University of Rome Tor Vergata (Tiran)
This page explains the Medicine and Surgery Joint Degree program of the University of Rome Tor Vergata conducted in Tirana, Albania — officially named Sede di Tirana (in fase di accreditamento). This program is completely separate from the Medicine and Surgery program at Tor Vergata's Rome campus: different campus, different quota, different fee system, different ranking pool, and different visa regime.
This program is Tor Vergata's delocalized / joint degree structure in Tirana. The academic degree is linked to the Italian LM-41 framework; the reality of daily education and living, however, is in Tirana/Albania. The program is conducted as a joint degree (titolo congiunto) in partnership with the Catholic University "Our Lady of Good Counsel" (Unizkm), and the courses are entirely taught in English. This is not an ordinary private medical faculty in Albania; it is an official extension of the Italian state university system based on bilateral agreements — but the reality of physical education, clinical internships, and daily life is in Tirana, not Rome.
Useful Information
Program
Medicine and Surgery — Joint Degree (Tor Vergata / Unizkm)
Campus / Track
Sede di Tirana (in fase di accreditamento) · Catholic University "Our Lady of Good Counsel" (Unizkm), Tiran, Arnavutluk
Rome / Tirana Distinction
This page only covers the Tirana track. Tor Vergata's Rome-based Medicine and Surgery program is on a separate page; campus, quota, fees, and ranking data should not be mixed.
Language of instruction
English
Duration
6 years
Degree
LM-41 · Single-cycle Master's Degree (Joint Degree / titolo congiunto, Tor Vergata + Unizkm)
ECTS
360 CFU (78 CFU klinik/pratik faaliyetler dahil)
Entrance Exam
IMAT
The most recent data period
2025/2026
Total Quota
150 (2025/2026)
Non-EU joint pool residing in the EU + Italy
0 (2025/2026)
Non-EU quota residing outside Italy
150 (2025/2026)
Latest Non-EU cut-off in the site data
0 (2025/2026, position —)
Universitaly / IMAT
The national exam date is final; the IMAT registration window, Universitaly deadline, and Tirana track local dates should also be checked separately
IMAT Date
September 29, 2026 (MUR national exam schedule)
Non-EU Fixed Fee
€5,360 / year (Tirana English IMAT track fixed annual fee — Unizkm structure)
Tuition Fee System
Unizkm fixed annual fee system (independent from Tor Vergata Rome's flat tax / ISEE system)
Wage Calculation Method
The Rome flat tax (€1,000/€500) or the ISEE system does not apply to this track; the fee is subject to Unizkm's own fixed annual structure, and it is stated that no additional fee is charged for exams/re-exams.
Tuition Fee
Annual fixed fee: €5,360 (Unizkm official fee page)
English Certificate (Allegato 3)
The Allegato 3 document of the current cycle should be checked; B2 level is recommended as a preparatory measure, but as of the date this page was prepared, no definite mandatory certificate/level is claimed
Visa Context
Albania Type D (D/ST) long-term student visa/residence route — initial visa is NOT an Italian student visa
Scholarship Reality (DiSCo Lazio)
DiSCo Lazio should not be considered reliable for the basic budget in Tirana; basic rights such as accommodation and meals are practically unusable outside the Lazio region
Quota and Non-EU Cut-off Data
| Academic year | EU quota | EU cut-off | Non-EU quota | Non-EU cut-off | Ranking position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/2026 | — | — | 150 | 0 | — |
The EU and Non-EU quota/cut-off columns show the official ranking data published in the relevant years. Past cut-off values do not guarantee acceptance for future periods.
The Tirana track quota for 2025/2026 has been confirmed by directly examining the official document "Avviso Posti — Medicine and Surgery a.a. 2025-2026, Decreto n. 2795" (the same document as the Rome quota): under the heading "SEDE DI TIRANA (in fase di accreditamento)" it lists 0 EU/Italy-resident + 150 standard Non-EU (total 150). This is a completely separate, independent number from the Rome quota listed in the same document (60 EU/Italy-resident + 20 Non-EU).
This 150-person quota is only for the IMAT track conducted in English. Tor Vergata Tirana also has a completely separate 220-person quota for the program conducted in Italian, which operates with the Semestre Filtro (filter semester) mechanism. These two programs should not be confused: the 220-person Italian quota is outside the scope of this page and has no relation to IMAT.
