Adam Schmitz looks at the recent Graduate Entry Medicine survey.

By Adam Schmitz | Apr 21 2026

A survey of 335 Graduate Entry Medicine students around the country has shown that the cost of study frequently reaches six figures. With annual tuition costs of €18,880 and the closing of the Bank of Ireland GEM loan scheme in 2022, almost half of non-EU students are having to rely on bank loans while 58% of Irish students are utilising money from parents to pay for their studies. 

The survey showed that many of the students who can afford to study Graduate Entry Medicine come from wealthier backgrounds than most students. The most common household income for GEM students was over €150,000. 90% of respondents believed that the fees were unfair.