One of Scandinavia's oldest and most research-intensive universities
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Medicine in Europe
Our top 6 routes into medicine: Italy's IMAT and Austria's MedAT
UK medicine places are extremely oversubscribed. Italy's English-taught, IMAT-based medicine degrees and Austria's MedAT-based programmes at public universities have become two of the most credible alternative routes in Europe.
Italy · IMAT
Humanitas University, Milan
Milan, Italy
A private, life-sciences-only university founded in 2014, teaching Medicine and Surgery entirely in English on a modern clinical campus.
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Italy · IMAT
University of Milan-Bicocca
Milan, Italy
A large public university with income-linked fees, offering an established English-taught Medicine and Surgery degree via IMAT.
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Italy · IMAT
University of Pavia
Pavia, Italy
One of Italy's oldest universities, with a well-established Harvey Medical School programme, teaching Medicine and Surgery in English.
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Italy · IMAT
University of Padova
Padova / Venice, Italy
One of Italy's oldest and most prestigious universities, teaching Medicine and Surgery entirely in English, with the programme moving to Venice from 2025-26.
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Austria · MedAT
Medical University of Vienna
Vienna, Austria
Austria's largest and most prestigious medical university, offering a well-established 6-year English-taught MD programme via the MedAT entrance exam.
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Austria · MedAT
Medical University of Innsbruck
Innsbruck, Austria
A highly-regarded Austrian medical university offering an English-taught MD programme via the same MedAT entrance exam used across Austria's public medical schools.
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Tell us the subject, target country and current predicted grades, and we'll map out realistic options alongside their UCAS applications.
English-taughtDirect applicationLarge international intake
Why students choose it: The Netherlands offers the largest range of English-taught bachelor's degrees in Europe, and Amsterdam is its flagship university, with strong programmes across economics, psychology, law, liberal arts and sciences.
Entry route: Direct application through Studielink, typically based on final grades or predicted grades, with some competitive programmes (e.g. Psychology, PPLE) using additional selection procedures.
Language: No Dutch required for English-taught programmes, though English language proficiency evidence is usually needed.
Good fit for: Students who want a highly international, English-speaking environment with a shorter, more affordable degree structure than the UK, without sitting an additional entrance exam for most courses.
EUR
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Rotterdam, Netherlands
English-taughtBusiness focusDirect application
Why students choose it: Strong international reputation for business, economics and law, with Rotterdam School of Management widely recognised across Europe.
Entry route: Direct application; some programmes (notably International Business Administration) use a selective matching procedure rather than first-come-first-served admission.
Language: English-taught, no Dutch required.
Good fit for: Students set on business, economics or law who want a research-intensive Dutch university with a slightly smaller, more focused feel than Amsterdam.
Why students choose it: Consistently ranked among the Netherlands' top universities, with particular strength in sciences, humanities and its distinctive University College liberal arts programme.
Entry route: Direct application through Studielink; the University College programme has a separate, more selective admissions process.
Language: English-taught, no Dutch required for the programmes above.
Good fit for: Students who want a strong academic reputation in a smaller, historic city than Amsterdam or Rotterdam.
LEI
Leiden University
Leiden, Netherlands
English-taughtOldest in NLDirect application
Why students choose it: The oldest university in the Netherlands, with a strong global reputation in law, international relations, humanities and sciences.
Entry route: Direct application through Studielink; some programmes require a motivation letter or additional assessment.
Language: English-taught, no Dutch required for the relevant programmes.
Good fit for: Students drawn to law, politics or international relations who want a historic, academically prestigious setting.
MU
Maastricht University
Maastricht, Netherlands
English-taughtProblem-based learningVery international
Why students choose it: Known for problem-based learning (small-group, discussion-led teaching rather than large lectures) and one of the most international student bodies in Europe.
Entry route: Direct application through Studielink; competitive programmes use additional selection.
Language: English-taught, no Dutch required.
Good fit for: Students who prefer active, discussion-based learning over traditional lectures, and want an especially international peer group.
TUD
TU Delft
Delft, Netherlands
English-taughtEngineering focusDirect application
Why students choose it: Europe's top-ranked technical university, with strength across engineering, computer science and applied sciences.
Entry route: Direct application; strong Maths and Physics/relevant science background expected, with some programmes requiring an additional numeracy or motivation assessment.
