Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
Pursuing higher education abroad is often associated with the United States, Canada, or Europe. Yet, another destination is attracting a growing number of international students, particularly in the fields of health, social sciences, and languages: Cuba. With a fully public university system, a tradition of excellence in medicine, and a cost of living lower than in many major Western cities, Cuba offers a radically different academic and human experience.
This article details the essential aspects of studying in Cuba: the structure of the university system, the main universities, the real costs of student life, daily living conditions, the healthcare system, the procedures for obtaining a student visa, and the specifics of health and medicine programs.
A Public and Highly Structured Higher Education System
Cuban higher education is entirely public and under the authority of the Ministry of Higher Education (MES). There are no private universities: the 46 institutions in the country are public, non-profit entities. For Cuban citizens, studies are free of charge. For international students, tuition fees exist but are generally significantly lower than those in North America or Europe, especially in the medical field where scholarships are common.
In total, the country offers approximately 637 university study programs, including 319 bachelor’s degrees, 268 master’s degrees, and 50 doctoral programs. Programs are taught primarily in Spanish, although some medical programs for foreign students are also available in English.
A Wide Range of Disciplinary Master’s Degrees
Cuba has 26 universities offering master’s degrees, for a total of 268 programs. The standard duration ranges from one to two years of full-time study. The average cost of a master’s degree is around $2,817 US dollars, with variations depending on the discipline and city.
Overview of the main fields of study for Master’s degrees and their average tuition fees.
Average fees: between €5,000 and €10,000 per year. Includes fields such as engineering, computer science, and applied mathematics.
Average fees: between €8,000 and €25,000 per year. Includes Master’s in Management, Finance, and Marketing.
Average fees: between €3,000 and €8,000 per year. Includes international law, public relations, and administrative sciences.
Average fees: between €2,000 and €7,000 per year. Includes literature, history, philosophy, and visual arts.
Average fees: between €4,000 and €12,000 per year. Includes public health, pharmacology, and medical biotechnology.
Average fees: between €3,000 and €9,000 per year. Includes sociology, psychology, economics, and communication.
| Master’s Discipline | Number of Universities | Average Fees (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science / IT | 17 | ~$2,867 |
| Education and Teaching | 17 | ~$2,866 |
| Applied Sciences and Professions | 16 | ~$2,831 |
| Engineering | 15 | ~$2,827 |
| Economics | 14 | ~$2,834 |
| Agriculture | 13 | ~$2,952 |
| Physical Education | 12 | ~$2,837 |
| Humanities | 10 | ~$3,044 |
| Management | 9 | ~$2,651 |
| Chemistry | 9 | ~$2,834 |
| Mathematics | 9 | ~$2,606 |
| Health (excluding clinical medicine) | 7 | ~$2,891 |
| Technology | 7 | ~$3,174 |
| Sociology | 7 | ~$2,528 |
| Accounting | 7 | ~$2,503 |
| Medicine (health / biomedical master’s) | 6 | ~$2,814 |
| Business | 6 | ~$2,811 |
| Arts | 6 | ~$2,903 |
| Finance and Banking | 6 | ~$2,754 |
| Law and Jurisprudence | 5 | ~$2,378 |
| Biology | 5 | ~$2,895 |
| Tourism | 5 | ~$2,383 |
| Sports | 4 | ~$2,373 |
| Administration | 4 | ~$2,236 |
The level of academic rigor remains high, with a strong integration of research and social development issues in the programs, particularly in public health, education, economics, and social sciences.
Geographic Distribution of Master’s Degrees
Unsurprisingly, the capital concentrates the richest offerings, but other cities also play an important role. Location also influences costs.
| City | Universities Offering Master’s Degrees | Average Fees (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Havana | 11 | ~$2,988 |
| Santa Clara | 3 | ~$2,862 |
| Pinar del Río | 1 | ~$5,000 |
| Morón | 1 | ~$2,888 |
| Holguín | 1 | ~$1,000 |
| Matanzas | 1 | ~$2,695 |
| Camagüey | 1 | ~$2,500 |
| San José de las Lajas | 1 | ~$2,860 |
| Las Tunas | 1 | ~$2,860 |
| Guantánamo | 1 | ~$2,778 |
| Cienfuegos | 1 | ~$2,750 |
| Sancti Spíritus | 1 | ~$2,640 |
| Bayamo | 1 | ~$2,668 |
This diversity allows for a choice between life in a very dynamic metropolis like Havana, or smaller cities like Holguín or Cienfuegos, often less expensive and quieter.
