Master of Dental Surgery

About the course

A five-year, 300 ECTS full-time dental degree leading to a Master of Dental Surgery, at a university where teaching and communication are in English. Non-Maltese students must also get a Medical Maltese certificate.

Entry requirements for Irish students

• Six Higher Level passes: H1 in Biology and H1 in Chemistry, plus four passes at H2, one of which must be Physics. The two H1s and the H2 in Physics must come from the same sitting. You must also meet the university’s general rules for the Leaving Certificate, which include Higher Level passes in a language, a science and a humanistic subject.
• Selection: applicants are ranked by their Chemistry, Biology and Physics grades. Those in the top categories are called to an interview and/or exam, which assesses aptitude, motivation, communication skills and overall academic background. The interview takes place in September.
• English: the university accepts an Ordinary Level pass at O4 or better in Leaving Certificate English, or a Secure English Language Test. Non-Maltese applicants must hold the Medical Maltese Proficiency Certificate before the course starts.

Working in Ireland afterwards

A dental degree from an EU member state that is listed in the EU Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EC, as amended) can be recognised automatically by the Dental Council of Ireland. To get this, you provide a certificate from your home country’s competent authority confirming the degree meets the Directive’s minimum training conditions, plus proof of English-language proficiency. EU dental degrees that do not qualify for automatic recognition may instead be assessed under the Directive.

How to apply

1. Check subjectsYou need HL Biology, Chemistry and Physics: H1 in Biology and Chemistry, H2 in Physics and three more H2s.
2. Apply onlineApply through um.edu.mt/apply. In 2026 the deadline for Medical Maltese applicants was 16 March, so apply early in 2027 and check the date.
3. Interview in SeptemberIf you are shortlisted, attend the September interview on aptitude, motivation and communication skills.
4. Medical Maltese and health checkGet the Medical Maltese Proficiency Certificate before the course starts, and complete the occupational health assessment.

Costs

• The course page shows EUR 26,000 a year for non-EU students. We could not find the fee for EU/EEA students. The university’s Fees Regulations (amended to 2015) set fees for EU/EEA students on master’s programmes but do not clearly cover this five-year first-degree course. Contact the university to confirm what an Irish (EU) student pays.

At a glance