Can a nurse with a diploma and experience from the ward start medicine in the second, third or fourth year? Sometimes: the university compares the subjects of your studies with its own programme and only then names the year of entry. We describe the general rules for all medical programmes in the article Graduate entry medicine abroad.
Key points
- A nursing diploma does not automatically replace the first years of medicine. The university compares the subjects of your studies with its programme and only then names the year of entry or refuses.
- The universities in our offer that describe transfers mainly write about people who already study medicine. Charles University mentions nursing, but for a waiver of the first round of the entrance exam, not for a higher year.
- In our experience people with a higher-education degree usually join years 2 to 4 of medicine or another medical programme, depending on the country. Nobody can guarantee this before the university decides.
- Start with your diploma and the list of subjects and hours: send them to us and we will check where it makes sense.
What the university assesses in a nursing diploma
The university does not assess the profession, only the documents. In Ukraine the first-cycle nursing studies have 240 ECTS credits and last about four years (we describe them in a separate article). Medicine in Poland and in Georgia is 360 ECTS credits and six years, and in Poland at least 5,700 hours. Directive 2005/36/EC requires at least six years of study or 5,500 hours for a doctor and at least three years or 4,600 hours for a nurse responsible for general care. The programmes therefore differ and the university checks for itself which subjects overlap. The universities in our offer usually ask for:
- a transcript of grades; UPJŠ in Košice also wants the dates of completion in it;
- syllabi or descriptions of subjects with hours and ECTS credits (MediCampus Europeo, UMCH, Near East University);
- the diploma and the diploma supplement (Semmelweis asks for the diploma, Charles University for a certified copy of the diploma and the supplement);
- the curriculum and, for a transfer, a letter requesting the recognition of subjects.
What universities write when the candidate does not study medicine
The rules that the universities in our offer publish mainly concern medical students of another university. Four of them matter for a person with a nursing background.
| University | What it publishes |
|---|---|
| Semmelweis University in Budapest | The admission rules for the academic year 2027/28 allow an upper-year application from candidates who have completed a B.Sc. in medicine, dentistry or pharmacy (or a higher degree in these or related fields) and from people who studied abroad in an undivided one-tier programme in one of these fields. An official transcript, syllabi of the courses to be recognised and the diploma are required. The admission decision is made first, the recognition of courses is conducted after an offer of admission, and the year of entry is determined by the competent university body on the basis of the recognised courses and credits. Eligibility to apply does not guarantee a higher year, an offer of admission does not guarantee recognition of any particular course or credit, and if the recognised studies do not allow placement in a higher year, the applicant may begin in the first year. Nursing is not among the fields named in that sentence; whether the university would count a higher degree in nursing as related has to be agreed with it. |
| MediCampus Europeo (Malta) | Transfers from the second year onwards, only from studies at another faculty of medicine; the school does not accept transfers from faculties other than medicine. An English transcript (with a translation if needed) and a syllabus with ECTS credits and hours per subject are required. |
| UMCH Medical Campus Hamburg | In 2026/27 a transfer is possible to years 2 to 5, provided you previously studied at a university in the EU (the university’s frequently asked questions). The form begins with the question whether you already study medicine. A transcript of records, module descriptions and proof of enrolment are submitted in the portal, and the university informs you in advance about the possible crediting of your previous studies. The one-time application fee is 595 EUR, and the motivation interview in English also serves as the admission test. |
| Charles University, First Faculty of Medicine in Prague | The page does not describe transfers to the higher years. It describes a waiver of the first round of the entrance exam (general medicine and dentistry) for graduates of master’s programmes in general medicine or dentistry in the Czech Republic or an equivalent programme abroad, for graduates of accredited bachelor’s or master’s programmes in EU and OECD countries in specified fields (the page gives examples: biology, pharmacy, chemistry, veterinary medicine, hygiene, nursing, zoology) and for people with at least six completed semesters of general medicine or dentistry at a university in the EU or an OECD country. A certified copy of the diploma and the supplement, or a certified transcript, is required. Each request is assessed individually and everyone takes the second round. |
We do not repeat the rules of the other universities from the table in the article on medicine because we do not know whether they cover people from outside medical studies. In that case we ask the university about your case.
Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, the Caribbean and Cyprus: our experience
Besides the universities in the table we work with universities that admit people with a different background to the higher years. Below is what we know from practice. These are not guarantees: the university decides on admission and on the year.
- Ukraine and Georgia. There we usually direct nurses to years 2 to 4 of medicine or to another medical programme, depending on the country; the university decides after comparing the documents. The University of Medicine and Social Sciences (UMSS) gladly admits students from other universities and transfers grades from other fields of study.
