Single-cycle Master in Medicine and Surgery at University of Catania
Six-year English-taught LM-41 medical degree at the University of Catania with a MedTech focus, adding health informatics, AI and robotics to the core clinical curriculum. Entry is through the IMAT, with 40 places for non-EU applicants in 2026/27.
Master
6 years
Catania
English
University of Catania
Medicine and Surgery is a six-year, 360 ECTS single-cycle degree (class LM-41) taught in English at the University of Catania, with a MedTech focus. Entry needs a school-leaving qualification after 12 years of schooling, a place in the IMAT ranking and certified English at B2. For 2026/27 there were 40 places for non-EU applicants living abroad, and the degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Catania's English-taught Medicine and Surgery degree asks for a school-leaving qualification after at least 12 years of schooling, a place in the IMAT ranking and certified English at CEFR B2 for enrolment. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
School-leaving qualification
You need an upper secondary school diploma. A qualification earned abroad must come at the end of at least 12 years of schooling and must give access to university, and to this kind of course, in the country where you earned it. [1]
A foreign qualification must come with a declaration of value from the Italian diplomatic mission in that country or, as an alternative, a CIMEA statement of comparability. Students already enrolled in this course at Catania, and holders of a degree with the same legal value, cannot sit the test. [1]
What this means for your school results
As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: an Indian Class 12 certificate (CBSE, ISC or a state board), a Pakistani HSSC, a Bangladeshi HSC or Sri Lankan GCE A levels, when it completes at least 12 years of schooling and gives access to university in that country.
- Check carefully: a diploma or vocational route, or schooling completed in fewer than 12 years in total, since the call asks for both 12 years and access to university.
- Often short: a Class 10 or O level certificate on its own, which does not complete 12 years of schooling.
The call does not set a school subject stream, but most IMAT questions are on biology, chemistry, physics and maths. [1]
English
Certified English at CEFR level B2 is required for enrolment. The call does not list specific tests or minimum scores. Language certificates held by the registration deadline also count as a tie-breaker in the ranking. [1]
IMAT entrance test
The IMAT is the same test for Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine taught in English, with identical content at every venue. It has 60 multiple-choice questions with five options each, and you have 100 minutes. [1]
- 4 questions on reading skills and knowledge from your studies
- 5 questions on logical reasoning and problems
- 23 questions on biology
- 15 questions on chemistry
- 13 questions on physics and mathematics
Each correct answer earns 1.5 points, each wrong answer costs 0.4 points and a blank scores zero, for a maximum of 90. [1]
Places and ranking
For 2026/27, Catania offered 40 places for EU and equivalent applicants and 40 places reserved for non-EU applicants living abroad who need a visa. [1]
- EU and equivalent applicants: need at least 20 points to enter the single national ranking.
- Non-EU applicants living abroad: the 20-point minimum does not apply. You need a score above zero, and the university draws up the ranking for the reserved places.
Ties are broken by the biology score, then chemistry, physics and maths, logic and reading, then a certified language qualification, then the younger candidate. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
For 2026/27, international applicants who need a visa had to complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 31 July 2026. IMAT registration on Universitaly ran from 26 August to 3pm (Italian time) on 9 September 2026. The test took place on 29 September 2026, starting at 1.30pm Italian time. [1]
Scores were set for publication on 8 October 2026 and the national merit ranking for 26 October 2026. Candidates assigned a place must enrol within four days, counting the day the ranking moves and excluding Saturdays and holidays. The next call sets the 2027/28 dates. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
- Universitaly pre-enrolment in the international students section, for applicants who need a visa.
- IMAT registration on Universitaly, listing your preferred universities in order. The test can be taken in Italy or at an approved venue abroad, and your choices become final when registration closes.
- The test fee, paid as Universitaly sets out when registration opens.
- Your school-leaving certificate with a declaration of value or a CIMEA statement of comparability.
- Online enrolment on Catania's student portal, with payment of the regional tax for the right to study and stamp duty. Candidates who sat the test elsewhere first register on the portal.
After enrolment, non-EU students living abroad apply for a type D study visa. [1]
Sources and verification
Checked by the ApplyAZ admissions team against the university's official documents listed below. Entry rules can change with each new call, and we re-check them before every application.
- University of Catania, Teaching Area. Admission procedure for the single-cycle master's degree in Medicine and Surgery (LM-41), academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Medicine and Surgery is a six-year single-cycle degree (laurea magistrale a ciclo unico, class LM-41) worth 360 ECTS, taught in English by the Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties of the University of Catania.
Access is limited by national numbers, with admission through the IMAT test.
The course has a MedTech focus.
Alongside the traditional training of a physician, it aims to produce clinically oriented, technologically minded doctors who understand the technologies used in prevention, diagnosis and treatment, can work with engineers on new medical devices, and grasp emerging challenges linked to the environment, nutrition, sustainability and migration, with a focus on the Mediterranean.
What you will study
The programme runs over 12 semesters and 36 integrated multidisciplinary courses. Every semester includes teaching on technology themes ("tech") and emerging medical challenges ("future"). Courses in the 2026/27 teaching offer include:
- Principles of the Human Matter and The Cell: Molecules and Processes (year one)
- Health Informatics and Body Architecture (histology, embryology, anatomy and neuroanatomy)
- Body Functions and Disease Onset (15 and 13 ECTS per semester in year two)
- Climate Change, Sustainability and Global Health
- Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data, and Telemonitoring and Proximity Medicine
- Diseases of the cardiovascular and endocrine, respiratory and uro-nephrological, and gastroenteric systems
- Medical and Surgical Robotics, and Vaccine-Preventable Infectious Diseases and Epidemics
- Global Health, Public Health and Community Medicine
How the programme is taught
Each ECTS credit equals 25 hours of student work.
