Single-cycle Master in Medicine and Surgery at University of Messina
Six-year English-taught LM-41 medical degree at the University of Messina, with clinical clerkships from year one, 73 ECTS of professional training at the G. Martino University Hospital and GP practices, and a 14 ECTS thesis. Entry by IMAT, with 61 non-EU places in 2026/27.
Master
6 years
Messina
English
University of Messina
Medicine and Surgery is a six-year, 360 ECTS single-cycle degree (class LM-41) taught in English at the University of Messina in Messina, with clinical training at the G. Martino University Hospital. Entry needs a school-leaving qualification after 12 years of schooling and a place in the IMAT ranking, and the programme expects English at B2. Non-EU students pay a flat yearly fee by country group.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Messina's English-taught Medicine and Surgery degree asks for a school-leaving qualification after 12 years of schooling and a place in the IMAT ranking. The programme expects English at B2, but UniME does not require an English certificate with the Medicine application. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
School-leaving qualification
You need an upper secondary school diploma, or a qualification obtained abroad and recognised as suitable. [1] UniME's admission rules for international applicants add: [2]
- The diploma must come after 12 years of education. If it is not issued yet, you can upload a provisional course completion certificate from your school.
- With fewer than 12 years, you need a certificate showing you passed all first-year university exams, or a certificate from an Italian university that you completed a foundation programme.
- A university entrance exam certificate, if your national system requires one, and your transcript of records.
What this means for your school results
The rule counts years of schooling and does not name a school stream or a minimum mark. [1][2] As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: Class 12 or Higher Secondary results that complete 12 years of schooling, such as CBSE, ISC or state board certificates in India, HSSC in Pakistan, HSC in Bangladesh or GCE A levels in Sri Lanka.
- Check carefully: a school background with little biology, chemistry or physics. 51 of the 60 IMAT questions are on these subjects and maths, and low subject scores lead to extra first-year obligations. [1][3]
- Often short: a school system with fewer than 12 years in total, which needs a completed first year of university or a foundation programme first.
English
The programme asks for English as a mother tongue or certified at CEFR B2 or higher, and it treats the scientific English of the IMAT as above B2. [3] For the Medicine application, UniME's international admission rules say an English certificate is not mandatory, and candidates who take the IMAT are exempt from UniME's general English certificate rule. [2][4]
A recognised certificate declared when you register for the IMAT counts as a tie-breaker in the ranking. The ministerial list includes IELTS 5.5 or higher, TOEFL 87 or higher, Cambridge B2 First and PTE General Level 3, and at least one school year at a school that teaches in English is also recognised. [1]
IMAT entrance test and ranking
The IMAT is set by the Ministry of University and Research and is identical at every venue in Italy and abroad. 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. EU and equivalent candidates need at least 20 points to enter the national ranking. Non-EU applicants living abroad need a score above zero, with at least one answer given, and Messina draws up their ranking locally. Ties go to the higher biology score, then chemistry, physics and maths, logic and reading, then a declared language certificate, then the younger candidate. [1]
If you score below 25% of the maximum in biology, chemistry or physics, you get additional learning requirements to clear in the first year by passing set exams in chemistry, molecular and cellular biology and medical physics. [3]
Places
For 2026/27, Messina offered 116 places: 55 for EU candidates and non-EU candidates living in Italy, and 61 reserved for non-EU applicants living abroad. [1]
Deadlines
For 2026/27, Medicine applications ran from 20 June to 20 July 2026, on both the UniME Application Portal and Universitaly. Only candidates who applied on both portals by 20 July 2026 could register for the IMAT. [2][5] IMAT registration on Universitaly ran from 26 August to 3pm Italian time on 9 September 2026, and the test was on 29 September 2026 at 1.30pm. Scores were due on 8 October 2026 and the national ranking on 26 October 2026. Candidates assigned a place must enrol within four days, excluding Saturdays and holidays. [1]
For 2027/28, the Medicine call runs from 1 to 22 July 2027, with applications due on both portals by 22 July 2027. The 2027/28 IMAT dates are set by the next call. [2]
Documents and non-EU steps
- An application on the UniME Application Portal with your diploma or provisional certificate, transcript, any entrance exam certificate your system requires, and a passport valid for at least 18 months. Translations go together with the original-language documents, and nothing can be added after you submit. [2]
- The application fee, €40 for 2027/28, paid before submission, non-refundable and valid for up to two applications. [2]
- Universitaly pre-enrolment, using the same email address as on the UniME portal. [2]
- IMAT registration on Universitaly, listing your preferred universities in order and paying the test fee. Choices become final when registration closes, and the test can be taken in Italy or at an approved venue abroad. [1]
The admission letter does not give direct access to the degree: you still need a place in the IMAT ranking. Enrolment is confirmed only with a valid type D study visa issued for the University of Messina. [2]
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 Messina. Call for admission to the single-cycle master's degree in Medicine and Surgery in English (LM-41), academic year 2026/27, English translation, with Attachments 1 to 3 of the Ministerial Decree. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Messina, International Office. Application and admission for international applicants, academic years 2026/27 and 2027/28. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Messina, Medicine and Surgery degree programme. Admission requirements, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Messina, International Office. English language requirements, undated. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Messina, International Office. IMAT test information page, academic year 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Messina, International Office. Fees and fundings, effective from academic year 2025/26. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Messina, Medicine and Surgery degree programme. Programme presentation, B1 Italian language course and study plan, enrolment 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. It is run by the Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging of the University of Messina, with clinical training at the G. Martino University Hospital in Messina.
The degree trains doctors for health promotion, disease prevention and treatment, in Italy and abroad. Access is limited and goes through the IMAT, the national admission test for English-taught medicine. It suits school leavers with strong biology, chemistry and physics who can commit to six years of study and clinical practice.