By directly examining the official 2025/2026 "Graduatoria di merito candidati extra EU sede Tirana" document, the following data has been confirmed: the highest score is 63.8; 43rd place 43.6; 44th place 43.6; 45th place 43.5. A total of 141 candidates are listed in this first published list — fewer candidates compared to the 150-person quota. This is not presented as a definitive/final acceptance threshold; whether there are subsequent additional placement rounds or second calls cannot be confirmed from this document. Rome and Tirana rankings are separate; Rome cut-off values are not used for Tirana.
Important warning: In the 2025/2026 period, Tor Vergata was required to publish an official "Rettifica Graduatoria" (ranking correction) document (dated October 15, 2025). According to this document, 5 candidates who had selected Tirana as their first choice in Universitaly were mistakenly included in the Rome ranking pool due to a central system error and were later manually moved to the Tirana list. Therefore, when the preliminary ranking is published, candidates should carefully check that their Universitaly choices and the published ranking actually correspond to Sede di Tirana; in case of any suspicion of an error, they should immediately contact the Segreteria Studenti (Student Secretariat).
In the site's own cut-off table (imatCutoffs), there is currently no definite cut-off value recorded for Tor Vergata's Tirana Campus row; therefore, this page does not claim a precise numerical cut-off, it only presents the verified ranking data above as contextual information.
Program and training structure
The program is designed to match the curriculum of Tor Vergata in Rome exactly; thus, graduates automatically obtain recognition under the directives for the recognition of standard medical diplomas in Italy, Albania, and across the EU. The program is a six-year single-cycle Joint Degree in the Italian LM-41 class and comprises a total of 360 CFU/ECTS, of which 78 CFU are allocated to practical exercises and clinical internships.
All face-to-face courses, pre-clinical laboratory work, and the majority of clinical internships are conducted at the Unizkm campus in Tirana and within the affiliated Catholic Hospital "Our Lady of Good Counsel" (Rruga Dritan Hoxha, Tirana). To ensure pedagogical consistency, a large portion of the teaching staff consists of Italian academics and clinicians sent directly from Tor Vergata (Rome).
In later years, limited academic mobility to Tor Vergata Polyclinic (Rome) for certain specialized clinical rotations is theoretically possible; however, the core of the training is physically and administratively located in Tirana.
No official source regarding OFA (additional education obligation) or mandatory attendance rules could be found during this research process; therefore, no such obligation is claimed on this page.
Tuition Fee
The annual fee of €5,360 is the figure stated on Unizkm's official 'Cycle Degree Course in Medicine and Surgery in English' fee page and is completely independent of Tor Vergata's general international student flat tax in Rome (€1,000/€500).
The MUR/Minister announcement in January 2026 ("same taxes as Rome") applies only to the 220-person Italian Semester Filter cohort; this discount or ISEE-based calculation mechanism does not apply to the 150 Non-EU quotas of the English IMAT track. These two groups should not be confused.
Unizkm offers a special scholarship/discount ranging from 15% to 30% for the first year only to students who are citizens of Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina and have a high school GPA between 9.00-10.00; these discounts do not apply to Turkish candidates or the broader Extra-EU applicant pool.
Candidates should budget the annual €5,360 tuition fee unless explicitly confirmed otherwise and should not assume that it will be automatically covered by a DiSCo Lazio or any other Italian regional scholarship.
2025/2026
The annual tuition fee for the English IMAT track in Tirana is determined not by the flat tax applied by Tor Vergata in Rome (1,000 €/500 €) or the ISEE system, but by the fixed annual fee specified on Unizkm's own official fee page: €5,360 (annually). The full amount of this fee covers the rights to take exams throughout the academic year and, if necessary, retake them; it is stated that no additional exam fee is charged. The January 2026 announcement by the MUR (Italian Ministry of University and Research), which included the expression "same taxes as Rome" (stesse tasse di Roma), applies ONLY to the 220-person Italian-taught Semestre Filtro cohort; this announcement does not apply to the 150-person English IMAT track.
Scholarship and dormitory applications
DiSCo Lazio is the official regional institution that provides scholarships, dormitories, meals, and cash support under the Diritto allo Studio (right to education) for students physically studying in the Lazio region (including Tor Vergata's Rome campus).
