Italy: Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine

Two groups of Irish Leaving Certificate students have been waiting and waiting (and slowly losing belief) for an announcement from Rome concerning the entrance test for fourteen English-taught Medicine programmes and two in Dentistry and, excitingly, the new English-taught Veterinary Medicine programme in U. Bologna (Europe’s oldest university).

Finally, the Italian government announced at lunchtime last Friday the registration timeline for IMAT 2025: 26^th August until 9^th September. IMAT is the entrance test for all of the above 17 programmes. (Leaving Cert grades are completely irrelevant.(Yaay!!) The test in Dublin is on 17^th September. And, yes, this is for entry this year!!! Tuition Fees (fixed with reference to family income) for all three subject areas are exceptionally low!!! (Yaay!!)

It has also confirmed: an increase In places for EU students, in both medicine (now 952 places) and dentistry (52) places for this year. (Yaay!)

Interestingly, there is a new application system to medicine degrees in Italy this year, for Medicine taught through Italian, akin to that currently operating in France. In summary, it is much easier to get into first year of the Italian-taught med programmes, but there is a big cull of students at the end of the year. In essence, many more students have a right to a medical education but they have to prove that they are up to it!! This could mean that there are fewer Italians applying this year for the English-taught programmes (as insurance choices). with reduced competition for places?

It is said that “If it seems to be too good to be true, its not true!” Well, in this case, its true!!!