Medical school tuition around 1 million won... Acceptance rate below 10%, 'World's Most Affordable Prestigious University'

Unique Tuition System at Universidad Nacional Aut?noma de M?xico Sparks Attention
Students Freely Pay Tuition Based on Economic Situation
Affordable Tuition and Competitiveness Attract Many US Students for Study Abroad

Mexico's prestigious National Autonomous University (UNAM) is gaining attention as the "world's most affordable elite university." On the 8th, Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, "Mexico's UNAM is noted for its unique tuition system where students who pass the difficult entrance exam can freely pay tuition fees according to their economic situation."

[Image source=UNAM homepage capture]

Students at this university determine their tuition fees freely, considering their family circumstances, personal financial situation, and university activities. As a result, the average tuition fee for undergraduates is about 20,000 pesos (approximately 1.34 million KRW). This tuition system is known to attract the attention of students tired of the high tuition fees in the United States. Recently, as university tuition fees in the U.S. have surged due to inflation, nearby UNAM has gained competitiveness with its affordable tuition.

Consequently, many students exhausted by the high tuition fees in the U.S. choose to study abroad at UNAM. Especially, the medical school, which is globally known for its high costs, operates the same tuition system, making it highly competitive. A female student who entered UNAM's medical school this year said, "U.S. universities are too expensive. I love Mexico." However, the entrance is quite competitive. In the 2024-25 entrance exam, only about 14,000 students, less than 10% of all applicants, were admitted, and the acceptance rate for the most difficult surgical course was only 1.5%.

UNAM, a comprehensive university boasting a campus registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 2007, was established in 1910. According to the '2024 QS World University Rankings' announced by the UK's global university ranking organization QS in June last year, UNAM ranked 93rd, recognized for its excellent employment outcomes and international research network. It has produced many political figures, including current Mexican President L?pez Obrador and Claudia Sheinbaum, who is scheduled to take office in October, as well as Nobel laureates such as Alfonso Garc?a Robles (Peace Prize), Octavio Paz (Literature Prize), and Mario Molina (Chemistry Prize).