However, Tirana track students physically reside in Albania; therefore, the basic physical infrastructure rights of DiSCo Lazio (dormitory places in Rome, subsidized cafeterias in the Lazio region) are practically unusable. DiSCo Lazio should not be considered a reliable source in the main budget planning for Tirana track students.
Students can theoretically try to apply only for the cash scholarship component (provided they meet the ISEE or ISEEUP requirements); however, the administrative and legal complexity of proving residence in Albania to an Italian regional institution makes this route uncertain and unreliable. Additionally, the tuition fee of €5,360 is determined by the Albanian partner institution (Unizkm), which falls outside the standard tuition fee exemption protocols of DiSCo Lazio.
The safest financial planning assumption for Turkish and other Extra-EU applicants is as follows: annual €5,360 tuition fee + living costs in Tirana + visa/residence/insurance/document expenses — it should be budgeted without relying on the Italian regional scholarship system (DiSCo Lazio).
Non-EU application roadmap
- 1
IMAT / Universitaly — national program access
Admission is entirely based on the national IMAT exam; there is no separate local entrance exam, interview, or portfolio assessment for the Tirana track. The 2026 IMAT national exam date is September 29, 2026, according to the MUR calendar. Non-EU candidates who require a visa must pre-enroll through Universitaly; the IMAT registration window, Universitaly deadline, and Tirana track ranking/enrollment dates should also be checked from the latest announcements.
- 2
Critical warning: The Tirana track must be explicitly selected in Universitaly
During the Universitaly application, after candidates select the University of Rome Tor Vergata, they must explicitly mark the Tirana track from the available options. In the event that the Rome campus is selected by mistake, the quota and ranking pools are completely separate; structurally, it is not possible to switch between the two tracks after the exam. In the 2025/2026 period, this type of system error actually occurred and required an official correction (rettifica) (see Quota/Cut-off section).
- 3
Reference calendar for the 2025/2026 period (historical example, not valid for 2026/2027)
In the completed 2025/2026 cycle, the IMAT exam was held on September 17, 2025, the ranking list was published, an official rettifica (correction) was made on October 15, 2025, and the deadline for registration/document submission was set as October 20, 2025. These dates are provided solely as historical references to show how the process worked; the same schedule should not be assumed for 2026/2027.
Diploma Compatibility and Required Documents
- Valid passport (valid for at least 6 months after arrival).
- Documents showing the completion of at least 12 years of formal education and a high school diploma. For candidates from an education system shorter than 12 years, evidence of having completed a foundation course that makes up for the deficiency or having passed first-year university exams in their own country may be required.
- There are two alternative ways for diploma equivalence: (1) ARDI Correspondence Certificate (freely downloadable from the ARDI database) or Declaration of Value (DoV) obtained from the consulate, together with CIMEA Statement of Verification or consular legalization/Hague Apostille; or (2) full CIMEA Comparability and Verification service for countries that are not parties to the Lisbon Convention (through the DiploMe platform, costing around €300 and may take up to 60 business days).
- Pre-enrollment through Universitaly for Non-EU candidates requiring a visa.
- Official Acceptance/Admission letter issued by the Catholic University 'Our Lady of Good Counsel' (Unizkm).
- For an Albanian visa: a valid passport, proof of financial means, and a recognized travel health insurance.
- For candidates applying from Turkey, the high school diploma must provide access to higher education in Turkey. Therefore, the YKS, diploma eligibility, DoV/CIMEA or ARDI-CIMEA documents, and consulate processes should be evaluated together.
Ranking and registration process
- 1
IMAT exam (2025/2026 reference period)September 17, 2025
The exam was administered in English on September 17, 2025, on the same national calendar as Rome. There is no separate local exam for the Tirana track; IMAT is the sole determinant.
- 2
Separate Tirana ranking list publicationEkim 2025
It has been directly verified by examining the official document "Graduatoria di merito candidati extra EU sede Tirana": 141 candidates were ranked, the highest score is 63.8, the scores of the 43rd, 44th, and 45th positions are 43.6/43.6/43.5 respectively, and the score of the lowest-ranked candidate (141st position) is 5.9. This is a list completely different from Rome's separate and independent ranking.
- 3
Rectification (sorting pool correction)15 Ekim 2025
Due to a central university system error, 5 candidates who had selected Tirana as their first choice were mistakenly included in the Rome ranking list; Tor Vergata manually moved these candidates to the Tirana list with an official correction document.
