While the Irish government has pledged a €28.5 million investment to deliver over 1,100 new healthcare places across key healthcare disciplines such as Medicine, Nursing, Allied Health, Social Care, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Radiography and Veterinary Medicine nationwide, it is not yet known how these extra places will affect demand for these courses.
However, demand is expected to remain high, meaning that it is unlikely that there will be a significant reduction in the entry requirements or points needed to gain a place on these courses.
I always advise students to try to identify several options, and one such option is studying abroad. Each year, around 300 Irish students begin Medical or Veterinary studies in Poland. Many graduates have returned and successfully secured employment in both professions in Ireland.
Medical Poland offers Irish students the option to study Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and many more Allied Health courses in public, accredited universities in Poland. With many daily direct flights from Shannon and Dublin, Poland is very accessible.
Medical Poland is unique in that it supports Irish applicants and their families throughout the application process and during the duration of their studies. It also offers additional academic support in Anatomy, Histology, Biophysics and Biochemistry if required.
Unlike Irish universities, no HPAT is required to study Medicine in public Polish universities. Admission is based on academic merit in science subjects and university-specific procedures.
Annual medical tuition typically ranges from €12,000–€15,000 depending on the university, and the cost of living in Poland is significantly lower than in Ireland.
One of the unique selling points of Medical Poland is that there is no fixed closing date, and applications are offered on a rolling basis. Some students do consider Medical Poland after receiving their Leaving Cert results, but I would still suggest applying early, as some in-demand colleges do fill up early.
Medical Poland empowers Irish students and consistently achieves strong academic outcomes. In 2025/26, Medical Poland supported 11 students who were successfully admitted to the University of Lodz in Poland.
Medical Poland is on Instagram and TikTok, where students can contact them directly to organise a trip or enquire about entry requirements, fees and entrance exams through their website: www.medicalpoland.ie
Claire Murphy is a Guidance Counsellor with over 15 years' experience in both second and third level and works advising second and third level students on career and occupation choices. Claire can be contacted at [email protected].
