Oldest & Most Established Medical Universities Abroad 2026

Universities ranked by year of establishment — older universities often have stronger reputations, better infrastructure, and proven track records.

Universities

1595

Oldest Founded

100+ Years Old

216 yrs

Average Age

#	University	City	Country	Established	Age
1	Colegio de San Juan de Letran	Manila	Philippines	1595	431 yrsCentury
2	University of San Carlos	Cebu	Philippines	1595	431 yrsCentury
3	University of Santo Tomas	Manila	Philippines	1611	415 yrsCentury
4	Saint Petersburg Family Medicine College	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1724	302 yrsCentury
5	Saint Petersburg Psychiatry Institute	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1724	302 yrsCentury
6	St. Petersburg State Medical University	St	Russia	1724	302 yrsCentury
7	Saint Petersburg Surgery Institute	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1724	302 yrsCentury
8	Moscow Infectious Disease Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
9	Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
10	First Moscow State Medical University	—	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
11	Moscow Neurology Medical College	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
12	Moscow Health Administration Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
13	Moscow Dentistry Medical Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
14	Moscow Community Health Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
15	Moscow Teaching Hospital Faculty Of Medicine	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
16	Institute Of Oncology Moscow	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
17	Moscow Family Medicine Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
18	Moscow Nursing College #2	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
19	Moscow Cardiology Medical Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
20	Lomonosov Moscow State University	—	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
21	Moscow Geriatrics Medical College	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
22	Sechenov Moscow Medical Institute Campus	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
23	Moscow Nursing College #1	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
24	Moscow Surgery Medical Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
25	Moscow Regional Medical Academy	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
26	Pirogov Medical Academy Moscow	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
27	Moscow Rehabilitation Medical Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
28	Moscow Psychiatry Medical College	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
29	Moscow Pediatric Medical College	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
30	Moscow Emergency Medicine Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
31	Moscow Institute Of Medical Education	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
32	Moscow Clinical Hospital Medical Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
33	Moscow Nursing Institute	Moscow	Russia	1755	271 yrsCentury
34	Moscow State Medical University	Moscow	Russia	1758	268 yrsCentury
35	North Ossetian Medical Academy	Vladikavkaz	Russia	1758	268 yrsCentury
36	Moscow Medical College 1	Moscow	Russia	1758	268 yrsCentury
37	North Caucasian State Medical Academy	—	Russia	1758	268 yrsCentury
38	Moscow Medical College 2	Moscow	Russia	1758	268 yrsCentury
39	Kemerovo Medical Academy	Kemerovo	Russia	1758	268 yrsCentury
40	Lviv National Medical University	Lviv	Ukraine	1784	242 yrsCentury
41	University of Georgia	Athens	Georgia	1785	241 yrsCentury
42	Crimea Federal University	—	Russia	1804	222 yrsCentury
43	Far Eastern Federal University	—	Russia	1804	222 yrsCentury
44	Kazan Medical College	Kazan	Russia	1804	222 yrsCentury
45	Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University	—	Russia	1804	222 yrsCentury
46	Kazan Federal University	Kazan	Russia	1804	222 yrsCentury
47	Kazan State Medical University	Kazan	Russia	1804	222 yrsCentury
48	Kazan Federal University Medical School	Kazan	Russia	1804	222 yrsCentury
49	Far Eastern Federal University Medical School	Vladivostok	Russia	1804	222 yrsCentury
50	Kharkiv National Medical University	Kharkiv	Ukraine	1805	221 yrsCentury
51	V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University	Kharkiv	Ukraine	1805	221 yrsCentury
52	Chernivtsi National Medical University	Chernivtsi	Ukraine	1805	221 yrsCentury
53	Medical University of Warsaw	Warsaw	Poland	1809	217 yrsCentury
54	Warsaw Medical University	capital city of Poland	Poland	1809	217 yrsCentury
55	Kazan Pediatric Medical College	Kazan	Russia	1814	212 yrsCentury
56	Kazan Nursing Institute	Kazan	Russia	1814	212 yrsCentury
57	Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv	Kyiv	Ukraine	1834	192 yrsCentury
58	Kyiv Medical University	capital city of Ukraine	Ukraine	1834	192 yrsCentury
59	Bogomolets National Medical University	Kyiv	Ukraine	1841	185 yrsCentury
60	Carol Davila University Of Medicine	Bucharest	Romania	1857	169 yrsCentury
61	Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy	Bucharest	Romania	1857	169 yrsCentury
62	Ateneo de Manila University	Quezon City	Philippines	1859	167 yrsCentury
63	Ateneo de Iloilo University	Iloilo City	Philippines	1859	167 yrsCentury
64	Sir Salimullah Medical College	Dhaka	Bangladesh	1875	151 yrsCentury
65	Belgorod State University	—	Russia	1876	150 yrsCentury
66	Belgorod Medical College	Belgorod	Russia	1876	150 yrsCentury
67	Tomsk Medical Institute	Tomsk	Russia	1878	148 yrsCentury
68	Tomsk Nursing Institute	Tomsk	Russia	1878	148 yrsCentury
69	Siberian State Medical University	Tomsk	Russia	1878	148 yrsCentury
70	Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine	Iasi		1879	147 yrsCentury
71	Grigore T Popa University	Iasi	Romania	1879	147 yrsCentury
72	Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy	—	Romania	1879	147 yrsCentury
73	Sibirskaya Medical Institute	Novosibirsk	Russia	1888	138 yrsCentury
74	Tomsk Medical College	Tomsk	Russia	1888	138 yrsCentury
75	Wuhan University School of Medicine	Wuhan	China	1893	133 yrsCentury
76	Xi'An Jiaotong University Health Science Center	—	China	1896	130 yrsCentury
77	Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine	Shanghai	China	1896	130 yrsCentury
78	Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center	—	China	1896	130 yrsCentury
79	Sichuan University School of Medicine	Chengdu	China	1896	130 yrsCentury
80	Sichuan University West China Medical Center	Chengdu	China	1896	130 yrsCentury
81	Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine	Xi'an	China	1896	130 yrsCentury
82	Saint Petersburg Pavlov Medical University	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
83	Zhejiang University School of Medicine	Hangzhou	China	1897	129 yrsCentury
84	Saint Petersburg Rehabilitation Institute	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
85	Saint Petersburg Emergency Medicine Institute	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
86	Saint Petersburg Nursing College #2	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
87	Saint Petersburg Dentistry Medical Institute	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
88	Saint Petersburg Geriatrics Medical Institute	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
89	Saint Petersburg Nursing College	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
90	Saint Petersburg Infectious Disease College	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
91	Saint Petersburg Medical College #1	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
92	Saint Petersburg Oncology Institute	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
93	Saint Petersburg Neurology Institute	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
94	Saint Petersburg Medical College #2	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury
95	Saint Petersburg Institute of Cardiology	Saint Petersburg	Russia	1897	129 yrsCentury

Why University Age and Reputation Matter

Older universities typically have stronger alumni networks, better-equipped teaching hospitals, more experienced faculty, and deeper government recognition. A university established 80+ years ago has survived multiple eras of medical education reform — this longevity is itself a quality signal.

Many of the oldest medical universities in Russia, Georgia, and Kazakhstan were established during the Soviet era (1920s-1940s) with standardized, rigorous medical curricula. These institutions formed the backbone of healthcare systems across Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

However, age alone doesn't guarantee quality. Always cross-reference with FMGE pass rates, NMC approval status, and current infrastructure. Some newer universities (est. 2000+) have modern facilities and excellent results. Use established year as one factor among many in your decision.