Medical Schools in Greece for international students

Through the last few years, Greece has been gaining a reputation as an affordable and attractive study destination for international students. The country offers an exceptional combination of affordability, a welcoming hospitality, and a rich cultural and historical heritage. And for those looking to study medicine, what’s more interesting than the place where medicine and medical practice as we know them today had started? Also, with a long-standing tradition of medical ethics dating back to Antiquity, Greek medical schools offer a unique and rewarding educational experience. In this article, we will explore the medical schools and medical studies available in Greece. While doing so, we’ll highlight the reasons why Greece is an excellent choice for those seeking to pursue a medical career.

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Is it good to study Medicine in Greece?

When it comes to medical education, Greece is among the global leaders. Offering students the opportunity to study not only in a beautiful country, but also to follow in the footsteps of the very first medical students in the Western world! As a matter of fact, medicine as we know it today was born in this part of Europe. And in the contemporary Greece education system, medical studies and schools evolve in an environment that promotes research, practice and innovation.

Moreover, it’s fair to say that medical studies are difficult in general. But in Greece, the percentage of dropout because of the difficulty of the studies starts at 7%. This number is neither low nor high, but medical schools and faculties in Greece have granted students have given a small push to students, suggesting that this number will certainly decrease in the future.

Read some of the main reasons why international students choose to study in Greece.

How long is medical school in Greece?

To earn a M.D. qualification at medical schools in Greece, students must complete a 6-year cycle of undergraduate studies. The number of modules and courses depend on the university. However, the program’s structure remains the same everywhere in Greece.

The first 2 years, students undergo a pre-clinical training where they complete lectures, seminars and laboratory work. This is followed by a 3-year clinical training and rotations that take place at university hospital and clinic facilities. The last year is for internship during which students intensively train at hospitals under the supervision and guidance of senior doctors.

At the end of the 6 years, graduates have an EU and international medical license. This grants them the ability to work as a doctor anywhere in the world.

How much does it cost to study medicine in Greece?

Medical universities’ fees per year is around 12,000 euros, and some medical schools in Greece offer their students to pay this cost in two installments. Usually, school starts in October of every year with 2 semesters of 15 weeks each.

Find out more about the living cost and university tuition fees in Greece.

Medical school in Greece: requirements

Requirements for admission into medical schools in Greece may vary depending on the institution. However, since candidates apply for undergraduate studies, the main document to provide is a secondary school-leaving certificate. This also can be any document attesting that they have successfully graduate from high school.

Candidates in medical universities also need a document from their home country, confirming they are authorized to study in Greece. Next is an application in proper form including essential info such as the student’s biography, education history and the program they’re applying for.

Moreover, they also need to provide a personal statement or results for the Cambridge Personal Style Questionnaire (CPSQ). Students also need to undertake an interview. And in some cases, like at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, applicants need to pass entry exams in Biology, Chemistry and General knowledge.

Others may also require you provide a proof of language proficiency – depending on whether the program is in Greek or in English.

Read also our article on how to apply to university in Greece.

Medical schools in English in Greece

To the question: Can I study medicine in Greece in English? The answer is yes. In an effort to foster internationalization and educational innovation in its higher education, Greek universities offer more and more English-speaking programs. And of course, the medical field is no exception.

More specifically, some of the top universities in Greece have English programs at their medical schools and faculties. It’s for example the case of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, whose English Medical Degree program has been founded and accredited by the Hellenic Authority of Higher Education.

The goal behind this is to attract prospective international students as well as internationally renowned professors at the university.

How to be a doctor in Greece?

The very first step to become a doctor in Greece is of course to finish the 6-year curriculum for pre-clinical and clinical training. Once you graduate, you need to take the exam of the Greek Physicians Associations. It’s only after you’ve passed this exam that you earn the right to be a medical practitioner and considered as an M.D. in Greece.

For further studies and qualifications, students have the choice between 3 options:

Pursue a Medical Specialty Degree issued by the Greek Ministry of Health. It consists of 4 to 7 additional years during which students undergo a certain medical specialty training curriculum

Get a Master of Science in medical studies after completing a postgraduate course. This MSc. is usually issued by the university.

