- Founded
- 1957
- Location
- Medan, Indonesia
- Students
- 17 faculties and more than 164 programmes
- Taught in
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Study levels
- Degree
- Intakes
- International admission 2026: registration in July
Programmes Offered
- Medicine (Medical Degree)
- Dentistry (Dental Degree)
- Pharmacy (Pharmacy Degree)
Recognition in Malaysia
Medicine is recognised by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC). The university appears in the Second Schedule of the Medical Act 1971 as Universitas Sumatera Utara, with:
- “Profesi Dokter (dr.)”, recognised since 21 February 1975
What this means in practice:
- Recognition applies to the qualification named above. Before you enrol, we check the exact degree title for your intake against the current MMC list.
- A recognised degree lets you apply for registration in Malaysia. It is not automatic permission to practise: housemanship and the other MMC registration requirements still apply.
- You must also meet the MMC minimum entry qualifications for a medical programme. Being accepted by the university does not prove that on its own.
- For Indonesian medical degrees, the MMC asks for proof that you passed Indonesia’s national competency exam for doctors (UKMPPD) when you apply for registration.
If a medical qualification is not on the list, the graduate must pass the MMC Examination for Provisional Registration (EPR) before registering.
Dentistry: please read this carefully. The university’s dental degree (“Ijazah Kedoktoran Gigi”) is on the old Second Schedule of the Dental Act 1971. However, under the Dental Act 2018, Malaysian citizens who graduate from a university outside Malaysia must pass the Malaysian Dental Council’s Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) before they can register. According to MDC statements reported in 2023, the old list only helps graduates who register before 1 January 2027, so students starting now should plan to sit the PQE. We confirm the current rule with the MDC for your intake.
Pharmacy is recognised by the Pharmacy Board Malaysia (Lembaga Farmasi Malaysia). The Board’s list of recognised pharmacy degrees (updated 20 February 2025) includes:
- Sarjana Muda Farmasi, Clinical and Community Pharmacy (recognised 30 May 2014)
- Sarjana Muda Farmasi, Pharmaceutical Science and Technology (recognised 30 May 2014)
- Sarjana Farmasi (recognised 11 February 2019)
Graduates of a recognised degree still sit the Board’s qualifying examination (PKUMF) and complete provisional registration in Malaysia. Whether the Indonesian pharmacist professional year (Apoteker) is also expected is not stated on the Board’s list, so we confirm this with the Board for your intake.
Global Recognition
- Bachelor of Medicine and the Doctor Profession programme: both LAM-PTKes “Unggul” (2026).
- The university is accredited “Unggul” by BAN-PT until 2028.
- Listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), school ID F0000002.
Programmes
USU’s own international student handbook says Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy are especially popular with students from Malaysia.
- Teaching in the health programmes is in Bahasa Indonesia. USU’s international (English) classes are in other subjects.
- USU’s Language Centre teaches Bahasa Indonesia to foreign students.
Entry Requirements
- Maximum age 23.
- STPM with three principal passes (B) and CGPA 3.00, or Matriculation CGPA 3.00, or an MQA-recognised science foundation, or Cambridge A-Level.
- An entrance test (fee US$100). These are the 2024 requirements; we confirm the current ones.
Teaching Hospitals and Facilities
- USU Hospital (RS USU) and USU Dental Hospital (RSGM USU).
- RSUP H. Adam Malik for clinical training.
Student Life
- Medan is hot and humid, 23–32 °C. The rainy season is roughly September to December.
- Male and female dormitories on the Padang Bulan campus.
- Many people in Medan speak Medan Hokkien, which USU’s handbook says is almost the same as Penang Hokkien.
- About 1,175 Malaysian students were studying in Indonesia in 2025, according to Malaysia’s ambassador. The national Malaysian student association, PKPMI (Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Malaysia di Indonesia), has branches in the main university cities.
Getting There
AirAsia flies direct from Kuala Lumpur to Medan (Kualanamu International Airport). The airport train to the city takes about 30 minutes.
See the Campus
Facts checked on 2 November 2026. Fees, rankings and requirements change every year; we confirm the latest details with you before you apply.
Sources: MMC list of recognised medical qualifications; MMC guidelines for full registration (PDF); Pharmacy Board Malaysia, recognised degrees; Malaysian Dental Council; USU Handbook for International Students (PDF); USU international admission; USU fee decree 2024 (PDF); USU Faculty of Medicine accreditation; WDOMS entry; The Star, Malaysian students in Indonesia (2025)