Medical education in Sri Lanka and the requirements for entering and studying in in medicine
Medical education in Sri Lanka has its own difficulties. The capacity of the education system in Sri Lanka is limited and applicants can enter the country’s medical universities if they pass the entrance exam. Applicants for medical education in Sri Lanka must first attend a one-year pre-medical course and prepare themselves for getting admitted to medical universities. At the end of this course, applicants must take the G.C.E (A / L) exam and, if they get the passing score (the required score for passing this exam), they can enter the medical universities of this country. Sri Lanka was a British colony until 1948, and its education system is similar to the education system in United Kingdom, this exam is similar to the exams that students take in the UK for entering medical schools. More than 26,000 applicants take this exam each year, but Sri Lanka’s medical universities only have the capacity to admit 21,000.
The minimum passing grade in this exam is CCC and only students who get an A in biology, chemistry and physics courses can enter medical universities. Medical universities in Sri Lanka are divided into public and private universities. The cost for studying in public universities is very low and of course it is very difficult to enter these public universities. Medical education in Sri Lanka lasts for 5 years. Students in these 5 years must pass the 4 main exams as follows:
o First exam: anatomy, biochemistry, physiology
o Second exam: microbiology, parasitology
o Third exam: pathology, community medicine, pharmacology, forensics
o Fourth and final exam: medicine, surgery, obstetrics, psychiatry
The student’s clinical education starts from the third year and continues until the end of the fifth year. Students must also be trained in hospitals and undergo internships.
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Medical education in Sri Lanka and medical universities
The table below we will mention some of the top medical universities for people who want to study medicine in Sri Lanka.
| The name of the university | Ranking in the world |
| University of Colombo | 2,008 |
| University of Peradeniya | 2,047 |
| University of Sri Jayewardenepura | 3,045 |
| South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine | 4,539 |
| Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka | 8,405 |
| Rajarata University of Sri Lanka | 6,137 |
| University of Kelaniya – Sri Lanka | 2,559 |
| University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka | 6,957 |
Medical education in Sri Lanka and the required documents for university admission
The documents that are required for university admission in universities of Sri Lanka are mentioned below. It should be noted that students must have all of the following requirements for admission, and various universities may require the student to present some additional documents for final admission.
- The original diploma and its translation along with transcripts and official translation which is sealed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Justice
- The original pre-university degree and its translation along with transcripts and official translation which is sealed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice
- IELTS language certificate with a minimum score of 6.5
- Passing the university entrance exam
- Completed admission form
- Motivation Letter
- Valid passport
Medical education in Sri Lanka and tuition fees
Medical education costs in Sri Lanka are very low. The annual tuition fee for medical education in Sri Lanka for international students is 100,000 Sri Lankan rupees per year, which is significantly cheap.
Medical education in Sri Lanka and other medical fields
Medical education in Sri Lanka is not limited to medicine and is also possible to study in in pharmacy, dentistry and nursing:
- Pharmacology
Studying in Pharmacy in Sri Lanka is offered in 2-year and 4-year courses. In 2-year courses, the student will get a diploma in pharmacy after graduation. The tuition fee for pharmacy courses in Sri Lanka is 37,500 Sri Lankan rupees. In 4-year courses, the student will get a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy.
- Dentistry
Studying in Dentistry, also known as dental medicine in Sri Lanka lasts for 4 years. In the first year, students take courses in human anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and dental anatomy in 2 semesters, and at the end of each semester, they must pass the comprehensive exams in order to enter the next semester. In the second year, courses such as microbiology, surgery, pharmacology, and… are taught, and from the third year, internships and clinical training in specialized clinics in the fields of restorative dentistry, prosthetic dentistry, oral surgery, periodontology, thermodontic and orthodontics will Start. Students can get their degree after the end of the fourth year if they pass the comprehensive exam which is called BDS.
- Nursing
For studying nursing, you must also take pre-medical courses and take the G.C.E exam. Nursing courses in Sri Lanka last for 2 years and the tuition fee is 39,000 rupees per semester and then the person will get a nursing diploma. Students who want to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing can participate in the courses that are offered for another 2 years.
Medical education in Sri Lanka and getting a visa
Individuals who are over the age of 16 and who intend to study medicine in Sri Lanka can apply for a Sri Lankan student visa once they have been admitted to a university or college which is approved by the Department of Immigration & Emigration in Sri Lanka. To do this, they must first arrange an appointment with the embassy of Sri Lanka and submit the following documents to the embassy. They must also have the costs/fees of the embassy with them. The documents that are required to get a Sri Lankan student visa are as follows:
- Admission letter from the university which is approved by the Immigration Office
- Completed visa application form
- The applicant’s original degree and its translation
- The applicant’s passport which is valid for at least 6 months
- Letter of financial ability from the bank
- Student insurance
Medical education in Sri Lanka and working after graduation
Medical students will not be allowed to extend their residence permits after completing their medical studies and graduation in Sri Lanka and will have to leave this country. Changing the type of visa in Sri Lanka is not allowed and in order to work in Sri Lanka you must get a work visa and you cannot convert a student visa into a work visa. Therefore, applicants who want to study medicine in Sri Lanka should keep it in mind that after completing their studies in this country not only they are not allowed to look for a job, but in order to get a work permit in other countries, they must equate their degree to the medical degree in countries and this is only a waste of time. If they would have studied medicine in developed countries such as Austria, they could work in the country after graduation, or if they have studied in the Czech Republic, which has the oldest and most prestigious medical university, they could get a valid medical degree.
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