Transfer from Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum: Where to Continue Medicine or Pharmacy in 2026

What is Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum and what does it teach in English?

Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland, is the medical campus of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. In the academic year 2026/27, the Collegium Medicum teaches Medicine (6 years), Pharmacy (5.5 years) and Physiotherapy (5 years) in English through its Centre for Medical Education in English.

Its roots run deep. The Polish parliament established the Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz on 21 July 1984, built on the former Bydgoszcz faculty of the Medical Academy in Gdańsk. On 24 November 2004 the academy became part of Nicolaus Copernicus University, which itself dates back to a government decree of 24 August 1945. Clinical teaching takes place mainly at the Antoni Jurasz University Hospital No. 1 and the Jan Biziel University Hospital No. 2.

The English-taught Medicine programme leads to a Master's degree (M.D.), called lekarz in Polish, and includes four-week summer placements after years one to five. Pharmacy leads to the Polish magister degree. Basic Polish courses are part of the curriculum. You will find our full profile of the school, including costs and city life, on the Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum page.

Sources: study.cm.umk.pl (fees and programmes, 2026/27), cm.umk.pl and umk.pl (history), checked September 2026.

Can you transfer from Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum to another university?

Yes. Medicine and pharmacy students at Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland, can transfer to another university in 2026 and take their passed courses with them. Medschool Experts is the leading specialist for study transfers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine, with the world's largest choice of official partner universities.

A transfer is not a new application from zero. The receiving university compares your curriculum, your ECTS credits and your passed exams with its own programme. From that comparison it decides which year you can join and which subjects, if any, you still need to take. Our job is to find the university where that comparison works out best for you.

One rule of thumb helps. Usually no more than two exams may be outstanding at the moment of transfer, and the ECTS of those open exams must stay below a maximum. Where exactly that line sits depends on the receiving university.

Pharmacy is a special case. Fewer universities teach pharmacy in English than medicine, so the pool of destinations is smaller and the record review matters even more. It still works. We simply look at pharmacy faculties in our own partner network rather than at medical schools.

Why do students transfer from Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum?

Students transfer from Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz for five main reasons in 2026: costs, exam fit, personal or organisational circumstances, a planned career in the United States, or a planned career in Germany. None of these reasons says anything bad about the school. Each is a question of fit.

1. Tuition and living costs. The university's fee order for 2026/27 lists 31,500 PLN per semester for English-taught Medicine, up from 29,000 PLN in 2025/26. That is about €14,504 per year. Some families prefer a more affordable university for the remaining years, such as the Faculty of Medicine Foča in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
2. Exam fit. Some students find that a specific exam, or a particular exam format, does not suit the way they learn. Another university with a different format and pace can make the difference. We help with exactly this, and it is one of our specialities.
3. Personal or organisational reasons. Sometimes a difficult relationship with an individual examiner, a family situation or another personal matter makes it hard to continue in one place. A fresh start elsewhere is a legitimate choice.
4. A career in the United States. Caribbean medical schools are built around the US system: USMLE, US clinical rotations and residency. Mostar School of Medicine in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only European university that specifically prepares students for USMLE Step 1 (preclinical) and Step 2 CK (clinical).
5. A career in Germany. Some universities prepare especially well for working in Germany, for example the University of East Sarajevo (Foča) or the Medical University of Varna in Bulgaria. From both, students can complete the final practical year (PJ) in Germany through Medschool Experts.

Many students have more than one reason. That is normal.

Where can Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum students transfer to?

Students of Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum can transfer to partner universities across Europe and, for a US career, to the Caribbean. In 2026 the right destination depends on the goal: lower costs, a better exam fit, the USMLE, a final year in Germany, an EU degree or, for pharmacy students, a partner pharmacy faculty.

For medical students, the widest choice sits in our partner network. The Faculty of Medicine Foča combines low costs with good preparation for a German career. Mostar School of Medicine teaches in small groups with a better teacher-to-student ratio than other European medical schools and only 30 places per year. Medschool Experts places students there reliably without an entrance test, as long as our own quota allows. The Medical University of Varna keeps you inside the EU and opens the final practical year in Germany.

