Daniel Bovet
Winner of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, who later held the chair of psychobiology at Sapienza.
Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine
Founded in 1303, teaching a six-year medicine degree in English at Policlinico Umberto I, for about €456 a year for an Indian student.
1,500+ Students trust us
Italy
Country
Rome
City
€456 a year
Tuition and taxes, about ₹48,500
English
Medium, with Italian needed on the wards
For Indian Students
Can Indian students study MBBS in Italy?
Short answer: Yes, Indian students can study medicine in Italy. No, the Italian degree does not currently meet the NMC rules, so it does not lead to the FMGE or an Indian licence.
Admission is open to Indian students
Indian students apply for the non-EU places at public universities through the IMAT, which can be sat in India, while Humanitas University runs its own admission test. A qualified NEET UG result is still required before taking up a medical seat abroad.
Why the degree is not NMC compliant
The NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 ask for a separate internship of at least twelve months after the course, in the same foreign institution. The Italian degree includes three months of practical training inside the course and no separate internship, so it does not meet this rule.
What this means if you want to work in India
As things stand, an Italian medical degree does not lead to an Indian licence through the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force). Italy is the right choice if you plan to practise in Italy, the EU or the UK, or to take the USMLE route.
Introduction
Sapienza University of Rome and Medicine and Surgery F
- Study programme:Medicine and Surgery F: Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia (LM-41), equivalent to MBBS
- Language:English, with Italian needed for clinical work with patients
- Duration:6 years, 12 semesters, 360 CFU, at least 5,500 hours of teaching
- University type:Italian public university in an EU member state, founded in 1303
- Per academic year fees:About €456 · ₹48,500 (€300 Band A tuition plus €140 regional tax and €16 stamp duty)
- Entrance examination:IMAT (29 September 2026 for the 2026/27 intake)
- Application window:IMAT registration on Universitaly, 26 August to 9 September 2026
- International seats:13 places for non-EU students living abroad, out of 65
Colonnaded building at the Città Universitaria campus of Sapienza hung with Sapienza banners, with flowerbeds in front
Find out all about your MBBS-abroad options in Italy
Download our free brochure for immediate information, or get personalised professional counselling from our experts.
Recognition & Prestige
Rankings & Recognition
Sapienza is placed 111th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027, its best result. It is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), and its courses are accredited by ANVUR, which is recognised by the World Federation for Medical Education.
111
QS World University Rankings 2027
176 to 200
Times Higher Education 2026, Medical and Health
Clinical training for Medicine and Surgery F runs at Policlinico Umberto I, a 1,235-bed teaching hospital beside the Città Universitaria. EU Directive 2005/36/EC lists the Italian medical qualification at Annex V, point 5.1.1, and since 2020 the degree itself is the licence to practise in Italy. Because the school is listed in WDOMS, graduates can apply for ECFMG Certification and the USMLE. The GMC lists the Italian degree as a relevant European qualification, so UK registration is applied for directly, without PLAB. For India, the degree includes three months of practical training (the tirocinio) and no separate 12-month internship, so it does not currently meet the NMC rules for practising in India.
Accreditations and Recognition
WDOMS
Sapienza's medical school is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools
WFME
Courses accredited by ANVUR, Italy's national agency, which is recognised by the World Federation for Medical Education
EU
Italy is an EU member state, and the Italian medical qualification is listed in Annex V, point 5.1.1 of EU Directive 2005/36/EC
Complete Information About Sapienza Medicine and Surgery F
Get complete information about the programme, including tuition, living costs, the IMAT and recognition for Indian students.
Success stories
Student Success Stories
Hear directly from students who are studying medicine in Europe with futureMBBS.
Academic Excellence
Why Study Medicine at Sapienza University of Rome
Sapienza offers a very low fee for Indian students, a strong world ranking, a teaching hospital next to the campus, nonstop flights to Delhi and the Embassy of India in the same city. Against that, it has only 13 non-EU places, and the degree does not meet the NMC rules for practising in India. Both sides are set out below.
