6-Year MD Degree (Doctor of Medicine)

About the course

This six-year, 360 ECTS medical degree for school leavers is taught in English at UNIC Medical School in Nicosia. Years 1 to 3 cover basic sciences, Year 4 is a transitional year with a research project, and Years 5 and 6 are clinical training in affiliated hospitals in Cyprus, with options at partner sites in the UK, USA, Switzerland and Germany.

Entry requirements for Irish students

• The university assesses the Irish Leaving Certificate individually and does not publish a fixed Irish requirement. Contact admissions to confirm.
• The general published standard is a high school leaving certificate with 90% overall, including similar grades in Biology and one of Chemistry, Physics or Maths. The equivalents are ABB at A Level (with Biology and one science) or 32 in the IB (16 at Higher Level).
• Selection is by an online interview that assesses your suitability for medicine, including relevant volunteer experience. The English requirement is IELTS 6.5 (6.5 in writing and at least 6.0 in each other section) or TOEFL iBT 79. Native English speakers from Ireland are exempt.

Working in Ireland afterwards

Because your medical degree comes from an EU/EEA country, the Medical Council of Ireland can recognise it automatically under EU Directive 2005/36/EC, as long as it is listed in Annex V (point 5.1.1). If that listing says the degree must come with an internship or state-exam certificate from your home country, you need to have that too, and you must also show your current professional standing and meet the English-language requirements. Graduates of EU/EEA medical schools may apply to the HSE for Irish intern posts, but only if their home-country degree does not already count as complete training. In older HSE intern guides (e.g., the 2022 guide), only graduates from medical schools in Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Iceland and Slovenia could apply. Graduates from other EEA countries (and Italians holding the ‘abilitante’ degree) were told they are not eligible, because they qualify directly for General registration. Applicants who need no work permit were matched before those who do. Please check the current eligibility list in the HSE intern guide for the year you apply. We could not confirm it for the July 2027 intake because the current HSE guide pages are password-protected.

How to apply

1. Register and apply onlineCreate an account on UNIC’s applicant portal and complete the 6-Year MD application. The application fee is 60 euro.
2. Submit documentsUpload your school results or predicted grades and any proof of English. Ask admissions how your Leaving Certificate grades will be compared with the 90% standard.
3. Online interviewShortlisted applicants are invited to an online interview.
4. Accept and pay depositIf you receive an offer, pay the 3,500 euro seat deposit and the 1,500 euro administrative fee (both deducted from first-semester tuition) before the September start.

Costs

• Tuition is 24,000 euro a year. The medical school’s fee page gives one tuition rate and does not show a separate EU rate. There is a one-off, non-refundable application fee of 60 euro. The 1,500 euro administrative fee and the 3,500 euro seat deposit are both deducted from first-semester tuition, and the deposit is fully refunded if you decide not to join. Every year you also pay malpractice insurance (300 euro in Years 1 to 4, and 600 to 1,250 euro in Years 5 and 6 depending on the clinical site) and personal accident insurance (50 euro). Clinical training in the UK or USA in Years 5 and 6 costs an extra 6,000 euro a year, or 3,000 euro in Switzerland or Germany. Need-based scholarships of up to 20% of tuition are available. The university suggests budgeting at least 12,000 euro a year for living costs in Nicosia.

At a glance