Study Medicine or Dentistry in Czechia, taught in English

About Palacký University Olomouc (UPOL)

Palacký University Olomouc is a public university in the Czech Republic with a remarkable history. Founded in 1573, it is the oldest university in Moravia and the second-oldest in the Czech Republic, drawing on more than four centuries of higher-education tradition. Today it is a large, modern institution with around 25,000 students across eight faculties, recognised internationally for its teaching and research.

Medicine has deep roots in Olomouc, and the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry has taught in its present form since 1947. International students can apply to two English-taught study programmes — General Medicine and Dentistry — alongside Czech-language students, gaining the same degree and the same standard of education in a fully international environment.

The faculty's facilities sit on the same campus as the University Hospital Olomouc, one of the largest hospitals in the country. Students move from lecture halls and laboratories to real clinical departments without leaving the campus — an unusually integrated setup for a European medical school.

Why study medicine at UPOL?

UPOL combines the prestige of one of Central Europe's oldest universities with the affordability and accessibility international students look for. General Medicine is a six-year programme leading to the MUDr degree (Doctor of General Medicine), while Dentistry is a five-year programme — both taught entirely in English, so you do not need to speak Czech to begin your studies.

Teaching follows a classic European structure: the first years focus on theoretical and pre-clinical sciences such as anatomy, biology, biochemistry, histology and physiology, before students move into clinical disciplines including internal medicine, surgery, pathology and microbiology. Clinical training takes place at the on-campus University Hospital Olomouc, giving students hands-on experience throughout the degree.

Olomouc itself is one of the reasons students love studying here. With around 100,000 residents and roughly a quarter of them students, it has the highest density of university students in Central Europe — a genuinely student-run city with an affordable cost of living, a historic centre and an easygoing, welcoming atmosphere.

Admission requirements & application process

Admission to UPOL is competitive but well-defined, and Medently guides every applicant through it personally. Applicants must hold a completed secondary-school qualification — a high school diploma, A-Levels, IB or the equivalent — and UK students need at least three A-levels (in any subjects). There is no fixed grade requirement, but applicants must be ready for a demanding science-based entrance exam.

All international applicants must pass a written entrance examination in Chemistry, Biology, and Physics or Mathematics. The exam is multiple-choice, set at the level of British A-levels, and taken fully online — 50 minutes per subject, with instant results and official results the next day. The entrance exam costs €80, which also covers UPOL's English test on the same day if you don't have an IELTS or TOEFL certificate. After you pass, UPOL sends you a link to a short online interview about your motivation.

Electronic applications for September enrolment typically open in the months before the exam, with the deadline falling roughly two weeks before your chosen exam date. Medently helps you assemble, translate and submit every document correctly and on time.

Accreditation & degree recognition

Palacký University Olomouc is a fully accredited public university, and its medical degrees are recognised across the European Union, allowing graduates to practise medicine throughout the EU without restriction. The university is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools — making graduates eligible for the USMLE in the US and Canada — and is recognised by the UK's General Medical Council, with a strong record of graduates registered to practise in the United Kingdom.

The programmes use the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), which makes credits comparable across Europe and supports exchange semesters and onward postgraduate study.

Student accommodation & living in Olomouc

Olomouc is an affordable and comfortable city for international students. University dormitories offer budget-friendly rooms close to the faculty, while shared and private flats are widely available at prices well below Western European student cities. Medently helps you find safe, well-located housing near campus.

The city sits on the Morava river in eastern Czechia and is well connected by train to Prague, Vienna and Brno, so weekend travel across Central Europe is easy. With its historic squares, parks, cafés and a constant calendar of student events, Olomouc offers a lively but relaxed place to spend your study years.

Application deadline & next steps

Because places on the English programmes are limited and the entrance exam is held only once a year, international students aiming to start in the next academic year should begin preparing early — ideally several months before the exam date. Medently provides a full eligibility assessment, document preparation and translation guidance, entrance-exam prep and mock testing, and visa, accommodation and relocation support.

UPOL is one of the strongest English-taught medicine options in Central Europe — a 450-year academic heritage, an internationally recognised EU degree, on-campus university-hospital training, and one of the continent's most affordable and welcoming student cities. Book a free consultation with Medently today to check your eligibility and start your UPOL Olomouc application.