# Catolica Medical School, Universidade Catolica Portuguesa

> Catolica Medical School at Universidade Catolica Portuguesa runs a direct-entry, six-year Integrated Master in Medicine on its Sintra Campus near Lisbon. The programme is listed in the WHO World Directory of Medical Schools, accredited by Portugal's A3ES (a WFME-recognized agency), and its graduates become ECFMG-certification eligible from 2027, the year its first cohort graduates.

- Canonical page: https://www.studentstraffic.com/university/catolica-medical-school
- Last reviewed: 2026-07-12
- Publisher: Students Traffic (https://www.studentstraffic.com/)

## Key facts

- Location: Sintra, [Portugal](https://www.studentstraffic.com/countries/portugal)
- Type: Private
- Established: 2021
- Official website: https://fm.ucp.pt/
- Published programmes on Students Traffic: 1

## Recognition and approvals

- World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS/FAIMER) -- listed, School ID F0007778, direct-entry confirmed
- Agencia de Avaliacao e Acreditacao do Ensino Superior (A3ES), recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) -- Accredited, 6-year term, published 9 September 2020
- ECFMG Certification -- graduates eligible to apply from 2027 (first graduating cohort)
- Directorate General for Higher Education (DGES) -- Initial Registry R/A-Cr 154/2020
- Verify: [World Directory of Medical Schools -- Catolica Medical School listing](https://search.wdoms.org/home/SchoolDetail/F0007778)
- Verify: [Catolica Medical School -- accreditation and registry](https://fm.ucp.pt/integrated-master-medicine/accreditation-and-registry)

## Programmes

| Programme | Course | Duration | Medium | Tuition per year |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Integrated Master in Medicine](https://www.studentstraffic.com/catolica-medical-school-integrated-master-medicine) | MBBS | 6 years | English / Portuguese | €24,350 (2026-2027) |

## Why students choose it

- Listed in the WHO World Directory of Medical Schools (FAIMER School ID F0007778), with the WDOMS record confirming direct-entry (prerequisite: completed secondary education, no prior degree required).
- Accredited by Portugal's Agencia de Avaliacao e Acreditacao do Ensino Superior (A3ES), a WFME-recognized agency, for a full 6-year accreditation term published 9 September 2020.
- Graduates become eligible to apply for ECFMG Certification from 2027, the year the first cohort graduates.

## Things to consider

- The clinical years (4-6) carry an official university caveat that the clinical component is delivered in Portuguese, distinct from the confirmed English-medium pre-clinical years -- functional Portuguese will likely be needed for clinical-year patient contact.
- Indian secondary qualifications (CBSE/ISC and similar) are not on the university's published list of recognized equivalent international exams; Indian applicants would likely need to sit the university's own in-person entrance exams in Biology, Physics and Chemistry, and Mathematics, conducted in English at the Sintra campus.
- Total annual cost is substantial: EUR 24,350/year tuition plus a EUR 1,710 first-year (EUR 1,680 later years) enrollment/registration fee and a one-time EUR 430 application fee.

## Best fit for

- Students seeking a newer, WFME-recognized, English-medium (pre-clinical) direct-entry medical degree with a modern Problem-Based-Learning curriculum.
- Applicants comfortable preparing for in-person entrance exams and a Mini Multiple Interview conducted in English at the Sintra campus.
- Families able to budget for a European private-university fee level and who are comfortable with developing functional Portuguese ahead of clinical-year rotations.

## Campus and city

International students join a Problem-Based-Learning curriculum modeled on Maastricht University's method, in small tutorial groups, on the university's dedicated Sintra Campus near Tagus Park, with a free shuttle service connecting to Lisbon.

Sintra sits in the Greater Lisbon area, a short shuttle ride from Portugal's capital, giving students access to Lisbon's teaching hospitals and international-student community while based on a purpose-built campus.

The six-year, 360-ECTS Integrated Master in Medicine runs Years 1-2 as pre-clinical functional-integration modules, Year 3 as an introduction to clinical practice, Years 4-5 as clinical rotations across Internal Medicine, Surgery, Family Medicine, Women and Child Health and Neurosciences, and Year 6 as supervised healthcare-participation and research internships, with clinical teaching at Hospital da Luz Lisboa, Hospital Beatriz Angelo, and other Grupo Luz Saude and public-health-service facilities.


