Best Countries to Study MBBS Abroad

Medicine is one of the most sought-after courses among the young in India. The number of young students wanting to become a doctor or pursue a career in medicine is only rising steeply. The number of Indian students looking to pursue medical studies abroad is also on the rise. Let's check out the best countries to study MBBS abroad along with its eligibility.

Studying MBBS abroad is a cost effective and better option for many Indian students seeking quality education. But which country is best to study MBBS abroad? Countries like Russia, Ukraine, and the Philippines are often considered as the best countries to study MBBS for Indian students. For those looking for cost-effective options, Russia is the cheapest country to study MBBS, with tuition fees averaging around INR 2.14 lakhs per year.

After completing an MBBS degree, many students consider choosing a medical specialization for a higher degree from countries like the USA, UK, or Canada. When it comes to the value of an MBBS degree, degrees from countries such as Germany and Australia are highly regarded worldwide due to their rigorous academic standards and strong healthcare systems. Check the best countries to study MBBS abroad from India, focusing on affordability, quality of education, and future prospects for graduates. 

READ: Top MBBS Colleges Abroad

Best country for MBBS abroad for Indian students

Some of the top countries for MBBS study abroad are:

Country	Course Duration	Total Estimated Cost (INR)
MBBS in Russia	6 years	₹15 – ₹35 lakhs
MBBS in Kyrgyzstan	5 years	₹13 – ₹19 lakhs
MBBS in Bangladesh	5 years	₹20 – ₹35 lakhs
MBBS in Georgia	6 years	₹25 – ₹40 lakhs
MBBS in Poland	6 years	₹30 – ₹35 lakhs
MBBS in Germany	6 years	₹15 – ₹25 lakhs
MBBS in China	6 years	₹20 – ₹35 lakhs
MBBS in Nepal	5.5 years	₹20 – ₹30 lakhs
MBBS in USA	8 years	₹2.5 – ₹5 crores
MBBS in UK	5-6 years	₹1.5 – ₹3 crores

Countries like the UAE offer lucrative opportunities, provided you clear the DHA Exam.

Related Reads

• MBBS in Russia or MBBS in Ukraine? Which is better?
• Application Process to MBBS from the UK

Why Pursue MBBS Abroad?

Research has shown how the availability of a limited number of government seats every year, and high tuition costs at private medical universities are pushing Indian students to foreign soil. Candidates who are unable to make the cut in the entrance exam and secure a seat are required to look at private medical institutes that charge students exorbitant tuition fees. Students opting for a private medical institute in India are required to pay around 60 Lakhs as compared to the 4 lakhs charged at government medical colleges. Hence, these factors combined with choice and personal preferences have led to candidates opting to pursue medical studies abroad, every year. Apart from the reasons elucidated above, popular factors that push Indians towards pursuing their MBBS abroad are as follows:

• Universities abroad offer a larger number of seats every year that are required to be filled by international students.
• The cost of pursuing MBBS abroad is at par or lower as compared to private universities in India.
• Universities/institutes abroad are well known to provide top-notch facilities, world-class faculty, and globally recognized degrees to its students.
• Better ROI: On successful completion of their course students are allowed to practice in the host country. This provides them with an opportunity to earn big money.
• Students can always come back to India and practice. Students who have pursued their MBBS abroad are only required to qualify the MCI approved Foreign Medical Graduates Examination or FMGE to practice on their home turf.
• Scholarships and Financial Aid: Students can also apply for financial aid and scholarships to pursue their medical studies abroad.
• Universities and colleges abroad also provide paramount safety and security to study abroad aspirants so they feel at home in a foreign country. 
• To attract international students, a lot of the colleges use English as their primary language of instruction in medical universities. This again works as an advantage in attracting international students.

Eligibility Criteria for MBBS Abroad for Indian Students

While each country could have its own set of rules and eligibility criteria, today we are going to talk about the general eligibility guideline for Indian Students to get into the top countries to pursue MBBS abroad.

• The student is required to have attained the age of 17 on December 31 of the year he is pursuing his admission.
• The student must have completed his class 12.
• The student must have an aggregate percentage of at least 50% or above in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology and must have studied English as a compulsory subject.
• The candidate would also be required to produce an Eligibility Certificate issued by the Medical Council of India at the time of admission to Foreign Medical Universities.
• Students are also required to clear the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) exam. This is mandatory even if the student is planning to pursue his medical studies abroad.  

Also Read

• Advantages and Disadvantages of MBBS Abroad
• List of MCI Approved MBBS Universities Abroad
• Eligibility Requirements & Admission Process for Studying MBBS Abroad

Now let us talk about the top universities to pursue MBBS abroad for Indian students.

