Yes, international students can study medicine in Ireland, and the majority of applicants who contact us about it are from outside the EU. There are six medical schools: the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), University College Dublin (UCD), Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork (UCC), the University of Galway and the University of Limerick. How you apply depends entirely on where you are applying from.
Students from North America (Canada and the US) apply through the Atlantic Bridge Programme, a single application that covers all six schools plus RCSI Bahrain. Other non-EU students (for example from the UAE and Dubai, India, the wider Middle East, Asia and Africa) apply directly to each university. EU, UK and EEA applicants apply through the CAO and sit the HPAT. This guide breaks down the requirements, fees, deadlines and admissions tests for each route, updated for the 2026/27 cycle.
A note from the author. I am Dr Akash Gandhi, an NHS GP and the founder of TheUKCATPeople, and I have spent years helping students into medicine, including in Ireland. It is one of the routes I am asked about most, and also one of the most misunderstood, because the rules genuinely change depending on where you are applying from. I have written this guide to give you straight answers: what each route actually requires, what it costs, and how to give yourself the best chance. Where figures move year to year, I have said so and linked the official source.
Ireland is one of the most popular destinations for international students who want an English-language medical degree that is recognised worldwide. Irish medical schools are internationally accredited, their degrees are recognised by the UK General Medical Council (GMC), and graduates go on to practise in Ireland, the UK, North America, the Middle East and beyond.
The teaching is delivered in leading teaching hospitals, with early clinical exposure and a strong research culture, several Irish schools require a research project during the degree. For applicants who narrowly miss a place at home, or who want a globally portable qualification, Ireland is an attractive and well-trodden route.
If you are weighing Ireland against the UK, it is worth reading our UK medical school rankings and our guide to studying medicine abroad alongside this page.
There are six universities in Ireland offering a medical degree. Four also offer a four-year Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) programme, and the University of Galway will admit its first GEM cohort in autumn 2027.
University | Location | Courses offered | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences | Dublin | Undergraduate + Graduate Entry (also RCSI Bahrain) | 5 or 6 yrs / 4 yrs |
University College Dublin (UCD) | Dublin | Undergraduate + Graduate Entry | 6 yrs / 4 yrs |
Trinity College Dublin (TCD) | Dublin | Undergraduate | 5 yrs |
University College Cork (UCC) | Cork | Undergraduate + Graduate Entry | 5 or 6 yrs / 4 yrs |
University of Galway | Galway | Undergraduate (Graduate Entry from 2027) | 5 or 6 yrs / 4 yrs |
University of Limerick (UL) | Limerick | Graduate Entry only | 4 yrs |
RCSI, UCD, Trinity and UCC are the most internationally recognised Irish medical schools in the global rankings, but all six degrees are GMC-recognised and equally accredited for practice.
We have built a dedicated profile for each Irish medical school, with international entry requirements, fees, admissions tests and how to apply. Start with the Irish medical schools comparison, or go straight to a school:
All six Irish medical schools award a degree recognised by the UK GMC and accredited for practice, so there is no wrong choice. In the international league tables, RCSI, Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin tend to rank highest, with RCSI consistently placed among the world’s leading universities for medicine.
"Best" really means best for you, though. The city, the campus, the course structure (5-year, 6-year or graduate entry) and your realistic chances on your route matter more than a ranking. Use our Irish medical schools comparison to weigh them side by side.
This is where most confusion arises, because there are three separate application channels and which one you use depends on where you are from, not which school you want.
Where you are from | How you apply | Admissions test |
|---|---|---|
North America (Canada & US) | Atlantic Bridge Programme (one application, all six schools) | AP/IB for undergraduate; MCAT or GAMSAT for graduate entry; Casper for RCSI |
Other non-EU (UAE/Dubai, India, wider Middle East, Asia, Africa) | Directly to each university, assessed case by case (Galway routes most non-EU applicants via the agency OnCampus Ireland) | Usually no HPAT for undergraduate; interview if shortlisted; GAMSAT/MCAT for graduate entry |
EU, UK & EEA | CAO (Central Applications Office) | HPAT for undergraduate; GAMSAT for graduate entry |
Deadlines differ by route and are unforgiving. Atlantic Bridge closes at the end of January, the CAO opens the previous November, and direct non-EU deadlines vary by university. Always confirm the current-cycle dates on the official sites before you commit.
