Incoming Medical Electives

UCC School of Medicine welcomes applications for incoming clinical electives for the following time periods ONLY:

June 2 – 26, 2026

June 29 – July 24, 2026

July 27 – August 21, 2026

UCC provides electives for a maximum of 4 weeks in a variety of clinical specialities.

Requests for electives outside of the above dates and/or durations will NOT be considered.

It is important to note that once elective dates are confirmed, they cannot be altered.  Students must attend for the complete duration of the elective placement.

Before applying

Check that UCC's elective dates correspond with those allowed by your Medical School, ie, that the elective dates fit with the course timetable in your medical programme.

Requirements

Applicants must have completed at least 3 years of an undergraduate medicine degree programme including a minimum of 1 year clinical training by the commencement of the elective.

Elective Specialities

It may be possible to complete clinical electives in the following clinical departments – dependent on availability at the time of application (limited places available):

Medicine (Gastroenterology, Respiratory Medicine, Cardiology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Emergency Medicine, Neurology, Nephrology, Radiology, Infectious Diseases)

Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Paediatrics & Child Health

Psychiatry

Surgery (General Surgery, Anaesthesia, Orthopaedics)

Fees

A non-refundable administrative application fee of €75 payable at Application Fee, must be paid in advance of review of application.  Successful applicants will be charged a further placement fee of €175 on confirmation of the elective.  All fees are non-refundable. Students should note that electives undertaken at the UCC affiliated hospitals do not attract remuneration.

Accommodation

UCC advises that all students are responsible for make their own arrangements for accommodation while in Ireland. Accommodation cannot be provided by the teaching hospitals, nor can it be arranged by the School of Medicine.  Information about accommodation is available from the UCC Campus Accommodation Office - Email: resservices@ucc.ie; https://www.ucc.ie/en/accommodation/

 APPLICATION PROCESS

STEP 1 (Applicant) – Deadline – November 30, 2025

All applicants must complete the Application Form and upload the below documentation at Application Form - Clinical Electives 2026

• Academic Transcript
• Completed Deans Statement (provided on school letterhead) - Deans Statement 2026
• Proof of Insurance Cover:
• Personal Health Insurance and
• Medical Malpractice / Liability Insurance (minimum value €4,000,000 which will be in place during your elective)
• Police Clearance Certificate
• Photograph
• English Language Certificate (if language of instruction at University is not English)

Application Fee €75 should be paid at: Application Fee

All documents submitted must be in English (or an original English translation).  All required documents indicated above must be uploaded and payment completed.  Incomplete applications will not be processed.

INSURANCE

University College Cork and its affiliated teaching hospitals accept no liability for a visiting student while on elective.  If medical malpractice / liability insurance is not provided by the home university for their students’ electives, it is the applicant’s responsibility to provide proof of their own personal medical malpractice insurance cover.  If it is not possible to obtain the appropriate insurance cover in your home country for an elective in Ireland, we regret that you will not be eligible to undertake any elective offered to you. Providers of medical malpractice insurance include, for example, MPS Medical Protection Ireland or “Professional and personal liability insurance” from Dr Walter – Well insured worldwide | DR-WALTER, other providers are also available.

STEP 2 (School of Medicine, UCC): The Incoming Electives Office will check that all the supporting materials have been uploaded with your application and that applicants are of a sufficient standard and have the necessary experience and qualifications to benefit from an elective placement at University College Cork.  If you are offered a place you will be notified by email January 31, 2026.  Please remember that we receive many applications and competition is extremely strong.  Not all applications will be successful.

STEP 3 (Applicant): Confirm your acceptance of the elective by email, within 2 weeks (by February 15, 2026).  To complete acceptance of your elective applicants are required to:

• Pay a further non-refundable placement fee of €175 at: Placement Fee.
• Sign and submit the UCC Clinical Medical Elective Agreement and submit to medoca@ucc.ie.

No formal letters of confirmation from UCC of an elective will be provided until the fee and agreement are received.  Your elective place will be reallocated if you fail to confirm and pay for your elective.

STEP 4 (School of Medicine, UCC): On receipt of payment, the Incoming Electives Office will confirm the details of your supervising Department.  The Department will make contact with the applicant prior to the start of the elective with details regarding the elective. Please be aware it is NOT possible to change the dates once your elective has been confirmed.

STEP 5 (Applicant): After receipt of the UCC School of Medicine Confirmation Letter, the applicant will then be required to complete the online visiting student registration and will receive communication from Student Vetting (studentgardavetting@ucc.ie) which requires immediate action in order to obtain Garda (Police) Clearance for Ireland.  It is a requirement that all confirmed incoming elective students are cleared before commencing their elective.  Applicants will not be permitted access to hospitals without Garda Clearance and registration.

ALL EMAILS REGARDING VISITING STUDENT REGISTRATION AND GARDA VETTING REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION – FAILURE TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE TIME FRAME INCIDATED WILL RESULT IN APPLICANTS BEING WITHDRAWN FROM THEIR CLINICAL ELECTIVE AT UCC.

ONLY FULLY COMPLETED APPLICATIONS UPLOADED BEFORE THE DEADLINE WILL BE CONSIDERED.  PLEASE NOTE UCC WILL NOT CONFIRM RECEIPT OF APPLICATION.

Please note due to the high volume of requests we receive, it is NOT possible to provide a status update on the progress of your application during the application period.

Please DO NOT contact the hospital departments or Consultants directly as this will render your application void.

Please note that UCC School of Medicine is currently not in a position to accept any further Erasmus placements.