Want to stay in Poland? That can work too. Several Polish universities belong to our network, and our overview of study transfers from Poland covers the options across the country. The complete list is on our universities page.

How much can a Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum student save by transferring?

A medical student at Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum pays 63,000 PLN in tuition for 2026/27, which is about €14,504. The Faculty of Medicine Foča in Bosnia and Herzegovina charges €3,500 per year in 2026. The tuition difference is roughly €11,000 per year, or about €33,000 across three remaining years.

Sources: Order No. 45 of the Rector of Nicolaus Copernicus University of 27 February 2026 (fees 2026/27), converted at the National Bank of Poland average rate of 4.3435 PLN per euro on 16 September 2026. Living costs in Bydgoszcz (€400–650 per month) and Foča figures: Medschool Experts, 2026.

Here is a worked example. A medical student who joins year 4 in Foča has three years left. In Bydgoszcz those three years would cost about €57,900 to €66,900 with living costs. In Foča the same three years come to about €22,500. The difference is roughly €35,400 to €44,400.

Two caveats matter. The zloty moves against the euro, so the euro value of Polish fees changes over time. And fees at every university can change from one academic year to the next. We always calculate with the figures valid at the time of your consultation.

Pharmacy tuition in Bydgoszcz is lower, at 34,000 PLN or about €7,828 per year in 2026/27. Whether a pharmacy transfer saves money depends on the partner faculty. We compare that with you directly.

Which year can you enter after leaving Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum?

There is no fixed maximum year for students leaving Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz. Medschool Experts reviews every record individually and aims for the highest possible entry with no or minimal loss of time. In 2026 we frequently achieve high placements, often into year 4 or year 5.

The decisive factor is how well your completed subjects match the new curriculum. Six-year medicine programmes in Europe share a lot of ground, so passed preclinical and clinical subjects often carry over. Every passed exam counts.

The rule of thumb from above applies here as well: usually no more than two exams may be open, and their ECTS must stay below a maximum. If you have more open exams, talk to us anyway. There is often a plan.

How does a transfer from Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum work with Medschool Experts?

A transfer from Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum with Medschool Experts follows four steps in 2026: a free consultation, a review of your academic record, a placement offer at a partner university, and a planned switch. Students stay enrolled in Bydgoszcz until the new place is confirmed.

1. Free consultation. We talk about your goal, your budget, your timing and what has brought you to this point.
2. Record review. We check your transcript and credits against our partner network and look for the highest realistic entry.
3. Placement offer. You receive a concrete option at a partner university, including the year you can join.
4. Switch with a plan. We coordinate the move so that no semester is lost. Keep your place in Bydgoszcz until the new place is confirmed.

That last point matters a lot. Never leave first. Our services page explains how we support you along the way, and our student stories show what other students have done.

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What should Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum students know about recognition before transferring?

Poland has been a member of the European Union since 2004, so medical and pharmacy degrees from Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum fall under EU Directive 2005/36/EC. After a transfer, the diploma comes from the new university, so recognition follows the rules of that university's country and of the country where you want to work.

For graduates of EU universities, such as the Medical University of Varna in Bulgaria, the EU framework for professional qualifications applies. Degrees from universities outside the EU, such as those in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are assessed individually by the authority in the country where you plan to practise. Both routes are well travelled.

The Collegium Medicum itself states that every country has its own rules for regulated professions. That is true everywhere. We therefore start every transfer plan with the question of where you want to work later, and we choose the destination with that goal in mind. A student aiming for Germany gets a different plan from a student aiming for the United States.

When should Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum students start planning a transfer?

Students of Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum should start planning a transfer as early as possible, ideally several months before the semester in which they want to switch. Early planning in 2026 keeps more partner universities open and makes a higher entry year more likely.

Timing affects more than the choice of university. Open exams, the semester you are in and the start of the academic year at the receiving university all shape the plan. A short conversation early on costs nothing. It often saves a semester.

Good moments to get in touch are after a difficult exam period, before you commit to another expensive year, or as soon as your career goal becomes clear. Waiting rarely helps.