Undergraduate medicine is open to school-leavers. Through Atlantic Bridge, North American applicants apply with AP exams or the IB, and AP Chemistry is required by every school, alongside biology and either physics or mathematics. Non-EU applicants from elsewhere apply directly and are usually exempt from the HPAT, but shortlisted candidates are typically interviewed.
EU, UK and EEA applicants apply through the CAO: your best A-level or equivalent results are converted to a points score, and you must sit the HPAT, a 2.5-hour aptitude test. The HPAT score is combined with your academic points to rank you.
Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) requires a bachelor’s degree, usually at second-class honours grade 1 (2:1) or above, plus a competitive GAMSAT or MCAT score. As an indication, RCSI typically looks for around MCAT 503 or GAMSAT 60 to reach interview, and UCC around MCAT 505 or GAMSAT 58 (MCAT within three years, GAMSAT within two). Thresholds move each year, so treat these as a guide, not a guarantee.
Our Graduate Entry Medicine guide and GAMSAT guide go into the detail of the graduate route.
Your qualification | Typical requirement for medicine |
|---|---|
A-levels (UK) | AAA including Chemistry, usually with Biology |
IB Diploma | Around 36 to 38 points, with Higher Level Chemistry |
AP (North America) | Strong AP scores including AP Chemistry, plus Biology and Maths or Physics |
Irish Leaving Certificate | High points including H1 Chemistry, combined with the HPAT |
Graduate (any degree) | A 2:1 honours degree plus GAMSAT or MCAT |
These are typical expectations, not guarantees. Exact subjects, grades and points vary by school and change each year, so always confirm on the official course page.
There is no single Irish medical admissions test. Which one you sit depends on your route and level of entry:
The HPAT-Ireland is a 2.5-hour test sat once a year, usually in late February, through ACER. It has three sections: Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving, Interpersonal Understanding, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. You cannot revise content for it; it measures reasoning and people skills, so preparation is about practising the question styles under time pressure.
For CAO applicants, your HPAT result is added to your Leaving Certificate points (A-level and other qualifications are converted to points). Under the current scheme, points of 550 and above are moderated to a maximum of 565 and the HPAT contributes up to 300, for a combined maximum of 865. Most non-EU undergraduate applicants are exempt from the HPAT.
Medicine is one of the highest-points courses in the country: successful CAO applicants typically need a combined Leaving Certificate and HPAT score of around 730 or more out of 865, alongside a minimum of 480 Leaving Cert points in one sitting.
Casper, the situational judgement test RCSI requires from North American applicants, is explained in full in our Casper test guide.
Casper is the newest requirement and the one applicants most often miss. For the 2027 intake, RCSI stops accepting new Atlantic Bridge applications from 16 January 2026 because the Casper test sits on 18 January. Book Casper before you finalise an RCSI application.
Deadlines differ by route and are unforgiving, so work backwards from them. These are the key dates for 2027 entry; always confirm the current cycle on the official sites.
Route | Opens | Key deadline | Tests and interviews |
|---|---|---|---|
EU, UK & EEA (CAO) | Early November | 1 February (CAO) | HPAT registered separately via ACER and sat in late February |
North America (Atlantic Bridge) | Autumn | 31 January (first round 15 December) | Casper for RCSI in mid-January; interviews late January to late March |
Other non-EU (direct) | Autumn | Varies by university, often around 1 February | Interview if shortlisted, usually online |
Apply as early as you can. Assessment is rolling from the first-round date on Atlantic Bridge, places at every school are limited, and RCSI’s Casper deadline comes before the main application deadline.
