Which country is best for studying medicine?
More often than not, the first query of every student looking to study MBBS abroad is -‘Which country is best for studying medicine?‘ Selecting the right country is a tough ask from any student since your entire life depends on this one decision. Therefore, it is very important that you get the right information and meet the right consultancy to guide you and help you in the admission process. Every consultant you meet will have a different answer to the question of the best country for MBBS abroad for Indian students. Then how to know which is the right country for you?
Best country for MBBS abroad for Indian students?
The real answer to the question ‘Which country is best for studying medicine?‘ or ‘Best country for MBBS abroad for Indian students?’ is that there is ‘No one correct answer‘ to this question. Each and every country will have some advantages and some disadvantages. The real question here is – ‘Which country is the best for me for MBBS abroad?’ To know which country is the most suited to your needs, Global Medical Foundation has listed down some approaches:
The Cost Approach
For more than 50% of the students, selecting which country is best for studying medicine for them will depend directly on their budget or the cost of studying medicine from one particular country.
The following should give you an idea of the cost of studying in various countries in abroad:
- Budget of or below ₹20 lakh – Kyrgyzstan, Armenia & Kazakhstan (English medium), China & Russia (Bilingual course).
- Budget of ₹20–25 lakh – Russia (English medium), Ukraine (English medium), the Philippines (English medium)
- Budget of ₹25–30 lakh – Russia (English medium), Ukraine (English medium), the Philippines (English medium), China (English medium)
- Budget of ₹30–35 lakh – Ukraine (English medium), the Philippines (English medium), Bangladesh (English medium)
- Budget of ₹35 lakh and above – Bangladesh (English medium)
*Note- By budget, we mean Tuition fee+ hostel fee+ food expenses.
Best colleges for MBBS abroad (As per FMGE result in 2015-18) –
- Bukovinian State Medical University, Ukraine
- Vinnitsa National Medical University, Ukraine
- Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine
- Dhaka National Medical College, Bangladesh
- Jahurul Islam Medical College, Bangladesh
- Davao Medical School Foundation, the Philippines
- Crimea Federal University, Russia
- Kazan State Medical University, Russia
Climate in the country
For some students, the climate is a big factor while deciding which country is best for studying medicine for them. For students who do not want to settle down in cold temperatures, the best country for MBBS abroad for them will be either the Philippines or Bangladesh. The weather of the Philippines is similar to that of Mumbai or Kolkata whereas, in Bangladesh, the temperature is generally between 25-35° C throughout the year.
There will be snowfall in countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and the temperature will go in minus for 2-3 months each year.
However, since there is internal heating / central heating in every country, students will only have to protect themselves against the cold when they are outside, in the open. The temperature maintained inside the rooms is generally above 20°C. The cold weather has not stopped students going for MBBS abroad to these countries as Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan has the most number of admissions of all the countries.
FMGE Result
Quite possibly the most important factor while deciding the best country for MBBS abroad is the percentage of students passing the mandatory MCI Screening Test or FMGE. Statistically, the best country for studying medicine for an Indian student is Bangladesh followed by the Philippines, Ukraine and Russia.
Bangladesh and the Philippines have a similar climate and the English language is prevalent. Ukraine and Russia have very old government universities, some of which rank higher than AIIMS Delhi.
Course Duration
The duration of the course is a big deciding factor for many students. A lot of the students wish to go for a 5-year course if they have already wasted many years on NEET or something else. However, the duration is of 5.8 years in some of the best countries for MBBS abroad such as Russia and Ukraine, and 6 years for the Philippines.
A female student telling about her experience of studying MBBS in Ukraine:
Here is a table showing the number of years it takes to complete the medical degree from different countries-
Country Duration of Course(Years)
MBBS in Russia 6 including internship (As per the Indian Embassy in Moscow)
MBBS in Uzbekistan 5 + 1 year internship.
MBBS in Bangladesh 5 + 1 year internship.
MBBS in China 5 + 1 Year Internship
MBBS in Kyrgyzstan 4.5 + 1 year internship.
MBBS in Kazakhstan 5 + 1 year internship.
Quality of Education
Undoubtfully, the most important thing to consider is the quality of education which you will get in a particular college/university.
This point has already been slightly touched upon in the point under MBBS abroad cost. One of the major doubts that Indian aspirants have in their mind is whether the colleges actually provide good quality of education. The answer is YES! There are many universities abroad which rank higher than the top-government colleges of India and you can get direct admission in these universities easily.
The colleges that Global Medical Foundation will suggest you for admission will be recognised by the MCI and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Not only this, they also have received affiliation for the many local and international bodies such as FAIMER. Global Medical Foundation‘s representatives have visited many universities in Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines. We suggest you universities based on our experience and on the basis of the reviews of the current and passed out students. One of the best university in abroad is Vinnitsa National Medical University.
The quality of education is better than private colleges in India and you can study in these colleges at a much cheaper cost, about 75% less than what you pay to Indian private colleges. Countries such as the Philippines and Ukraine offers high-quality education to the students. The student gets global exposure and gets the opportunity to practice in some of the most developed countries in the world such as the US and the UK.
In most countries, the last 1 year is the clinical rotation or internship. Students work with live patients in the hospitals affiliated with the university. You will get ample practical exposure while studying from abroad. There is a big misconception that practicals are not given enough importance in foreign countries.
Local Language
A lot of students prefer to go to a country where there is no need to learn any local language. The only country where you definitely don’t have to learn a local language is the Philippines only. You need to learn the local language in Ukraine, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and China too but you have to clear HSK exams if you do MBBS from China. You need to learn the Bengali language if you go for MBBS in Bangladesh.
FMGE results have shown that FMGE results are highest from countries where the need to learn a local language is minimum.
The reason for the need to learn the local language is simple, you will have to interact with the patients in the local language only during your internship or clinical rotations. Also, it is more of a necessity for being able to live there for 6 years.
Country Official Language Medium of Instruction Need to learn Local Language
MBBS in Russia Russian English Yes
MBBS in Uzbekistan Russian/Uzbek English Yes
MBBS in China Mandarin English Yes
MBBS in Bangladesh Bengali English Need to learn Bengali
MBBS in Kyrgyzstan Russian English Yes
MBBS in Kazakhstan Russian/Kazakh English Yes
MBBS in Georgia Georgian English Yes