MBBS in Russia

Overview

With over 4,000 Indian students flying every year to study MBBS in Russia, it’s evident that more than 50% of those seeking medical education abroad are choosing this exceptional country. Its reputed institutions further accentuate Russia’s prominence in providing high-quality medical education. As such, medicine 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 degree 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 an MBBS degree in Russia or any Russian University are:

Indian Students studying for MBBS degree in Russia

How many Indian students are pursuing MBBS education in Russia at the moment? The answer would be that there are almost 23000 Indian students in Russia for the MBBS program enrolled in various medical universities. Indeed, there are quite many medical aspirants in many countries. Nearly 70–80% of Indian medical students in Russia are studying at only 8–10 medical colleges.

MBBS in Russia Vs MBBS in India

If we compare the medical education systems in Russia and India, they are entirely distinct. Possible distinctions between the Indian and Russian MBBS Programs are highlighted; find the table below-

Advantages to Studying MBBS in Russia

There are multiple advantages to studying at Russian Medical Universities for Indian students. A few are mentioned below-

• Affordability: Russia is the most affordable option among all the study-abroad destinations for Medical students.
• Quality of Education: Russia offers better education for a similar budget to that of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc.
• NMC guidelines: The MBBS Education in Russia fulfils all the New NMC guidelines laid for the Licensing Exam in India (NExT)
• Medicine Syllabus: The curriculum of the Medicine degree program in Russia covers all 19 subjects, similar to that offered in the Medical Colleges in India.
• Internship: The total period of the MBBS course dedicated to clinical exposure amounts to more than 1 year, which is as per the NMC requirements.
• Global Exposure: Medical universities accept students worldwide and allow real international exposure.
• Safety: Russians highly value tradition and family ties, so there is no racism or religious discrimination.

Disadvantages of studying MBBS in Russia

Although there are multiple advantages to pursuing MBBS in Russia, certain challenges persist. To start, a few such problems faced by Indian students during their MBBS study in Russia are below:

1. Language Barrier: English is not a common first language in Russia, so basic conversation in daily life can be a major concern.
2. Bilingual Program: Most Russian universities run bilingual MBBS programs or are entirely in the Russian language. Hence, the University selection must be done very carefully.
3. USMLE & NExT Preparation: Agents misled Indian students by claiming that Russian universities offer NEXT, USMLE, or PLAB coaching to students, which is an utter lie. It is important to note that Universities in Russia are not responsible for providing NExT classes to Indian students. The University in Russia follows the curriculum designed by their medical regularity authority. You have to prepare for the licensing exam on your own.
4. Low FMGE Passing Ratio: The FMGE passing ratio of Russian universities, at approximately 18%, is not very promising. Primarily, this ratio occurred due to the unbothered conduct of students towards Licensing Exam FMGE or NEXT. Those who neglect the need to prepare for FMGE or NEXT after returning to India often meet challenges. Accordingly, taking USMLE or NEXT preparation from 1st Year is advised.

NMC Approved Medical Colleges in Russia & Grading

Over 90 medical universities are accepting international students for general medicine programs in Russia (MBBS) in English, Bilingual, and Russian programs. Many Indian agents admit students to bilingual programs instead of English-taught MBBS programs. As per NMC regulation for FMGE 2021, if any chance a student pursues the Bilingual MBBS program, they will not be eligible to appear in the Indian Licensing Exam NEXT. So, if you are looking for MCI-approved Medical colleges in Russia, selecting a University that provides an entire MBBS course in the English language is extremely important. Only all 6 years of English taught MBBS from Russia are valid in India. Moreover, you should prefer a University with a good quality of education.

Approximately 18 universities deliver English Taught Programs, of which only 10 or 12 have a quality infrastructure, making them the top medical Universities in Russia recognised by MCI. You can select the Best Medical University in Russia based on their grading or find the Top 10 Medical Universities in Russia if you wish to refer to the University grade and check the availability of the Medicine Program in English.

