The cost of tuition is one of the biggest factors when deciding where to go to college, and for good reason. If you can’t afford it, you shouldn’t have to pay more than you can afford. Because of this, we’ve compiled a list of universities with low tuition rates in Barbados.

Many students are surprised by how affordable higher education can be in Barbados, especially considering that the country has one of the highest literacy rates in the world (98%). In addition to being affordable, there are also several options for financial aid available to students who need it.

Whether you’re looking for an English-speaking school or would prefer one that offers classes in your native language, these universities have what you need at a price that works with your budget.

Study in Barbados and Requirements

Application Process, College, Courses and Universities

Barbados is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles, in the Caribbean region of North America. Education on this island is based on British norms. The government spends 6.7% of its GDP on education. As Barbados is located between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, it has an economic and social structure that helps fulfill its development. It has good social stability and a growing economy. Its excellent environment with powdery sand, exotic wildlife, pleasing environment, high living style, globally recognized degree and beautiful landscape make it a perfect destination for education. Barbados has a 100% literacy rate also holding a huge collection of scholars, sportspeople, musicians etc. The country also offers the experience of rich culture and a friendly environment.

Why Study in Barbados

Reasons to Join Institutes of Barbados

After getting independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, very few changes were made in its Education System. Therefore the model of the Barbadian Education System is very close to the British System. There are many institutes in this country which are hundred years old to the days of British time. Higher Education institutes of Barbados provide top-quality education. 250 American University students choose to study in Barbados every year. It also maintains strong partnerships with Universities like Oxford, John Hopkins and McGill in various countries like the U.K, U.S.A and Canada. There are many reasons to study in Barbados, which are as follow:

• In Barbados, teachers move according to the learning power of the students.
• The Ministry of Education provides lesson plans to the instructors to develop classroom techniques.
• Gender equality prevails in the Education system.
• The government aids disabled students. There are two public schools for learners with disabilities.
• The involvement of parents exists in the academic progress of the learners.
• The Ministry of Education works closely with the Educational Institutes to assure fair and complete testing in Institutions.

Requirements to Study in Barbados

Eligibility Criteria

There is a huge range of courses that are offered at graduate and undergraduate levels. There are three levels of gaining knowledge such as primary education, secondary education and higher education. The courses like Business, Management and Design are well known in Barbados. The government of Barbados also offers several scholarship opportunities to International Students. To apply for a student visa in Barbados, students must have the following documents-

• Two application forms are required: – H-1 and H-2 and application fee. Complete the appropriate application form.
• Photocopy of a valid passport.
• Four passport-size photographs.
• Photocopy of birth certificate.
• Academic credentials.
• Letter of acceptance from the Institution.
• Proof of accommodation.
• Evidence of financial resources.
• A police certificate of character (PCC).
• Parent’s consent proof (if required).

How to Apply for Study Visa for Barbados

Barbados Study Visa Process

If international students want to study in Barbados, then they must apply for a Student Visa. The Barbados Immigration Department only issues Barbados Study Visa. The first step is to fill the Application Form at least three months before the course start date to avoid any delay or last-minute rush and then submit it to the Immigration Department. There are two types of application forms, i.e., H1 and H2, which students need to fill and submit to the Barbados Immigration Department. The Application process takes approx. 4-6 weeks. Follow these simple steps to apply for a study visa in Barbados-

• Fill out the application forms.
• After completing the forms, directly submit them to the Immigration Department at least three months before the course starts.
• The Ministry of Education must test all the forms, and the concerned College or University must sign them.

Work while Study in Barbados

Earn while Studying

Part-time work is helpful to earn enough to cut daily expenses, but the Barbados government never compromises with the study of students, so Students do not have permission to work on study visas. After the study, students can work on a work permit, but during the study, students have to concentrate on their studies without worrying about earning or job.

Cheap Caribbean Medical Schools

1. Georgetown American University

• Tuition fees: From $11,000
• Link to the university website

We start our list of affordable Caribbean medical schools with Georgetown American University, a private institute of higher education that is located in the capital of Guyana, Georgetown.

It was established in 2013 as part of the Caribbean initiative to increase the number of foreign students coming into pursue medical studies. Currently, the university provides degrees in Premedical science and medicine. The medical program is awarded under the MD classification and comprises of a 4 year intensive training academic process.

However, the university’s premedical science program is more focused as a diploma but still provides the prerequisites essential for students who wish to continue onto medicine. The university is further affiliated to hospitals in Guyana as well as in the USA (Wyckoff Hospital) and in Canada (Royal Queens College).