Depending on the activity, that means about 7 hours of lectures, 15 hours of classroom exercises or laboratory, or 25 hours of internship in small groups guided by a tutor.
Professionalising activities appear in every year of the plan, growing from 2 ECTS in year one to 6 or 7 ECTS per semester from year three.
Non-native speakers of Italian must reach B2 level in Italian by the third year, before clinical internships begin. The University Language Centre runs Italian courses from year one and certifies the required level.
Career paths
The degree trains doctors able to face local and global health challenges, combining medical skills with technological innovation and biomedical research. Graduates collect and interpret health data, prescribe diagnostic tests, design personalised therapies and manage care with advanced technologies. The university lists these outlets:
- The Italian National Health Service
- Biomedical research
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Independent practice, including in international settings
Fees and scholarships
Under the 2026/27 fee rules, every Catania student pays the regional tax for the right to study, stamp duty and an annual contribution.
That contribution is calculated from the ISEE for university benefits, regular enrolment and credits earned. The 2026/27 admission call sets a separate all-inclusive contribution for students not resident in Italy. [1]
ERSU Catania awards regional grants on merit and family income, and the university offers fee exemptions, so the degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
Admission follows the national IMAT process set by the Ministry of University and Research, and we register you on Universitaly.
For 2026/27, visa applicants had to complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 31 July 2026. IMAT registration on Universitaly ran from 26 August to 9 September 2026, and the 100-minute test took place on 29 September 2026. [1]
Non-EU applicants living abroad compete for 40 reserved places on a ranking drawn up by the university, then apply for a type D study visa. The 2027/28 call is not published yet. [1]
How ApplyAZ helps
ApplyAZ is an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities. We can include this programme in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes that fit your profile, so your plan never rests on a single application.
For eligible students who start with us, a named person owns each stage, from A to Z:
- We check your school results against Catania's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Universitaly pre-enrolment and IMAT registration.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ERSU Catania scholarship application at the right time and in the right format.
- We prepare your visa file.
With operations in all 20 Italian regions, we follow each region's scholarship rules and deadlines as they change. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa, so no one can promise an outcome. You pay in milestones, and every service you pay for is either delivered or its fee is refunded (terms apply).
Programmes at Italian public universities can be tuition-free for eligible students. Check if you are eligible and book a one-to-one consultation session with one of our Italy experts, or see how ApplyAZ works.
Questions and answers
What school qualification do I need for Medicine and Surgery at Catania?
An upper secondary school diploma. A foreign qualification must complete at least 12 years of schooling and give access to university in the country where you earned it, with a declaration of value or a CIMEA statement of comparability. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
Yes, the IMAT. It has 60 multiple-choice questions in 100 minutes: 23 on biology, 15 on chemistry, 13 on physics and maths, 5 on logic and 4 on reading skills and school knowledge. Each correct answer earns 1.5 points and each wrong one costs 0.4. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
Certified English at CEFR B2 is required for enrolment. The 2026/27 call does not name specific tests or minimum scores, so we check which certificate your file can use. [1]
How many places are there for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, Catania offered 40 places for EU applicants and 40 reserved for non-EU applicants living abroad. In the reserved quota you need a score above zero rather than 20 points, and the university ranks you. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, visa applicants had to complete Universitaly pre-enrolment by 31 July 2026, IMAT registration ran from 26 August to 9 September 2026, and the test was on 29 September 2026. The 2027/28 dates are not yet published. [1]
I studied Class 12 in the science stream in India. Can I apply?
A Class 12 certificate that completes 12 years of schooling and gives access to university in India meets the school rule as written. The call sets no subject stream, but a science background helps because most IMAT questions are on biology, chemistry, physics and maths. [1]
What makes this medical degree different?
It has a MedTech focus: alongside clinical training you take units such as Health Informatics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data, Medical and Surgical Robotics, and Climate Change, Sustainability and Global Health.
How are fees set?
Every student pays the regional tax and stamp duty at enrolment, plus an annual contribution based on the ISEE. For 2026/27, the call set a separate all-inclusive contribution for students not resident in Italy. [1] ERSU Catania runs regional grants for eligible students.
Can someone handle my whole application to Medicine and Surgery at Catania?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your school results against Catania's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ERSU Catania scholarship application at the right time and in the right format, and prepares your visa file, for eligible students. Start by checking your eligibility.
I'm applying from India. What is the route into Medicine and Surgery?
A Class 12 or Higher Secondary certificate that completes 12 years of schooling and gives access to university in India can meet the school rule, and you need certified English at B2. The steps are Universitaly pre-enrolment, IMAT registration and the test, then enrolment within four working days if you are assigned a place. [1] Indian students apply for the type D study visa at the Italian embassy or consulate that covers their state, such as New Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru.
Is the route different from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
No. The academic rules for Medicine and Surgery are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Universitaly pre-enrolment, IMAT registration and a place in the IMAT ranking, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for their country of residence. Read our guide for students in Dhaka.
I live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman or Bahrain. Where do I apply for the visa?
At the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for the country where you legally live, after Universitaly pre-enrolment. The academic rules for Medicine and Surgery are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Universitaly pre-enrolment, IMAT registration and a place in the IMAT ranking. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I studied or live in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. What is the route?
The academic rules for Medicine and Surgery are the same whatever your nationality, and your school results are assessed like any other foreign qualification. Non-EU applicants who live abroad follow the same route: Universitaly pre-enrolment, IMAT registration and a place in the IMAT ranking, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for where they live. Read our guides for students in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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