About €456 a Year
Founded in 1303
111th in the World
One Teaching Hospital, Next to the Campus
Nonstop Flights to Delhi
The Embassy of India in the Same City
Only Thirteen Non-EU Places
Plan Around the NMC Position
Read all about MBBS abroad in our free brochure
Know exactly what options exist for your MBBS-abroad success.
How to Apply
Admission Process for Medicine and Surgery F
Admission runs through the IMAT into 13 places for non-EU candidates living abroad. NEET does not decide the Italian place, but a qualified NEET UG result is a separate Indian requirement before you take up a medical seat abroad.
Admission Timeline
- 1Before applyingQualify NEET UG
Indian students need a qualified NEET UG result before taking up a medical seat abroad, and the result stays valid for three years from its declaration. This is an Indian requirement, separate from the Italian process.
- 2Pre-enrolmentChoose your university on Universitaly
Pre-enrol on the Universitaly portal and name Sapienza, because a non-EU candidate living abroad competes only in the ranking of the one university named there. Arrange a CIMEA statement of comparability or a Declaration of Value for your Class 12 certificate at the same time.
- 326 August to 9 September 2026Register for the IMAT
For 2026/27, IMAT registration ran on Universitaly from 26 August to 9 September 2026, and India was one of the test countries. The 2025 reform that replaced the entrance test for Italian-language medicine with an open first semester did not apply to English-taught courses, which still admit through the IMAT.
- 429 September 2026Sit the IMAT
Sixty multiple-choice questions in 100 minutes: 4 reading, 5 logical reasoning, 23 biology, 15 chemistry and 13 physics and mathematics. A correct answer earns 1.5 marks, a wrong answer loses 0.4 and a blank scores zero, to a maximum of 90.
- 5RankingCompete for thirteen places
Places go in rank order of IMAT score. An Indian applicant competes only for the 13 places for non-EU candidates living abroad, not for the 52 places for EU candidates and residents of Italy.
- 6After the resultEnrolment, visa, permit and health registration
Enrol and pay, then apply for the Italian type D study visa, showing at least €10,179.85 a year (about ₹10.8 lakh) and proof of accommodation. After arriving, apply for the permesso di soggiorno, the residence permit. Non-EU students on a study permit also register with the Italian National Health Service, at €700 a year (about ₹74,200) for a student without dependants.
Eligibility Criteria
Academic Qualification
Applicants need Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry and Biology, after at least twelve years of schooling, backed by a CIMEA statement of comparability or a Declaration of Value. Under Indian NMC rules an Indian applicant also needs Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English at Class 12, with at least 50% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Biology for the general category, 40% for SC, ST and OBC candidates and 45% for general-category candidates with benchmark disabilities, together with a qualified NEET UG result.
Subjects:
PhysicsChemistryBiologyEnglish
Age Requirement
Under Indian NMC rules the candidate must be 17 years old by 31 December of the admission year, with no upper age limit.
- Minimum 17 yearsAge to be completed by 31 December of the admission year, under Indian NMC rules
Requirements
Two things govern a Sapienza application beyond the test.
Thirteen Places for Non-EU Applicants
The non-EU quota for candidates living abroad is 13 of 65 for 2026/27. Because you compete only in the ranking of the university you name on Universitaly, weigh this small quota against the low fee when you choose.
A Fee Set by Country Band
Sapienza places students who declare income earned abroad in a fixed country band instead of an Italian income assessment. India is in Band A, so the fee is €300 a year plus €156 in tax and stamp duty.
Entrance Examination
Admission rests on the IMAT score against the non-EU quota.
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | 100 minutes, 60 multiple-choice questions with five options each, maximum score 90 |
| Sections | Reading 4, logical reasoning 5, biology 23, chemistry 15, physics and mathematics 13 |
| Marking | Plus 1.5 for a correct answer, minus 0.4 for a wrong answer, zero for a blank |
| 2026/27 dates | Registration on Universitaly from 26 August to 9 September 2026; test on 29 September 2026 |
Required Documents
To apply, students need to submit essential academic and identification documents:
- Class 12 certificate with a CIMEA statement of comparability or a Declaration of Value
- Universitaly pre-enrolment and IMAT registration
- Proof of English for pre-enrolment, such as IELTS
- Valid passport and the documents the Italian consulate asks for
- NEET UG scorecard, required separately of Indian nationals
- + More
Admission Guidance & Document Checklist
Get the complete document checklist or admission guidance from our experts.