- 4
Deadline for submitting records/documents20 Ekim 2025
The deadline for the submission of records and documents specified in the official document is October 20, 2025 (reference period 2025/2026).
Important considerations
- This page is only for the Tirana track; Tor Vergata's Rome-based Medicine and Surgery program is handled on a completely separate page, with separate campus/quota/fee/ranking data.
- The 150-seat English IMAT quota should not be confused with Tor Vergata Tirana's 220-seat separate quota conducted in Italian and operating with the Semestre Filtro mechanism; these two programs are completely independent of each other.
- Tuition fee (€5,360/year) is independent of Tor Vergata's flat tax or ISEE system in Rome and is subject to Unizkm's own fee structure; the ministry statement in January 2026 about 'same taxes as Rome' applies only to the 220-person Italian-speaking cohort.
- The basic rights of DiSCo Lazio (housing, cafeteria) cannot be physically used in Tirana; financial planning should not be based on this scholarship.
- The visa process involves two separate bureaucracies: the Italian academic enrollment process (Universitaly/IMAT) and the Albanian immigration process (Type D visa + residence permit). Residence in Albania does not automatically grant the right to free movement in the Schengen area.
- It is critically important to select the Tirana track correctly in the Universitaly application; in the 2025/2026 period, a system-generated ranking pool confusion occurred and required an official correction.
- The 2026 IMAT national exam date is September 29, 2026. The full quota confirmation for 2026/2027, the IMAT registration window (August 26–September 9, 2026, 15:00 GMT+2), Universitaly/pre-enrollment windows, local dates for the Tirana track, and the updated Allegato 3 document will be updated separately when official announcements are published.
Assessment for Turkish students
Editorial evaluation
This page is for the Tirana track only. Tor Vergata also has a separate Rome-based Medicine and Surgery program; Turkish candidates should make sure to select the correct track (Tirana) during Universitaly and IMAT registration — the campuses, quotas, fees, and ranking structures of the two tracks do not overlap, and switching between them after the exam is not possible. For candidates who prefer to stay in Rome, Sapienza is a separate option.
The quota for Tirana for 2025/2026 has been officially confirmed as 0 EU/Italy-resident + 150 standard Non-EU (total 150) — this is a much larger pool compared to Rome's 20-person Non-EU quota. By directly examining the official ranking document, it has been confirmed that in the first published list for 2025/2026, 141 candidates were ranked (highest score 63.8, 45th ranked 43.5, and the lowest ranked candidate scored 5.9); however, this should not be interpreted as a definitive final admission threshold, and Rome's cut-off data should in no way be used for Tirana.
A critical warning regarding tuition fees: The annual fee for the Tirana English IMAT track is €5,360, and this is independent of Tor Vergata's flat tax (1,000 €/500 €) or ISEE system in Rome. The January 2026 announcement by MUR/Ministry declaring "the same taxes as in Rome" applies only to the 220-person Semestre Filtro cohort conducted in Italian; this discount does not apply to the 150 Non-EU quotas of the English IMAT track. Turkish candidates should plan their budget based on €5,360 per year.
The DiSCo Lazio scholarship should not be relied upon as a primary source of budget for students physically residing in Tirana; basic rights such as housing and dining hall cannot be practically used outside the Lazio region. Safe financial assumption: €5,360/year tuition + living expenses in Tirana + visa/residence/insurance/document costs.
The visa process is completely different from Rome: Turkish/Non-EU students who will physically attend training in Tirana should follow Albania's Type D (D/ST) long-term student visa/residence route instead of an Italian student visa. Residing in Albania does not automatically grant the right to free movement within the Schengen area; an Italian visa/residence permit may only become relevant in future years if there is an official clinical rotation mobility to Rome.
For candidates applying from Turkey, the high school diploma must provide access to higher education in Turkey. Therefore, the YKS, diploma eligibility, DoV/CIMEA or ARDI-CIMEA documents, and consulate processes should be evaluated together.
This page takes a cautious stance regarding the English certificate: Tor Vergata's Allegato 3 document (list of recognized language certificates) is updated each academic cycle and is the final authority. No specific mandatory certificate/level claim is made on this page for the current cycle; candidates are advised, as a precaution, to prepare an English certificate of at least B2 level and to closely follow Allegato 3 attached to the current Bando.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tor Vergata Tirana Medicine in English?
