MBBS country comparison
This page compares fees, climate, eligibility, living cost, and current university options for Indian students considering MBBS in these two countries.
| Metric | Croatia | Malta |
|---|---|---|
| Listed universities | 3 | 4 |
| Listed programs | 3 | 4 |
| Annual fee range | Check fee details | Check fee details |
| Teaching medium | English medicine route; the Faculty programme page records Croatian/English as languages of study., English | English, English (100% English-taught programme, per the official course page) |
| Main intake months | October, September | October |
| Climate | Croatia has a varied climate: continental conditions in Zagreb with cold winters and warm summers, and milder Mediterranean conditions along the coast. | Mediterranean climate with approximately 300 days of sunshine per year. Summers are hot and dry (June–September): 28–35°C, minimal rainfall, intense sun. Winters are mild and pleasant (November–February): 12–18°C, some rain, rarely cold by European standards. Spring and autumn are warm and ideal: 18–25°C. Malta has no winter hardship — a major contrast to northern European study destinations. Indian students from warm-weather regions adapt immediately; no significant clothing investment is needed for cold weather. The sea moderates temperatures year-round. The climate is a significant quality-of-life advantage compared to Germany, Lithuania, or Canada. |
| Living cost estimate | Check city-wise living cost | Check city-wise living cost |
| Admission cycle | Check official details | Check official details |
Croatia
Croatia is an EU and European Higher Education Area destination where universities use Bologna-aligned study cycles and ECTS credits. University of Zagreb's faculties publish their own programme-level admissions, language, fee and deadline rules, so international applicants should verify the current call with the relevant faculty.
Admission process
Malta
Malta is the smallest EU member state — a compact Mediterranean island of 550,000 people south of Sicily — and the only EU country where English is an official language alongside Maltese. For Indian nursing students, this combination is unique: you can study, register, and work as a nurse entirely in English, with an EU-recognised qualification under EU Directive 2005/36/EC valid across all 27 member states. The primary nursing institution is MCAST (Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology), Malta's largest public institution, which offers two pathways: a 3-year BSc (Hons) Nursing for students entering from a qualifying health-sciences background, and a 6-month Nursing Bridging Course for Indian BSc Nursing graduates who want EU registration. After completing either programme and working as a CNM-registered nurse in Malta for one year, Indian nurses can register with the UK NMC with IELTS and OET completely waived — because the UK NMC lists Malta as an English-speaking country. Malta is an EU and Schengen Area member; a Maltese residence permit gives full Schengen mobility across 27 European countries. After 5 years of working and residing in Malta, non-EU professionals are eligible for EU Long-Term Residence status.
Admission process
Croatia
Students can compare public-university study across engineering, medicine, business, sciences, humanities and other fields in a compact European setting. The University of Zagreb combines Croatian-taught provision with a published selection of English-taught degrees, but each faculty controls its own admissions details and international applicants may need academic recognition of prior qualifications.
Need help choosing?
If you want help based on your budget, NEET profile, or preferred country, submit your details and our team will contact you.
MBBS country comparison
This page compares fees, climate, eligibility, living cost, and current university options for Indian students considering MBBS in these two countries.
| Metric | Croatia | Malta |
|---|---|---|
| Listed universities | 3 | 4 |
| Listed programs | 3 | 4 |
| Annual fee range | Check fee details | Check fee details |
| Teaching medium | English medicine route; the Faculty programme page records Croatian/English as languages of study., English | English, English (100% English-taught programme, per the official course page) |
| Main intake months | October, September | October |
| Climate | Croatia has a varied climate: continental conditions in Zagreb with cold winters and warm summers, and milder Mediterranean conditions along the coast. | Mediterranean climate with approximately 300 days of sunshine per year. Summers are hot and dry (June–September): 28–35°C, minimal rainfall, intense sun. Winters are mild and pleasant (November–February): 12–18°C, some rain, rarely cold by European standards. Spring and autumn are warm and ideal: 18–25°C. Malta has no winter hardship — a major contrast to northern European study destinations. Indian students from warm-weather regions adapt immediately; no significant clothing investment is needed for cold weather. The sea moderates temperatures year-round. The climate is a significant quality-of-life advantage compared to Germany, Lithuania, or Canada. |
| Living cost estimate | Check city-wise living cost | Check city-wise living cost |
| Admission cycle | Check official details | Check official details |
Croatia
Croatia is an EU and European Higher Education Area destination where universities use Bologna-aligned study cycles and ECTS credits. University of Zagreb's faculties publish their own programme-level admissions, language, fee and deadline rules, so international applicants should verify the current call with the relevant faculty.
