Is Caribbean medical school more expensive?

Higher education costs a lot of money. Regardless of what discipline you may sign up for, you will always end up spending a lot of money on getting a higher degree. If we talk about a medical degree, the cost of acquiring a medical education is incredibly high, owing to fewer available seats compared to the number of prospective medical students. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the median cost of attending a four-year medical school in 2019-2020 was USD 250,222 at public universities and USD 330,180 at private universities. 

On the other hand, the Caribbean is home to several top medical schools well-known for offering a proven quality of medical education. While researching the best medical schools in the Caribbean, you may encounter several rumors suggesting that Caribbean medical schools are way too expensive. However, this myth is totally baseless as Caribbean medical school costs are 10-20 percent more affordable than medical institutions in the US or Canada. Furthermore, Caribbean medical schools offer financial aid and various scholarships to eligible matriculants to remove the financial barrier.

Caribbean medical school: Tuition, Scholarship, and Financial Aid

According to the US News and World Report, the tuition fees in a Caribbean university in 2020-2021 was USD 5,496. If we compare Caribbean university’s tuition with the national average cost of education, the former is cheaper. The expense is the sum total of tuition and fees. 

The tuition and fees in Caribbean medical schools vary. This blog will give you an overview of the tuition and fees in top universities on the Caribbean Island. 

Tuition and fees for medical universities in the Caribbean are as follows:

Tuition and fees – as on or after the May 2022 semester

The tuition of the Basic Sciences MD program for matriculants enrolling for the May 2022 semester is USD 15,739, while it costs about USD 21,306 for the Clinical Medicine MD program. The administrative fee for the first semester is USD 4,701 and USD 3,044 for the subsequent five semesters. Students also need to pay for the Gateway Medical program tuition, which is USD 4,000.

Tuition and fees – for the January 2022 semester

Students enrolling for the January 2022 semester paid USD 19,950 for the Basic Sciences MD program and USD 24,350 for the Clinical Medicine MD program. The Gateway Medical program tuition was USD 4,000 for matriculants signed up for the January 2022 semester. 

Besides tuition and fees, there are several other miscellaneous charges that matriculants must pay per the university’s payment policy. These expenses include application fees, clinical liability insurance, shelf exam fee, lab fee, review fee, graduation fees, student activity fees, exam fees, deferment fees, and other non-refundable administrative fees.

Furthermore, top-tier Caribbean medical schools offer scholarship programs, such as Faculty Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship, and Future Physician’s Scholarship. Matriculants can also benefit from the student loan program to pay tuition fees, rent, food, transportation, and other miscellaneous expenses. Isn’t choosing to study medicine in the Caribbean good in terms of cost? Apply now!