昆明醫(yī)科大學(xué)1997年獲批招收外國留學(xué)生資格,，1998年開始招收留學(xué)生,，2004年成為首批云南省政府獎學(xué)金招收院校,。2011年獲批招收中國政府獎學(xué)金生資格,。2010年獲教育部批準成為招收本科臨床醫(yī)學(xué)專業(yè)（英語授課）來華留學(xué)生的高校,，2011年學(xué)校成立國際教育學(xué)院開始招收以英語為教學(xué)語言的醫(yī)學(xué)專業(yè)的長期學(xué)歷留學(xué)生,，是全國45所招收英文授課臨床醫(yī)學(xué)本科（MBBS）學(xué)生院校之一,。學(xué)校多次在教育部組織的來華留學(xué)專項檢查中獲得好評,，MBBS專業(yè)通過印度,、尼泊爾、巴基斯坦,、孟加拉國和泰國等醫(yī)學(xué)委員會認證,。2018年通過教育部來華留學(xué)高等教育質(zhì)量認證，為云南省首家通過質(zhì)量認證的高校,是中國高等教育學(xué)會外國留學(xué)生教育管理分會和中國教育國際交流協(xié)會理事單位和全國首批醫(yī)學(xué)漢語水平考試（MCT）考點,。

2011年至今,，學(xué)校共計招收全英文授課臨床醫(yī)學(xué)（MBBS）、中國政府獎學(xué)金,、云南省政府獎學(xué)金,、越南奠邊府獎學(xué)金、老撾衛(wèi)生部獎學(xué)金,、南方電網(wǎng)獎學(xué)金等項目的來華留學(xué)生900余人,。生源國分布五大洲40個國家，其中本科生800余人,，碩士研究生140余人,，博士研究生20余人。

學(xué)校招生的留學(xué)生學(xué)歷層次涵蓋本科生,、碩士研究生,、博士研究生及進修生。招生專業(yè)情況如下：全英文授課本科專業(yè)為臨床醫(yī)學(xué),；漢語授課本科包括臨床醫(yī)學(xué),、口腔醫(yī)學(xué)、法醫(yī)學(xué)等36個專業(yè),；碩士研究生教育涵蓋臨床醫(yī)學(xué),、口腔醫(yī)學(xué),、基礎(chǔ)醫(yī)學(xué)、公共衛(wèi)生與預(yù)防醫(yī)學(xué),、藥學(xué),、護理學(xué)、醫(yī)學(xué)技術(shù)和生物學(xué)等8個一級學(xué)科學(xué)位授權(quán)點158個專業(yè),；博士研究生教育包括基礎(chǔ)醫(yī)學(xué),、臨床醫(yī)學(xué)、口腔醫(yī)學(xué),、公共衛(wèi)生與預(yù)防醫(yī)學(xué),、藥學(xué)等5個一級學(xué)科學(xué)位授權(quán)點108個專業(yè)。臨床醫(yī)學(xué),、藥理學(xué)與毒理學(xué),、神經(jīng)科學(xué)與行為學(xué)3個學(xué)科進入ESI全球排名前1%。

學(xué)校與29個國家和港澳臺地區(qū)的90余所高校及科研院所建立了穩(wěn)固的交流合作關(guān)系,發(fā)起成立南亞東南亞醫(yī)學(xué)教育與醫(yī)療衛(wèi)生聯(lián)盟,，成為推動國家和云南與南亞東在醫(yī)學(xué)教育和醫(yī)療衛(wèi)生領(lǐng)域交流合作的重要平臺,，是云南省“國際醫(yī)學(xué)人才培養(yǎng)基地”和南亞東南亞國家學(xué)生來華學(xué)習(xí)醫(yī)學(xué)的主要目標院校。

Kunming Medical University was authorized to enroll international students in 1997, began to enroll international students in 1998, and was eligible to enroll international students through Yunnan provincial government scholarship program in 2004 when the first batch universities were authorized. In 2011, KMU was authorized to enroll international students through Chinese government scholarships program. In 2010, it was authorized by the Ministry of Education to enroll international students majoring in Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (short for MBBS) (taught in English medium) in China. In 2011, KMU, established International Education School and began to enroll long-term medical students taught in English as language of instruction, became one of 45 universities which are eligible to enroll international students in Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery. KMU has been well-reviewed in many examinations for studying in China organized by Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, and the major of MBBS has been certified by the medical committees of India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Thailand. In 2018,KMU gained the higher education quality certification awarded by Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, making it the first university in Yunnan Province to pass the quality certification. It is the director unit of China Association of International Education, and the first batch medical Chinese proficiency examination (MCT) test sites in China.

Since 2011, Kunming Medical University has enrolled more than 900 students studying in China through Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery programs, Chinese government scholarships, Yunnan provincial government scholarships, Vietnam Dien Bien scholarships, Scholarship of Lao Ministry of Health, and Scholarship of China Southern Power Grid and other programs. The students are from 40 countries on five continents, including more than 800 undergraduates, more than 140 master's students and more than 20 doctoral students.

The academic level of international students enrolled by Kunming Medical University includes undergraduates, postgraduates, both in master’s degree and doctor’s degree, and non-degree scholars. Majors for bachelor’s education include Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery taught in English medium and 36 majors taught in Chinese medium such as Clinical Medicine, Stomatology and Forensic Medicine. Master's education covers 158 majors out of 8 first-level disciplines,such as Stomatology, Basic Medicine, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Medical Technology and Biology etc. Doctoral education includes 108 majors out of five first-level disciplines, such as Basic Medicine, Clinical Medicine, Stomatology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Pharmacy etc. Clinical Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience and Ethology ranked in the top 1% of ESI global rankings.

Kunming Medical University has established a solid exchange and cooperation relationship with more than 90 universities and scientific research institutes in 29 countries and in the districts of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Also Kunming Medical University initiated the establishment of the Medical Education and Health Alliance in South and Southeast Asian , which has become an important platform to promote exchanges and cooperation between China and Southeast Asia in the field of medical education and health care. Based on all the achievements mentioned above, Kunming Medical University becomes the main target institution of Yunnan Province  for international students from South Asian and Southeast Asian countries to study medicine.