American University of Barbados MD — Fees & Admission 2026

American University of Barbados at a glance

• Location: Wildey, Saint Michael, Barbados
• Established: 2011
• University Type: Private medical school
• Flagship Course: Doctor of Medicine (MD) — not an MBBS
• Course Duration: 5.5 years from school; 4 years for graduates
• Medium: English
• Intake: January, May and September (16-week semesters)
• Tuition Fee: US$6,500–$15,000 per semester by phase
• Entrance Exam: NEET-UG required of Indian students by the NMC

About American University of Barbados

American University of Barbados School of Medicine is a private medical school at Wildey, Saint Michael, Barbados, awarding a Doctor of Medicine (MD) rather than an MBBS. Medical sciences are taught on the Barbados campus; the Clinical Sciences phase is 72 weeks of physician-supervised rotations — 48 weeks core and 24 weeks elective — at teaching affiliates the university names in the United States (Loretto Hospital, Insight Hospital and Medical Center and Jackson Park Hospital in Chicago), in Barbados (Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Psychiatric Hospital) and in Guyana (Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation). CAAM-HP records the school as Accredited with Conditions for 2025-2027, and the Barbados Accreditation Council lists it as an accredited provider for 2024-2031.

AUB runs two entry routes: a 5½-year MD for applicants finishing higher secondary school or A-levels, and a 4-year MD for applicants who already hold a bachelor's degree with the required science credits. Sessions start in January, May and September, with semesters of 16 weeks.

The university states that the language of instruction is English throughout, and that applicants who are not native English speakers and were not taught in English must provide TOEFL, IELTS or an equivalent recognised qualification.

Why choose American University of Barbados?

What the university and the regulators actually put on the record:

• Accredited By CAAM-HP And By Barbados' Own Council: CAAM-HP's register of assessed programmes lists American University of Barbados as "Accredited with Conditions, 2025-2027" (last updated January 2026). The Barbados Accreditation Council's list of accredited post-secondary providers gives an accreditation period of 2024-2031. Both are time-limited — check they still stand for your intake year.
• Clinical Rotations At Named Hospitals: The university names its clinical affiliates: Loretto Hospital, Insight Hospital and Medical Center and Jackson Park Hospital in Chicago; Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Psychiatric Hospital in Barbados; and Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation in Guyana.
• Two Entry Routes: A 5½-year MD for higher-secondary or A-level finishers, and a 4-year MD for graduates holding at least 8 credit hours each in Biology, General Chemistry, Calculus, Organic Chemistry and Physics.
• Three Intakes A Year: Sessions commence in January, May and September, in 16-week semesters, which shortens the wait if you miss one cycle.
• English Throughout, In An English-Speaking Country: Barbados is English-speaking and the university states that instruction is in English. TOEFL or IELTS is required only where prior schooling was not in English.
• A Fee Schedule Published Per Semester: Tuition is published per semester and rises by phase, from US$6,500 in the foundation and preclinical semesters to US$15,000 in each clinical semester. Budget by phase, not by an averaged annual figure.

MBBS course overview

AUB awards a Doctor of Medicine (MD). Two routes lead to it:

The 5½-year MD is for applicants whose highest qualification is a higher secondary school certificate equivalent to a US high school diploma — Caribbean CAPE, UK A-levels, Asian 10+2 or an African senior secondary certificate. The 4-year MD is for applicants who already hold a bachelor's or higher degree with the required science credits.

The curriculum runs Foundations of Medicine, Preclinical Sciences and Basic Sciences on the Barbados campus, then 72 weeks of Clinical Sciences at affiliated hospitals.

