Study Medicine in Germany – No PASS for French Students
No Place After PASS or L.AS? French students can study medicine in English in Hamburg
A direct route into a six-year, English-taught medical degree: admission by application, test and interview.
The international medical campus UMFST-UMCH now invites French applicants to start a six-year medical degree taught in English, with no PASS, no L.AS and no waiting year. Admission is by application, test and interview. The programme starts every year at the end of September.
Why many French students look for alternatives to PASS and L.AS
Since 2020, access to medical studies in France runs through PASS (Parcours Accès Spécifique Santé) or L.AS (Licence avec Accès Santé), which replaced the former PACES year. Places in the second year are limited by each university's capacity, so many capable students do not progress. [VERIFY: current pass rates and source before publishing any figure]
Many families therefore ask what comes next, or look at medical degrees abroad from the start. [VERIFY: source for this trend]
What changed after PACES
The 2020 reform ended the fixed national numerus clausus and gave universities more responsibility for the number of places. Selection remains competitive.
The French system trains doctors in French for a strong national system. Students who want an international, English-language route look elsewhere.
Study medicine abroad: what French families compare
Families compare options in several European countries. Teaching language, cost, admission and recognition differ, so compare carefully.
A direct route: study medicine in Germany in English
UMFST-UMCH offers a six-year medical degree (12 semesters, 360 ECTS) on a private international campus in Hamburg. Teaching is in English, and students learn German alongside their studies, which supports training in German teaching hospitals.
What sets the route apart for French applicants:
- No PASS, no L.AS, no waiting year. Students apply directly. Admission rests on the application, an admission test and an interview.
- Medicine in English. Students build a multilingual medical profile for Germany, France and beyond.
- Small-group teaching and personal support.
- A European setting. As EU citizens, French students need no student visa and register their address in Germany after arrival.
The programme is accredited and certified by ARACIS, IAAR, WFME, ISO 9001 and WDOMS.
Is the degree recognised in France?
EU Directive 2005/36/EC provides for the automatic recognition of certain medical qualifications between EU member states. For graduates, this means a career is not tied to one country. Registration with French authorities and access to specialty training in France have their own requirements, which UMCH advisors explain in personal consultations.