Cuban Universities Gaining International Visibility
Even though Cuban institutions do not top the major global rankings, they are appearing there increasingly often, particularly in the fields of medicine, health, and sciences.
Several ranking systems (QS, Times Higher Education, Scimago Institutions Rankings, Webometrics, Nature Index, AD Scientific Index) now list a significant portion of the country’s institutions. In total, 15 of the top 20 Cuban universities appear in at least one international ranking.
University of Havana, a Historical Pillar
Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is one of the oldest in Latin America. It is a public, non-profit institution, accredited by the Cuban Ministry of Higher Education since 1976. Located in the Vedado district, in the heart of the capital, it hosts approximately 15,000 to 19,999 students, including over 600 international students, with a majority of women in the student population.
The university is distinguished by the diversity of its faculties: Arts and Letters, Biology, Communication, Accounting and Finance, Economics, Pharmacy and Food, Philosophy-History-Sociology, Physics, Geography, Foreign Languages, Mathematics and Computer Science, Psychology, Tourism, as well as a Faculty of Spanish for Non-Hispanophones (FENHI). The language of instruction is Spanish, but language tracks (Spanish and English) for foreigners are well developed.
International rankings place the University of Havana in the 600–700 bracket of the QS ranking, and around the 1501st position in the general Times Higher Education ranking. It also appears in subject-specific rankings (e.g., in business & economics) and in impact and sustainability rankings (QS Sustainability). Its reported student satisfaction level is high (4.6/5 based on nearly 200 reviews).
Medical Sciences Universities: A Major Attraction
Cuba is world-renowned for its healthcare system and medical training. The country’s 13 medical sciences universities train not only Cuban doctors, but also thousands of foreign students from over 50 countries.
Enrollment capacity of the University of Medical Sciences of Havana, which already hosts over 1000 foreign students.
Its organization illustrates the Cuban model: a strong link between training, clinical practice, and research, with university hospitals and community clinics integrated into the system. Faculties are often named after historical figures (Raúl González Sánchez for stomatology, Miguel Enríquez, Victoria de Girón for preclinical sciences, etc.) and combine teaching, research, and community outreach.
Research data (citations, publications, projects) place these institutions in a good position in specialized rankings like Scimago or Nature Index, particularly in the fields of clinical medicine, infectious diseases, public health, and biomedical sciences.
A Center of Excellence for Health Studies
For foreign students interested in medicine, nursing sciences, stomatology (dentistry), or public health, Cuba offers an impressive range of postgraduate training, combining clinical specialties, master’s degrees, and doctorates.
Medical, Dental, Nursing Specialties: A Highly Structured Offering
The country offers over 50 medical specialties, 5 stomatology (dental) specialties, and several nursing specializations. These programs are intended for graduates in medicine, dentistry, or nursing sciences and are open to foreign students on a self-funded basis, through the Cuban Medical Services Marketing Company S.A. (CSMC) and partners like CubaHeal.
Specialties are grouped into four price categories, based on technicality and required resources.
| Medical Specialty Group | Examples of Included Disciplines | Annual Fee (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Group I | Human Anatomy, Comprehensive General Medicine, Geriatrics, Epidemiology | $12,000 |
| Group II | Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, Intensive Care Nursing | $14,000 |
| Group III | Cardiology, General Surgery, Gynecology-Obstetrics, Neurology | $17,000 |
| Group IV | Dermatology, Plastic Surgery, Imaging | $23,000 |
Stomatology specialties (maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, general stomatology) are in the range of $17,000 USD per year. Nursing specialties (community, intensive care, gynecology-obstetrics, neonatology-pediatrics) range between $12,000 and $14,000 USD per year depending on the group.
A registration fee of $1,000 USD is required at least 15 days before arrival. Payments are made in international currencies (euro, British pound, Canadian dollar, etc.), but not in US dollars for bank transfers. They are generally spread out (beginning of the year, end of semester, before the final exam). Full payment before the start of the academic year may qualify for a discount of up to 3%.
Master’s and Doctorate Degrees in Health Sciences
In addition to clinical specialties, Cuba offers a significant number of master’s and doctoral degrees in health. Several master’s programs in epidemiology, public health, health economics, health psychology, medical entomology, or health promotion are accredited at the highest level (“Excellence”, “Certified”, “Authorized”).