Programme Structure
MBBS Curriculum & Internship Structure
Medicine and Surgery F runs six years and 360 CFU across twelve semesters, with at least 5,500 hours of teaching, in English at Policlinico Umberto I. The tirocinio, three one-month blocks of practical training required by Italian law, is taken in Years 5 and 6. There is no separate internship after the degree, which is the point that matters for Indian students (see the FMGE section below).
Medicine Course
Total Duration:
6 Years, 12 semesters, 360 CFU, at least 5,500 hours of teaching
Degree:
Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia (equivalent to MBBS)
Curriculum Phases at Medicine and Surgery F
Years 1 to 2
Basic Sciences
The basic medical sciences, taught in English:
Human AnatomyHistology and EmbryologyPhysiologyBiochemistryMedical Biology and GeneticsMedical Physics and StatisticsYear 3
Pathology and the First Clinical Contact
Disease mechanisms alongside the first systematic clinical teaching at Policlinico Umberto I:
Pathological AnatomyPathophysiologyPharmacologyMicrobiologyImmunologyClinical MethodologyYears 4 to 5
Clinical Disciplines
Clinical teaching across the specialties, with the first two tirocinio blocks in Year 5:
Internal MedicineSurgeryObstetrics and GynaecologyPaediatricsNeurologyPsychiatryDermatologyInfectious DiseasesOncologyOphthalmologyOtorhinolaryngologyYear 6
General Medicine and the Final Exam
The general medicine block of the tirocinio, which cannot be taken earlier, then the degree exam that confers the licence to practise:
Tirocinio in General MedicineEmergency MedicineClinical RotationsFinal Examination
Clinical Training
Clinical training runs at the university's teaching hospital:
| Clinical base | Role in training |
|---|---|
| Policlinico Umberto I | The teaching hospital for Medicine and Surgery F, with 1,235 beds, beside the Città Universitaria |
| The tirocinio | Three one-month blocks of 15 CFU in all and at least 375 hours under Ministerial Decree 58 of 9 May 2018: one in surgery, one in medicine and one in general medicine, which cannot be taken before Year 6 |
Get the full curriculum
Download a free brochure to see detailed subjects, the course structure and everything you need to plan your studies.
European Framework
Recognition, the Italian System and the European Framework
An Italian medical degree sits inside a national and European framework, and the terms are set nationally rather than by each university. The table sets out what that means for Medicine and Surgery F.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| World Federation for Medical Education | Italian medical courses are accredited by ANVUR, Italy's national agency, which is recognised by the WFME |
| EU Directive 2005/36/EC | Italy is an EU member state, and the Italian medical qualification is listed at Annex V, point 5.1.1. Automatic recognition across the EU applies to EU nationals, so an Indian graduate moves to another EU country through that country's own process for non-EU graduates |
| Licence to practise in Italy | Since Decree-Law 18 of 17 March 2020 (Article 102), the degree with its practical training completed is itself the licence to practise in Italy, with no separate state exam |
| UK registration | The General Medical Council lists the Laurea in Medicina e Chirurgia as a relevant European qualification, so graduates apply to the GMC directly, without PLAB, with evidence of English such as IELTS or OET. The degree alone supports provisional registration; for full registration, graduates since March 2020 send the alternative evidence the GMC asks for, because the Diploma di abilitazione is no longer issued |
| WDOMS and the USMLE | The medical school is listed in WDOMS, which lets graduates apply for ECFMG Certification and take the USMLE |
| Health service registration | Non-EU students on a study residence permit register with the Italian National Health Service, at €700 a year for a student without dependants |
Understand the Recognition Framework
The table above sets out where an Italian medical qualification is recognised and on what basis.