2. International American Medical University (The Cheapest Caribbean Medical School in Our List)

• Tuition fees: From $6000
• Link to the university website

Located in the island country of St. Lucia, the American International Medical University (or the AIMU) is a recently established offshore medical college that was founded in 2007.

This cheap Caribbean medical school runs in collaboration with numerous other schools of medicine in the US and in Canada, including institutions such as the Washington Adventist University (WAU). These collaborations and partnerships enable the university to provide numerous support programs and accredited courses.

The academic profile of the university consists of a School of Nursing and a School of Medicine. The university further has a high student: staff ratio and prides on providing individual attention so students make the most of their academic experience.

Offshore medical schools like these usually involve providing high standards of academic teaching to foreign students who are particularly looking for opportunities to further their careers in the US or Canada.

3. All Saints University School of Medicine, Dominica

• Tuition fees: From $4000 per semester
• Link to the university website

All Saints University, one of the cheapest medical schools in the Caribbean, is a private school of medicine located in the capital city of Roseau in Dominica. It is one of the few schools of medicine in the Caribbean that are administered by an international university based in Toronto in Canada. The university also has an international office in Chicago, Illinois.

Founded in 2006, the All Saints University has expanded into an international recognised institution of higher education that provides studies for hundreds of students. Courses are offered for both local and foreign students.

Programs that are provided include the 5 year MD program for recent school leavers who wish to gain direct admission into this affordable medical school in the Caribbean.

A 4 year program is also offered for graduates of university, usually with a Bachelor’s of Science degree. Additionally, students have the advantage of pursuing clinical fellowships and rotations with affiliated hospitals and medical centers in the United States.

4. All American Institute of Medical Sciences

• Tuition fees: From $4000 per semester
• Link to the university website

Based in the southwestern city of Black River in St. Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica, the All American Institute of Medical Sciences is an offshore school of medicine that was established in 2009. It officially began inducting students in 2011.

The institution is known for its picturesque, 5 acre campus that overlooks the Caribbean ocean. It provides several facilities including on campus accommodation and ideal academic buildings for the students. The main educational program offered by the university is the four year MD program.

The unique feature of this program is the fact that the first 2 years of the program consists of the pre-clinical studies in Jamaica while the final clinical years take place in the United States/Canada/UK or affiliated hospitals in other countries.

Admission does not usually require the MCAT examination for entry as well. Additionally, its low tuition costs and low cost of living in the area makes it a very good option for prospective medical students.

5. Windsor University School of Medicine

• Tuition fees: From $5000 per semester
• Link to the university website

The Windsor University School of Medicine is a private college of medicine that is located in the town of Cayon in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The university was founded in 2000 and is among the oldest of the new medical schools that were created in the Caribbean.

It has since expanded into one of the most prestigious institutions in the Caribbean region with a student population exceeding 1500. It operates through an administration office in Monee, Illinois as well as additional campuses in Carbondale, Illinois and Houghton Lake, Michigan.

It provides a 4 year MD program comprising of 10 semesters (with 3 semesters each year). Clinical training and clerkships include the bulk of the program as well. The largest proportion of students come from foreign countries and have access to multiple student organisations and societies.

Additionally, the program is based on the curriculum of the British and American medical school systems. As with the majority of medical schools in the Caribbean, clerkships are completed either in national hospitals or in hospitals in the United States.

In addition to the MD graduate program, the university also provides a pre-medical program for high school leavers who do not have the necessary requirements for entry into the MD program.

6. American University of St. Vincent

• Tuition fees: From $10,000
• Link to the university website

The American University of St. Vincent is a medical institution that was is one of the most recent establishments to the medical schools of the Caribbean.

Despite its inception, the university has been highly promoted by both academics and physicians due to its increasing standards of education. The AUS campus is located in the heart of the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Based in the city of Kingstown, the campus is secure yet serene and beautiful which is a high advantage for its students. The academic environment at this cheap medical school in the Caribbean is built up in such a way that students get one-to-one attention with the small class size and the relatively small student: staff ratio.

Students further gain clinical exposure from the onset of their course, introducing them to significantly higher skills as opposed to other courses in university. Its course content is further heavily integrated with an emphasis from medical courses in the United States, Canada and the UK.

In terms of international student requirements, the university accepts applications from prospective medics who have undergraduate degrees from any university other than those in the United States.

7. Caribbean Medical University

• Tuition fees: From $14,700
• Link to the university website

The Caribbean Medical University is an independent medical school located in the Caribbean island of Curaçao (part of the Antilles in the southern Caribbean ocean). Founded in 2007, this affordable Caribbean medical school confers the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree after an intensive four year training course.

