Studying Medicine outside the UK

With competition for places at UK medical schools so high some people consider studying outside the UK. Many medicine courses are taught in English, even in non-native English-speaking countries, but you will need to master the native language as your patients won’t necessarily speak English!

Tuition fees in some countries can be significantly lower than the UK for all students and depending on where you choose to study living costs may also be cheaper.

Where to study?

Continental Europe: for some countries and courses there are simplified routes to General Medical Council (GMC) registration, this is the case even post-Brexit. This means if you wish to return to the UK to work as a doctor there is a way to do it.

USA: In the US you can only study medicine as a postgraduate degree. You will need to provide a transcript of your undergrad degree for admissions departments to assess whether your course is eligible. Typically, you would need substantial amounts of Biology and Chemistry, but some providers expect to see Humanities units too. If planning to return to the UK you will need to sit further exams to be registered by the GMC.

Canada: Canada offers very few places for international candidates, with many medical schools not accepting international applications at all. Courses will be taught in English or French.

Australia: Like the UK, Australia offers both 5-year undergraduate and 4-year graduate-entry courses. Courses are open to international applications, but the course fees are double those a UK student would pay to study medicine in the UK.

New Zealand: New Zealand has two medical schools that offer 4-year graduate routes to Medicine (the standard route is 6 years). Fees are double those a UK student would pay to study medicine in the UK.

Can I work in UK after the course?

It is important that you research carefully how easy it is to return to the UK to work, if that is your intention. Some things to consider:

  1. Is the course recognised by the GMC? If it is listed, it is currently recognised (things can change).
  2. Do graduates of that medical school manage to secure clinical roles in the UK? Use the alumni function on LinkedIn, consider contacting these alumni and asking them about their experiences.
  3. Can you apply to do the two-year UK Foundation Training or must you complete this in the country of study? Completing UK Foundation Training enables you to gain full GMC registration (year 1) and then qualify for NHS speciality training (year 2).

Can I work in the country of study after the course?

If you plan to stay in the country in which you study, you must check local immigration rules to see if you will be eligible to live and work once your student visa has expired.