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Applying to Maltese Universities: Routes After School and After a Degree, Documents, English and Deadlines

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StudyU editorial team

The University of Malta (UM) does not admit holders of an 11-year school certificate from Russia, Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan straight into the first year of a bachelor's degree. They start with a one-year Foundation programme and use its certificate to apply for the degree. Graduates can apply directly for a master's, and each application is assessed individually. Everyone educated outside Malta needs a recognised English test: IELTS Academic 5.5 for Foundation, 6.0 for a bachelor's and 6.5 for postgraduate study. The date that matters most if you need a visa: for the October 2026 intake, UM accepted those applications only until 1 July 2026.

Below is a step-by-step walkthrough of applying to UM: which documents to upload, how the October and February deadlines work, what is checked after you are admitted and where applicants most often lose a year. For a comparison of Maltese institutions, see our guide to universities in Malta; for the country overview, see studying in Malta.

Rectangular building with a mesh façade and an empty paved plaza with a picnic table
The University of Malta's main library on the Msida campus. Photo: DannyRogers800 / source, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Which route fits you

UM sorts applicants by the type of qualification, not by nationality. "Local" qualifications include the Maltese Matriculation Certificate, UM, MCAST and ITS awards, the International Baccalaureate and the European Baccalaureate. Anything else, including a Russian attestat or British A-levels, is an overseas qualification and you apply as an overseas applicant.

Your qualification Where you can apply What to keep in mind
11-year school certificate (Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus) Foundation at the International School for Foundation Studies the school decides on admission; the programme lasts one year
School certificate plus UM Certificate in Foundation Studies UM bachelor's degrees the certificate lets you apply to degrees at UM and elsewhere; programme-specific requirements still apply
IB Diploma or European Baccalaureate UM bachelor's directly treated as local qualifications and compared through UM's own tables
A-levels UM bachelor's directly UM compares grades with Maltese Advanced Matriculation
Bachelor's degree UM master's a set classification or grade average in a relevant field; each application is assessed individually
Age 23 or over without a suitable school qualification bachelor's under the maturity clause usually an interview or test; English still has to be proven by a test

UM's general entry requirement for a bachelor's is the Matriculation Certificate: six subjects, two at Advanced and three at Intermediate level, plus Systems of Knowledge, and SEC passes in English, Maltese and mathematics. An applicant educated entirely abroad may be allowed another language instead of Maltese. A Russian-style certificate does not match this subject mix or length of schooling, which is why UM sends its holders to Foundation.

A statement from MQRIC, Malta's qualifications recognition centre, is taken into account, but UM makes its own assessment of whether your qualification meets the entry requirements.

Foundation: the bridging year

The International School for Foundation Studies is part of UM. Teaching takes place on the main Msida campus in small groups, and Foundation students use the same library, laboratories and support services as degree students. In 2026/27 the programme carries 62 ECTS at MQF level 4.

Streams and subjects. English runs through every stream; the rest depends on your track:

Stream Core subjects Leads to
Humanities history, psychology, French, philosophy, social sciences, communications arts, social sciences, international relations, media
Business Studies and Business Studies (Tourism) accounting, economics, psychology, communications, mathematics; tourism adds heritage and tourism statistics economics, management, finance, tourism
Science (Physics) and Science (Chemistry) mathematics and physics, or organic and inorganic chemistry with mathematics sciences
Engineering and ICT mathematics, physics, programming engineering, ICT
Medical and Dental Sciences human biology, biochemistry, anatomy including cell biology and genetics medicine, dentistry
Health Sciences the same biomedical core with a focus on occupational therapy, nursing, podiatry or nutrition health-science degrees

Entry requirements. Applicants must have finished school abroad in a system not comparable to Malta's and hold a certificate that gives access to university at home. English must be shown by IELTS Academic 5.5 with at least 5.0 in reading and writing, TOEFL iBT 61 with 17 in writing, or Cambridge First at grade C or better. The medical and dental stream may add an interview or written test and has a capped number of places. Applicants who do not qualify may be offered the Foundation Commencement Programme instead.

Fee. For non-EU students in 2026/27 the whole year costs $7,490 (€6,600) on every stream except Medical and Dental Sciences, which costs $18,170 (€16,000). A full budget including living costs is in our cost of studying in Malta guide.

English requirements by level

Test results must be no older than two years at the start of your course.

Test Foundation Bachelor's Master's and doctorate
IELTS Academic (IELTS UKVI and One Skill Retake also considered) 5.5; reading and writing 5.0 6.0; writing 6.0, other parts 5.5 6.5; every part 6.0
TOEFL iBT, scale before January 2026 61; writing 17 80; writing 20 95; writing 24
TOEFL iBT, scale from January 2026 3.5; writing 4 4; writing 4.5 5; writing 5
Cambridge First, grade C or above Advanced, grade C or above Advanced, grade C or above
Pearson PTE Academic 59, each part 53 65, each part 59 71, each part 65
ISET (UM's on-campus test) band 4 band 5 band 6

The submission deadlines are strict. For October entry, applicants needing a visa must send the result by 1 July and others by 30 September; for February entry the dates are 10 November and 31 January. Without a result by then, UM will not admit you even if every other requirement is met. Research master's and PhD applicants need the result before their studies begin.

UM exempts nationals of listed English-speaking countries (the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia and 13 others) who finished secondary school in that country, and graduates of recognised universities in those countries. A Russian, Kazakh or Uzbek certificate or degree does not qualify, even if some subjects were taught in English.