MBBS in UK

Students from across the world move to the UK for MBBS education due to its high-quality education and top-ranking institutes. The duration of an MBBS course in the UK is generally 5-6 years. Those looking forward to pursuing an MBBS from the UK should possess excellent academic record, with good scores in subjects such as Chemistry and Biology. They should also have performed well in the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) or Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT). Holding an English language proficiency certificate is a must. Expect to pay anywhere between £20,000 to £45,000 or higher for a medical course in the UK.

Top Medical Colleges in the UK include:

University	Course Duration	Tuition Fee
University of Oxford	3 years (BA) 6 years (BM BCh)	Pre-Clinical: £43,670 (INR 44,30,394) Per Year Clinical: £57,690 (INR 58,52,747) Per Year
University of Cambridge	6 years (MB, BChir)	£63,990 (INR 64,91,892) Per Year
UCL	6 years (MBBS BSc)	£50,300 (INR 51,03,019) Per Year
Imperial College London	6 years (MBBS BSc)	£53,700 (INR 54,47,955) Per Year
King's College London	5-6 years (MBBS)	£48,600 (INR 49,30,551) Per Year
The University of Edinburgh	6 years (MBChB)	Pre-Clinical 1,2,3 years: £37,570 (INR 38,04,438) Per Year Clinical years: £51,000 (INR 51,74,035) Per Year Year 4 direct entry: £51,000 (INR 51,74,035) Per Year
The University of Manchester	5 years (MBChB)	Year 1 & 2: £34,500 (INR 35,00,083) Per Year
University of Glasgow	5 years (MBChB)	£56,520 (INR 57,34,048) Per Year
Queen Mary University of London	5 Years (Medicine)	£48,700 (INR 49,40,696) Per Year

MBBS in USA

In the USA, obtaining admission into an MD programme (Doctor of Medicine) is quite tough as the competition is stiff. Those who are interested in this programme need to possess a bachelor's degree with important coursework in subjects such as physics, biology, chemistry, and math. MCAT is an important exam to get MBBS admission in USA.

Top Medical Colleges in the USA include:

University	Course Duration	Tuition Fee
Harvard University	4 Years (Medical MD)	$69,300 (INR 57,64,205) Per Year
Stanford University	6 Years (MD)	$21,781 (INR 18,11,690) (Quarterly)
Johns Hopkins University	4 Years (MD)	$76,744 (INR 63,83,378) 1st Year
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	6-7 Years (MD)	$43,843 (INR 36,46,754) 1st Year
University of California, San Francisco	4 Years (MD)	$57,369 (INR 47,71,813) 1st Year
Yale University	4 Years (MD)	$35,654 (INR 29,65,613) 1st Year
Massachusetts of Technology (MIT)	4-5 Years (MD)	$29,875 (INR 24,84,929) 1st Term
Columbia University	5 Years (MD)	$69,363 (INR 57,69,445) 1st Year
University of Pennsylvania	4 Years (MD)	$65,940 (INR 54,84,728) 1st Year
Duke University	4 Years (MD)	$69,756 (INR 58,02,133) 1st Year

MBBS in Bangladesh

Indian students who want to pursue their medical studies from Bangladesh can apply for direct admissions under the SAARC Countries quota – that allows students from India to study the Programme at a very normal fee. Students can apply to universities in Bangladesh also if they do now want to go through the SAARC program. Pursuing the MBBS course in Bangladesh would cost students approximately anything between 30 – 60 lakhs for the entire program.

Top Medical Colleges in Bangladesh include:

University	Course Duration	Tuition Fee
Bangladesh Medical College	5 Years (MBBS)	$45,000 (INR 37,42,990) Full Fee
Delta Medical College	5 Years (MBBS)	$44,200 (INR 36,76,448) Full Fee
East West Medical College	5 Years (MBBS)	$45,000 (INR 37,42,990) Full Fee
Jahurul Islam Medical College	5 Years (MBBS)	$41,000 (INR 3410280) Full Fee
Monno Medical College & Hospital	5 Years (MBBS)	$42,000 (INR 34,93,458) Full Fee
Medical College for Women and Hospital	5 Years (MBBS)	$56,000 (INR 46,57,942) Full Fee
Eastern Medical College	5 Years (MBBS)	$35,947 (INR 29,90,000) Full Fee
Enam Medical College and Hospital	5 Years (MBBS)	Around $40,000 (INR 33,27,102) Full Fee
University of Dhaka	6 Years (MBBS)	Around $40,000 (INR 33,27,102) Full Fee

MBBS in China

According to the Ministry of Education (MoE) of the People's Republic of China, only 45 universities in China are qualified to teach MBBS degrees in English and admit international students (including India). So, if Indian students want to pursue MBBS in English then they have to take admission in any one of these educational institutions else they have to pursue medical studies in the Chinese language.

