Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London Malta Campus

The Malta Campus of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry is not an independent institution but a second location of the medical faculty of Queen Mary University of London. The degree bears the same name as in London. The programme lasts five years, is taught entirely in English, and costs €37,500 per academic year — the same for students from the United Kingdom, the EU, and all other countries. The programme starts once a year in September.

What makes the faculty stand out

The structure follows the British model: no sharp separation between pre-clinical and clinical phases, but a clinical component that increases progressively over five years and is assessed by annual examinations. The first two years are spent mainly on campus in Victoria on Gozo; years three to five are on the main island. As a supplement, the university provides basic Maltese language skills for patient contact, since many patients prefer to speak Maltese.

The centre of clinical training is Mater Dei Hospital in Msida, the largest hospital in the country. It has 825 beds, with a further 113 at the adjacent Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre. Because Malta has only one large central hospital, students see the full spectrum from the emergency department to oncology without commuting between sites. Those expecting a hospital with several thousand beds will find a smaller picture here.

Where the limitations lie

British degrees have not been listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC since the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU. The MBBS from Malta is therefore legally a third-country degree, even though you studied in an EU member state. For the United Kingdom, the direct route to professional registration goes via registration with the General Medical Council. For Germany, the competent state authority assesses equivalence under § 3 BÄO; if the outcome is negative, a knowledge examination follows before Approbation is granted.

The second issue is cost: €37,500 per year amounts to €187,500 in fees alone over five years, and the study abroad BAföG subsidy is capped. On top of that, the change of location after the second year means paying deposits, furnishing a new place, and searching for accommodation twice. And the UCAT is a genuine filter: scores below the third decile do not progress past the initial selection, and Band 4 in the Situational Judgement section also leads to exclusion.

Who this location suits

This location suits you if you want to work in the United Kingdom or are seriously considering it, since the MBBS counts there without any recognition procedure. It also suits you if a British-style curriculum with early patient contact appeals to you and your English is at a high level or you are willing to reach it. It is less suitable if your plans point firmly towards Germany and you want to avoid the additional procedural step, or if your finances are not secured for all five years. Whether this route fits your educational background, your timeline, and your finances is something Medschool Experts assesses individually in a free consultation.

Entrance examination instead of school grades

There is no numerus clausus in the German sense at the Malta Campus. A university entrance qualification — in Germany the Abitur — is required. Selection rests on three pillars: your school qualifications, your result in the University Clinical Aptitude Test, and proof of English for which the university accepts an IELTS score of 7.0 not older than two years. The UCAT does not test subject knowledge but rather verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative reasoning, and situational judgement under time pressure. Good science grades help but do not substitute for the test. This is assessed individually in a free consultation.

Deadlines

The programme starts once a year in September; there is no summer semester entry. If a cohort is full, the wait is a full year. Because UCAT test windows are fixed in advance and proof of English must be available at the time of application, plan approximately one year ahead of the September start. The process is generally fully online; travel to Malta is not required for the application. Medschool Experts prepares you for the UCAT and for the subject fundamentals.

Tuition fees and cost of living

The tuition fee is €37,500 per academic year for all five years, totalling €187,500. The university notes that fees may be adjusted annually for inflation. Payment is made in full before enrolment or half in advance with the remainder via a payment plan. In addition there are UCAT registration, IELTS test, health insurance, learning materials, and travel. Budget €800–1,200 per month for living costs, towards the upper end in the densely populated capital region around Valletta. Malta is a member of the European Union, so study abroad BAföG is in principle available, but the subsidy towards fees is capped.

Programme structure and language of instruction

The MBBS lasts five years. The first two years cover pre-clinical fundamentals at the campus in Victoria on Gozo, alongside initial patient contacts. In the third year you move to the main island and begin rotations in internal medicine and surgery; in the fourth year specialist disciplines follow including paediatrics, gynaecology, psychiatry, and emergency medicine. The language of instruction is English throughout; IELTS 7.0 is required. Basic Maltese is taught as a supplement for patient contact.

Clinical training and practice

From the third year you are predominantly in a clinical setting, mainly at Mater Dei Hospital with its 825 beds. The fifth year consists almost entirely of practical training on the wards. The British system works primarily with its own credits and annual examinations rather than ECTS; a detailed Transcript of Records is available from Queen Mary University of London. Famulaturen during semester breaks are also possible in Germany; recognition of these is decided by the authority responsible for your Approbation.

Recognition in Germany

The MBBS is a British degree and has not been listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC since Brexit. Automatic recognition is therefore not available. The direct route to professional registration goes via registration with the General Medical Council in the United Kingdom. For Germany, the competent state authority assesses equivalence under § 3 BÄO. If the outcome is positive, Approbation follows without further examination; otherwise a knowledge examination is required, which is an oral and practical examination on the content of the German state examination, after which Approbation is granted. The five-year British curriculum is examined in detail in this process.

Life in Msida

Msida is a harbour town on the north-east coast of Malta, immediately adjacent to the capital region around Valletta. Mater Dei Hospital is here, and this is where you spend your clinical years. It is not a quiet area: the conurbation is densely built and traffic is noticeable. Victoria on Gozo is the opposite: a small town, short distances, a Mediterranean pace, with a regular ferry service between the two islands. Be prepared for the change of location after the second year.

Accommodation and everyday life

For the first two years you look for accommodation around Victoria on Gozo, usually a room in a shared flat or a small apartment. From the third year you move to the Msida and Valletta area. The market there is larger but more expensive, and during the holiday season you are competing with tourists, so searching in spring pays off. English is an official language alongside Maltese, which makes administrative tasks, medical appointments, and part-time work straightforward. The island is small and well served by buses; a car is not necessary.

Is the British MBBS from Malta recognised in Germany?

Not automatically. Since Brexit, British degrees are no longer listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC. The competent state authority therefore assesses equivalence under § 3 BÄO. If the outcome is positive, Approbation follows without further examination; otherwise a knowledge examination is required, after which Approbation is also granted.

Where does the degree count without a recognition procedure?

In the United Kingdom. The MBBS of Queen Mary University of London is a regular British degree there; the direct route to professional registration goes via registration with the General Medical Council. On Malta itself you can also apply for positions, as the campus also trains for the Maltese health service.

What is the UCAT and how important is it?

The University Clinical Aptitude Test does not examine subject knowledge but rather verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative reasoning, and situational judgement under time pressure. It is a genuine filter: scores below the third decile do not progress past the initial selection, and Band 4 in the Situational Judgement section leads to exclusion. Regular practice over several months makes the most difference.

What does the programme cost in total?

The tuition fee is €37,500 per academic year for all five years, so €187,500 in fees alone. Budget €800–1,200 per month for living costs. On top of that come the UCAT, IELTS, insurance, learning materials, and the change of accommodation from Gozo to the main island after the second year.

Do I need to learn Maltese?

English is an official language alongside Maltese, and all teaching and everyday life operate in English. As a supplement, the campus teaches basic Maltese for patient contact, since many patients at Mater Dei Hospital prefer to speak Maltese. These courses are part of the programme and run alongside the regular curriculum.