Master’s degrees in health with “Excellence” status are priced at $10,000 USD (including registration fees), and “Certified” or “Authorized” master’s degrees at $8,000 USD. Payment is made in two equal installments, the first before the program starts, the second before the second year.
| Master’s in Health Category | Examples of Programs | Total Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Excellence | Epidemiology, Bacteriology-Mycology, Health Economics, Health Psychology | $10,000 |
| Certified | Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Medical Education, Pediatric Dentistry, Nursing | $8,000 |
| Authorized | Minimal Access Surgery, Environmental Health, Interventional Cardiology | $8,000 |
Doctoral degrees in health sciences lead to titles such as Doctor of Medical Sciences, Doctor of Stomatological Sciences, Doctor of Health Sciences, Doctor of Medical Education, or Doctor of Nursing Sciences. The total announced cost for a doctorate is $12,000 USD, broken down into registration fees, competency exams (foreign language, social problems of science), pre-defense, defense, and tutoring. The standard duration is four years, with a minimum on-site presence requirement of one year, adjustable based on the doctoral candidate’s scientific output.
Language, a Prerequisite: Intensive Spanish and Level Test
All these programs are taught in Spanish. Non-Spanish speaking students must therefore take a preparatory language course or pass a level exam.
The medical sciences universities offer a 20-week intensive Spanish course, costing approximately $3,000 USD. Upon completion of this training, an oral and written proficiency exam is required, charged at $100 USD. To enroll in certain programs (master’s, doctorates, specializations), this module is mandatory, unless the student can demonstrate a sufficient level via an internal university test or a recognized external certificate, such as the DELE.
In the more general case of the University of Havana, the Faculty of Foreign Languages (FLEX) and the FENHI faculty offer several formats of Spanish courses for foreigners, lasting from two weeks to six months, with placement tests and monthly certificate issuance. The offering has recently evolved towards longer semester courses (six months), which replace the previous very short modules.
Studying in Cuba: What Does It Really Cost?
One of Cuba’s major strengths as a study destination remains the relatively modest cost of daily living, compared to North American or European standards. However, the current economic situation – high inflation, shortages, and multiple exchange rates – requires careful planning.
Cost of Living: A Less Expensive Country, But With Nuances
Available estimates indicate that the cost of living for a student in Havana is approximately 37.6% lower than in the United States. The capital would be 61% cheaper than New York excluding rent, and this average rent is itself 89% lower.
For a single student, the cost of living in Havana (including housing) is estimated at about $918 USD per month, while a family of four would need about $2,272 USD per month. It should be kept in mind that these figures aggregate expenses in local Cuban pesos and in hard currency, in a context of high inflation and very low local wages (the average net salary after taxes is around $299 USD for the entire country, with a legal minimum wage close to $33 USD per month).
For foreign students, several options are possible: university residences (often reserved for institutional exchanges or certain scholarships), casas particulares (rooms in private homes), shared apartments.
Accessible information allows for estimating the general scales and proportions of a phenomenon or a whole, without providing exact precision. For example, data on a country’s energy consumption may indicate it is around 100 TWh per year, which gives an idea of its relative scale compared to other nations, without detailing the distribution by sector or monthly variations.
| Type of Housing in Havana | Average Price |
|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment in city center | ~$251 USD / month |
| 1-bedroom apartment outside center | ~$323 USD / month |
| 3-bedroom apartment in city center | ~$1,022 USD / month |
| 3-bedroom apartment outside center | ~$556 USD / month |
| Room in shared apartment | $200–$400 USD / month |
| Casa particular (private room per night) | $20–$60 USD / night |
| “Luxury” housing | $1,500–$3,000 USD / month |
As part of certain structured programs (for example, an exchange semester with North American universities via CASA-Cuba), students stay with host families in the Vedado district, with breakfast and dinner included and sometimes laundry, for housing fees of around $5,200 USD per semester.
Food and Entertainment: Relatively Affordable
Eating out remains relatively accessible for a foreign student, especially in local establishments. A simple meal in an inexpensive restaurant costs about $3.80 to $6 USD, while a full dinner for two in a mid-range restaurant is around $25–$27.50 USD. A local draft beer is around $2 USD, a cappuccino between $1 and $1.60 USD, and a small bottle of mineral water between $1.15 and $1.40 USD.
At the supermarket or markets, basic products like bread, chicken, eggs, or certain vegetables remain affordable, even if one faces shortages and price variations. For a single person, a reasonable monthly food budget ranges around $150 to $300 USD, depending on lifestyle and the proportion of meals eaten out.