If English is not your first language, you will usually need to prove your proficiency. Most Irish medical schools accept IELTS, with a typical requirement of around 6.5 to 7.0 overall (often with no individual band below 6.0 to 6.5), or an equivalent such as TOEFL or the Duolingo English Test. Medicine tends to sit at the higher end of a university’s range.
Applicants who are native English speakers, or who completed their schooling through English, are usually exempt. Check the exact score and any per-section minimums each school requires before you apply.
The Atlantic Bridge Programme is the single application route for North American students. One form and one set of documents are sent to all six Irish medical schools (plus RCSI Bahrain), and it has admitted North American students for over 30 years. See our full Atlantic Bridge Programme guide for the step-by-step process, deadlines and the personal statement.
Graduates of Irish schools are still treated as international applicants for residency in the US and Canada, so factor in the licensing route home before you commit.
Four Irish universities offer an accelerated four-year graduate entry medicine programme: RCSI, University College Dublin, University College Cork and the University of Limerick. The University of Galway has announced its own GEM programme with a first intake in autumn 2027.
GEM is built for students who already hold a degree. You need a 2:1 (second-class honours, grade 1) or better, plus a GAMSAT or MCAT score. The University of Limerick’s programme is GAMSAT-led and is one of the longest-established in the country.
GEM fees are higher than undergraduate fees because graduate entry students are not eligible for the Free Fees Initiative. See the fees section below.
Most shortlisted applicants are interviewed, and several Irish schools use the multiple mini interview (MMI), a circuit of short stations that test communication, ethics, motivation and situational judgement. For non-EU and Atlantic Bridge applicants, interviews are often conducted online.
Unlike the UK’s UCAS process, Ireland does not place heavy weight on a long list of work experience, and most routes do not ask for a personal statement. What counts is your academic record, your admissions test score, and, where you are interviewed, genuine insight into medicine and clear, thoughtful communication.
Our medicine interview coaching and interview questions guide prepare you for MMI and panel formats.
Fees depend on your status. EU, UK and EEA students who meet the residency criteria pay very little; non-EU students pay the full international rate, which for medicine is among the highest of any degree.
Student type | Undergraduate medicine | Graduate entry (GEM) |
|---|---|---|
EU / UK / EEA (Free Fees eligible) | Student contribution only, around €3,000/yr | Not eligible for Free Fees |
EU / UK / EEA (not Free Fees eligible) | Around €6,500/yr fee + contribution (~€10,000 total) | Around €16,000–€17,000/yr after the HEA contribution |
Non-EU (international) | Around €55,000–€61,000/yr | Around €60,000+/yr |
As a concrete benchmark, RCSI’s published non-EU undergraduate medicine fee for 2026/27 is €61,000 per year. Trinity’s international medicine fee is banded by year of study, rising from the high €20,000s in the early years into the high €50,000s in the clinical years. Always check the exact figure on each university’s fees page, as non-EU fees rise by roughly 2% a year.
UK students may still qualify for EU fee rates and the Free Fees Initiative if they meet the residency criteria, so confirm your status with the HEA and the university. For a fuller picture of international medicine costs, see our international student tuition fees guide.
How you fund medicine in Ireland depends on your status:
Non-EU students from visa-required countries need an Irish study visa (a long-stay "D" visa) before travelling. After you arrive, you register with Irish immigration and obtain an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) within 90 days. The IRP costs around €300 and is renewed each year, and to register you must show adequate funds (around €10,000) and private medical insurance.
Visa rules and living costs change, so check the Irish Immigration Service Delivery website and your university’s international office for the current requirements.
Medicine in Ireland is highly competitive on every route, but the picture differs by channel. Non-EU places are capped at each school, which is why early, complete applications matter so much. Through Atlantic Bridge, up to around 350 North American students are admitted across all schools each year.
