The Latin American School of Medicine (Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina, ELAM) in Havana is an international medical school run by the Cuban state. It was founded on 15 November 1999.[1][2] Its rector said in November 2024 that it had graduated more than 31,000 doctors from about 122 countries and had about 1,800 students at the time.[1]
Applicants can request a government scholarship through Cuban diplomatic missions; a self-financed route also exists.[3] The school publishes no fee amounts on the pages we read, and it is not in any university ranking we could confirm. The medical degree takes six years and is taught in Spanish.[2][4]
Key facts
| Official name | Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (ELAM) |
| Location | Carretera Panamericana Km 3½, Playa, La Habana 19108, Cuba[5] |
| Type | Medical school operated by the Cuban government; its website is hosted on Infomed, the Cuban health-sector portal[2] |
| Founded | 15 November 1999 (anniversary date); sources differ on the first intake, EcuRed gives 27 February 1999 and Wikipedia March 1999[1] |
| Students | About 1,800 (rector, November 2024); Wikipedia cites about 19,550 students from 110 countries as reported in 2012[1] |
| Graduates | More than 31,000 doctors from about 122 countries (rector, November 2024); EcuRed gives an older figure of 20,786[1] |
| Academic staff | More than 200 professors (rector, November 2024)[1] |
| Degree | Doctor of Medicine, six years: two years at ELAM, then other Cuban medical faculties, then a rotating internship[4] |
| Other programmes listed | Pre-medical course, Master’s in Medical Education, biomedical specialties[5] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not confirmed[5] |
| Language of teaching | Spanish; non-Spanish speakers take an intensive Spanish course first[2] |
| Entry routes | Government scholarship via Cuban diplomatic missions, or self-financed by personal application[3] |
| Fees | Amounts not published on the pages read; applicants must show a receipt for the “established fees”[3] |
| Official website | instituciones.sld.cu/elam |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 8 November 2026.
What is the Latin American School of Medicine?
ELAM trains doctors with a focus on primary health care. Its mission, in the school’s words, is to produce physicians with a high academic, scientific and humanist level who respond to the needs of Latin America and other regions.[6] The founding date is 15 November 1999; the Cuban news agency Prensa Latina, reporting on the 25th anniversary, says the school was founded on that date in 1999.[1] The school’s site is part of Infomed, the Cuban health-sector portal, and it reported its 27th anniversary in 2026.[5]
Wikipedia describes it as a public, internationalist medical school operated by the Cuban government.[2] It is a special case among the entries of our Cuba table: a single-purpose medical school, not a general university.
Sources are thin and mostly state-run. This page uses the school’s own site, Prensa Latina (a Cuban state news agency), EcuRed (a Cuban online encyclopedia) and Wikipedia, and says where they differ.
Is ELAM ranked?
We could not confirm a place for ELAM in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026. No source we read lists it, and QS’s own site blocks automated access.[5] How we compile rankings. For the national picture, see universities in Cuba.
What can you study at ELAM?
The main programme is the medical degree. EcuRed and Wikipedia both describe six years in total: the first two years of basic sciences at ELAM, the middle years at other Cuban medical faculties, and a final rotating internship ending in a state exam that leads to the title “Doctor en Medicina”.[4][2] Scholarship students must first pass the Preparatory Course for Medical Science Students, which starts each September.[3]
The school’s site also lists a pre-medical directorate, the plan for the medicine degree, a Master’s in Medical Education and a plan for biomedical specialties.[5]
How much does ELAM cost?
We found no fee amounts. The school’s FAQ asks applicants to include a receipt for “the established fees” but does not state them.[3] The home page links to a “Forma de pago” PDF, which we could not read.[5]
Scholarship students: EcuRed says education is free[4] and Wikipedia says scholarships cover tuition, housing, meals and a stipend.[2] Neither is an official statement by the school, so confirm what your scholarship covers with the body that awards it.
Self-financed students send a personal application to docencia@smcsalud.cu and pay the established fees.[3] Cuban health insurance from ASISTUR is required, bought before arrival or in the first week.[3]
How do you apply to ELAM?
The school’s FAQ describes two routes:[3]
- Government scholarship: requested through Cuban diplomatic missions or consular offices and granted by health ministries, NGOs, solidarity groups or political organisations.
- Self-financed: a personal application to docencia@smcsalud.cu.
Documents for the full degree include a high-school diploma and transcript, a health certificate, a certificate of no criminal record, a birth certificate, photos and an admission letter from the body that approved the place. All documents must be legalised by Cuban diplomatic representatives abroad.[3] The FAQ page sets out the exact health and photo conditions. We give no deadlines because they change every year.
Which language do you need?
Medical teaching is in Spanish.[2] The school’s FAQ does not state a language requirement.[3] For people without Spanish, Wikipedia mentions a 12-week intensive Spanish course and EcuRed a one-semester course; the sources differ and neither is an official statement.[2][4]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ELAM free?
How do I apply to ELAM?
Either request a government scholarship through a Cuban diplomatic mission, or apply as a self-financed student by e-mail.[3]
Do I need Spanish?
Is ELAM in the QS rankings?
We could not confirm an entry.[5]
More about studying in Cuba
- Cuba: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Cuba
Sources
[1] Prensa Latina: Concluye en Cuba Congreso de Egresados de la ELAM (article of 15 Nov 2024; Cuban state news agency)
[2] Wikipedia: Latin American School of Medicine (history, programme length and scholarship description; secondary source)
[3] ELAM: FAQs (admission, scholarship, documents) (page without a date; official source)
[4] EcuRed: Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (Cuban online encyclopedia, page without a date; secondary source)
[5] ELAM: official website (Infomed) (home page read 8 Nov 2026, posts from Oct 2026; official source)
[6] ELAM: Misión (page without a date; official source)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.