University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine

The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Novi Sad is the largest medical training institution in the autonomous province of Vojvodina and one of four state medical faculties in Serbia. Human and dental medicine are offered as English-language integrated programmes, each lasting six years, twelve semesters and 360 ECTS. The tuition fee is €7,000 per year. The site stands out above all for its very small cohorts: most recently 15 places in human medicine and 13 in dentistry.

What defines the faculty

The faculty was founded in May 1960; the first lectures began in October of that year with 169 enrolled students. Today it covers human medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, medical rehabilitation and radiological technology in addition to the English-language programmes, though not all of these are taught in English. It is state-run, not a private provider. The fee includes access to the digital library and sets of electronic textbooks; there are no additional surcharges for the clinical phase.

Clinical training takes place at the University Hospital of Vojvodina. In 2017 the hospital had 1,425 beds and is both the sole emergency centre and the hospital of full care for Novi Sad and the South Bačka region. Against a cohort of 15 students, this offers an extremely broad spectrum of care. In practice this means short distances, small groups at the bedside, and teaching staff who know your name after a few weeks.

Where the limits lie

Serbia is not an EU member. The degree is not listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC, so there is no automatic recognition. In Germany, the competent state authority assesses the equivalency of your training under § 3 BÄO; if equivalency is not established, a knowledge examination follows, after which Approbation is granted. A temporary practising licence is available for the interim period. Those who only discover this stage after graduating lose planning time.

The number of places is the second constraint. Fifteen places means rigorous selection — every point in the entrance examination counts. There is also the language question: teaching is in English and a certificate is required, but patients in the clinical phase speak Serbian. Without basic language skills you cannot take a patient history in the clinical phase. And financially, Novi Sad is the most expensive of the three Serbian sites, both in fees and in the city's cost of living.

Who this site suits

Novi Sad suits you if you prefer a small cohort and close clinical contact over a large international cohort, want to study human or dental medicine in English, and are prepared to plan the recognition pathway from the outset. Those who intend to transfer to a German faculty after a few semesters should know that this rarely works out from a third country. Whether Novi Sad fits your starting position is something we assess individually in a free consultation.

Entrance examination instead of grade-point average

There is no numerus clausus; your average grade does not decide your place. In addition to the general higher education entrance qualification, the Fachhochschulreife may also suffice, as may a completed training in a healthcare field such as nursing. This is not automatic, because the faculty assesses each educational background individually. Whether your path qualifies is something we assess individually in a free consultation. Selection is based on an entrance examination in biology and chemistry at upper secondary level and an English certificate, either as a formal qualification or via an interview with the faculty. Applicants who completed their prior schooling in English are exempt from the language proof. The content examined is school curriculum, not university knowledge.

Deadlines

The cohort starts in the winter semester; there is no summer entry. The entrance examination takes place in late summer of the preceding year; for the 2026/2027 cohort the faculty has scheduled 8 September 2026, with results announced on 10 September. Your application year therefore begins significantly earlier than for a programme in Germany. With only 15 places, a missed round costs a full year. Registration, application and examination logistics are handled by Medschool Experts; participation is generally possible entirely online. Travel to Serbia is not required for the process.

Tuition fees and cost of living

The tuition fee is €7,000 per year for both human medicine and dentistry, i.e. €42,000 over six years. The digital library and electronic textbooks are included; printed books are purchased additionally. The faculty's one-off application fee is approximately €55. Budget €500 to €700 per month for rent, food, public transport and insurance. The total over six years amounts to around €78,000 to €92,400, excluding trips home and language courses.

Structure and language of instruction

The programme is structured as an integrated degree over twelve semesters with 360 ECTS; there is no intermediate qualification. Years one and two are predominantly pre-clinical with anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, histology and embryology. From the third year, the clinical phase follows with internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, gynaecology, neurology and psychiatry. Assessment is semester-by-semester with oral and written components; there is no central state examination as in Germany. The language of instruction throughout is English, from lectures to examinations.

Clinical training and practice

From the third year, clinical placements at the University Hospital of Vojvodina accompany the clinical subjects; in the sixth year you work almost exclusively on the wards. The hospital had 1,425 beds in 2017 and provides full care for Novi Sad and the region. Serbian proficiency is not required for admission but is decisive for patient contact. Elective placements (Famulaturen) in Germany are possible in principle; credit recognition is decided by the authority that later processes your equivalency application. The 360 ECTS and the Transcript of Records with subjects, hours and grades are the reference figures for German authorities — collect both in full from the first semester.

Recognition in Germany

Serbia is not an EU member; the degree is not listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC. The competent state authority therefore assesses your training individually for equivalency under § 3 BÄO. If equivalency is not established, you sit a knowledge examination and then receive Approbation, which opens every specialisation pathway. A temporary practising licence is available for the interim period, allowing you to work under supervision. In Austria the process runs via Nostrifizierung through a medical university.

Life in Novi Sad

Novi Sad has around 300,000 inhabitants, is the second-largest city in Serbia and the capital of Vojvodina. It lies on the Danube, across from the Petrovaradin Fortress, where the EXIT Festival takes place every year. In 2022 Novi Sad was a European Capital of Culture and has retained from that period an infrastructure of theatres, galleries and cafés that you would not necessarily expect from a city of this size. Belgrade and the international airport are reachable in about an hour.

Housing and daily life

Most students live in the campus quarter on the Danube bank; the distances to the faculty and hospital are correspondingly short. A one-room apartment in the city centre costs around €446 according to Numbeo, outside the centre around €367; sharing a flat brings the cost down considerably. A monthly public transport pass costs around €22, a simple restaurant meal about €10. Public transport consists mainly of buses; in the flat city a bicycle is often faster. Around the festival in summer the short-term accommodation market tightens noticeably — those who search only in September pay a premium.

Is the Novi Sad degree recognised in Germany?

Not automatically. Serbia is not an EU member; the degree is not listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC. The competent state authority therefore assesses your training for equivalency under § 3 BÄO. If equivalency is not established, you sit a knowledge examination and then receive Approbation, which opens every specialisation pathway.

How many places are available per cohort?

Most recently 15 places in human medicine and 13 in dentistry. This shapes the site: small groups at the University Hospital of Vojvodina and close supervision, but also rigorous selection. By comparison, Niš offers 120 places in English-language medicine. With so few places, every point in the entrance examination counts.

Can I study with a Fachhochschulreife or a nursing qualification?

Both may suffice as entry qualifications. In Serbia the Fachhochschulreife can qualify, as can a completed training in a healthcare field. There is no numerus clausus. This is not automatic, however, because the faculty assesses each educational background individually. We review your situation individually in a free consultation.

What does studying in Novi Sad cost?

The tuition fee is €7,000 per year — €42,000 over six years; the digital library and electronic textbooks are included. Add €500 to €700 per month for rent, food, public transport and insurance. The total over six years amounts to around €78,000 to €92,400, excluding trips home and language courses.

Do I need to learn Serbian?

Not for admission, but yes for patient contact. Placements are at the University Hospital of Vojvodina, and patients there speak Serbian. Starting early means you can take patient histories yourself in the clinical phase rather than just observing. It also makes flat-hunting and dealings with authorities easier. This effort comes on top of the academic programme.