Overview
India’s historical ties with Russia have paved the way for an enduring bond, and today, Russia remains one of India’s most dependable allies. This long-standing relationship has contributed to making MBBS in Russia a highly sought-after option for Indian students seeking to study medicine abroad. Since 1985, India has witnessed a steady stream of students heading to Russia for pursuing medical programs, cementing its status as a top destination for MBBS education.
With over 4,000 Indian students flying to Russia every year to study MBBS, it’s evident that more than 50% of those seeking medical education abroad are choosing this exceptional country. Russia’s prominence in providing high-quality medical education is further accentuated by its various reputed institutions. As such, MBBS in Russia has become a popular choice for Indian students aspiring to excel in the medical field on an international stage.
Key Facts about MBBS in Russia
Of all the study abroad options available, Russia is one of the most economical places for MBBS abroad. Some of the important points to remember before finalising studying MBBS in Russia or any Russian University are-
Parameter | Result |
Total Medical Universities in Russia | 90+ |
Medium of Instruction | Bilingual, English |
Duration of Medicine | 6 Years Incl. Internship |
Degree Awarded | MD Equivalent to MBBS |
Yearly Tuition Fee (INR) | 2-4 Lacs |
Total Budget for MBBS | 20-40 Lacs |
Ruble to INR | TRUB =1.05 INR |
Licensing Exam for Indian Students | Permitted |
Internship | More than 12 Months |
Meeting NMC Criteria | Very Few Universities |
NMC Approved Medical University in Russia & Grading
Over 90 Medical Universities are accepting international students for General Medicine Programs in Russia (MBBS) in English. Bilingual, and Russian program. Nonetheless, many Indian Agents admit the student to a Bilingual program instead of english. taught MBBS program. As per NMC regulation for FMGE 2027, if any chance a student pursues the Bilingual MBBS program, they will not be eligible to appear in Indian Licensing Exam NEXT. And hence, it is extremely important to select the University which provides an entire MBBS course in the English language. Moreover, you should prefer a University with good quality of education.
Approximately, 18 universities deliver English Taught Programs and out of which only 10 or 12 have a quality infrastructure. You can select Best Medical University in Russia based on their grading or find the Top 10 Medical Universities in Russia if wish to refer to the University grade and check the availability of the Medicine Program in English.
You can find the most popular Medical University for MBBS in Russia-
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University Name
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Language
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Grade
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Eligible for NExT
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Apply
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A
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Note: The grading of universities is made based on their quality of education and not on their medium of instruction for medicine programs. The University (Marked Green) has a good infrastructure and offers English taught program. Crimea Federal University and Belgorod State University are placed close to the Ukrainian Border and hence need to be omitted, even though they offer MBBS Program in English.
Comparison between India and Russia’s MBBS Degree
If we compare the medical education systems in Russia and India, we find that they are utterly distinct from one another. Possible distinctions between the Indian and Russian MBBS Program are highlighted, find the table below-
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Parameter
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India
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Russia
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Indian Students studying MBBS in Russia
If we ask how many students are pursuing MBBS in Russia at the moment? The answer would be, there are almost 23 Thousand students currently enrolled in the diverse medical Universities of Russia, indeed this is quite a huge number for Medical aspirants in any of the countries.
Why study MBBS in Russia
There are multiple advantages to studying at Russian Medical Universities for Indian students. A few are mentioned below-
- Russia is the most affordable option among all the study abroad destinations for Medical students.
- Quality of Education is quite outstanding to any other options in a similar budget like Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc.
- The MBBS Course in Russia fulfils all the New NMC guidelines laid for Licensing Exam in India (NEXT)
- The Curriculum for Medicine program in Russia covers all 19 subjects, equivalent to the ones taught in Indian Medical Colleges.
- The total period of the MBBS course dedicated to Clinical exposure amounts to more than 1year, as per the NMC requirements.
- Medical Universities receive students from across the world, which gives truly global exposure.
- Above all, Russians place a high value on tradition and family ties, so there is no racism or religious discrimination.