- Poland. Graduates of any higher studies can apply for a higher year at selected universities; we check every case separately.
- The Caribbean. St. George’s University writes on the page of its four-year MD programme that it requires a bachelor’s degree in the requisite sciences. Its six-year track is the four-year MD programme plus two years of preclinical coursework and is meant for people who have completed secondary school. We assess every case separately.
- Cyprus. We assess transfers and the higher years individually.
The entrance exam
Comenius University requires passing the entrance exam also from people who transfer. Charles University waives the first round for graduates of accredited studies in the EU and OECD countries in specified fields, and everyone takes the second round. As examples of fields the page gives: biology, pharmacy, chemistry, veterinary medicine, hygiene, nursing and zoology. Nursing is among them, and the faculty writes that it assesses each request individually.
Tip
Collect the documents before you choose a university. The diploma supplement, the transcript, the syllabi and the curriculum appear on the universities’ lists, and reconstructing them after many years can take a long time.
Step by step
- Send your documents Send us your diploma, the supplement and the list of subjects with hours. The consultation and the assessment of documents are free.
- Choosing a university From the universities we work with we choose those that can consider your diploma and tell you which year and which costs are realistic.
- Application We prepare the request for the recognition of subjects, the translations and the deadlines, and where needed also the entrance exam.
- The university’s decision The university recognises subjects and names the year of entry. It may also set additional subjects to catch up on.
- Departure We help with tuition, the visa where one is needed, accommodation and travel.
- Studies from a higher year Your adviser stays with you until graduation. This care is free for students because it is sponsored by the universities we have agreements with.
Pros and cons of a shortened route
Pros
- You have fewer years to complete: after joining the third year of a six-year medical programme you have four years left, not six, so you also pay tuition for fewer years.
- Subjects that the university recognises count as completed, so you do not repeat that material.
Cons
- You have no guarantee of the year or of admission: the university may recognise fewer subjects than you expect.
- The universities that describe transfer rules mainly write about people who already study medicine.
- Studies from a higher year still last several years, so you need to plan living costs and tuition for that time.
After graduation: the right to practise as a doctor
Where you can work as a doctor depends on the country where you graduate and the country where you want to work. In Poland the right to practise is granted by the regional medical chamber, and after the studies you take the Final Medical Examination (LEK); the next steps depend on where and when your studies began. You can find LEK questions on Medmigrant, our learning platform. We describe the rules for the United Kingdom in the guide to working as a doctor in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Can a nurse start medicine in the second year?
Yes, if the university recognises your subjects and is willing to admit you to a higher year. In our experience people with a higher-education degree usually join years 2 to 4 of medicine or another medical programme, depending on the country. There is no guarantee: the university decides on admission and on the year.
Do I have to already study medicine to join a higher year?
It depends on the university. MediCampus Europeo considers only people enrolled in another faculty of medicine, the UMCH form begins with the question whether you already study medicine, and Semmelweis University allows an upper-year application from candidates with a bachelor’s degree in medicine, dentistry or pharmacy or a higher degree in these or related fields; it does not name nursing. In our experience universities in Ukraine and Georgia, for example UMSS, also transfer grades from other fields of study.
Do I have to take an entrance exam in biology and chemistry?
It depends on the university. Comenius University requires the entrance exam also from people who transfer. Charles University waives the first round for graduates of accredited studies in the EU and OECD countries in specified fields, among which the page names nursing, but everyone takes the second round.
How many years of study will I have left?
As many as remain until the end of the programme. Medicine lasts six years, so after joining the third year you have four years ahead of you, but the university may add subjects to catch up on.
How much does your help with entering a higher year cost?
The consultation and the assessment of documents are free. We set the price of a transfer and of admission to a higher year individually because it depends on the case. Care during the studies is free for our students because it is sponsored by the universities we have agreements with.
Read also: nursing studies in Ukraine, working as a nurse in the UK and from paramedic to doctor. You can find all the universities in the list of universities.
Official sources
- Directive 2005/36/EC: training requirements for doctors and nurses (Articles 24 and 31)
- Semmelweis University: admission rules 2027/28 (upper-year section)
- MediCampus Europeo: information for transfer students
- UMCH Hamburg: transfer request
- UMCH Hamburg: frequently asked questions
- Charles University, First Faculty of Medicine: admission 2026/27
- UPJŠ in Košice: conditions of transfer
- Near East University: admission requirements (PDF)
- Comenius University: transfers
- St. George’s University: the four-year MD
- St. George’s University: the six-year track
Onko sinulla kysyttävää ulkomailla opiskelusta?
Edumetricin neuvoja vastaa kysymyksiisi ja kokoaa listan yliopistoista kustannuksineen. Konsultaatio on maksuton.