Admission process
Malta
Malta is the smallest EU member state — a compact Mediterranean island of 550,000 people south of Sicily — and the only EU country where English is an official language alongside Maltese. For Indian nursing students, this combination is unique: you can study, register, and work as a nurse entirely in English, with an EU-recognised qualification under EU Directive 2005/36/EC valid across all 27 member states. The primary nursing institution is MCAST (Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology), Malta's largest public institution, which offers two pathways: a 3-year BSc (Hons) Nursing for students entering from a qualifying health-sciences background, and a 6-month Nursing Bridging Course for Indian BSc Nursing graduates who want EU registration. After completing either programme and working as a CNM-registered nurse in Malta for one year, Indian nurses can register with the UK NMC with IELTS and OET completely waived — because the UK NMC lists Malta as an English-speaking country. Malta is an EU and Schengen Area member; a Maltese residence permit gives full Schengen mobility across 27 European countries. After 5 years of working and residing in Malta, non-EU professionals are eligible for EU Long-Term Residence status.
Admission process
Croatia
Students can compare public-university study across engineering, medicine, business, sciences, humanities and other fields in a compact European setting. The University of Zagreb combines Croatian-taught provision with a published selection of English-taught degrees, but each faculty controls its own admissions details and international applicants may need academic recognition of prior qualifications.
Need help choosing?
If you want help based on your budget, NEET profile, or preferred country, submit your details and our team will contact you.
Malta
Indian nursing students choose Malta for three reasons that no other EU country offers simultaneously. First, English is an official language — healthcare is delivered in English, there is no language integration barrier after graduation, and no post-study language investment is required to practise nursing. Second, the MCAST nursing qualification is recognised across all 27 EU member states under EU Directive 2005/36/EC, opening career pathways to Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and every other EU country. Third — and most powerfully — after just one year working as a registered nurse in Malta, Indian nurses become eligible for UK NMC registration with IELTS and OET completely waived. For Indian nurses who find IELTS Academic 7.0 a barrier for direct UK NMC registration, the Malta route eliminates that obstacle entirely: only the CBT and OSCE are required. The MCAST Nursing Bridging Course (6 months, approximately EUR 7,000–13,000 all-in) is one of the most cost-effective EU-registration routes available to Indian BSc Nursing graduates. Malta is also 35–40% cheaper than the UK and approximately 30% cheaper than Ireland for living costs, while remaining fully inside the EU and Schengen Area.
Malta
Indian nursing students choose Malta for three reasons that no other EU country offers simultaneously. First, English is an official language — healthcare is delivered in English, there is no language integration barrier after graduation, and no post-study language investment is required to practise nursing. Second, the MCAST nursing qualification is recognised across all 27 EU member states under EU Directive 2005/36/EC, opening career pathways to Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and every other EU country. Third — and most powerfully — after just one year working as a registered nurse in Malta, Indian nurses become eligible for UK NMC registration with IELTS and OET completely waived. For Indian nurses who find IELTS Academic 7.0 a barrier for direct UK NMC registration, the Malta route eliminates that obstacle entirely: only the CBT and OSCE are required. The MCAST Nursing Bridging Course (6 months, approximately EUR 7,000–13,000 all-in) is one of the most cost-effective EU-registration routes available to Indian BSc Nursing graduates. Malta is also 35–40% cheaper than the UK and approximately 30% cheaper than Ireland for living costs, while remaining fully inside the EU and Schengen Area.