Legacy
The People and the Lineage
A university founded in 1303 counts a Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine among its professors.
Maria Montessori
Among the first women in Italy to qualify in medicine, at the University of Rome in 1896, before the educational method that carries her name made her known worldwide.
Faculty
Three of Sapienza's faculties are in the health sciences. Pharmacy and Medicine runs the English-taught Medicine and Surgery F at Policlinico Umberto I; Medicine and Dentistry, and Medicine and Psychology (at Sant'Andrea Hospital), run the university's Italian-language medicine courses.
Academic Expertise
Founded in 1303
111th in the world on QS 2027
Daniel Bovet, Nobel laureate in 1957, held a chair here
Policlinico Umberto I, 1,235 beds
Student Support & Mentorship
About €456 a year for Indian students in Band A
No Italian income assessment needed
One teaching hospital beside the campus
The Embassy of India in Rome
About University
History Information
Founded in 1303 by Pope Boniface VIII
The Città Universitaria
A Faculty Inside Its Hospital
The English Programme and the Modern Framework
Get all information about Sapienza Medicine in our free brochure
Read on to find out how you can fulfil your dream of studying medicine in Italy.
Role in medicine
Role in medical education
Seven Centuries of Teaching in Rome
A Faculty Beside Its Hospital
Inside a Recognised National System
Get all information about Sapienza Medicine in our free brochure
Read on to find out how you can fulfil your dream of studying medicine in Italy.
Cost of living
Living Cost in Rome
Rome medical schools put a typical student budget at €600 to €900 a month, with a room in a shared flat at €300 to €500. Rupee figures are at about ₹106 to the euro (October 2026).
Monthly Living Cost
| Cost Component | Approximate Amount |
|---|---|
| Accommodation (room in a shared flat) | ₹31,800 to ₹53,000 (€300 to €500) |
| Groceries/meals | ₹15,900 to ₹27,600 (€150 to €260) |
| Utilities/internet | ₹3,200 to ₹7,400 (€30 to €70) |
| Public transport (monthly pass) | ₹3,700 (€35) |
| Miscellaneous (books, etc.) | ₹5,300 to ₹10,600 (€50 to €100) |
Get free MBBS guide
Average monthly living cost
₹63,600 to ₹95,400 (€600 to €900)
Housing
Accommodation
Most Sapienza students rent a room in a shared flat, and Lazio's regional agency, DiSCo, runs student residences alongside its means-tested grant.
A Room in a Shared Flat
DiSCo Lazio Residences
Use the Right Agency Name
Live Near San Lorenzo
Plan Housing Before the Visa
Getting Around
Need accommodation details?
Get a full overview of housing options with our university guide, or reach out to an expert.
Food & Dining
Indian Food and Daily Life in Rome
Rome has a wide choice of Indian restaurants and grocery shops, and the Embassy of India is in the city.
Rome has many Indian restaurants across the city, so Indian food is easy to find.
The Embassy of India is at Via XX Settembre 5 in central Rome. For document attestation, passport matters and emergencies, being in the same city is a practical advantage.
Indian grocery shops operate in Rome, and as Italy is in the EU, EU-wide online spice and grocery suppliers deliver without customs or payment friction. Italian cooking is vegetable-heavy, so vegetarian eating is straightforward.
Informal Indian student groups at Sapienza have run online for several years, so new students can find others from India before they arrive.
Location
How to Reach Sapienza University of Rome
Address
Città Universitaria, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy, in the San Lorenzo area east of central Rome, with Policlinico Umberto I beside it. Medicine and Surgery F is based at the Policlinico under the Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine.
Nearest Airport
Rome Fiumicino (FCO), Italy's main international airport; Ciampino handles low-cost European routes
Direct Flights From India
Air India flies nonstop between Delhi and Rome Fiumicino, four times a week since 25 March 2026
Your Roadmap to Success
Career Pathways After Medicine and Surgery F
Graduates receive the Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia (LM-41), the Italian primary medical qualification and the equivalent of an Indian MBBS rather than an Indian postgraduate MD.