Language: English-taught, no Dutch required.
Good fit for: Strong STEM students, particularly those considering engineering, who want a technical-university culture rather than a broad general university.
TCD
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin, Ireland
English-speakingCAO applicationIreland's top university
Why students choose it: Ireland's oldest and most prestigious university, offering a familiar English-speaking environment with no language barrier at all, alongside a strong all-round reputation.
Entry route: Application via the Irish CAO system, with entry typically based on A-Level or IB point equivalents rather than a separate entrance exam.
Language: English-speaking throughout, including daily life outside the university.
Good fit for: Students who want an international degree and city experience but would rather avoid learning to navigate university life in a second language.
UCD
University College Dublin
Dublin, Ireland
English-speakingCAO applicationLargest in Ireland
Why students choose it: Ireland's largest university, with particular strength in business, engineering and the sciences, and a large international student population.
Entry route: Application via the Irish CAO system, using A-Level or IB point equivalents.
Language: English-speaking throughout.
Good fit for: Students wanting a large, comprehensive Irish university with strong business and STEM options and no language barrier.
KUL
KU Leuven
Leuven, Belgium
English-taughtBelgium's top universityDirect application
Why students choose it: Consistently Belgium's top-ranked university, offering a growing number of English-taught bachelor's programmes alongside a huge range of English-taught master's degrees.
Entry route: Direct application, with entry requirements varying by programme; some (e.g. Engineering) require an entrance exam.
Language: Most bachelor's degrees are still Dutch-taught, so English-taught bachelor's options are more limited than in the Netherlands, worth checking programme-by-programme.
Good fit for: Students who want a highly-ranked, research-strong university in a classic university town, particularly for STEM subjects.
IE
IE University, Madrid
Madrid/Segovia, Spain
English-taughtBusiness focusPrivate, selective
Why students choose it: A highly international private university known for entrepreneurship, business, and design-led, discussion-heavy teaching, with strong industry links.
Entry route: Direct application including a personal statement, interview and academic record review, rather than grades alone.
Language: Fully English-taught degrees available.
Good fit for: Students interested in business, entrepreneurship or design who want a smaller, highly international private university experience. Private fees are notably higher than Dutch or Irish public universities.
BC
Bocconi University, Milan
Milan, Italy
English-taughtEconomics & managementEntrance exam
Why students choose it: One of Europe's most respected schools for economics, management and political science, with strong graduate outcomes and career services.
Entry route: Competitive application including Bocconi's own admission test (the Bocconi Test/BAT), academic record and personal statement.
Language: English-taught bachelor's degrees available alongside Italian-taught options.
Good fit for: Strong academic students specifically targeting finance, economics or management careers, prepared to sit a dedicated entrance test.
Why students choose it: France's leading institution for politics, international relations and law, with English-taught tracks (notably on the Reims campus) alongside strong French-language options.
Entry route: Competitive direct application reviewing academic record, personal statement and, for some tracks, an interview, rather than a single entrance exam.
Language: English-taught undergraduate tracks are available, though some French language study is often built into the degree.
Good fit for: Students set on politics, international relations, journalism or law who want one of Europe's most prestigious names in that field.
HSG
University of St. Gallen
St. Gallen, Switzerland
English-taughtBusiness focusHighly selective
Why students choose it: One of Europe's most selective and respected business schools, with exceptional graduate employment outcomes, particularly into finance and consulting.
Entry route: Rigorous assessment centre process alongside academic record, and notably competitive compared with most Dutch or Irish options.
Language: Core teaching is increasingly available in English, though German is widely spoken on campus and in daily life.
Good fit for: Very strong academic students specifically targeting elite business/finance career outcomes, willing to go through a demanding admissions process.
Why students choose it: Scandinavia's highest-ranked university, with particular strength in the natural sciences, law and health sciences.
Entry route: Direct application, generally based on final/predicted grades, with quota systems for EU and non-EU applicants.
Language: A number of English-taught bachelor's programmes are available, though most bachelor's teaching remains in Danish, so options are narrower than the Netherlands.
Good fit for: Science-focused students who want a highly-ranked Scandinavian university, and don't mind a smaller pool of English-taught bachelor's programmes.
