Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, Sarajevo Medical School

The Sarajevo School of Science and Technology is a private university in the Bosnian capital, founded in 2004 and aligned with British standards from the outset. The affiliated Sarajevo Medical School began operating in the 2014/2015 academic year and teaches human medicine entirely in English over twelve semesters up to the Doctor of Medicine degree. The tuition fee for international students is €13,200 per academic year, with teaching materials and books included. Because Bosnia and Herzegovina is not a member of the European Union, a recognition procedure is added on top of the degree.

What makes the faculty stand out

Selection is subject-based rather than grade-based. Testing takes place in English, biology, chemistry, and physics; the examinations are held from April to September and are generally fully online. School-level upper secondary content is tested, not university knowledge. In addition to the general university entrance qualification, the institution also considers the Fachhochschulreife and a completed vocational qualification in healthcare on a case-by-case basis.

The breadth of clinical training is the second distinguishing feature of this location. Pre-clinical teaching runs in the campus laboratories; clinical training takes place at the Clinical Centre of the University of Sarajevo, the largest hospital in the country, as well as at 14 further institutions from primary, secondary, and tertiary care. The Sarajevo Medical School is registered in the World Directory of Medical Schools, which forms the basis for any subsequent recognition procedure.

Where the limitations lie

The degree comes from a country outside the European Union and is not listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC. In Germany the competent state authority therefore assesses equivalence under § 3 BÄO; if the outcome is negative, a knowledge examination follows and Approbation is granted thereafter. This is an established route, but an additional step that costs time and must be factored into the plan.

The entrance examinations are a genuine filter: getting four subjects simultaneously to examination level takes work and must be planned for. Then there are the costs. €13,200 per year amounts to €79,200 over six years in fees alone, and study abroad BAföG applies only to a limited extent outside the EU. And in the clinical phase you need Bosnian, because patients speak Bosnian, Croatian, or Serbian — the teaching stays in English, but the patient history does not.

Who this location suits

This location suits you if you want to study in English, prefer a subject-based entrance examination to a grade-point threshold, and have the financing secured for six years. It also suits you if you come from a healthcare profession and are looking for a route that takes your prior qualifications seriously, or if small cohorts and early patient contact matter more to you than the name of a large faculty. It is less suitable if you want to minimise costs or need a degree that is valid across the entire EU without a further procedure. 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

The Sarajevo School of Science and Technology selects via entrance examinations in English, biology, chemistry, and physics. There is no numerus clausus, so your school grade does not decide the place. Upper secondary school content is tested, not university knowledge, and participation is generally fully online. A university entrance qualification and proof of sufficient English proficiency are required. In addition to the general university entrance qualification, the Fachhochschulreife and a completed vocational qualification in healthcare are also eligible, assessed case by case. Medschool Experts assesses this individually in a free consultation.

Deadlines

According to the university, the entrance examinations take place from April to September, starting at ten o'clock each day. The programme starts in the winter semester; there is no second entry in summer. Anyone who misses an intake waits a full year. Plan your preparation backwards from the programme start, and budget more time for four examination subjects than you initially estimate. Medschool Experts prepares you specifically for each of the four parts.

Tuition fees and cost of living

International students pay €13,200 per academic year; applicants with Bosnian citizenship pay €7,900. Over six years this amounts to €79,200 in fees alone. Teaching materials and books are included, so no additional textbook costs arise, though one-off incidental costs occur around the application. For rent, food, transport, and insurance in Sarajevo budget around €600 per month, which is well below German levels. Because Bosnia and Herzegovina is outside the European Union, study abroad BAföG applies only to a limited extent and usually not for the full duration of studies; combinations of personal funds, educational loans, and scholarships are the norm.

Programme structure and language of instruction

The human medicine programme lasts six years and is divided into twelve semesters. The first two years form the pre-clinical phase with anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, histology, and embryology, taught in the campus laboratories. From the third year the clinical phase begins with internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, gynaecology, neurology, and psychiatry. Lectures, materials, and examinations are conducted entirely in English; the degree awarded is the Doctor of Medicine. The university also offers dentistry and pharmacy.

Clinical training and practice

Clinical training takes place at the Clinical Centre of the University of Sarajevo and at 14 further institutions. The final year is predominantly practical in structure and corresponds in its design to the German Praktisches Jahr. Because cohorts are small, you are at the bedside earlier in rotations rather than watching from the third row. Famulaturen during semester breaks are also possible in Germany; recognition of these is decided by the authority responsible for your Approbation.

Recognition in Germany

Bosnia and Herzegovina is not a member state of the European Union; Bosnian degrees are not listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC. Automatic recognition is therefore not available. 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 — an oral and practical examination on the content of the German state examination — after which Approbation is granted. Registration of the faculty in the World Directory of Medical Schools is an important basis for this.

Life in Sarajevo

Sarajevo lies in a valley basin in the Dinaric Alps and, with around 275,000 inhabitants, is the largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ottoman mosques, Austro-Hungarian public buildings, and post-war architecture stand close together; the historic centre is the Baščaršija with its workshops and coffee houses. The mountains around the city offer hiking and ski areas a short distance away, which significantly raises the leisure value in winter. The international student scene is modest, but you know each other after a few weeks.

Accommodation and everyday life

The usual options are rooms in shared flats and small rented apartments near the campus, often arranged through students in higher years. Rents are well below German levels and account for the largest share of the roughly €600 monthly living costs. The choice narrows at the start of semester because everyone is searching at the same time; arriving two to three weeks earlier gives you more options. The airport is at the edge of the city, connections to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are short, and a weekend at home is feasible. English takes you a long way in everyday life, but a few words of Bosnian take you considerably further.

Is the degree of the Sarajevo School of Science and Technology recognised in Germany?

Not automatically. Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in the European Union, so the competent state authority assesses equivalence under § 3 BÄO. If the outcome is positive, Approbation follows without further examination. Otherwise you sit the knowledge examination — an oral and practical examination on the content of the German state examination — and Approbation is granted thereafter.

Which subjects are tested in the entrance examination?

The tests cover English, biology, chemistry, and physics. Content-wise the examinations are pitched at the natural science level of the upper secondary school; university knowledge is not required. The dates fall between April and September, and participation is generally fully online. Getting four subjects simultaneously to examination level still takes work that needs to be planned for.

What does studying at SSST in Sarajevo cost?

The tuition fee is €13,200 per academic year, so €79,200 over six years. Teaching materials and books are already included. Applicants with Bosnian citizenship pay €7,900 per year. Budget an additional €600 per month for rent, food, transport, and insurance.

Is there a numerus clausus at SSST?

No. A university entrance qualification and proof of sufficient English proficiency are required; selection is via the four entrance examinations. In addition to the general university entrance qualification, the Fachhochschulreife and a completed vocational qualification in healthcare are also eligible. This is not automatic, because the institution assesses each educational background individually.

Where does clinical training take place?

At the Clinical Centre of the University of Sarajevo, the largest hospital in the country, and at 14 further institutions from primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Pre-clinical teaching takes place in the campus laboratories. On the wards you need Bosnian, because patients speak Bosnian, Croatian, or Serbian.