Since Decree-Law 18 of 17 March 2020 (Article 102), the degree with its practical training completed is itself the licence to practise in Italy, with no separate state exam. The graduate registers with the Ordine dei Medici, the provincial medical council. Specialist training is entered through a national competitive exam (concorso), is paid, and usually lasts four to five years.
The Italian medical qualification is listed at Annex V, point 5.1.1 of EU Directive 2005/36/EC. Automatic recognition applies to EU nationals, so an Indian national with an Italian degree moves to another EU country through that country's own process for non-EU graduates.
The General Medical Council lists the Laurea in Medicina e Chirurgia issued by an Italian university as a relevant European qualification, so graduates apply to the GMC directly, without PLAB, with evidence of English such as IELTS or OET. The degree alone supports provisional registration. For full registration the GMC also lists the Diploma di abilitazione, which Italy stopped issuing in March 2020, so graduates since then send the alternative evidence the GMC asks for.
The medical school is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), so its students and graduates can apply for ECFMG Certification and take the USMLE, the route to residency in the United States.
The NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 ask for a separate internship of at least twelve months after the course, in the same foreign institution. The Italian degree includes three months of practical training (the tirocinio) inside the course and no separate internship, so it does not currently meet the NMC rules for practising in India, and it does not lead to an Indian licence through the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force). Choose Sapienza if you plan to practise in Italy, the EU or the UK, or to take the USMLE route.
Understand the Medical Licensing Pathway
A clear overview of the exams and requirements after graduation.
Practising in India
FMGE (NExT Deferred and Not in Force)
To practise in India, a foreign medical degree must meet the NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 before its holder can take the FMGE (NExT is deferred and not in force). The Italian degree does not currently meet those rules, and the steps below explain why.
Step 1
The NMC Internship Rule
The regulations ask for a course of at least 54 months and a separate internship of at least twelve months after it, in the same foreign institution. The six-year Italian degree clears the course length.
Step 2
What the Italian Degree Contains
The degree includes the tirocinio, three months of practical training inside the course (one month in medicine, one in surgery and one with a family doctor), and no separate internship. Since 2020 the degree itself is the Italian licence to practise, so Italy has no internship after graduation at all.
Step 3
FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force)
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences runs the FMGE twice a year, with a pass mark of 150 out of 300. In December 2025, 42,872 candidates appeared and 10,262 qualified, a pass rate of 23.95%. Because the Italian degree does not meet the NMC rules, it does not currently lead to an Indian licence through the FMGE.
Step 4
Where This Leaves a Sapienza Graduate
Sapienza suits a student who plans to build a career in Italy, elsewhere in the EU, the UK or the USA. The degree licenses its holder in Italy, the GMC accepts it for UK registration without PLAB, and the WDOMS listing opens the USMLE route. If practising in India is your main goal, plan this with our counsellors before applying.
Student Life Style
Student life at Sapienza University of Rome
Rome is Italy's capital, with milder winters than the north and the Embassy of India in the city.
The Colosseum in Rome lit up at dusk, with cypress trees in front
The Full Cost
A town on the shore of Lake Garda in northern Italy, with mountains behind and a ferry on the water
A Milder Climate
The Grand Canal in Venice with historic palazzi and the dome of Santa Maria della Salute
Campus and Hospital in One Place
Pastel buildings above a turquoise bay on the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy
Getting Home
Safety
Money and Payments
Scholarship & Financial
Scholarship & Financial Aid
The fee is already very low for Indian students, so the regional borsa di studio, which helps with living costs, matters most.
Sapienza places non-EU students who declare income earned abroad in one of three country bands, because that income cannot be assessed in Italy. India is in Band A at €300 a year. With €140 regional tax and €16 stamp duty, the yearly cost is about €456.