There is no single published "acceptance rate" that applies to everyone, the odds depend on your route, your academic record, your admissions test score and, where required, your interview and Casper. The most reliable way to improve your chances is to apply early, hit the test thresholds comfortably, and prepare properly for interview.
For non-EU applicants applying directly, each university assesses case by case and may interview or ask for further evidence. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an offer.
Undergraduate medicine is 5 or 6 years. The 6-year route includes a pre-medical foundation year covering the basic sciences; the 5-year route assumes that grounding already. Both build through anatomy, physiology and pathology into clinical skills and hospital placements.
Graduate Entry Medicine is an accelerated 4-year degree for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree.
Not exactly. Irish medical schools award the MB BCh BAO (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Obstetrics), which is the Irish equivalent of the MBBS awarded in the UK and much of the Commonwealth. The University of Limerick awards the BM BS. Whatever the name, it is a primary medical qualification recognised internationally, including by the UK GMC, so when people search for "MBBS in Ireland" this is the degree they mean.
For UK students especially, Ireland is a popular parallel or backup route. Both produce GMC-recognised degrees you can practise on in the UK, but the application differs in a few important ways:
Ireland is not an easier route, but it widens your options. Compare it with our UK medical school rankings and our studying medicine abroad guide.
The exact route depends on where you are applying from:
After graduating, you register with the Medical Council of Ireland and complete a one-year paid internship in an Irish hospital, which leads to full registration. From there, doctors apply for Basic Specialist Training (usually 2 to 3 years) and then Higher Specialist Training in their chosen specialty, much like the UK pathway.
Irish degrees are internationally portable, so you are not tied to Ireland:
As a guide to pay, a first-year intern in Ireland earns around €45,700 (2026 basic), often 30 to 50 per cent more once overtime and on-call are included, rising steadily through training, while consultants earn considerably more. Check the HSE pay scales for the current figures.
We have supported medical and dental applicants since 2012. Whether you are applying through Atlantic Bridge, directly as a non-EU student, or through the CAO, the components overlap heavily with the UK applications we work on every day: your personal statement or supporting essays, your interviews (including MMI), and your overall application strategy.
You can book a free consultation to talk through your route and the schools that fit you, explore our mentoring packages, or get tailored interview coaching ahead of the January to March interview window. Tell us where you are applying from and we will point you to the right requirements.
Work with doctors and admissions experts across every stage of your application.
Yes. All six Irish medical schools admit international students. North American applicants apply through the Atlantic Bridge Programme; other non-EU applicants (for example from the UAE, India and the wider Middle East) apply directly to each university; EU, UK and EEA applicants apply through the CAO.
Through the Atlantic Bridge Programme, a single application covering all six Irish medical schools plus RCSI Bahrain. Applications close at the end of January, RCSI closes earlier because of the Casper test, and interviews run from late January to late March.
Non-EU applicants outside North America apply directly to each university, which assesses applications case by case and may interview shortlisted candidates. The University of Galway routes most non-EU applicants through the agency OnCampus Ireland.
Usually not. The HPAT is required for undergraduate applicants applying through the CAO (the EU/UK/EEA route). Most non-EU undergraduate applicants are exempt from the HPAT but are interviewed if shortlisted.
Casper is required for RCSI’s 5-year and 6-year programmes for North American applicants applying through Atlantic Bridge. It is a situational judgement test costing around $85 with a fixed cut-off date, so book it before finalising an RCSI application.
Non-EU undergraduate medicine costs roughly €55,000–€61,000 per year (RCSI’s published 2026/27 fee is €61,000), and graduate entry is around €60,000+ per year. EU, UK and EEA students who meet the residency criteria pay far less, sometimes only the ~€3,000 student contribution.
Non-EU medicine fees are broadly similar across the six schools, clustering in the high €50,000s to €61,000 per year. Trinity’s fee is banded by year of study and can start lower in the early years. Always compare the current published fee on each university’s fees page, as figures change annually.
