Study Medicine in Europe in English

Where UK students study medicine in Europe in English: countries, tuition fees from 3,500 € a year, entry with A-levels and what each degree means for GMC registration.

To study medicine in Europe in English you need neither a second language at B2 level nor a gap year. Around a dozen countries run full six-year medical programmes in English, taught by the same faculties that train the local doctors. For a UK student the countries differ in three things: the annual fee, the entry rule, and whether the degree comes from inside the European Economic Area.

The short version: a medical degree from an EEA country such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia or Cyprus is a relevant European qualification, and the GMC accepts it without PLAB. A degree from Bosnia and Herzegovina or Serbia costs far less per year and leads to GMC registration through PLAB 1 and PLAB 2.

Study medicine in Europe: countries compared for UK students

Country	English-taught medical schools	Tuition per year	Six years of tuition	Route to GMC registration
Bulgaria	Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Pleven	9,000 € to 10,000 €	54,000 € to 60,000 €	Relevant European qualification, no PLAB
Czech Republic	Masaryk University Brno, Charles University Hradec Králové	15,000 € in Brno	90,000 € in Brno	Relevant European qualification, no PLAB
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Foča, Banja Luka, Mostar	3,500 € to 9,000 €	21,000 € to 54,000 €	PLAB 1 and PLAB 2
Serbia	Niš	6,000 €	36,000 €	PLAB 1 and PLAB 2

We also place UK students at medical schools in Croatia, Cyprus, Hungary, Poland and Malta. Fees and entry rules for every faculty are in our university finder, and the overview for British applicants is on our UK page.

How studying medicine in Europe in English works

The programmes follow the EU standard of at least 5,500 hours of training. Years one and two cover anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. From year three you are on the wards. Lectures, seminars and exams are in English throughout. You learn the local language next to your studies, because patients in Sofia or Brno speak Bulgarian or Czech. Bulgarian classes were already part of the timetable when our founder Marcel Kloos studied in English in Sofia from 2015 to 2021.

Group sizes are small. At Masaryk University in Brno, 200 students start medicine in English each year and train in five university hospitals with 3,150 teaching beds, plus a simulation centre on five floors. That is a different scale from a lecture theatre shared with 300 others.

Entry requirements: study medicine in Europe with A-levels

European medical schools read your school record, not a UCAT score. Biology and Chemistry at A-level are the subjects that count. Some faculties add their own entrance test in biology and chemistry, others decide on documents alone.

A-levels in Biology and Chemistry plus a third subject
IB Diploma or Scottish Advanced Highers as alternatives
No UCAT and no UCAS application; you apply to each university directly, and we do that for you
Graduates with a first degree apply for the same six-year programme or, where offered, graduate entry medicine

What it costs to study medicine in Europe

England caps home tuition at £9,790 for 2026/27. In Europe you pay the university directly; at Masaryk University the fee is due in two instalments, in September and in February. Six years at Foča add up to 21,000 € in tuition, six years at Pleven to 54,000 €, six years in Sofia to 60,000 €. Living costs are the second half of the budget. In Brno a room in a university hall costs about 200 € a month and a shared flat around 300 € per person.

UK student loans do not cover a full degree abroad. Most families therefore pick the university by the six-year total, not by the first-year fee. The cheapest options are compared in cheapest medical schools in Europe in English.

After you study medicine in Europe: GMC registration and training

With an EEA degree you apply to the GMC as holder of a relevant European qualification. The GMC verifies the diploma and asks for evidence of your English; there is no PLAB. With a degree from outside the EEA you pass PLAB 1 and PLAB 2 first. What follows, from your first NHS post to specialty training under the 2026 prioritisation law, is explained in GMC registration after studying medicine abroad.

More guides on studying medicine in Europe

Study medicine abroad for UK students Study medicine in Bulgaria Study dentistry abroad Medicine Clearing and study abroad English-taught medical schools in Europe Curriculum: Medical University Varna Curriculum: Charles University Hradec Králové Curriculum: Medical Faculty Foča

FAQ: study medicine in Europe in English

Which country is best to study medicine in Europe in English?

It depends on your budget and your plan. Bulgaria gives you an EEA degree for 9,000 € to 10,000 € a year. Brno is a large research university with five teaching hospitals. Foča has the lowest fee at 3,500 € a year.

Can I study medicine in Europe without speaking the local language?

Yes. Teaching and exams are in English. You learn the local language alongside your studies for contact with patients in the clinical years.

How long does it take to study medicine in Europe?

Six years, straight from school. There is no separate pre-medical degree.

Do European medical schools ask for AAA at A-level?

Entry rules are set by each university and are not tied to the UK standard offer. Send us your predicted or achieved grades and we name the universities where you qualify.

Can I work as a doctor in the UK after studying medicine in Europe?

Yes. A degree from an EEA country is accepted by the GMC without PLAB. With a degree from outside the EEA you register after PLAB 1 and PLAB 2.

Last reviewed: October 2026