Deadlines: the October and February intakes

UM's academic year starts in October, and applications open the previous November. A smaller intake starts in February. Here is how the October 2026 cycle looked:

Milestone Date for October 2026 entry
Applications open November 2025
MD with overseas qualifications, including UK boards 30 January 2026, 14:00
Non-EU applicants who need a visa 1 July 2026, 14:00
Main deadline for everyone else 22 July 2026, 14:00
Late applications (not for MD or capped courses) 15 September 2026, 14:00

UM publishes the next cycle on its Dates and deadlines page and in the official course list. Expect the same logic: the visa deadline falls about three weeks before the main one, and anything arriving after it is deferred to the next intake.

MCAST runs its own calendar: international applicants for October 2026 full-time study had to apply by 30 June 2026.

How to apply to UM, step by step

  1. Pick a course and read its requirements. Each course page has an international applicants tab with general and special requirements, the fee and the duration.
  2. Complete the online form. It takes about ten minutes and can be saved and resumed. You may choose two courses in order of preference; a third is allowed in the comments only if both first choices have capped places.
  3. Upload your documents. You need certified copies of your certificates and transcripts in the original language with certified English translations, an English test result or a test-centre confirmation of your test date, a detailed CV and anything your course requires. Upload each file separately as jpeg, gif or pdf. If uploading fails, you have ten days to email the scans or the application is treated as withdrawn.
  4. Pay the fee. An application only counts as submitted once paid: $110 (€100) for overseas qualifications, or $230 (€200) after the first deadline. The fee is non-refundable unless the course does not run.
  5. Wait for the decision. The Office of the Registrar sends a decision letter to every applicant. Results that arrive later, such as a final grade, go to the Admissions and Records Office.
  6. Accept and pay the first instalment. The amount and due date appear in your acceptance letter. For the visa you will need the unconditional acceptance letter, proof that the Course Assurance fee was paid and a visa support letter from the International Office.
  7. Get your visa and travel. The procedure and documents are explained in our Malta student visa guide.
  8. Present your originals. On arrival, overseas applicants show their passport, school or degree certificates and transcripts, and English test certificate at the Help Hub. In 2026 verification ran from 14 September to 9 October; later arrivals go to the administration building.

UM's general document list has no motivation letter, but individual faculties may ask for a portfolio, an interview or an essay.

Special cases: medicine and master's degrees

Medicine. The Doctor of Medicine and Surgery lasts five years and costs $29,520 (€26,000) a year. Under the local scheme it requires Advanced-level biology and chemistry at grade B or better taken in one sitting. Attestat holders are offered the medical and dental Foundation stream. Because clinical training takes place in Malta's public hospitals, non-Maltese applicants without a Maltese SEC pass must, before the course starts, hold the Medical Maltese Proficiency Certificate or pass the Medical Maltese unit that forms part of the medical Foundation programme; otherwise they are not admitted. MD applicants must also submit a Police Certificate of Conduct, and late MD applications are not accepted. Dental surgery (Master of Dental Surgery) had at most 12 places in the 2026 intake, two of them for non-EU/EEA nationals.

Master's degrees. Each programme's regulations set the entry conditions. The usual baseline is a bachelor's degree at MQF level 6 with at least Second Class Honours or Category II in a relevant area; research programmes also require a research proposal. Formats, fees and selection are covered in our guide to a master's in Malta.

A 12- to 15-month working plan

When What to do
15–12 months before choose a Foundation stream or programme, check requirements, start preparing for IELTS or TOEFL
12–9 months before (from November) sit the test, translate and certify documents, apply when the intake opens
9–6 months before receive the decision, accept, pay the first tuition instalment (the Course Assurance fee), book housing
6–3 months before apply for the D visa: UM lets you apply no earlier than six months ahead and recommends booking the visa centre by 31 July
September–October arrive, verify originals, enrol and apply for the residence permit within 90 days

On the Foundation route you go through the same cycle a second time to apply for the degree itself.

Common mistakes

  1. Applying in July when you need a visa. The visa deadline was 1 July; anything later is deferred.
  2. Leaving the English test until later. Without a result by the deadline, UM will not admit you.
  3. Counting on direct entry with an attestat. UM's pages for Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan offer Foundation.
  4. Forgetting about Medical Maltese. The certificate, or a pass in the Foundation unit, is a condition of MD admission for international applicants.
  5. Uploading uncertified translations. UM asks for certified copies and certified translations and checks originals in person.

FAQ

There is no general entrance exam for international applicants; UM assesses your qualification and English test result. Some programmes add an interview or written test, for example the medical and dental Foundation stream.

With overseas qualifications the fee is $110 (€100), rising to $230 (€200) after the first deadline. It is refunded only if the course does not start.

Yes, there is a February intake, though fewer courses run then. Visa applicants must submit their English result by 10 November.

At application stage UM asks for certified copies and certified English translations and checks the originals after arrival. Identità expects foreign public documents submitted to it to be apostilled or legalised, so check each document separately.

You can list two courses in order of preference. A third may be added only if both of the first two have a capped number of places.

One Foundation year followed by a three- or four-year bachelor's degree, depending on the programme. You apply twice: first for Foundation, then for the degree.

Sources

Choosing a Foundation stream or programme, checking requirements, preparing and translating documents, submitting applications and visa support are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Admission decisions are made by the University of Malta or the institution you apply to; visa decisions are made by Identità's Central Visa Unit.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

Next steps

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