Similar to most medical programs, the course academically consists of around 10 semesters (with 1 year having 3 semesters). The first 4 semesters provide the basic pre-clinical studies (and necessary clinical exposure), while the remaining 5 semesters consist of clinical clerkships in affiliated institutions in the United States.It is also recognised as a designated educational institution of medicine by the Canadian government. As such, the university provides excellent affiliations with prestigious medical institutions both in the United States and in Canada.

Furthermore, for prospective medics, in addition to the relatively cheap tuition fees, the university also offers payment plans as well as student loans to ease finances.

8. Saint James School of Medicine (Cheap Caribbean Medical School with the Most Value)

• Tuition fees: From $8500 per semester
• Link to the university website

Next in our list of cheapest medical schools in the Caribbean The Saint James School of Medicine is a private school of medicine that is academically comprised of 2 basic science campuses that are located in Anguilla (the British Overseas Territory) and in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.Originally founded in 2000, the university underwent several mergers before establishing its two campuses. As is the case with other universities in the Caribbean, the medical course comprises of 10 academic semesters. The first half of the course consists of the pre-clinical studies in the home campuses while the remaining half consists of clinical courses in the United States .

9. St. George’s University School of Medicine

• Tuition fees: From US 25,000
• Link to the university website

Founded in 1976 and known for being one of the oldest schools of medicine in the Caribbean, St. George’s University School of Medicine is an elite international university and school of medicine based in the capital city of St. George’s in Grenada.

It has grown into a world class institution that provides academic courses in a range of fields including medicine, public health, veterinary medicine, health sciences, nursing as well as arts and business studies.

It has a student enrolment of over 6300, of which the vast majority comprises of international students who come from over 140 different countries, as well as a staff of over 2000.

The campus exists on 42 acres of expansive grounds located in a picturesque location in the peninsula of southwestern Grenada. Buildings in the campus have an iconic Georgian architectural style as well.

The academic organisation mainly consists of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program that is usually around 4 years. It is also one of the only universities in the region that offers the MD program in joint partnership with other degrees such as the Master of Public Health, the Master of Science or the Master of Business Administration.

This affordable medical school in the Caribbean is affiliated with international institutions in the United States, the UK, Canada, Australia as well as in Ireland.

10. Ross University School of Medicine (The Most Reputable Among the Affordable Medical Schools in the Caribbean)

• Tuition fees: From $20,000
• Link to the university website

Located in the sunny island of Barbados, the Ross University School of Medicine is an offshore private medical college that was founded in 1978.

While the main campus of the university is based in the capital of Bridgetown, the university has its administrative offices located in Iselin, New Jersey and Miramar, Florida.

From the inaugurating class of 11 students, it has now expanded into a global institution of over 2000 students. The international student population primarily consists of students who are interested in pursuing a cheaper clinical education with access to medical clerkship opportunities in the United States and other foreign countries.

We rank Ross Medical School to be most reputable among this list of cheap medical schools in the Caribbean because of international collaborations include the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science as well as the Dillard University.

11. New York Medical University

• Tuition fees: From $4000
• Link to the university website

Based in the Caribbean island of Curacao, the New York Medical University is an internationally recognised and foreign-oriented offshore school of medicine.

The university is comprised of a strong and vibrant international student community as well as academic staff who come from across the world. Curacao has a unique location based just north of the South American continent.

It prides itself on the diversity of culture and the population is oriented towards four languages: Dutch, English, Spanish and a local language known as Papiamento. This affordable medical school in the Caribbean provides two programs of medicine: an MD program of 4 years and a 5.5 year program.

The latter program is aimed for students who enter the university with no Bachelors or undergraduate degree. On the other hand, students with a Bachelors’ degree, preferably in the field of Science, can enter the 4 year program.

12. St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine

• Tuition fees: From $14,000
• Link to the university website

We end our list of afforadble medical schools in the Caribbean with St. Matthew’s University, a private institute and school of medicine that was founded in 1997. It is located in the Grand Cayman of the iconic Cayman Islands.

The university’s internationally recognised MD program comprises of a 10-semester long course with the first half being the basic pre-medical sciences and the remaining half focusing on clinical training.

The university runs collaborations with the New York as well as the Florida State Education Department which enables its medical students to pursue 12 week long intensive clinical clerkships in New York and the state of Florida in the United States.

I hope that this article on cheap medical schools in the Caribbean was helpful! If you are interested, I suggest going to Medical Schools Category!