Study and find schools in Antigua and Barbuda

Studying in Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is a small, English-speaking island state in the Eastern Caribbean. It became fully independent on 1 November 1981 and remains a member of the Commonwealth. The national statistics office estimated the population at 103,603 in 2024, and the capital, St John's, is on Antigua, the larger of the two main islands.

Higher education is on a small scale. The country has a campus of the regional University of the West Indies, a state college and a private medical school, the University of Health Sciences Antigua (UHSA), which is the institution listed in our directory. All teaching is in English, so students from Latin America and elsewhere need a solid command of the language before they apply.

The education system

Three institutions make up most of the tertiary offer:

• The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, which offers more than 40 programmes and admits students to undergraduate degrees, associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in August and January
• Antigua State College in St John's, established in 1977 by merging a teachers' college and a technical college; it awards associate degrees in business, industrial technology, liberal arts and teacher education, and an associate degree in pharmacy over three years
• The University of Health Sciences Antigua, a privately owned medical school founded in 1982 on the grounds of a former NASA Apollo tracking station at Dow's Hill, Piccadilly

Antigua State College states that the country's tertiary institutions are being amalgamated, so programme names and campuses may change; check the college's current information before applying.

UHSA follows a US-style medical curriculum taught entirely in English. Students spend two years on the basic sciences in Antigua, then two years in clinical training at affiliated teaching hospitals in the United States, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico and other countries, including 78 weeks of core and elective rotations. Students who lack the science prerequisites can take UHSA's premedical programme, which is delivered fully online and has 90 credit hours of prerequisite courses.

The UWI Five Islands Campus follows a two-semester year; in 2026 teaching for the first semester started on 1 September.

Admission and recognition

For the UHSA Doctor of Medicine (MD), applicants need a bachelor's degree or at least three years of university study (90 semester credits), set courses in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and English, and fluent English. Applicants from the United States should submit MCAT scores. Transcripts must be in English or come with a certified word-for-word translation, which matters for students from Spanish-speaking countries. Admission is on a rolling basis, and applications are reviewed weekly.

The premedical programme takes school leavers: Caribbean students need five CXC or GCE O level passes, and US and international students a high school diploma with English, mathematics and chemistry.

UHSA lists its recognition by the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), the ECFMG, the Antigua & Barbuda National Accreditation Board, the UK General Medical Council and the Medical Council of Canada. According to the school, its graduates can sit the USMLE in the United States, the MCCQE in Canada and the PLAB in the United Kingdom. UHSA itself advises students who want to practise elsewhere to check with the licensing board of that country; Latin American students should confirm with their own ministry or medical council how a foreign MD is recognised before enrolling. Students who plan to practise in Puerto Rico must also have taken college-level Spanish.

Student visa and residence

The UWI Five Islands Campus publishes an immigration fact sheet for students (checked in October 2026). All students who are not nationals of Antigua and Barbuda or of another OECS member state need either a student permit or a visa:

• Nationals of visa-exempt countries, which include EU countries, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and, in Latin America, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela, still need a student permit. The acceptance letter, passport and a university letter are stamped by the Ministry of Education, then presented to the Immigration Department with proof of address, proof of funds and a return ticket; the processing fee is EC$150
• Nationals of all other countries apply online for an e-Visa, with documents such as a police record no older than six months, a full medical report, proof of accommodation and the bank statement of the person paying for the studies
• Holders of a US, UK, Canadian or Schengen visa can enter without an e-Visa and receive a visa on arrival for US$100, but the stay is limited to 30 days and an e-Visa is still needed to extend it

UHSA adds that students should arrive with their acceptance letter and a return ticket dated within 90 days of arrival, and that students who need a visa receive an immigration letter once they have paid the seat deposit. Rules change, so confirm the current list with the Department of Immigration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Immigration.

Costs

The local currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar, pegged at US$1 = EC$2.70. UHSA lists its fees in US dollars: for 2025-26 the premedical programme costs $14,601 in total and MD tuition $107,419, billed per term at $9,867 for each basic sciences term and $12,271 for each clinical term. UHSA requires all students to have comprehensive health coverage.

The UWI Five Islands Campus estimates monthly living costs at US$370 to US$1,000 for accommodation (shared or single), US$370 to US$553 for food and US$57 to US$114 for transport.

Where to study

St John's is the capital and the base of Antigua State College. UHSA's campus is at Dow's Hill in the south of Antigua, a few minutes from Nelson's Dockyard and the beaches around English Harbour. The UWI campus is at Five Islands Village, west of the capital.

Culture and practical life

According to UHSA, temperatures range from the mid-70s °F (about 24 °C) in winter to the mid-80s °F (about 29 °C) in summer, and annual rainfall averages only about 45 inches (some 1,140 mm). V.C. Bird International Airport has daily flights, with frequent services to London Heathrow and Gatwick and to the United States, Canada and other Caribbean islands; students from Latin America usually travel via the United States, so check transit visa rules early.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa to study in Antigua and Barbuda?

Students from visa-exempt countries, including the EU, the United States and several Latin American countries, still need a student permit; students from other countries need an e-Visa. Check the current rules with the Department of Immigration.

What language are courses taught in?

English. UHSA requires applicants to be fluent in English and transcripts to be in English or translated.

Can I study medicine in Antigua and practise abroad?

UHSA states that its graduates can sit the USMLE, the MCCQE and the PLAB. Recognition in other countries depends on their own licensing boards, so check before you enrol.

How much does it cost to live in Antigua as a student?

The UWI Five Islands Campus estimates US$370 to US$1,000 a month for accommodation and US$370 to US$553 for food, plus transport.