Malta

• English is an official language and all University of Malta teaching is in English. IB English A (HL or SL), or English B at HL, with 4 or more exempts you from an English test
• EU/EEA students pay no tuition: the University of Malta's 2026-27 bachelor's pages say 'No fees apply', and MCAST says its courses are free for EU candidates
• The IB is treated as a local qualification, with a published conversion: HL counts as Advanced Level, SL as Intermediate Level
• The entry bar is clear and reasonable: the IB Diploma with at least 28 points, with passes at 3 or better in a language, a science and a humanistic subject
• You are an EU citizen, so no visa, no health surcharge and free public transport once you hold an e-residence permit
• One small campus at Msida where almost everything happens, which makes settling in easier than a big city university

• Accommodation is the real cost: UM's own estimate is EUR 550-700 a month for a shared room and EUR 800-1,600 for a single
• The general entry requirement includes a SEC pass in Maltese. If you were educated abroad you may offer another language instead (not English), but the Admissions Board has to approve it
• Malta is small - around 500,000 people - and the subject range is narrower than a large mainland university
• Application deadlines for the October 2027 intake were not published on 24 September 2026; applications normally open the November before. In the 2026 cycle the main deadline was 22 July at 14:00 - after IB results, which is unusual and good - but medicine closed on 16 March at 14:00 for IB applicants taking the Medical Maltese Proficiency Certificate, four months before results.
• Subjects at IB ab initio level 'are not comparable to any subjects required for admission' - check your subject choices against the course requirements early
• Medicine needs Maltese: every non-Maltese M.D. applicant who is exempt from SEC Maltese must pass UM's Medical Maltese Proficiency examination before the course starts, or is not admitted.
• Every University of Malta deadline falls at 14:00 Malta time, not at midnight, and the late-application safety net does not apply to medicine or to any course with a limited number of places.

Accepted

Yes

Minimum

The International Baccalaureate Diploma with at least 28 points, with passes at 3 points or better in a language, a science and a humanistic subject.

Subjects and levels

The University of Malta states: 'Higher Level (HL) subjects are normally accepted where a MATSEC Advanced Level is required, while Standard Level (SL) subjects are normally accepted where a MATSEC Intermediate Level is required.' It also states that 'Subjects at Ab Initio are not comparable to any subjects required for admission.'

Score conversion

IB grade 7 = MATSEC Grade A; 6 = B; 5 = C; 4 = D; 3 = E, which is the minimum pass.

• Malta classes the International Baccalaureate as a LOCAL qualification, not an overseas one. When you apply you select 'Local Qualifications', not 'Overseas Qualifications' - getting this wrong will misroute your application.
• The Maltese Matriculation Certificate that IB is compared against consists of six subjects: two at Advanced Level, three at Intermediate Level, plus Systems of Knowledge. The general entry requirement also includes SEC passes (grade 5 or Level 3) in English, Maltese and Mathematics. UM says these 'may also be satisfied through the subjects presented in the IB Diploma if such subjects are deemed comparable', and a non-Maltese applicant educated abroad 'may be allowed to offer another language instead of Maltese, as approved by the Admissions Board'.
• How Theory of Knowledge is treated against the Maltese Systems of Knowledge requirement is not stated on UM's IB comparison page (last updated 21 April 2026); ask the Admissions Office.
• For courses with a limited number of places UM ranks a MATSEC grade above the matching IB grade: C above IB 5, B above IB 6, A above IB 7.
• Individual courses set their own subject requirements on top of the general one - check the course page.

1. Find your course in the UM online course finder at um.edu.mt/courses and read its specific entry requirements and its fee, which is shown on the course's own fees tab.

2. Check your IB subjects against the requirement: HL counts as Advanced Level, SL as Intermediate Level, and ab initio subjects do not count at all.

3. Apply online through the UM application system, selecting 'Local Qualifications' because Malta treats the IB as local.

4. Satisfy the English language requirement. IB English A (HL or SL) or English B HL at 4 or more exempts you; otherwise present a Secure English Language Test result (IELTS 6.0 for a bachelor's) by 30 September for the October intake.

5. Submit before the published deadline for your intake and have your original documents verified. In the 2026 cycle that meant 22 July at 14:00 for most courses, 16 March at 14:00 for the M.D. (with the Medical Maltese Proficiency Certificate), and 31 August at 14:00 as the last day to reorder your preferences for a limited-number Health Sciences course.

6. As an EU citizen, move to Malta and register with Identita for an eResidence document, which also gets you free public transport.

Some courses admit a fixed number of students. The University confirms this indirectly and in the place it matters: it does not accept late applications "for the M.D. course or courses with limited student numbers", and it lets applicants for limited-enrolment Faculty of Health Sciences programmes adjust their order of preference "only until 31 August at 14:00", which is how a ranked allocation behaves. The exact capped list and the numbers are not published centrally - check the individual course page. Application fees are non-refundable, and late applications carry an additional fee.