• Degree: Doctor of Medicine (MD)
• Duration: 5.5 years (school entry) or 4 years (graduate entry)
• Medium of instruction: English
• Intake: January, May and September

Year-wise curriculum

• Foundations of Medicine (Semester I): A preparatory bridge semester into the medical sciences curriculum on the Barbados campus
• Preclinical Sciences (Semesters I–III): Building the scientific foundation for the basic medical sciences
• Basic Sciences (Semesters I–V): Five semesters of basic medical sciences on the Barbados campus, taught with a problem-based methodology
• Clinical Sciences (72 weeks): 48 weeks of core rotations and 24 weeks of elective rotations at teaching affiliate hospitals in the United States, Barbados and Guyana

Courses offered

• MD Program (higher secondary / A-level entry) — 5.5 Years
• MD Program (graduate entry) — 4 Years

American University of Barbados fee structure

AUB publishes tuition per semester, and the rate steps up as you move from the foundation semesters into basic sciences and then clinical rotations.

Source: the university's own tuition and fees page (aubmed.org/tuition-fees/), read on 26 September 2026. That page does not name an academic session, so ask the admissions office to confirm in writing that these rates apply to your intake. On top of tuition it publishes a US$100 non-refundable application fee, a US$300 non-refundable student visa and processing fee, and a one-time non-refundable administrative fee of US$3,600 covering internal exams, IT and software, Wi-Fi, ID card, sports and recreation and student association membership. Health insurance is mandatory but the premium is not published. The university estimates housing, transportation and living costs at US$500 to US$800 a month, and requires clinical attire and medical kits. Payments must be remitted by draft or wire transfer only. No rupee figure is published and this page does not invent one.

• Foundations of Medicine, Semester I: US$6,500 per semester — hostel Not on campus
• Preclinical Sciences, Semester I: US$6,500 per semester — hostel Not on campus
• Preclinical Sciences, Semester II: US$6,500 per semester — hostel Not on campus
• Preclinical Sciences, Semester III: US$6,500 per semester — hostel Not on campus
• Basic Sciences, Semester I: US$10,800 per semester — hostel Not on campus
• Basic Sciences, Semester II: US$10,800 per semester — hostel Not on campus
• Basic Sciences, Semester III: US$10,800 per semester — hostel Not on campus
• Basic Sciences, Semester IV: US$10,800 per semester — hostel Not on campus
• Basic Sciences, Semester V (Pre-Clinical): US$11,800 per semester — hostel Not on campus
• Clinical Sciences, Semesters I–VI: US$15,000 per semester, each — hostel Not on campus

Eligibility criteria

The requirements AUB publishes, plus the rule India applies to its own students:

• 5½-Year MD Entry: A higher secondary school qualification equivalent to a US high school diploma — a US high school diploma, Caribbean CAPE, UK A-levels, an Asian 10+2 certificate or an African senior secondary certificate. The university does not publish a minimum percentage.
• 4-Year MD Entry: A bachelor's or higher degree with a minimum of 8 credit hours in each of Biology, General Chemistry, Calculus, Organic Chemistry and Physics, or their equivalent.
• Age (4-Year MD): Applicants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of admission.
• NEET-UG: India's National Medical Commission requires Indian nationals to have qualified in NEET-UG to study medicine abroad and to register in India afterwards. AUB's own eligibility page does not list NEET or the MCAT.
• English Proficiency: The language of instruction is English. Applicants who are not native speakers must provide TOEFL, IELTS or an equivalent recognised qualification; those educated at English-medium institutions or holding AP English certification are exempt.
• Document Integrity: The university states that fraudulent documentation results in withdrawal of admission or dismissal.

Admission process 2026

The route AUB sets out, including the Barbados student visa paperwork:

• Apply through the university's admissions portal and pay the US$100 non-refundable application fee.
• Submit academic transcripts and certificates, your passport copy and any English proficiency evidence required.
• The AUB admissions committee reviews the application and issues an acceptance letter.
• Confirm your place and pay the advance semester tuition and the one-time US$3,600 administrative fee.
• Complete the Barbados student visa paperwork the university publishes — the H2 Form, Form J and the accompanying checklist — and pay the US$300 visa and processing fee.
• Arrange health insurance, which the university makes mandatory, then travel and report to the Wildey campus for the January, May or September session.