What you will study
The first two years cover the preclinical sciences, and the remaining four build clinical disciplines and professional skills, with clinical clerkships from the first year. The degree ends with a 14 ECTS thesis. The study plan for students enrolling in 2026/27 includes: [7]
- Year 1: body architecture, cellular and molecular biology, genetics, medical physics, metabolic biochemistry, morphology and development, principles of living matter, and early clinical contact and communication skills
- Year 2: human anatomy, physiology, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, microbiology, basic mechanisms of disease, and health data management with hygiene and global health
- Year 3: clinical semeiotics, clinical laboratory medicine, endocrine and metabolic disease, head and neck, infectious, immune and rheumatic disease, and skin disease with plastic surgery
- Year 4: cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, abdominal disease, blood and neoplastic disease, pathology, pharmacology, and imaging and radiotherapy
- Year 5: neurosciences, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatric sciences, bone and joint diseases with bioengineering, and legal and occupational medicine with medical ethics
- Year 6: internal medicine, general surgery, clinical clerkships including emergency and geriatric medicine, and the general practice part of the practical evaluation traineeship
How the programme is taught
Training activities for professional skills account for 73 ECTS, mostly in the operative units of the G. Martino University Hospital, where patient care is combined with teaching and research, and in general practitioner offices. Electives are worth 16 credits, 8 of them for elective clinical clerkships, and can include seminars, conferences or clinical and research internships in Italy or abroad. Training periods are possible at partner universities in and outside Europe. [7]
Lessons, practical activities and exams are in English. Students who are not native Italian speakers must reach Italian at B1 for work with patients from the third year: the university runs an Italian course from the second semester of year one to the end of year two, ending with a B1 test. After the practical evaluation traineeship, the final exam also serves as the state exam that qualifies graduates to practise. [7]
Career paths
After registering with the medical board, graduates can work as doctors in:
- public and private health organisations and hospitals
- private medical practice
- health and humanitarian organisations
The degree also gives access to specialisation schools in medicine, surgery and clinical services, the specific training course in general medicine, and PhD or research careers in basic, translational and clinical research.
Fees and scholarships
UniME's fees page sets no separate band for medicine. Since 2025/26, international students pay a yearly fee by country group of €156, €256, €356 or €506, each including the fixed €156 due at enrolment. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are in the €256 group, and Bangladesh is in the €156 group. [6] ERSU Messina scholarships, based mainly on family income, add a tuition fee waiver to cash, housing and meals, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
Medicine has its own IMAT call, open to all candidate groups, and the other visa calls do not cover it. For 2027/28 it runs from 1 to 22 July 2027, and you must apply on both the UniME Application Portal and Universitaly by 22 July 2027. The 2027/28 application fee is €40 and covers up to two applications. [2]
You then register for the IMAT on Universitaly and sit it on the national date. For 2026/27, registration ran from 26 August to 9 September 2026 and the test was on 29 September 2026. Non-EU applicants living abroad are ranked by the university for their reserved places, and you can enrol only with a type D study visa issued for the University of Messina. [1][2]
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 Messina's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your UniME Application Portal and Universitaly applications and IMAT registration.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your regional DSU 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 Messina?
A secondary school diploma after 12 years of education, or a recognised foreign equivalent. You can apply with a provisional course completion certificate, and add a university entrance exam certificate if your country requires one. With fewer than 12 years, you need a first year of university or a foundation programme. [1][2]
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. Each correct answer earns 1.5 points and each wrong one costs 0.4. Non-EU applicants living abroad need a score above zero. [1]
What English level do I need? Do I need IELTS?
The programme expects English at B2 or as a mother tongue, but UniME does not require an English certificate with the Medicine application. A recognised certificate, such as IELTS 5.5 or higher, declared at IMAT registration counts as a tie-breaker in the ranking. [1][2][3]
How many places are there for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, Messina offered 61 places reserved for non-EU applicants living abroad and 55 for EU candidates and non-EU residents in Italy, 116 in total. The university ranks the reserved places locally. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2027/28, the Medicine call runs from 1 to 22 July 2027, on both the UniME Application Portal and Universitaly. For 2026/27, the window closed on 20 July 2026, IMAT registration ran from 26 August to 9 September and the test was on 29 September 2026. [1][2]
I studied Commerce or Arts in Class 12. Can I apply?
The school rule asks for 12 years of education and does not name a stream. But 51 of the 60 IMAT questions are on biology, chemistry, physics and maths, so without science the test is hard, and low subject scores add first-year obligations. [1][2][3]
Do I need to speak Italian?
Not to start. Teaching and exams are in English, but students who are not native Italian speakers must reach Italian at B1 before patient contact in year three. The university runs an Italian course from the second semester of year one to the end of year two. [7]
How much are the fees?
Since 2025/26, international students pay a yearly fee by country group: €156, €256, €356 or €506. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are in the €256 group and Bangladesh in the €156 group. [6]
Can someone handle my whole application to Medicine and Surgery at Messina?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your school results against Messina's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the regional DSU 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 can meet the school rule, and the call sets no subject stream. India is in UniME's €256 fee group. The steps are the UniME portal and Universitaly applications in the July window, IMAT registration and the test, then enrolment if you rank in a place. [1][2][6] 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: UniME portal and Universitaly applications, 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: UniME portal and Universitaly applications, IMAT registration and a place in the IMAT ranking. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I'm applying from the UK, US, Canada, Singapore or Malaysia. Is anything different?
The academic rules are identical. Non-EU applicants who live abroad, including citizens of these countries, follow the same route: UniME portal and Universitaly applications, IMAT registration and a place in the IMAT ranking, then a type D study visa. Read our guides for London, New York, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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