Earn a Medical Doctorate, following the master’s, which is also issued by the university. This qualification is awarded to students who have completed a thesis and successfully defended it.

The best medicine universities in Greece

Here are some of the best places where you can earn a medical degree in Greece as an international student:

The School of Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

The School of Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki offers a medical degree exclusively in English. It’s a program that targets specifically international students who want to study medicine at its place of origin. It’s a nice way to get inspiration from the Ancient Greek pioneers as they build their medical career.

Being a world-leader in medical education, this school of medicine offers great support to students, giving them the best chances to successfully complete their degree. The clinical training takes place at 7 hospitals: AUTH’s university hospital and 6 other city hospitals.

Lastly, tuition fee at the medical school of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki amounts to 12,000 euros per year. Applications take place between February and May each year. And courses start in October for the autumn semester, in a full-time study mode.

Find out more by visiting the official website of AUTH medical school.

Athens Medical School at the University of Athens

This is another institution among the top-notch medical schools in Greece, and belongs to the best university in the country. The Medical University of Athens also provides international students with an English-taught medical degree program. Students receive instruction from world-class tutors, through the school’s 89 medical laboratories and 16 university hospitals.

Students in the English-speaking program follow the same syllabus as those who study in Greek. They also have access to other cutting-edge premises and the school’s 3D anatomy and robotic patients. Moreover, this highly respected medical school belongs to the top 2% worldwide. Tuition fee at the university is approximately 13,000 euros per university year.

Applications to the medical school start in November and end up in March, the latest. Usually, the school has only one intake, which is for the fall semester.

Find out more by visiting the medical university’s website.

International medical program at the University of Crete

The University of Crete hosts one of the leading medical schools in Greece and the Balkans. It also is one of the biggest medical schools in the country, and started offering medical training in 1984. And since its creation, this school of medicine has put emphasis on innovation, diversity and internationalization.

That’s why, like any other prominent universities in Greece, the school has recently added an English-speaking medicine program, aiming to attract international students. And the program itself has an interesting feature: a small class of only 30 students per year! This allows the faculty to offer personalized teaching to students who additionally receive tutorials through a teaching assistantship program.

Moreover, the curriculum is unique, using a problem based and role-playing approach. Emphasis is put on clinical training. Lastly, the annual tuition fees at the school is 15,000 euros.

Visit the website of the Medical School of the University of Crete for more.

Faculty of medicine at the University of Patras

The School of Medicine of the University of Patras has provided training for future doctors since 1977. And from undergraduate to postgraduate level, the school is committed to excellency in education, research and in providing health care services to the population in Western Greece. Clinical training takes place at the University Hospital of Patras, in the Rio suburb of the city.

Moreover, the institution provides several courses that are in English. The goal is to accommodate exchange students who don’t have a good command of the Greek language. Other support for students include scholarships from partner universities.

Learn more about by visiting the school’s website.

University of Ioannina – Faculty of Medicine at the School of Health Sciences

The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ioannina came into existence in 1977 and has since become a respected institution for medical education both in and outside Greece. Since its establishment, the university has grown to currently feature: 42 clinics and lab facilities, 140 professors, and more than 2,000 students, all levels included.

Moreover, the institution provides, not only medical training, but also several opportunities for research at postgraduate and doctorate levels. Subjects vary from basic biomedical sciences to biotechnology, or medical-radiation physics, if we are to name a few.

Find out more on the faculty’s website.

University of Thessaly – Faculty of Medicine at the School of Health Sciences

The last institution in our list of the best medical schools in Greece is also part of a renowned institution in the country. It’s also the biggest of the 17 faculties of the university of Thessaly. Moreover, the school is located on the same premises as the university, in Larissa.

Born in 1985, and after a modest start during the 6 following years, the medical school has since grown to become a favorite among students, after the University of Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras. Clinical training and rotation at the school take place at the University Hospital of Larissa. Moreover, the school features 24 clinics and 20 laboratories for students and researchers to perform basic and applied research.