## Hostel, food and safety

The university guarantees supported accommodation specifically when a clinical rotation placement is more than 40km from the Sintra campus; no confirmed general on-campus dormitory for the medical programme was found, and typical off-campus housing costs in the Lisbon/Sintra area were not independently sourced. A general-purpose Female University Residence exists in Lisbon for the wider Universidade Catolica Portuguesa student body. Applicants should confirm current housing options directly with the university's International Mobility and Relations Office.

Subsidised canteen meals are available to students, per the university's own scholarships and support page.

No university-published campus-safety statistics were found during research.

International applicants use a dedicated Non-EU International Students admissions track, apply through the university's Fenix online platform, and can contact the Faculty's International Mobility and Relations Office for further guidance.


## Frequently asked questions

### Is the Integrated Master in Medicine direct-entry after high school?

Yes. The WHO World Directory of Medical Schools confirms admission follows completion of secondary education, with no prior university degree required.

### Is the whole programme taught in English?

Pre-clinical years (1-3) are confirmed English-medium by multiple official sources. The university's own programme overview states the clinical component (Years 4-6) is delivered in Portuguese, so functional Portuguese will likely be needed for clinical-year patient contact.

### Can Indian students apply directly with their 12th-grade marks?

Indian secondary qualifications are not on the university's published list of recognized equivalent exams (which includes Cambridge AICE, IB, European Baccalaureate, AP and Brazil's ENEM). Indian applicants would likely need to sit the university's own in-person entrance exams in Biology, Physics and Chemistry, and Mathematics, conducted in English.

### What English-proficiency score is required?

The university's more recently updated application pages state a minimum CEFR B2 (IELTS Academic 5.5, TOEFL iBT 72, or equivalent), though an older summary page states CEFR C1 -- this inconsistency is unresolved on the official site, so confirm the current requirement directly with the university.

### What is the current tuition fee?

EUR 24,350 per year for international students (EUR 2,435/month over 10 instalments), confirmed current for the 2026/27 academic year, plus a one-time EUR 430 application fee and a EUR 1,710 first-year (EUR 1,680 later years) enrollment/registration fee.

### Are scholarships available?

The university publishes merit-based and need-based annual scholarships, including full-tuition Study Grants, assessed by its Social Responsibility Office based on application grade and household economic situation. Exact eligibility terms and amounts specifically for international applicants were not itemized separately from domestic applicants on the official page.

### When is the application deadline and intake for 2026/27?

The Non-EU international-applicant track runs a single application window from 8 July to 31 August 2026, with results published 7 September 2026 and classes beginning 8 September 2026. Only 9 places are available on this track.

### Is there an interview as part of admissions?

Yes. In addition to a motivation letter/portfolio, applicants must attend a mandatory in-person Mini Multiple Interview at the Sintra campus, conducted in English.

### Can this degree be used to practice medicine outside Portugal?

Graduates become eligible to apply for ECFMG Certification from 2027. The degree is expected to fall under Portugal's EU Directive 2005/36/EC automatic-recognition framework for medical qualifications, though the exact current Annex V listing of this specific post-Bologna degree title was not independently confirmed during research. For India specifically, graduates would need to separately satisfy India's National Medical Commission screening requirements; this was not verified against an NMC source, and no graduates of this programme exist yet to test that pathway.


## Sources

- [World Directory of Medical Schools -- Catolica Medical School listing](https://search.wdoms.org/home/SchoolDetail/F0007778) (checked 2026-07-25)
- [Catolica Medical School -- accreditation and registry](https://fm.ucp.pt/integrated-master-medicine/accreditation-and-registry) (checked 2026-07-25)
- [Catolica Medical School -- programme overview](https://fm.ucp.pt/integrated-master-medicine-1) (checked 2026-07-25)
- [Catolica Medical School -- curriculum](https://fm.ucp.pt/integrated-master-medicine/curriculum) (checked 2026-07-25)
- [Catolica Medical School -- special admissions for international students](https://fm.ucp.pt/integrated-master-medicine/applications/special-admissions-international-students) (checked 2026-07-25)
- [Catolica Medical School -- scholarships and tuition fee](https://fm.ucp.pt/integrated-master-medicine/scholarships-and-tuition-fee) (checked 2026-07-25)

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