Transportation, Internet, Other Expenses
Public transportation remains very cheap, even if the network is aging and sometimes unreliable. A local bus ticket costs on average between $0.20 and $1.25 USD, and a monthly pass can be around $22–$25 USD. Shared taxis (maquinas, almendrones) allow crossing the city for less than a dollar, while an individual trip to the airport can cost a dozen dollars if not negotiated.
The average monthly cost in USD of a mobile plan with data (10 GB or more) in Cuba, explaining why students often opt for prepaid alternatives.
For entertainment, a movie ticket costs barely $1 to $4 USD, a gym membership is about $30–$38 USD per month, but some imported consumer goods (brand-name jeans, sneakers, electronics) are significantly more expensive than in most neighboring countries.
Student Life: Total Immersion in Cuban Society
Daily life in Cuba is very different from that of highly digitized Western metropolises. Havana is a tropical coastal city, hot and humid, lively day and night, where most social life takes place in public spaces: parks, sidewalks, the Malecón waterfront.
Havana and the Vedado District: The Student Heart
The capital, with over two million inhabitants, concentrates the majority of major cultural, political, and university institutions. The Vedado district, where the University of Havana and many faculties are located, is considered the contemporary heart of the city. It houses theaters, cinemas (including those of the Festival of New Latin American Cinema), embassies, ministries, and cultural centers. It borders the Malecón, the iconic promenade where young people gather in the evening.
Students in programs like CASA-Cuba or IFSA are typically housed with host families in the Vedado district. The accommodation, located 5-10 minutes walk from the course center and about 20 minutes from the University of Havana, includes breakfast and dinner. This arrangement fosters complete linguistic and cultural immersion, allowing students to live at the pace of a Cuban family, share their meals and habits, and benefit from practical advice for daily life (shopping, transportation, administrative procedures).
Cultural Activities, Volunteering, Internships
The cultural offerings are abundant: concerts, exhibitions, conferences, festivals, theater, cinema. Platforms like “La Papeleta”, “Aguacero”, or “Cartelera Culturelle OnCuba” list current events. Structured exchange programs often include workshops, field visits (urban farms, community projects, historical sites), and even opportunities for volunteering or research internships.
Students in public health in Cuba can get involved in practical projects within neighborhood polyclinics, participate in prevention campaigns (against dengue, HIV, or for maternal health), or conduct research under the auspices of national institutes like the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine or the National School of Public Health. Meanwhile, volunteer opportunities exist in other sectors, such as teaching English, environmental protection, or community arts initiatives.
A Daily Life Both Simple and Demanding
Living in Cuba also means dealing with certain material challenges: periodic shortages of food products, medicines, and fuel, recurring power outages, slow and monitored internet, sometimes opaque bureaucracy. Getting around and managing daily life takes more time than in a country with more modern infrastructure, requiring patience, flexibility, and a good dose of autonomy.
The recommendation often repeated in exchange programs is to allow a few weeks of adaptation before committing to too many parallel activities. The tropical climate, the language barrier, and the complexity of the economic system (multiple exchange rates, importance of foreign currency, inability to use US bank cards) require a period of acclimatization.
Health, Safety, and Healthcare System: A Unique Environment
Choosing Cuba as a study destination also means entering a country whose healthcare system is both admired for its results and faced with real material shortages.
A Universal and High-Performing Healthcare System… But Under Constraint
Since the 1959 Revolution, health has been established as a fundamental right. The service is free for citizens. The system is organized on three levels: primary community care (consultorios, community polyclinics), provincial hospitals (secondary care), and major national referral centers (tertiary care). This structure, combined with a strong emphasis on prevention, has allowed the country to achieve remarkable indicators: life expectancy around 78–80 years, one of the lowest infant mortality rates in Latin America, eradication of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, and one of the highest doctor-to-population ratios in the world.
The Cuban public healthcare system, once exemplary, is facing chronic difficulties (dilapidated hospitals, lack of equipment and medicines, long wait times). However, specific international clinics (like the Cira García Central Clinic in Havana, CIMEQ, or certain centers in Varadero) are better supplied, offer services in several languages, and are accessible upon payment or with health insurance.
Insurance, Vaccination, and Medical Preparation
To enter the country, valid health insurance in Cuba is mandatory. Airlines departing from the United States often include a local policy (ASISTUR) in the ticket price for the first 30 days; beyond that, coverage must be extended. Many study programs, like CASA-Cuba, require dual protection: insurance from the home university, plus local Cuban coverage allowing access to international clinics.