Why students choose it: One of Scandinavia's oldest and most research-intensive universities, with a strong reputation across engineering, sciences and social sciences.
Entry route: Direct application via the Swedish national admissions system, based on grades and, for some programmes, additional tests.
Language: A growing number of English-taught bachelor's programmes are available, though most undergraduate teaching in Sweden remains Swedish-taught.
Good fit for: Students wanting a research-strong Scandinavian university with a classic, close-knit student-town experience.
HU
Humanitas University
Milan, Italy · Private
IMAT entry6-year MD~€20,000/year
Overview: Founded in 2014 and dedicated solely to life sciences, Humanitas is a modern, private university teaching Medicine and Surgery entirely in English, attached to a major clinical research hospital campus in Milan.
Entry route: Admission via the IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test), Italy's official entrance exam for English-taught medicine at public and several private universities.
Cost: Being private, fees are considerably higher than Italy's public universities, at approximately €20,000 per year, but with a smaller cohort and strong clinical facilities.
Good fit for: Students prioritising a modern campus and strong clinical exposure, who can support the higher private tuition costs.
MB
University of Milan-Bicocca
Milan, Italy · Public
IMAT entry6-year MD€156–€4,115/year
Overview: Founded in 1998, Bicocca is a large public university with over 30,000 students across eight faculties, offering an established English-taught Medicine and Surgery degree.
Entry route: Admission via the IMAT, competing for a set number of English-taught seats allocated to EU and non-EU applicants each year.
Cost: As a public university, fees are income-linked and can be very low (as little as a few hundred euros per year) for lower-income households, up to roughly €4,000+ for others.
Good fit for: Students wanting an internationally recognised MD at a fraction of private university cost, in a major Italian city.
UP
University of Pavia
Pavia, Italy · Public
IMAT entry6-year MD€0–€4,463/year
Overview: One of Italy's oldest universities, Pavia runs a well-established English-taught Medicine and Surgery programme (sometimes referred to as the Harvey Medical School track), with a strong academic reputation.
Entry route: Admission via the IMAT, competing for allocated English-taught seats.
Cost: Public, income-linked fees, ranging from €0 for lower-income households up to roughly €4,463 per year, with different banded rates for non-EU applicants.
Good fit for: Students wanting a historic, prestigious Italian university with genuinely low potential fees, provided family income qualifies for reduced bands.
UP
University of Padova
Padova / Venice, Italy · Public
IMAT entry6-year MD€158–€3,500/year
Overview: One of Italy's oldest and most prestigious universities (founded in 1222), Padova offers an English-taught Medicine and Surgery degree. From the 2025-26 academic year, the programme is taught in Venice rather than Padova itself.
Entry route: Admission via the IMAT, with 50 places for EU applicants (or non-EU applicants resident in Italy) and 10 places for non-EU applicants resident abroad each year.
Cost: Public, income-linked fees ranging from roughly €158 to €3,500 per year depending on family financial circumstances (ISEE).
Good fit for: Students wanting one of Italy's most historic and prestigious universities, with genuinely low potential fees, now in an increasingly popular Venice setting.
MUV
Medical University of Vienna
Vienna, Austria · Public
MedAT entry6-year MD~€800/year (non-EU)
Overview: Austria's largest medical university and one of the oldest in the German-speaking world, with a well-established English-taught MD programme and strong clinical training through Vienna's major teaching hospitals.
Entry route: Admission via the MedAT, Austria's standardised medical school aptitude test used across its public medical universities, separate from Italy's IMAT system.
Cost: As a public university, fees are notably low: around €800 per year for non-EU students, and free for EU students.
Good fit for: Students wanting a highly-ranked, public European medical degree at a very low cost, in one of Europe's major capital cities.
MUI
Medical University of Innsbruck
Innsbruck, Austria · Public
MedAT entry6-year MD~€800/year (non-EU)
Overview: A highly-regarded Austrian medical university offering an established English-taught MD programme, in a smaller, alpine city setting compared with Vienna.
Entry route: Admission via the same MedAT entrance exam used across Austria's public medical universities.
Cost: Public, low fees: around €800 per year for non-EU students, free for EU students.
Good fit for: Students who want the same strong public Austrian medicine route as Vienna, in a smaller city with easy access to the Alps.