- About €456 a year, about ₹48,500
- About €2,736 over six years, about ₹2.9 lakh
- Health service registration of €700 a year (about ₹74,200)
Italy's regional borsa di studio is based on family means, not marks, and is open to non-EU students. Here it is run by DiSCo, the Lazio regional agency. For 2026/27 the national minimum grant for a student living away from home is €7,171.11 a year (about ₹7.6 lakh), and grant holders are also exempt from university tuition. An Indian family shows its means through an ISEE Parificato, prepared from family income and property documents certified by the Italian consulate, so collect those papers before leaving India.
The Italian Government (MAECI) scholarships do not fund single-cycle degrees such as medicine, so a new medical student cannot enter that way.
Compare
Compare Colleges
Compare Sapienza University of Rome with AIIMS New Delhi, India's top-ranked government medical college.
Quick Comparison:
Sapienza University of Rome vs AIIMS New Delhi
| University | Sapienza University of RomeRome, Italy | AIIMS New DelhiNew Delhi, India |
|---|---|---|
| University Type | Public, founded 1303 | Institute of National Importance (government) |
| Medium | English, with Italian for clinical work | English |
| Course Duration | 6 years, 360 CFU, including a 3-month tirocinio | 5.5 years, being 4.5 years plus a 12-month internship |
| Admission | IMAT, 60 questions in 100 minutes, plus a qualified NEET result | NEET UG |
| Recognition | Listed in WDOMS; EU Annex V 5.1.1; licenses in Italy; not NMC compliant (no 12-month internship) | Listed in WDOMS |
| Non-EU places | 13 for 2026/27, from 1,362 nationwide | Allocated through NEET UG counselling |
| Global Ranking | QS 111 (2027); THE Medical and Health 176 to 200 (2026) | NIRF Medical 1 (2025) |
Compare Top MBBS Universities for Me
See key differences in fees, ranking, eligibility and recognition.
Our blog
Medical Education Insights
Articles that turn complex MBBS-abroad rules into simple, practical steps for students and parents.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions students and parents ask most often about studying medicine at Sapienza University of Rome.
India sits in Sapienza's Band A, so an Indian student pays €300 a year plus €140 regional tax and €16 stamp duty, about €456 a year (about ₹48,500, at about ₹106 to the euro, October 2026). Non-EU students also register with the Italian health service at €700 a year.
Ministerial Decree 1005 of 6 August 2026 gives Medicine and Surgery F 65 places for 2026/27: 52 for EU candidates and non-EU candidates living in Italy, and 13 for non-EU candidates living abroad, the pool an Indian applicant competes in.
No. Medicine and Surgery F, based at Policlinico Umberto I under the Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, is Sapienza's English-taught six-year medicine course. Its other medicine courses are taught in Italian.
The IMAT is Italy's entrance test for English-taught medicine. For 2026/27 it was held on 29 September 2026, with registration on Universitaly from 26 August to 9 September 2026, and India was one of the test countries. It has 60 questions in 100 minutes, scored plus 1.5, minus 0.4 or zero, to a maximum of 90.
Only for Italian-language courses. From 2025/26 Italian-language Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary degrees replaced the entrance test with an open first semester. English-taught courses still admit through the IMAT.
QS placed Sapienza 111th in the world in its World University Rankings 2027, the university's best result. Times Higher Education places it in the 176 to 200 band for Medical and Health in 2026.
At Policlinico Umberto I, a 1,235-bed teaching hospital beside the Città Universitaria. The tirocinio is taken in three one-month blocks in Years 5 and 6.
Not to enrol. Clinical training is with Italian-speaking patients, so start learning Italian in the first year.
Not as things stand. The NMC asks for a separate internship of at least twelve months after the course, in the same foreign institution. The Italian degree includes three months of practical training and no separate internship, so it does not currently meet the NMC rules for practising in India and does not lead to an Indian licence through the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force).
In the UK, the GMC lists the Laurea in Medicina e Chirurgia as a relevant European qualification, so graduates apply to the GMC directly, without PLAB, with evidence of English such as IELTS or OET. In the USA, the school's WDOMS listing lets graduates apply for ECFMG Certification and take the USMLE.
Air India flies nonstop between Delhi and Rome Fiumicino, four times a week since 25 March 2026.
Venice photo: Dan Novac on Unsplash.