International health authorities (CDC, for example) recommend being up to date with standard vaccinations (measles-mumps-rubella, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, chickenpox, polio, seasonal flu) and considering additional vaccines like typhoid, hepatitis A and B, depending on the duration and type of stay. Vector-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, Zika, or Oropouche are present: there are no (or very few) vaccines for some of them, making anti-mosquito protection essential (repellent, covering clothing, mosquito nets).
It is strongly advised to bring all prescription medications for the entire duration of the stay, in their original packaging, with a doctor’s letter and a generic prescription. Over-the-counter medicines are often unavailable or very expensive. Thorough preparation is crucial in case of a chronic illness or mental health condition, as psychiatric services for foreigners are limited on site.
Safety: A Relatively Safe Country with Some Precautions
Cuba generally displays rates of violent crime lower than many countries in the region. Firearm circulation is strictly controlled, cartels and large criminal organizations are absent, and police presence is very visible. However, foreign authorities recommend increased vigilance, especially in tourist areas and on public transportation, where pickpocketing, scams, and snatch-and-grab thefts exist.
Streets can be poorly lit in the evening due to power outages, requiring caution at night. Students are advised to avoid unofficial taxis, not to display valuables (jewelry, recent smartphones), to stay in groups at night, and to use authorized taxis or the known shared car network (maquinas, colectivos) when clearly identified.
Administrative Procedures: Visas, Languages, and Equivalences
Going to study in Cuba involves complying with a set of fairly strict immigration and administrative rules.
Student Visa (D-2) and Other Statuses
Long-term studies (bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, medical specialty) require obtaining an academic visa of type D-2. This visa is usually issued based on an official letter of acceptance from a Cuban university, proof of payment or funding for tuition fees, medical insurance, and proof of sufficient financial means to live during the study period.
The application file must generally include: application form, passport valid for 6 months beyond the stay, photos, copy of ID, recent criminal record, medical certificate (with HIV test for some), birth certificate, as well as diplomas and transcripts legalized by the Cuban embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country of origin, then officially translated into Spanish if necessary. It is crucial to contact the Cuban embassy or consulate several months in advance, as processing times vary from 5 to 20 business days, sometimes more.
For shorter stays (language courses of a few weeks, internships, summer schools), a short-stay student visa or even a simple tourist card may suffice, with a subsequent conversion to a student visa on-site via the university. However, rules can change, and the safest approach is to follow the instructions of the host institution.
Language: Required Level and On-Site Training
Spanish is the key to academic success in Cuba. To enroll in a bachelor’s or master’s degree taught in Spanish, universities expect a level equivalent to at least B2 of the European Framework (ability to follow university courses without major difficulty, read specialized texts, write papers). Proof can be provided by a certificate (like DELE), an internal test, or prior study at a Spanish-speaking institution.
For students with a low level of Spanish, an intensive preparatory course (FLEX, FENHI, or offered by medical universities) is essential. Although costly and representing a significant investment, it helps avoid failure due to the language barrier.
Why Choose Cuba as a Destination for Higher Education?
Beyond the numbers, three dimensions make Cuba particularly interesting for studying abroad.
The first is academic: in fields like medicine, public health, social sciences, education, or languages, the country offers rigorous training, deeply rooted in reality. Medical students, for example, are in contact with patients from the first year, within a highly developed community medicine framework. Health curricula systematically integrate prevention, epidemiology, and health education, training professionals capable of working in resource-limited contexts.
Tuition fees for foreigners, while significant, are often lower than those of competing countries, particularly due to the duration of studies and the volume of clinical or field practice. The cost of living remains lower than in most Western capitals, despite inflation, provided one anticipates the need for cash and the vagaries of the local economy.
The third is human and political: studying in Cuba provides access to a unique societal experience, marked by a high level of education (literacy rate of 99.8%), a universal healthcare system, a strong politicization of social issues, but also real constraints in terms of public freedoms, access to digital information, or consumption. It is an immersion into a country that has made education and health pillars of its national project, while being confronted with numerous material limitations.
For a student ready to learn in a different environment, to develop adaptability, and to live a less comfortable but more engaging daily life, Cuba can thus represent much more than just an “exotic destination”: a veritable living laboratory where one studies, but also reflects on the role of knowledge, public services, and solidarity in contemporary society.
For a Student Ready to Learn
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