Yes. The Tirana track is conducted entirely in English as a Joint Degree between Tor Vergata and the Catholic University 'Our Lady of Good Counsel' (Unizkm). This is different from the Tor Vergata Tirana program, which is conducted in Italian and has a completely separate quota (220 people, Semestre Filtro mechanism).
Is this page for the Rome program or the Tirana program?
This page is only for the Tirana track. Tor Vergata's Rome-based Medicine and Surgery program has a separate page; the campuses, quotas, fees, and rankings of the two programs are completely independent of each other.
Is IMAT required for the Tirana track?
Yes. Admission is entirely based on the national IMAT exam; there is no separate local entrance exam, interview, or portfolio assessment for the Tirana track.
What is the quota for the Tirana track?
The official quota for 2025/2026 has been confirmed as 0 EU/Italy-resident + 150 standard Non-EU (total 150). This is only for the English IMAT track; it should not be confused with the separate 220-person quota conducted in Italian and operating with the Semestre Filtro mechanism.
Is the tuition fee for the Tirana track the same as in Rome?
No. The annual fee for the English IMAT track in Tirana is €5,360 and is stated on Unizkm's official fee page. This is completely independent of Tor Vergata Rome's flat tax (€1,000/€500) or the ISEE system. The ministry announcement in January 2026 about "the same taxes as Rome" only applies to the 220-person Italian Semester Filter cohort; it does not apply to the English IMAT track.
Does the DiSCo Lazio scholarship fully apply to students from Tirana?
No. The basic rights of DiSCo Lazio (accommodation, cafeteria) are for students physically located in the Lazio region. Students residing in Tirana cannot practically use these rights. Financial planning should not be based on this scholarship; the safest assumption is €5,360/year tuition fee + living costs in Tirana.
Do you need an Italian visa to study in Tirana?
No, the initial visa is not an Italian student visa. Non-EU students who will physically study in Tirana must follow Albania's Type D (D/ST) long-term student visa/residence route. An Italian visa/residence permit may only come into consideration in later years if an official clinical rotation mobility to Rome occurs. The procedural details in this section (application timing, document list) have not been fully verified with an official Albanian source and are marked as a risk subject to updates.
Does residing in Albania allow free movement in the Schengen area?
No. Albania is not part of the Schengen area. Students residing in Tirana are subject to Albania's travel rules and do not automatically gain the right to move freely within the Schengen area.
What is the cut-off score for the Tirana track?
In the cut-off table tracked by the site itself, there is currently no definite, verified final cut-off value recorded for this track. By directly examining the official 2025/2026 ranking document, it has been confirmed that 141 candidates were listed in the initially published list (highest score 63.8, 45th place 43.5); this is provided as contextual information, not as a definite final threshold. Rome's cut-off data should not be used for Tirana.
Is YKS relevant for Turkish students?
Yes. Italian law stipulates that a foreign high school diploma is considered valid in Italy only if it provides access to higher education in the country where it was issued. In the context of Turkey, this is related to the YKS; however, a specific score type or document format is not presented as a definite requirement on this page.
English certificate gerekiyor mu?
As of the date this page was prepared, it does not claim any definitive obligation. Tor Vergata publishes the document Allegato 3 - Elenco delle certificazioni linguistiche riconosciute separately for each academic cycle; this document is the final authority. Candidates are advised, as a precaution, to prepare at least a B2 level English certificate.
What happens if Rome is accidentally selected on Universitaly?
The quotas for Rome and Tirana and the ranking pools are completely separate from each other, and it is structurally impossible to switch between them after the exam. In the 2025/2026 period, a ranking pool confusion caused by the central system was actually experienced (5 candidates were mistakenly included in the Rome list) and was corrected with an official correction document. Candidates should carefully make their track selection in the Universitaly application and check their position when the preliminary ranking is published.
This guide is based on the official MUR/Tor Vergata quota and ranking documents for the University of Rome Tor Vergata's Tirana track. Quota and ranking data have been checked from the relevant official PDFs. According to the MUR calendar, the 2026 IMAT national exam date is September 29, 2026. Tuition fees and resources limitations in the Albanian visa procedure are also specified; the 2026/2027 quota, IMAT registration window (August 26–September 9, 2026, 15:00 GMT+2), Universitaly/pre-enrollment windows, Tirana local dates, and information should be updated when the current Allegato 3 document is published.
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