Russian Medical University MBBS Course Fee
Russian universities are incredibly affordable in terms of academic costs, Generally, students look for affordable Medical Universities in Russia. Tuition fees for most Russian Medical Universities are in the range of 15-25 Lacs. Refer to the table below to get a gist of the Tuition Fees of Russian Universities-
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University Name
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6 Yrs Fee INR in Lacs
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Problems faced when Studying MBBS in Russia
Although there are multiple advantages to studying MBBS in Russia, at the same time certain challenges persist. To state, a few such problems, faced by Indian students during their MBBS study in Russia are below-
- English literacy is very less in Russia hence basic conversation in day-to-day life can be a major issue.
- Most Russian Universities run bilingual MBBS programs or in the Russian Language, hence the University selection must be done very carefully.
- Agents mislead the Indian student by stating that Russian Universities give NEXT, USMLE, or PLAB coaching to students, which is an utter lie. it is important to note that Universities in Russia are not responsible to provide NEXT classes to the indian students. The University in Russia follows the curriculum designed by their medical regularity authority. You have to make preparations for the Licensing Exam on your own.
- The FMGE passing ratio of Russian Univ is not very promising, which is approx. 18%. Primarily, this ratio occurred due to the unbothered conduct of students towards Licensing Exam FMGE or NEXT. Those who delay the preparation for FMGE or NEXT after returning to India usually face difficulties. Accordingly, it is advised to take USMLE or NEXT preparation from 1st Year.
Indian Food in Russian Medical Universities
A very common query arises when a student plans to study MBBS in Russia, will | get Indian food in Russia, or is Indian mess available at the Medical Schools in Russia? So here is the answer-
- Indian Mess facilities are available in several universities, in general owned by a private contractor, and it depends upon the number of Indian students in the particular University.
- Monthly Charges for 2 meals in a day is approx. 100-150 USD. Prices may still vary from university to university.
- A common kitchen is provided in every hostel where students can cook the food. Usually, the University offers this facility free of cost.
- Indian Restaurants are also available as the Indian community is abundant in Russia, and though they may be slightly expensive you will find them in most cities.
Hostel or Accommodation in Russian universities
Every single University provides on-campus accommodation for its students.
- Availability- Almost every University has a common hostel for girls and boys.
- Space sharing- Medical Universities provide a variety of accommodation rooms in a hostel, in general, offered as Double, triple, and quad sharing.
- Living Charges- The room charges depend upon the sharing and condition of the room. Renovated rooms are always a bit pricey. The probability of getting a single shared room is extremely rare in the hostels.
- Internet access- Every room has Internet access, students might need to pay for Wi-Fi connections in their rooms
- Drinking Water- In general, students need to buy drinking water, which is usually available in 20 Ltr packing. There is no provision of water coolers in Russia like in India.
- Common kitchen- The kitchens are built on every floor and are well supplied with facilities like Induction cooktops, refrigerators, Microwave ovens, etc. Also, the student can utilise it without paying any charge.
- Utilities- Washing machines are placed in common laundry rooms and can be availed at no additional cost.
- Living Spaces- Likewise, most of the hostels have a reading room, Gymnasium, and Indoor Games room.
- Security- Mostly, the hostels are under CCTV surveillance, and there is always a warden or caretaker in the hostel 24×7 basis.
Cost of Studying MBBS in Russia
Normally, the total cost of study in Russia for any of the universities consists of tuition fees, hostel, food, and other personal expenses. Refer to the table below for the average cost of study in any of the Russian universities. Note that: There are certain expenses that incur in the first year only like-
- Health check-ups
- Local police verification & biometric update in Russian Security System
- Translations, Attestation & Notarization of documents in the University
The most considerable part of your expenditure will shift towards the university tuition Fee. Despite that, you should not choose a university just because its tuition fee is low, as you may end up compromising the quality of the education.
Eligibility Criteria for MBBS Admission in Russia
Russia follows the same criteria for Indian students, approved by the NMC for an Indian medical aspirant to pursue MBBS in foreign nations. Few universities rely upon an additional condition, over and above the NMC criteria to find the better student to study at
their University.
- Students must be NEET Qualified.
- Most universities ask for more than 50% in 10+2 grades. (or even higher grades).
- Age should be a minimum of 17 years
- Some universities conduct Online Exams to assess the candidate.
Process of MBBS Admission in Russia
This is important to understand that the complete process takes around three months (3) from the application till arrival at the University. Nonetheless, students applying at the last moment may not find seats available or may even struggle to complete the process. In this case, students might reach late at the university which may result in a loss in their academics.