Documents required

The documents the university's admission and visa pages call for:

• Official Class 10 and Class 12 transcripts and certificates (or degree transcripts for the 4-year MD)
• Barbados student visa forms — H2 Form and Form J — with the university's checklist
• Valid passport copy
• English proficiency evidence (TOEFL, IELTS or equivalent) where prior schooling was not in English
• NEET-UG scorecard — required of Indian students by the NMC rather than by the university
• Proof of payment of the US$100 application fee and US$300 visa and processing fee
• Evidence of the mandatory health insurance, or a policy of your own for approval

Hostel & accommodation

AUB does not publish an on-campus hostel. It publishes a living-cost estimate instead, and arranges off-campus housing near the Wildey campus.

• Housing: Off-campus accommodation near the Saint Michael campus. Ask the admissions office what it arranges, what the lease terms are and whether a place is guaranteed for your intake.
• Published Cost: The university's fees page estimates housing, transportation and living costs together at US$500 to US$800 a month. It does not break that figure down.
• Food: No mess or meal plan is published, and no Indian mess is advertised by the university. Confirm catering arrangements in writing.
• Other Required Items: Clinical attire and medical kits — lab coats, stethoscope, BP apparatus and examination kit components — are required and charged separately.

Clinical training

The Clinical Sciences phase is 72 weeks of physician-supervised rotations. The university names its sites:

• 48 weeks of core rotations and 24 weeks of elective rotations, at teaching affiliate hospitals and specialised clinical facilities.
• United States (Chicago): Loretto Hospital, Insight Hospital and Medical Center, and Jackson Park Hospital.
• Barbados: Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Psychiatric Hospital.
• Guyana: Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
• The university does not publish which site covers which specialty, or how the 72 weeks are split between countries — ask for your cohort's rotation plan in writing before you enrol.
• Ask specifically whether your course includes a 12-month internship at the same institution, which India's FMGL Regulations, 2021 require of an Indian student who wants to register in India.

Recognition & accreditation

The National Medical Commission states that it "does not endorse any list of Foreign Medical Institutions/ Universities for MBBS or equivalent course", so no foreign medical university is "NMC approved". What decides your eligibility to register in India is the course you take. What the registers actually record, checked 26 September 2026:

• CAAM-HP, the accrediting authority constituted under CARICOM, lists American University of Barbados as "Accredited with Conditions, 2025-2027" in its register of assessed programmes (last updated January 2026).
• The Barbados Accreditation Council's list of accredited post-secondary and tertiary providers gives American University of Barbados an accreditation period of 2024-2031.
• The university states it is chartered, licensed and recognised by Barbados' education ministry, and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, which is published by the World Federation for Medical Education and FAIMER. A World Directory listing records that a school exists — it is not itself an accreditation or an endorsement.
• Intealth (ECFMG) operates a Recognized Accreditation Policy: for the USMLE route, ask the university which WFME-recognised agency accredits the programme, until when, and whether the school carries an ECFMG Sponsor Note in the World Directory.
• Check the course against the NMC's Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021 — at least 54 months of study, a 12-month internship at the same institution, and English as the medium of instruction throughout.
• Confirm the university is registered with the body competent to grant a licence to practise medicine in its own country, on the same terms as that country's own graduates.
• Both accreditations are time-limited and carry conditions. Ask for the current certificate, in writing, for your intake year.

Career opportunities

An MD from a Caribbean school is a starting point for a licensing route, not a licence:

• To practise in India you must meet the NMC's FMGL Regulations, 2021, pass the screening examination and complete a further 12 months of supervised internship in India.
• For the United States, eligibility runs through ECFMG certification and the USMLE; check the school's current standing under Intealth's Recognized Accreditation Policy before you rely on that route.
• Other routes — the UKMLA/PLAB pathway in the United Kingdom, the AMC in Australia, Canadian licensing — each set their own eligibility rules, and the university publishes no guarantee about any of them.

Student life

Life on and around the Wildey campus:

• A campus in Wildey, Saint Michael, a short distance from Bridgetown.
• An English-speaking island, so no language barrier on campus or in Barbadian clinical placements.
• The one-time administrative fee covers sports and recreational fees and student association membership.

American University of Barbados (AUB Barbados) — frequently asked questions

What is the tuition fee for the MD at American University of Barbados?

