March 18, 2026 · Saaim
IMAT and Studying Medicine in Italy: Is It Still Worth It?
Italy is one of the few places where you can study medicine in English at a public university for a fraction of what it costs in the UK or USA. The entry point is the IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test), and it’s worth understanding clearly before committing.
What the IMAT covers
The IMAT tests biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics, general knowledge, and logical reasoning, in a single sitting. It’s a broader test than a pure science exam — the general knowledge and reasoning sections catch students who prepared only for the science content.
What it actually costs
Public Italian universities charge tuition that’s often income-tested and, for many international students, ends up substantially lower than private medical schools elsewhere or even Pakistan’s private sector. Living costs vary a lot by city — Milan and Rome cost more than smaller university towns.
Where the route leads afterward
This is the part that gets skipped. An Italian medical degree qualifies you to practice in Italy and, with the right recognition steps, elsewhere in the EU. Recognition outside the EU — including back in Pakistan or in the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia — is a separate process, often involving additional licensing exams (like PLAB or USMLE) rather than automatic recognition. If your plan is “study in Italy, then work in the UK,” that’s two separate hurdles, not one.
Our take
IMAT and Italy make sense as a deliberate choice — lower cost, English-taught, public university system — not as a shortcut into a different country’s medical system later. If your end goal is practicing in a specific country, map the licensing recognition step before you commit to where you study.