Documents Required for MBBS Admission in Russia
- 10th & 12th transcript’s Attested copy required (Notary Public, Education Ministry, India)
- NEET Score Card
- Passport Copy
- Police Verification Certificate (For VISA Purpose)
- Bank Statement (For VISA Purpose)
- Medical Fitness certificate (For VISA Purpose)
Licensing Exam in Russia after MBBS for Indian students
NMC Regulation for FMGE 2021.
The National Medical Council’s 2021 regulation for the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) or MCI Screening Test, has implemented specific guidelines for students pursuing MBBS or medical studies abroad. These guidelines establish eligibility criteria for appearing in the NEXT Exam in India. Key aspects of the NMC 2021 regulation include:
- MBBS course duration should be at least 5-1/2 years, including internship.
- Minimum 12 months of clinical rotation, clerkship, or internship
- The medium of instruction for MBBS must be English for the entire course.
- The entire study should be on one campus only.
- After successful completion of the MBBS course, the student will be allowed to register with a competent body to grant the licence in the respective country.
- The student is required to attend clinical rotations in mandatory specialties such as community medicine, general medicine, obstetrics, gynaecology, psychiatry, paediatrics, general surgery, anaesthesia, orthopaedics, otorhinolaryngology, ophthalmology, dermatology, emergency medicine, and casualty services during the MBBS programme.
Medical Licensing Exam Process in Russia
It is important to understand the Medical Education system in Russia for Indian students to make sure they are eligible to appear in Licensing Exam or NEXT Exam in India. Medical Education in Russia follows a combination of the European system and the old Soviet system.You have to clear two stages in Russia before applying for Indian Licensing Exam.
- State Exam or Goss Exam or MD Degree Exam
- Accreditation Exam or Licensing Exam
State or Goss Exam in Russia
There is no separate internship system being followed in Russia, unlike India. State or Goss exam is conducted in the final year of the medicine course. The universities in Russia award the MD degree to the student who completes his or her 6 years of medical school after clearing this exam.We can say the Goss Exam in Russia is equivalent to the NEXT Exam in India for an Indian Medical Graduate.
State or Goss Exam in Russia follows a three-step system.
1. Written test : This is a multiple-choice question (MCQ)-based exam, and all the questions are to be compulsorily attempted.
2. Practical Test : This is a patient diagnosis exam, where the patient’s history along with certain lab reports will be provided to the student. It is expected of the student to diagnose the disease and recommend treatment to the patient based on the given information.
3. Oral Exam : Students will be evaluated by faculty members based on their verbal proficiency. Typically, oral exams focus on clinical subjects to assess the student’s knowledge.
IMPORTANT NOTE : Goss Exam may be conducted in English or Russian, depending upon the University, despite, the medium of instruction for the course. The Goss Exam is Organised at the university level, neither the Russian Federal Government nor its Ministry of Education is in charge of conducting it.
Accreditation Exam or Medical License Exam in Russia.
This Exam is completely different from Goss or Degree or State Exam in Russia. This Exam is also being conducted in 3 phases namely
1. Online Exam : This exam is conducted fully online, consisting of 40 questions. There is a pool of 800 Sample Questions for this exam, and most of the time the questions are asked from this pool only. The criteria for passing the Medical Licensing exam is 50%. This exam is conducted once a year in June. As of date, The medium of the Licensing Exam is Russian. For students to get familiar with Russian terminologies, universities are mandated to offer classes in medical terminology.
2. Clinical Skills in Hospital : This exam is very similar to the Goss Practical Exam; the only difference is that this is taken by a doctor in a hospital. Patient history, symptoms, pathological, and other relevant diagnosis reports were provided to the student. They need to identify the disease and suggest a treatment plan.
3. Clinical Skills Online : This is again similar to the practical exam; the difference is that this is again an online exam where 12 questions are to be answered.
The entire exam is supervised and conducted under surveillance. The result of the exam is declared within 1 week after the exam. Thereafter, the student is awarded Medical License to practice in Russia.Once you clear the Licensing Exam in Russia, you will get a certificate and Registration No from the Federal Agency. This certificate needs to submit to NMC as proof of Registration to practice as a physician in Russia along with other Academic certificates of your Medicine course.