• 6 July 2027

  IB results released

  Via Maltese institution

• 4 October 2027

  University of Malta: first semester begins for first-year students

  Via Maltese institution

  Details

  Published on the University’s academic calendar: "Monday 4 October 2027 to Saturday 5 February 2028 - For first year students", with continuing students starting a week earlier on 27 September 2027 and the opening ceremony on 4 October. First-semester examinations run 17 January to 5 February 2028, the second semester runs 7 February to 28 June 2028, and there is a September assessment period from 1 to 15 September 2028.

  Source

• Not yet announced for this intake

  University of Malta: main application deadline, October 2027 intake

  Hard deadline Via Maltese institution

  Details

  After this the door closes.

  Not published on 24 September 2026. Applications open from the November before. In 2026 the main deadline was 22 July at 14:00; medicine closed on 16 March for IB applicants. At the University of Malta the IB counts as a local qualification: choose "Local Qualifications" when you apply.

• Set by each institution

  MCAST, ITS and the private institutions

  Via Maltese institution

  Details

  Each applies through its own website and sets its own date.

• Not yet announced for this intake
  October 2027 intake - the 2027 deadlines were not published on 2026-09-24

  University of Malta - main application deadline

  Hard deadline

  Details

  After this the door closes.

  Precedent: "Applications for all courses are to be submitted online against the relevant application fee up to 22 July 2026 at 14:00." Note the time: 14:00 Malta time, not midnight. It falls after IB results are released, which is a real advantage for an IB student. The application fee is non-refundable.

  Source 1 · Source 2

• Not yet announced for this intake
  October 2027 intake - the 2027 deadlines were not published on 2026-09-24

  Doctor of Medicine and Surgery - the deadline for IB applicants taking the Medical Maltese Proficiency Certificate

  Applies to: applicants to the M.D. presenting a local qualification (IB, EB or MATSEC Matriculation) who will present the Medical Maltese Proficiency Certificate instead of a SEC pass in Maltese - in practice every non-Maltese IB applicant

  Hard deadline

  Details

  After this the door closes.

  Precedent: "Applicants presenting qualifications considered local (e.g., IB, EB, or the Matriculation Certificate awarded by MATSEC), who shall be presenting the Medical Maltese Proficiency Certificate instead of a SEC pass in Maltese ... were required to submit their application by 16 March 2026 at 14:00." UM's FAQs add that all non-Maltese applicants exempt from SEC Maltese must pass the Medical Maltese examination before the course starts, and that applicants who fail it are not admitted. March is four months before your results, and the University does not accept late applications for the M.D.

  Source

• Not yet announced for this intake
  October 2027 intake - the 2027 deadlines were not published on 2026-09-24

  Doctor of Medicine and Surgery - the earlier deadline for overseas qualifications

  Applies to: applicants to the M.D. presenting qualifications other than the IB, the EB or a MATSEC certificate

  Hard deadline

  Details

  After this the door closes.

  Precedent: "The closing date for receipt of applications from applicants presenting overseas qualifications and degrees awarded by institutions other than the University of Malta was 30 January 2026 at 14:00." This is why the IB deadline above is a concession: if you are taking A-levels or a national diploma rather than the IB, you are applying to Maltese medicine in January.

  Source

• Not yet announced for this intake
  October 2027 intake - the 2027 deadline was not published on 2026-09-24

  Faculty of Health Sciences, limited-number courses - last chance to change your order of preference

  Applies to: applicants who chose a Faculty of Health Sciences course with a limited number of places

  Hard deadline

  Details

  After this the door closes.

  An easily missed date, and it decides which course you are actually offered. The University publishes it as: applicants selecting limited-enrolment programmes offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences may adjust their order of preference "only until 31 August at 14:00". After that the order you last saved is the order you are placed against. The wording carries no year.

  Source

• Not yet announced for this intake
  October 2027 intake - the 2027 deadlines were not published on 2026-09-24

  Late application deadline - and the courses it does not rescue

  Hard deadline

  Details

  After this the door closes.

  Precedent: "Late applications may be submitted up to 15 September 2026 at 14:00, where late application fees will be charged." The part that matters more than the date: late applications are not accepted for the M.D. course, nor for any course with a limited number of students. So the safety net exists for ordinary degrees and does not exist for exactly the courses people miss deadlines for.

  Source 1 · Source 2

• Not yet announced for this intake
  October 2027 intake - the 2027 deadlines were not published on 2026-09-24

  Deadline for non-EU applicants who need a visa

  Applies to: applicants who are not EU citizens and need a visa to travel to Malta

  Hard deadline

  Details

  After this the door closes.

  Precedent: "The deadline for Non-EU applicants submitting an application towards courses commencing in October 2026, and requiring a visa to travel to Malta, is 1 July 2026 at 14:00." Applications received after it are deferred to the next intake rather than refused. As an EU citizen you are not bound by this earlier date and the July main deadline is yours.

