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MBBS in Georgia vs Uzbekistan – Which Country is Better?
Pursuing an MBBS abroad has become popular for Indian students who aspire to study medicine at internationally recognized institutions. Two of the most popular destinations for MBBS abroad are Georgia and Uzbekistan. These two countries offer affordable education with globally recognized degrees. Selecting the right country for higher education is often a complex and daunting decision for Indian students and their families. With so many factors to consider, including educational quality, visa regulations, and cultural differences, the process can be overwhelming. Also, there is an information overload and so much misinformation out there. To help you make an informed choice, we compare the MBBS in Georgia and MBBS in Uzbekistan for Indian students based on key factors such as tuition fees, quality of education, living expenses, admission process, and recognition of degree. Global Medical Foundation has sent hundreds of students to study MBBS in Georgia and Uzbekistan. Shobhit Jayaswal of Global Medical Foundation has visited Uzbekistan and Georgia.
Here’s an extensive analysis by Global Medical Foundation to help Indian students make an informed choice.
Overview of MBBS in Georgia and Uzbekistan
MBBS in Georgia
Georgia is possibly the best MBBS abroad destination for Indian students today. The MBBS course duration in Georiga is 6 years. The weather is favourable for Indian students and Georgia offers a European experience. A good chunk of the population understands and speaks English. The accent of the locals is perhaps the easiest to understand among all the popular MBBS abroad destinations.
Georgia’s medical universities are renowned for their high academic standards. However, the overall cost of studying there tends to be higher than in Uzbekistan, which may discourage some Indian students from choosing this destination. Some of the biggest advantages of selecting Uzbekistan are as follows:
- one of the highest FMGE passing ratio
- European experience & safety
- a good number of the English-speaking population
- similar weather
- short travel time and low cost of flight
MBBS in Uzbekistan
Indian students with a medium budget often choose to study MBBS in Uzbekistan due to its affordability and focus on practical training. Compared to Georgia, more Indian students choose to study in Uzbekistan as its budget is less. The MBBS course duration in Uzbekistan is 6 years. You won’t find many English-speaking locals in Uzbekistan. However, your education will be in English medium.
Some of the biggest advantages of selecting Uzbekistan are as follows:
- affordable fees
- similar weather
- full-time Indian faculty (exclusively in Samarkand State Medical University)
- short travel time and cost
MBBS in Georgia Vs Uzbekistan
Let us compare MBBS in Georgia vs Uzbekistan on more than 15 points:
FMGL Regulations
As of 2025, Georgia has a certain level of clarity on FMGL Regulations. Please note that NMC does not recognise any medical university abroad. The NMC has laid down the FMGL Regulations which the students are expected to fulfil. Here is what the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia has to say on FMGL Regulations:
Here is what the Embassy of India in Tashkent, Uzbekistan has to say on FMGL Regulations: Indian Embassy in Uzbekistan on FMGL Regulations.
FMGE Passing Ratio
The Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE) is the licensing exam for Indian students who graduate from medical universities abroad. Foreign medical graduates must pass the FMGE to obtain a license in India. However, NExT will eventually replace the FMGE as the licensing examination.
We can analyze the FMGE passing ratio of graduates from different countries to understand which country offers better prospects for success. A higher passing ratio means a better MBBS abroad destination. Every prospective student and their parents must review the FMGE passing ratios from the past few years. Now, let’s compare the FMGE passing ratios from Georgia and Uzbekistan:
MBBS in Georgia vs Uzbekistan FMGE passing ratio in 2023:
| 2023 FMGE | Appeared | Passed | Pass % |
| Georgia | 3,123 | 820 | 26.26 |
| Uzbekistan | 64 | 487 | 12.50 |
MBBS in Georgia vs Uzbekistan FMGE passing ratio in 2022:
| 2022 FMGE | Appeared | Passed | Pass % |
| Georgia | 1,872 | 651 | 34.77 |
| Uzbekistan | 19 | 1 | 5.26 |
MBBS in Georgia vs Uzbekistan FMGE passing ratio in 2021:
| 2021 FMGE | Appeared | Passed | Pass % |
| Georgia | 930 | 319 | 34.30 |
| Uzbekistan | NA | NA | NA |
As you can see, the students who graduated from Georgia have performed well in FMGE in recent years. During the same time, very few students appeared for FMGE after studying in Uzbekistan. In 2021, no Indian student appeared for FMGE after an MBBS in Uzbekistan. This is because Uzbekistan is a new destination for MBBS abroad. Its popularity skyrocketed after the war in Ukraine as many students transferred from Ukrainian medical universities to the ones in Uzbekistan. When the 2024 FMGE data gets out, the number of graduates from Uzbekistan is expected to be very high. However, most of these students will be transfer students from Ukraine who studied 2-3 semesters in Uzbekistan.
Georgia has a higher FMGE passing ratio than Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan is a new and untested MBBS abroad destination with plenty of potential but Georgia is one of the best.
Please note that as of January 2025 (when this page was last updated), the latest FMGE results available were till 2023.
Admission Without NEET
Many Indian students wish to study abroad without NEET, either because they did not take the exam or failed to secure qualifying marks. Some students, holding Indian passports but settled abroad, may not have appeared for NEET. These students often aim to study in countries like Uzbekistan or Georgia and plan to settle abroad after graduation. Such students are ineligible to appear for the NExT exam after graduating from a foreign medical college.
If you have not secured qualifying marks in NEET then you cannot get a visa to study MBBS in Georgia. However, there is a work around for this rule which is explained in the video below:
If you are not NEET-qualified, you can still gain admission to certain medical universities in Uzbekistan.
Intakes
The major intake in countries like Uzbekistan and Georgia is the September/October intake. However, in recent years, the counselling process for admission in India has continued until November/December. Thus, many Indian students apply late to study MBBS abroad.
Students will be happy to know that Georgia and Uzbekistan have two intakes. The major intake is September-October, but Georgian and Uzbekistan medical universities also allow students to apply for the February-March intake.
Duration
- The MBBS program in Uzbekistan spans six years. According to FMGL regulations, Indian students must complete a one-year internship while studying abroad, which must be conducted separately from the academic course. In line with this, universities in Uzbekistan have designated the final year of the program specifically for the internship for Indian students. This information is provided by the medical universities in Uzbekistan. Indian parents/students must verify this information before taking admission.
- Georgia MBBS course duration is also 6 years. The Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia states the following:
In line with national legislation and related regulations on higher medical education and Medical Sector Benchmarks, which is mandatory to be fulfilled in order to get accreditation, the duration of undergraduate MD programs in Georgia (equal to MBBS qualification in India and UK) is 6 years (360 ECTS) including internship during the 6th, graduating year.
You should read the full notification by The Ministry of Education of Georgia here: MBBS in Georgia Duration.