One of the UAE’s leading medical education institutions, Gulf Medical University (GMU), the flagship institution of Thumbay Group, has announced that admissions will soon close for the 2026 Thumbay International Pathway Program. The programme provides students with a structured pathway to earning an internationally recognised medical degree.
To make medical education more accessible, Annual fees start from approximately ₹16 lakh, with flexible instalment plans available to enrolled students.
Study in the UAE, Complete the Medical Degree Abroad
Students complete the first three years of the program at GMU in Ajman, UAE, earning the CAA-accredited Higher Diploma in Pre-Clinical Sciences (HDPCS). After successfully meeting the prescribed academic and progression requirements, they transfer to a selected partner university without an additional entrance examination for three years of clinical education. The final medical degree is awarded by the respective partner university.
Students can choose from an expanding network of international clinical destinations in Poland, Romania, Malta, Italy, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Ghana and Uzbekistan, enabling them to select a pathway aligned with their career and licensing objectives.
Priority Route to Residency Training in Romania
Students pursuing the Thumbay International Pathway MD Program will also benefit from the newly launched Thumbay–UMFST International Residency Pathway, developed in collaboration with the George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș (UMFST), a leading Romanian public university.
Eligible MD graduates of the Thumbay International Pathway Program will receive priority consideration for this residency pathway, creating a guided route from pre-clinical education in Ajman to medical specialisation in Europe.
The pathway covers 49 medical specialties recognised under the Romanian and European healthcare systems, including:
28 clinical specialties 13 surgical specialties 8 paraclinical specialties
Nearly a Decade of Proven Progress
Launched in 2017 with 27 students, the Thumbay International Pathway Program now has 335 students from more than 45 nationalities enrolled across the three pre-clinical years at GMU.
The Poland pathway, offered in partnership with the Medical University of Lublin, has already produced 90 medical graduates, while its tenth student cohort is currently progressing through the program.
Key Program Advantages
Fees starting at approximately ₹16 lakh per year Flexible instalment payment options CAA-accredited HDPCS qualification after the first three years Structured progression to international partner universities No additional entrance examination upon progression Multiple international clinical study destinations Priority consideration for the Thumbay–UMFST International Residency Pathway Advanced simulation facilities and early clinical exposure Integrated academic health system and multicultural learning environment