  Source 1 · Source 2

• Date not published
  Annual pattern; the October 2027 opening date was not published on 2026-09-24

  University of Malta - main application window opens

  Details

  UM states: "The UM academic year commences every October but you can apply online from the previous November for your preferred course. Another intake, on a smaller scale, is held in February." The exact opening day for October 2027 was not published; expect it in November 2026.

  Source

English-taught bachelors

All of them. The University of Malta states that 'the language of instruction and communication at UM is English'. Maltese is the other official language of the country but is not needed for study.

Proving your English

Applicants educated outside Malta present a Secure English Language Test (SELT) unless exempt. IB holders are exempt with English A (HL or SL) at 4 or more, English B HL at 4 or more, or English Literature and Performance SL at 4 or more. Otherwise, for a bachelor's: TOEFL iBT 4 overall with writing 4.5 on the 1–6 scale used since January 2026 (80 with writing 20 on the older scale), Academic IELTS 6.0 (writing 6.0, other bands 5.5), Cambridge Advanced grade C, PTE Academic 65, Trinity ISE, or UM's own ISET. For the October intake the SELT result is due by 30 September (1 July for non-EU applicants who need a visa).

Local language needed?

Not for English-taught programmes

• Malta is genuinely bilingual in everyday life: Maltese and English are both official, and you can live there entirely in English.
• A non-Maltese applicant educated abroad may offer another language (not English) instead of SEC Maltese, with Admissions Board approval. Medicine is the exception: non-Maltese M.D. applicants must pass UM's Medical Maltese Proficiency examination.

Tuition, EU/EEA

None at the University of Malta for the full-time bachelor's listed here: 'Local/EU/EEA Applicants: No fees apply' on the 2026-7 pages for Computing Science, Business and Information Technology, European and Global History and English, and the M.D. MCAST: 'MCAST course are free for Maltese and EU candidates.' (2026-27)

Tuition, non-EU

Set per course at the University of Malta. 2026-27, per year: EUR 8,500 (BA European and Global History and English; BSc Business and Information Technology), EUR 10,800 (BSc Computing Science), EUR 26,000 (M.D.). UK nationals pay non-EU fees. (2026-27)

Application fee

University of Malta: EUR 35 for applicants with local qualifications, which includes the IB (EUR 75 late); EUR 100 (EUR 200 late) with overseas qualifications. Non-refundable.

Living costs

UM's own estimate: shared accommodation EUR 550-700; single accommodation EUR 800-1,600; food and drink EUR 450 (excluding eating out); mobile and wi-fi EUR 30; laundry EUR 80-100; electricity and water EUR 50 at the basic rate; other expenses EUR 200-300. Public transport is free for e-residence permit holders. That gives a total of roughly EUR 1,360-2,530 a month depending on whether you share. (Undated; UM describes the figures as 'a more realistic figure for the cost of living at the moment')

• UM shows each course's fee on its fees tab for both EU/EEA and non-EU applicants; from outside the EU the page shows the non-EU fee first ('Switch to EU nationals'). The 2027-28 course pages were not yet published on 24 September 2026.
• As a reference point for the scale of the EU/non-EU gap at UM, its published doctoral fees are EUR 600 a year full-time for EU/EEA students versus EUR 11,000 a year for non-EU students. Do not assume undergraduate fees follow the same ratio - check the course page.
• UK nationals have been treated as non-EU nationals for UM fee purposes since January 2021.
• Accommodation, not tuition, is what makes Malta expensive for an EU student.

Funding you could actually get

• UM lists scholarships for Tunisian nationals, for Palestinian nationals, and ISSI postgraduate scholarships. No scholarship aimed at EU undergraduate applicants is listed there.
• UM references stipends and the 'Get Qualified' scheme, but describes these as being for local students.
• Danish SU can follow you here if you can claim it (Danish citizens, or EU/EEA citizens with equal status under EU rules) and meet the ties-to-Denmark requirement. The programme must be SU-approved, and outside the Nordics SU is capped at four years (48 klip). If you cannot claim SU, look first at your own country's student finance: several EU/EEA systems fund a full degree in another country.

Residency

As an EU citizen you have the right to live and study in Malta. If you stay more than three months you register with Identita's Expatriates Unit (on a Study basis) for a residence document, showing your acceptance letter and that you have sufficient means; University of Malta, MCAST and ITS students do not need to show health insurance. It takes about 30 working days. The e-residence permit also gives you free public transport. Non-EU students need a student visa and must apply much earlier - the 2026 visa-applicant deadline was 1 July.

Working

EU/EEA citizens need no work permit. UM: non-EU students must hold an e-residence permit to work and 'must not exceed 20 working hours a week'.

Housing

This is the thing to plan first. UM's own estimate is EUR 550-700 a month for shared accommodation and EUR 800-1,600 for a single place, so sharing is close to compulsory on a student budget. The UM International Office assists with accommodation; start looking as soon as you accept an offer.

Healthcare

As an EU citizen bring your EU health insurance card for necessary care in the Maltese public system. UM's International Office covers health and support services for students; detailed requirements for non-EU students are not given here.

Your IB is still a foreign qualification here, so the IB entry rules still apply to you.