at B2 level is part of the application. Your school-leaving grade alone therefore does not determine admission. Anyone who engages early with their own reasons for wanting to study medicine and revises biology and chemistry will approach the interview with considerably more confidence.

Deadlines

The programme begins in the winter semester; there is no summer-semester entry point. Applications and interviews therefore fall in the months leading up to that, and interview slots are as limited as places in the English-language cohort. Several months' lead time is the norm rather than the exception here, because the interview and document review run sequentially. Missing a year costs you twelve months. Much can be set in motion before your final school certificate is issued. Which timeline is realistic for you is something we assess individually in a free consultation.

Tuition fees and living costs

The tuition fee is €7,650 per semester, payable each semester; over six years this amounts to approximately €91,800. Add to this one-off costs around application and relocation, as well as ongoing expenditure on textbooks, a white coat, and working materials, most of which fall in the first year. For rent, food, insurance, and public transport, budget approximately €600–900 per month. Having a financial buffer for the first semester removes a great deal of pressure at the start. Over the full standard duration of study, fees and living costs should be calculated together, not separately.

Structure and language of instruction

The programme lasts six years and covers approximately 360 ECTS. Teaching and examinations are in English. The curriculum is integrated and organised by organ system: anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, histology, and embryology are taught interwoven with a clinical frame of reference rather than in strict sequence. Alongside this, you take Polish language courses in the pre-clinical section, which are compulsory and prepare you for later patient contact. The density of medical vocabulary in English builds quickly in this structure, making the first months linguistically demanding.

Clinical training and practical work

The clinical section begins in the third year with internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, gynaecology, neurology, and psychiatry, supplemented by placements at the university's Kraków teaching hospitals. Patients there speak Polish, which is where the language course pays concrete dividends. The sixth year is a continuous practical year modelled on the German Praktisches Jahr. Clinical electives can also be completed in Germany during the holidays; the relevant body decides on credit recognition according to its own rules. Have your Transcript of Records with subjects, grades, and ECTS issued regularly.

Recognition in Germany

The degree of lekarz is at Master's level. Poland is a member of the European Union, meaning automatic recognition applies pursuant to Directive 2005/36/EC, Annex V, as amended by Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2023/2383. No equivalence examination or knowledge examination is required; you submit your application to the Approbation authority of the federal state in which you wish to work. The state examination LEK and the practical year Staż are prerequisites for professional registration in Poland and are not required for Approbation in Germany.

Life in Kraków

Kraków is Poland's historic royal city, lies on the Vistula in Lesser Poland, and has a population of approximately 800,000. With several universities, the city is one of the country's most important academic centres, and the environment is correspondingly international. The well-preserved Old Town and a rich cultural offering shape everyday life, while rents are higher than at smaller Polish university towns. Compared with German cities, however, day-to-day costs remain manageable.

Housing and daily life

Halls of residence, rooms in shared flats, and small rented flats are all common. Because many universities start their semester at the same time, the market is fiercely competitive in September and prices rise – those searching only shortly before the semester begins pay a premium. Rent is included in the approximately €600–900 per month. For travel, Kraków Balice Airport has connections to Germany, supplemented by trains and long-distance buses. A weekend at home remains plannable. The proportion of international students is high, and German-speaking contacts in the cohort are usually found quickly. Between campus, teaching hospitals, and the city centre, you get around in daily life using public transport.

Is there a Numerus clausus at AFMKU?

No. Instead of a school-leaving grade threshold, admission is decided by a selection process with a personal interview. A general university entrance qualification and English at B2 level are required because the programme runs entirely in English. The interview focuses on your motivation and foundations in biology and chemistry at upper-secondary level. Your grade alone therefore does not determine your admission.

How does the selection interview work?

The interview combines subject-based questions from biology and chemistry with questions about your motivation to become a doctor. There is no traditional written entrance test. The interview can generally be conducted online; a trip to Kraków is not necessary for this. We discuss preparation with you in advance.

What does the integrated curriculum mean?

Pre-clinical and clinical content is taught interwoven by organ system rather than in strict sequence. You therefore learn anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry alongside the clinical frame of reference. This aids understanding but demands a high pace from the very first semester. The programme lasts six years in total and covers approximately 360 ECTS.

What does the programme in Kraków cost?

The fee is €7,650 per semester, payable each semester, totalling approximately €91,800 over six years. Add to this approximately €600–900 per month for living costs. This makes Kraków one of the more expensive English-language locations in Poland. Study-abroad BAföG is in principle possible but covers far from the full fee.

Is the degree recognised in Germany?

Yes. As an EU degree, the lekarz falls under automatic recognition pursuant to Directive 2005/36/EC, Annex V. No equivalence or knowledge examination is required; the application goes to the Approbation authority of your federal state. The state examination LEK and the practical year Staż concern professional registration in Poland only and are not required for Approbation in Germany.