MBBS in University of Genoa School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Science

An Italian name for the University of Genoa is Università degli Studi di Genova. It is one of the oldest and largest universities in Italy. The school began in 1471 as a college of religion and has grown over the years into a large research university. The School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences belongs to the Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, responsible for the Medicine and Surgery department. The university is in Liguria, which is in the northwest of Italy. Its campus is spread out over the old port city of Genoa.

Under the national system set by D.M. Medicine and Surgery (LM-41) is a 6-year single-cycle program awarding 360 CFU credits. It is offered only in Italian (proof of Italian language proficiency B2 level is required for admission). It combines basic sciences with clinical medicine and professional development in a progressive manner that builds on students’ prior knowledge and culminates in full clinical responsibility under supervision.

The university offers many facilities for practical training. The main teaching hospital is the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino. It is one of the largest hospital complexes in Italy and a Scientific Institute for Research and Assistance. This hospital takes in more than 90,000 patients a year and is where most medical students do their practical training. You will go from one area to another, learning about internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, oncology, and many other specialties. As an IRCCS, the hospital treats patients and performs active research. This allows you to take part in clinical trials and learn about new ways to treat illnesses.

The city of Genoa itself adds a special element for learning medicine. Doctors and anatomists have lived in the city since the Renaissance, it has a long past in medicine. The medical school at the university has trained generations of doctors who work all over Italy and other countries. You will study in a city on the coast of Liguria that has both ancient buildings and modern research centers. The university is well-located and provides easy access to health networks in Liguria, such as hospitals in Savona, Imperia and La Spezia, which can be used for training during some rotations.

Italy's new national rules, which came into force for the school year 2025-2026, regulate admission. The old competitive entrance examination has been replaced by an open system, the so-called “filter semester”. You can sign up for any classes you want during the first semester, which includes three courses that are required by the government: Biology, Physics, and Chemistry and Propedeutic Biochemistry. There are 6 CFU credits for each subject. Every medical school in Italy gives the same national exams, which are graded by the same people. Where you go depends on how you do on a national merit list made from these test results. The method lets you try the filter semester up to three times. If you don't get into Genoa, the national ranking may send you to another medical school in Italy based on your preferences and the seats that are available.

The university has a good reputation for research. The University of Genoa came in at number 547 in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2026. The university was ranked in the 401st through 500th best in the world by Times Higher Education in 2026. There are also rankings for the university from the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR). The medical school has some of the strongest areas of study in oncology, cardiovascular medicine, neuroscience and infectious diseases. The IRCCS San Martino hospital has research centers that work with institutions around the world. You will be able to participate in research projects from the start of your program.

The program is based on the national framework LM-41, but is calibrated according to what works best in Genoa. First there are the filter semester classes, then histology, embryology, and systematic anatomy in the first year. Anatomy information is highly valued by the university, and dissecting dead bodies is part of the anatomy training. As you go through school pharmacology, pathology, and microbiology are combined with the curriculum. In the fourth year, you start full clinical rotations. In the later years, there is time set aside for elective rotations, which allow you to learn more about specialties that interest you.

Learning is provided through a mixture of standard lectures, and practical activities. You will learn through problem-based sessions, simulation lab exercises and clinical skills training in small groups. The school has invested in simulation centers where you can practise clinical treatments on manikins prior to carrying them out on real patients. Medical, nursing and pharmacy students work together on interprofessional education activities designed to help them learn to work as a team in a real clinical setting.

The University of Genoa has tuition fees that depend on a student’s income, which is calculated by the ISEE-University indicator. Medical programs are in the second most important group (Area medica, sanitaria e scientifico-tecnica), so they cost more than arts programs. Students with an ISEE less than EUR 13,000 might not have to pay anything to the university. The most students in the highest ISEE bracket or those without ISEE certification will pay each year is 3,300 euros. The maximum you will pay in a year, including the area tax and stamp duty, is around EUR 3,436. The university offers need-based waivers to eligible students and merit-based discounts to students who excel academically.

Genoa has a lively student community. It is a big port city of about 580.000 inhabitants with many cultural sites, restaurants and entertainment. The cost of living is about average in Italian terms. It's higher than cities in the south but lower than Milan or Rome. There are both university residences and private rentals for students. The libraries, sports facilities, and student groups at the university make campus life very interesting. You will find that the city's compact centre and public transport network make it easy to move between university buildings, the teaching hospital, and your lodgings.

The university is very active with exchange programs with other countries. Thanks to Erasmus and other partnerships, you can attend partner universities all over Europe. The university also invites exchange students to come to school, which makes it a more diverse place to be. For international students outside the EU, the university helps with visa applications, residence permits and integration in Italian school life.

Genoa's medical program is a combination of a long tradition and modern facilities. Since the university has been teaching medicine for a long time, its graduates are found in hospitals and other institutions in Italy and abroad. During your clinical training at the IRCCS San Martino hospital, you will have the chance to see many complicated cases, which will help you prepare for real life as a doctor. The University of Genoa is a good choice for students who want to study medicine in Italy, as it has good scores, a history of good research and many clinical facilities.