Medicine Schools and Programs in Ukraine

Medicine Studies in Ukraine

Medicine in Ukraine is a six-year integrated programme that leads to a master's-level degree and the professional qualification of doctor. Several Ukrainian medical universities teach international students, some of them in English. Ukraine is under martial law, and anyone considering study there should check their own government's travel advice and the university's current teaching arrangements before applying.

SpainExchange lists three universities in Ukraine that teach medicine: Bukovinian State Medical University (BSMU) in Chernivtsi, Sumy State University, whose Medical Institute is in Sumy, and Lugansk State Medical University, which now gives its address in Rivne.

How the medical degree is organised

At BSMU, the Medicine programme (specialty 222) is a second-level (master's) degree: it takes six years of full-time study and 360 ECTS credits, and graduates receive the educational qualification Master of Medicine and the professional qualification Doctor of Medicine. BSMU describes the degree as equivalent to an MD or MBBS. To work in a specific field, graduates continue with postgraduate training (internship or residency) or a PhD.

All students in the health branch of knowledge take the Unified State Qualification Exam (USQE), run by the Testing Board of Ukraine's Ministry of Health:

• Stage 1, in the third year of medicine: the Krok 1 exam in basic sciences and a vocational English language test
• Stage 2, in the sixth year: the Krok 2 exam in clinical sciences
• During postgraduate internship: the Krok 3 licensing exam

Under martial law, students who are staying abroad can take the USQE tests on computer at designated sites near where they are, and students of universities in occupied territories or hostility zones can take them at universities in other regions.

Admission and language

Universities admit international students directly. BSMU accepts applications through an online form, with admission deadlines of 29 November (autumn) and 27 February (spring); the academic year starts on 1 September. Applicants submit their secondary school diploma and transcripts, passport, a medical certificate and other documents, translated and legalised as required. At Lugansk State Medical University, a foreign applicant first receives an invitation to study and then applies to the Ukrainian embassy for a study visa; documents must be translated into Ukrainian and legalised.

BSMU teaches medicine in Ukrainian and in English for foreign students, and B1 or B2 English is the level most widely accepted. Students who are not ready can take a 10-month preparatory course in the Ukrainian language and the natural sciences, which costs $1,500 a year.

Costs

Fees for international students are set by each university in a contract. BSMU's most recent published fees (for 2023-24) are $2,900 for the first year and $4,100 a year for years two to six in English, or $3,300 a year in Ukrainian. Places in BSMU's hostels cost up to $550 a year. Check current fees with the university before applying.

Recognition and careers

In Ukraine, graduates continue to postgraduate internship, which ends with the Krok 3 licensing exam. Graduates who plan to work in another country must follow that country's recognition procedure, which may include its own licensing exams; check the rules of the medical council or ministry there before enrolling. For admission, foreign school diplomas must be recognised under Ukrainian law; according to Lugansk State Medical University, a student whose document is not recognised is removed from the programme.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study medicine in Ukraine?

Six years (360 ECTS credits) for the master's-level degree in Medicine, followed by postgraduate internship or residency to work in a specialty.

Can I study medicine in Ukraine in English?

Yes, at some universities. BSMU teaches medicine in English for foreign students as well as in Ukrainian, and accepts B1 or B2 English in most cases.

Is it safe to study medicine in Ukraine now?

Ukraine is under martial law. Check your government's travel advice and ask the university how teaching and exams are currently organised; the Ministry of Health's Testing Board lets students abroad take the Krok exams at test sites near them.

How much does it cost to study medicine in Ukraine?

At BSMU, published fees for 2023-24 were $2,900 to $4,100 a year in English and $3,300 a year in Ukrainian, plus accommodation. Fees vary by university and year.