Very competitive on every route. Non-EU places are capped at each school, so early, complete applications matter. There is no single published acceptance rate; your chances depend on your route, grades, admissions test score, interview and, where required, Casper.
Undergraduate medicine is 5 or 6 years (the 6-year route includes a foundation year). Graduate Entry Medicine is an accelerated 4-year degree for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree.
RCSI, University College Dublin, University College Cork and the University of Limerick offer a four-year Graduate Entry Medicine programme. The University of Galway will admit its first GEM cohort in autumn 2027.
Yes. Graduate entry requires a 2:1 degree plus a competitive GAMSAT or MCAT score. As a guide, RCSI looks for around MCAT 503 or GAMSAT 60 to reach interview and UCC around MCAT 505 or GAMSAT 58, though thresholds move each year.
Yes. Irish medical degrees are recognised by the UK General Medical Council (GMC). Graduates can register with the GMC and enter the UK Foundation Programme, and the degree is also recognised internationally, sometimes subject to local licensing exams such as the USMLE for the US.
The HPAT-Ireland is a 2.5-hour aptitude test sat once a year (usually late February) for undergraduate entry through the CAO. It has three sections: Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving, Interpersonal Understanding, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Your HPAT score is combined with your Leaving Certificate or converted points; under the current scheme points of 550+ are moderated to a maximum of 565 and the HPAT adds up to 300, for a combined maximum of 865. Most non-EU undergraduate applicants are exempt.
If English is not your first language, usually yes. Most Irish medical schools require around IELTS 6.5 to 7.0 overall (or an equivalent such as TOEFL), often with minimum per-section scores. Native English speakers, and applicants who studied through English, are usually exempt. Check the exact requirement for each school.
Non-EU students from visa-required countries need an Irish study visa before travelling, and all non-EU students must register for an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) within 90 days of arriving (around €300 a year). You must also hold private medical insurance (roughly €200 to €500 a year) to register.
Budget roughly €12,000 to €18,000 a year for living costs on top of tuition, higher in Dublin. Accommodation is the largest expense, with student accommodation in Dublin often €8,000 to €14,000 or more a year.
Both lead to GMC-recognised degrees you can practise on in the UK. The UK route is UCAS plus the UCAT and a personal statement; the Ireland route for UK students is the CAO plus the HPAT, with no personal statement. Many UK applicants apply to both in parallel to widen their options. Ireland is not an easier route, but it is a strong, English-speaking alternative close to home.
No. Ireland does not use the UCAT. Undergraduate entry uses the HPAT-Ireland (for CAO applicants), and graduate entry uses the GAMSAT or MCAT. The UCAT is a UK and Australian admissions test, not an Irish one.
Irish medical schools award the MB BCh BAO, the Irish equivalent of the MBBS (the University of Limerick awards the BM BS). It is a primary medical qualification recognised internationally, including by the UK GMC, so "MBBS in Ireland" refers to this degree.
For CAO (EU, UK and EEA) applicants, medicine is one of the highest-points courses: you typically need a combined Leaving Certificate and HPAT score of around 730 or more out of a possible 865, plus a minimum of 480 Leaving Cert points in one sitting. Non-EU applicants are assessed differently, on their grades, admissions test and interview.
A first-year intern earns around €45,700 (2026 basic), often 30 to 50 per cent more once overtime and on-call are added, and pay rises steadily through training; consultants earn considerably more. Check the HSE pay scales for current figures.
Northern Ireland is part of the UK, not the Republic of Ireland. Its medical schools, Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, follow the UK route (UCAS and the UCAT). This guide covers the Republic of Ireland; see our UK medical schools guide for Northern Ireland.
Ultimate Package students from our 2025/26 cycle, with their UCAT scores and offers, who trained with us for the UCAT, personal statements and interviews.
“Harry got my UCAT up to 2,590, working through the sections I kept dropping marks on week by week. Gemma then ran my interview practice so the MMI stations didn't catch me out, and Dr Akash mentored me the whole way through. I'm off to King's for Medicine.”
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