As EPH continues to expand, applicants are required to select different universities for Year 1 and Year 2 of the Programme. The Year 1 “foundational year” is, comparatively speaking, an easier decision. As of January 2026, there are only four options available: Granada, Dublin, Sheffield, and Liège. However, because half of these options have language requirements (Spanish for Granada and French for Liège), most English-speaking applicants find themselves choosing between Dublin and Sheffield, two rain-drenched islands separated by the Irish and Celtic Seas.

Between the two many applicants find the two options comparable in several practical aspect  and tend to revolve around culture and proximity to international airports; food, cost of living, and climate are broadly comparable. From an academic perspective, the foundational year provides broad public health training across disciplines, while Year 2 tends to play a more direct role in shaping students’ specialisation and future career interests. 

I chose Ireland for three reasons:

1. I had never traveled there before (and had previously visited the UK);
2. My great-grandmother was born in Galway, and I was curious to experience the city;
3. Choosing Ireland meant fewer currency exchanges between Year 1 and Year 2 (Ireland uses the euro, while post-Brexit UK uses the pound).

Year 2, however, is a far more challenging decision. This is the year in which students complete their thesis, apply for and undertake a practical internship, and acquire specialized skills that directly shape their future careers. Applicants with multiple career interests will likely find this choice particularly difficult.

Like Year 1, Year 2 also includes language considerations, with programs offered in French, Spanish, and English:

• Granada, Spain: Health Services Management and Digital Transformation (Spanish)
• Rennes, France: Advanced Biostatistics and Epidemiology (English)
• Rennes, France: Health and Environment in a Context of Climate Change (English)
• Bordeaux, France: Public Health Data Science (English)
• Rennes, France: Health Promotion and Prevention (French)
• Maastricht, The Netherlands: Governance and Leadership in European Public Health (English)
• Krakow, Poland: Governance and Economics of Health Systems in Transition (English)

For most English-speaking applicants, the language requirements may narrow the options for some applicants, leaving three programmes in France, one in Poland, and one in the Netherlands.

Beyond academic interests, there are also practical considerations when moving to a new country:

1. Cost of living: Poland and France tend to be the most affordable; the Netherlands is the most expensive.
2. Internship placement: Securing placements is generally easiest in the Netherlands and most challenging in France.
3. Internship length: France and Poland offer the longest placements, while the Netherlands limits internships to 10 weeks.
4. Start dates: Programs begin in France at the end of August, followed by the Netherlands in early September, and Poland in October.
5. End dates: All programmess end around the same time due to the shared summer integration module.
6. Language environment: Approximately 90-95% of the population in the Netherlands speaks English, despite Dutch being the national language. English proficiency is lower in both France (approximately 30%) and Poland (approximately 30-45%). Basic French or Polish is useful for everyday life and will likely smooth out the process for necessities like finding housing or buying groceries.  

When choosing a Year 2 specialisation, it helps to think carefully about your intended career path. I knew I wanted to pursue something governance-related, which led me to go back and forth between Maastricht and Krakow – changing my decision almost daily up until the application deadline. What ultimately helped me was to review the course curricula and syllabi for each university, all of which are available on the EPH website: https://www.europubhealth.org/second-year-specialisations/

From the curricula, Krakow appeared better suited for careers in health economics, health insurance, or hospital management, whereas Maastricht aligned more closely with health policy, governance structures, and leadership roles, based on my own interests and interpretation of the curricula. In the end, the decision comes down to your academic strengths and the kind of work you can realistically see yourself doing in five or ten years. 

Remember that choosing a particular specialisation does not automatically lock you into a single public health career path. Graduates can also pursue careers outside their formal specialisation, as the skills gained during the foundational year and the Year 2 specialisation are often transferable across other domains of public health. That said, specialisations with heavier statistical or software-based training, such as epidemiology or biostatistics, may be harder to transition into a post-graduation career than to transition out of, which is worth keeping in mind during your decision-making process.

Alumni and current students are almost always happy to share their experiences and advice when asked. If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to EPH and EPHSA. You can find us on social media or via LinkedIn – networking is a key part of success in public health, and it never hurts to start early.