Received 500 applications from abroad to study at Maldives Medical School: Ministry

Ministry of Higher Education has said that it received 500 applications from a foreign country to study at the Maldives National University (MNU) medical school.

State Minister Dr Abdulla Nazeer told Mihaaru News that numerous international applicants sought admission following the opportunity opened in January. However, he did not reveal which country the requests had come from. He said that as many Maldivian students had also applied, capacity constraints prevented the university from accommodating foreign students.

Nazeer highlighted growing interest among foreign students in studying in the Maldives, same as Maldivian students pursuing education abroad. He said that the medical school and teaching hospital in Hulhumale' would significantly expand opportunities for foreign students to study in Maldives.

"Currently, the medical school at MNU can accommodate 40 students. Once the teaching hospital in Hulhumale' is completed, it will have the capacity for 400 to 500 students," said Dr Nazeer.

The government aims to increase the proportion of foreign students studying in the Maldives to five percent by the end of the year. This initiative extends beyond medicine to other fields, such as hospitality and aviation.

"We are working to attract international students to the Maldives. Hospitality and aviation are particularly in demand. The Maldives is a global brand, and we are confident students will be drawn to study hospitality here," said Dr. Nazeer.