The university publishes tuition per semester, stepping up by phase: US$6,500 for the Foundations of Medicine semester and each of the three Preclinical Sciences semesters, US$10,800 for each of Basic Sciences semesters I–IV, US$11,800 for Basic Sciences semester V, and US$15,000 for each of the six Clinical Sciences semesters. The tuition page does not name an academic session, so confirm in writing that these rates apply to your intake.

What is excluded from the tuition figure?

A US$100 non-refundable application fee, a US$300 non-refundable student visa and processing fee, and a one-time non-refundable administrative fee of US$3,600 are charged separately. Health insurance is mandatory but the premium is not published. Housing, transportation and living costs are estimated by the university at US$500 to US$800 a month. Clinical attire and medical kits are required and charged separately. Payments must be made by draft or wire transfer only.

Is American University of Barbados accredited?

Yes, on two registers, and both are time-limited. CAAM-HP lists it as "Accredited with Conditions, 2025-2027" in its register of assessed programmes, last updated January 2026. The Barbados Accreditation Council lists it as an accredited provider for 2024-2031. No foreign medical university is "NMC approved" — the NMC does not endorse any list of foreign institutions — so ask AUB for its current CAAM-HP certificate in writing and check the course against India's FMGL Regulations, 2021.

Is NEET compulsory for Indian students applying to AUB?

Yes, in practice. AUB's own eligibility page does not list NEET or the MCAT, but India's National Medical Commission requires an Indian national to have qualified in NEET-UG in order to study medicine abroad and to register in India afterwards. Without it, the degree will not get you an Indian licence.

What are the eligibility requirements?

For the 5½-year MD, a higher secondary qualification equivalent to a US high school diploma — a 10+2 certificate, A-levels, CAPE or an African senior secondary certificate. For the 4-year MD, a bachelor's or higher degree with at least 8 credit hours each in Biology, General Chemistry, Calculus, Organic Chemistry and Physics, and a minimum age of 18 at admission. Non-native English speakers not taught in English need TOEFL, IELTS or an equivalent. Indian students also need a qualified NEET-UG score under NMC rules.

How long is the course and what degree is awarded?

AUB awards a Doctor of Medicine (MD), not an MBBS. It takes 5½ years from higher secondary school, or 4 years for applicants who already hold a bachelor's degree with the required science credits. Semesters run 16 weeks.

Where do AUB students do their clinical rotations?

The Clinical Sciences phase is 72 weeks — 48 weeks of core and 24 weeks of elective rotations — at named affiliates: Loretto Hospital, Insight Hospital and Medical Center and Jackson Park Hospital in Chicago; Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Psychiatric Hospital in Barbados; and Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation in Guyana. The university does not publish how the weeks are split between countries, so ask for your cohort's rotation plan in writing.

What is the admission process?

Apply through the admissions portal with the US$100 application fee, submit transcripts, certificates and your passport copy, and wait for the admissions committee's acceptance letter. Then confirm your place, pay the advance semester tuition and the one-time US$3,600 administrative fee, complete the Barbados student visa paperwork the university publishes (H2 Form, Form J and checklist) with the US$300 visa fee, arrange the mandatory health insurance, and report to the Wildey campus for the January, May or September session.

What documents do I need?

Official Class 10 and Class 12 transcripts and certificates (or degree transcripts for the 4-year MD), the H2 Form and Form J for the Barbados student visa with the university's checklist, a valid passport copy, English proficiency evidence if your schooling was not in English, proof of the application and visa fee payments, and evidence of health insurance. Indian students should also hold their NEET-UG scorecard.

Does AUB have a hostel, and what does accommodation cost?

AUB does not publish an on-campus hostel. It arranges off-campus housing near the Wildey campus and estimates housing, transportation and living costs together at US$500 to US$800 a month — it does not break that down, and it advertises no Indian mess. Ask the admissions office what housing it arranges, on what lease terms, and whether a place is guaranteed for your intake.

When are the intakes?

Sessions commence three times a year, in January, May and September, with semesters of 16 weeks. Admissions are rolling, so apply early enough to complete the Barbados student visa process before your chosen session.