The cost of medical studies in China ranges from INR 3 Lakh to INR 8 Lakh annually, which is the reason they are highly popular amongst the Indian and international students as they get quality education at a reasonable budget. This is a major reason why international students prefer to pursue MBBS from China. In China, Clinical Medicine is taught either in Chinese or English medium. Apart from this, Clinical Integrative Medicine is the other English medium course that includes Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine. These courses are also recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI). READ: Why should you pursue MBBS from China?

Top Medical Colleges in China include:

University	Course Duration	Tuition Fees
Shantou University	5 Year (MBBS)	RMB 52,000 (INR 5,92,968) Per Year
Kunming Medical University	6 Year (MBBS)	RMB 35,000 (INR 3,99,114) Per Year
North Sichuan Medical University	5 Year (MBBS)	RMB 46,916 (INR 5,35,000) Per Year
Southwest Medical University	5 Year (MBBS)	RMB 30,000 (INR 3,42,098) Per Year
Xiamen University	6 Year (MBBS)	RMB 38,000 (INR 4,33,324) Per Year
China Three Gorges University	6 Year (MBBS)	RMB 24,000 (INR 2,73,677) Per Year
Zhengzhou University	6 Year (MBBS)	RMB 35,000 (INR 3,99,114) Per Year
Nantong University	5 Year (MBBS)	RMB 25,000 (INR 2,85,082) Per Year
Peking University	6 Year (MBBS)	RMB 40,000 (INR 4,56,130) Per Year
Fudan University	6 Year (MBBS)	RMB 75,000 (INR 8,55,243) Per Year

MBBS in Nepal

Another preferred destination for Indian students to pursue medical studies is Nepal. The close proximity and relaxed immigration policies have made this landlocked country a major hub among Indian students wanting to study MBBS abroad. The tuition costs for the entire program ranges from 30 – 45 lakhs for the entire program. Nepal and India also share cultural similarities, and climate making it easy for Indian students to settle abroad. Some of the top colleges in Nepal to pursue medical studies are listed below.

Top Medical Colleges in Nepal include

• Kathmandu University (KU)
• College Of Medical Sciences (CMS Nepal)
• National Medical College
• Nepal Medical College
• Janaki Medical College
• Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences (KUSMS)
• Kathmandu Medical College

MBBS in Russia

High quality of medical education combined with low tuition fees is one of the prime reasons for students to pursue MBBS from Russia. All Russian Medical Universities are recognized by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Medical Council of India (MCI) and 12 of these universities teach MBBS in the English medium. To attract the best minds, the Russian Government provides a subsidy for education and the MBBS fee in Russia is low keeping the very point in mind. Due to its international affiliations, all students who pursue MBBS from Russia can practise anywhere in the world including India. READ: Is it Worth Studying MBBS in Russia?

Top Medical Colleges in Russia include

• Belgorod National Research University (BelSu)
• Nizhny Novgorod State Medical University (Nizhgma)
• Stavropol State Medical University
• Bashkir State Medical University
• The Orenburg State Medical University
• Mordovia State University
• Northern State Medical University
• Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow
• Siberian State Medical University
• Ryazan Medical University, Ryazan
• Kuban State Medical University

MBBS in Ukraine

Located in Eastern Europe, Ukraine is one of the most sought after study abroad destinations for medical studies. The country is home to top government medical universities offering MBBS, MD and other medical/ medicine-related degrees to students. Top medical universities in Ukraine are all recognized by major organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Medical degrees of qualifying Graduates are recognized everywhere and are eligible to apply for medical positions in any corner of the world. Popular medical fields of MBBS in medical universities of Ukraine include Dentistry; General medicine; Pharmacy and Pediatrics. Candidates are not required to appear for any entrance examination to get admission to a medical university. The average duration of an MBBS Programme in Ukraine is for 5.8 years.

Top medical colleges in Ukraine

• Kharkiv National Medical University
• Lugansk State Medical University (LSMU)
• M. Gorky National Medical University (DMNU)
• Bogomolets National Medical University
• Ternopil State Medical University
• Donetsk State Medical University
• National Medical University
•  Vinnytsia National Medical University

Candidates are reminded that they would be required to clear the MCI approved Foreign Medical Graduates Examination or FMGE to be able to practice in India. It is established that studying abroad is cheaper compared to the tuition fees in India however, candidates should always go for MCI approved universities and avoid dodgy study institutions.