Study In the Caribbean

Welcome To Study in the Caribbean! Everything Starts Here!!!

Study In The Caribbean - Affordable Caribbean Universities

Studying in the Caribbean islands, you might think you've arrived in paradise. The Caribbean archipelago - a collection of tropical islands spread across 2,000 miles of turquoise sea - is the playground for the Americas, offering rich biodiversity, lush green valleys and mountains, pristine beaches and tranquil waters. Established long before the automobile, Caribbean cities boast glorious architecture set against vibrant, small-scale communities just perfect for the cross-town stroll.

Fortunately, books, bachelor's degrees and business courses happily coexist alongside beaches, boats and bikinis. One reason is that most students who choose to enrol at university need not spend extra time learning a foreign language before initiating their studies. Populated for nearly 6,000 years, the Caribbean islands today are a mix of English, Spanish, French, and Dutch-speaking nations. Even so, each retains its own distinct heritage and Creole culture. There are more than six Creole languages, including Papiamento, Sranan and Patios.

Although each country asserts it own economic interests and sociocultural identity, the islands of the Caribbean have come together in support of superior higher education. The Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions (ACTI), for example, brings together more than 82 colleges and universities in a professional forum, acting as a catalyst for collaboration and co-operation in higher education.

Options in the Caribbean are similar to those in the US. Students choose either two-year community colleges (with an option to transfer to another institution for further study), technical schools offering associate degrees and vocational courses, or traditional four-year colleges and research-oriented universities awarding bachelor's degrees and postgraduate study. Postgraduate institutions offer both professional and research degrees. There are also a number of private medical schools in the region, providing the opportunity to qualify as an MD or pursue a related career in allied health.

Location and language are attractive reasons for choosing to study in the Caribbean, but the quality of education offered at island institutions is even more compelling. Browse through the site and see for yourself!

(Member states of the Caribbean are: Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago.)

Caribbean is one of the best places to study medicine. With so many medical schools listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED), the Caribbean has increasingly become the preferred destination for students seeking alternatives to their domestic medical schools. The official languages of a majority of the region's islands/countries are English, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Papiamento.

Aside from the tropical weather and sandy beaches, another commonality amongst medical schools located in the Caribbean is that most offer a curriculum based on that of U.S. medical schools with the goal of assisting students in passing the multiple components of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE), and similarly the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE), on their way to becoming successful physicians.

The main reason that most students want to go for a Caribbean medical school is because they are usually less expensive and less competitive as compared to many US and Canadian medical schools. Caribbean medical schools are also good because these schools offer training in US hospitals during the third and fourth years.

Advantages of Studying in the Caribbean

Less Tuition: Caribbean medical schools typically cost less than U.S. medical schools (both public and private). Some schools may approach the costs of U.S. medical schools but they are, overall, still less expensive.

Global Medical Training: In today’s global society, students who are able to have a global medical education have an advantage in residency applications and when they become physicians. Since Caribbean medical schools are affiliated with numerous teaching hospitals, it gives students the opportunity to participate in clinical rotations throughout the United States or Canada. Some schools even offer clinical rotations throughout the globe.
Clinical Rotation Opportunities: There are clinical rotation opportunities in the U.S and Canada. In many of the Caribbean schools, the first two years of basic science is done on their campuses overseas, while clinical rotations are done in U.S. hospitals. Though your home school is still overseas, you have the advantage of the same clinical exposure and opportunities as the hospitals' home medical students. Many past students cite this as an advantage in applying to United States and Canada residencies.
Reputation: In many countries such as the UK, US and Canada, the reputation of the medical school matters mostly for your own personal satisfaction because wherever you go, you will get an equivalent degree and an equivalent training.
Less Competitive: US and Canadian medical schools are too choosey because they can only take a small number of students, and don’t admit enough people to fill the demand for doctors in the US. So even if you didn’t have the top GPA of you class, or didn’t score high enough on the MCAT for Harvard, there’s still a good chance you could into a Caribbean medical school and fulfill your dream of becoming a doctor. It is also important for you to know that 25% of practicing US physicians are from international medical schools.
Supportive Environment: Medical school professors in the Caribbean want you to succeed, both for your well-being and for their school’s reputation.

Visa Information

Visa requirements vary from country to country in the Caribbean, thus it is crucial that you check the necessary details from the specific consultant/embassy. As a general rule however, student visas for the Caribbean must be renewed each year and the documents required include criminal record certificate, medical certificate, legible photocopy of your National Identity Document and acceptance certification of the University you will be attending.

There are many Regions in the Carribbean Islands to study, however, the following Visa Application Rules are applicable all Visas.
Your application form must be completed in full and signed, and must at least be accompanied by:

a recent passport photograph, in colour, that satisfies prevailing international standards on size and composition;
proof of reservation for the journey (return ticket);
proof of a hotel reservation, if you are staying in a hotel or apartment;
a valid travel document (e.g. passport) valid at least three months beyond the validity of the visa;
a copy of the travel document’s personal details page;
a guarantor’s declaration if your purpose of travel is a family visit or if you are travelling to the country concerned at the invitation of a resident, organisation or other body.
proof of sufficient means of support;
if you are not a national of the country in which you are resident, a copy of your valid residence permit;
valid health insurance or travel insurance (including medical coverage) providing cover of at least 15,000 US dollars.

There may be extra requirements depending on your purpose of travel. For more information, contact the Dutch embassy in your country of residence.

Processing times for a Caribbean visa

Visa applications are usually processed between one week to one month, but processing times can differ depending on the country, the purpose of travel or personal circumstances. It’s always advisable to apply for a visa well before your trip.