Top medical colleges in Russia for Indian students

Note: Universities’ grading is based on the quality of their education, not their medium of instruction for medicine programs. The University (Marked Green) has a good infrastructure and offers English-taught programs. Crimea Federal University and Belgorod State University are located close to the Ukrainian Border and hence need to be omitted, even though they provide an MBBS Program in English. The best MBBS colleges in Russia for Indian students are hardly 10-12, which should be considered for the MBBS program. Orel State, Bashkir, and Kazan State are among Russia’s top 10 medical colleges. Whereas First Moscow and People Friendship are medical universities in Moscow, Russia

Study MBBS in Russia : 2024-2025 Fee Structure

Indian Food in Russian Medical Universities

A common query arises when a student plans for MBBS education in Russia: Will I get Indian food in Russia, or is Indian food available at the medical schools in Russia? So here is the answer-

• Indian Mess: Indian food facilities are available in several universities, in general, and are owned by a private contractor, and they depend on the number of Indian students in a particular university.
• Mess Charges: The monthly charges for 2 meals a day is approx. 100-150 USD. Prices may still vary from university to university.
• Self-Cooking Option: Every hostel has a shared kitchen where students can prepare meals. Typically, the University provides this service for free.
• Indian Restaurants: The Indian community is abundant in Russia, and though Indian restaurants 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.

• Common Hostel– Almost every University has a common hostel for girls and boys.
• Room Sharing– Medical Universities provide housing rooms in a hostel, often available in double, triple, and quad-sharing options.
• Room Charges– The room charges depend upon the sharing and the 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– Generally, students must purchase drinking water, often sold in 20-litre packaging. Water coolers are not available in Russia like they are in India.
• Kitchen Facility– The kitchens are built on every floor and are well-supplied with Induction cooktops, refrigerators, microwave ovens, etc. Also, the student can utilize it without paying any charge.
• Laundry Rooms– Washing machines are placed in common laundry rooms and can be availed at no additional cost of living in Russia.
• Hostel Amenities– Most 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 on a 24×7 basis.

Cost of MBBS Education in Russia 2024-25

Normally, the total cost of MBBS in Russia or any university consists of tuition fees, hostel fees, food, and other personal expenses. The lowest MBBS fees in Russia are for Orel State Medical University & Kabardino-Balkarian. Refer to the table below for the average cost of study in Russia or any Russian universities. Note: Certain expenses incurred during the first year only, like-

• Health check-up
• Local police verification & biometric update in Russian Security System
• Translations, Attestation & notarization of documents in the University

Most 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 compromise the quality of the education.

MBBS in Russia eligibility for Indian students

MBBS Admission in Russia follows the same criteria 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 best student to study at their University. Below is the eligibility for MBBS in Russia

• NEET Qualified: Students must be NEET Qualified in any of the previous 3 years
• Academic Grade: Most universities ask for over 50% in 10+2 grades. (Or even higher grades in a few cases).
• Age: Candidate should be a minimum of 17 years
• Entrance Exam: Some universities may conduct Online Exams to assess the candidate.

Process of MBBS Admission in Russia

It 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 arrive 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 Purposes)
• Bank Statement (For VISA Purpose)
• Medical Fitness Certificate (For VISA Purposes)

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 completing the MBBS course, the student should be allowed to register with a competent body to grant the license in the respective country.
• The student is required to attend clinical rotations in mandatory specialities 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 program.

Medical Licensing Exam Process in Russia

Indian students need to understand the medical education system in Russia to ensure they are eligible to appear in the licensing or NExT exams 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 the 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. 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: Faculty members will evaluate students based on their verbal proficiency. Typically, oral exams focus on clinical subjects to assess the student’s knowledge.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Goss Exam may be conducted in English or Russian, depending on the university, despite the medium of instruction for the course. The Goss Exam is organized 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.

The Accreditation Exam or Medical License Exam in Russia differs entirely from the Goss or Degree or State Exam in Russia. This exam is 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 only from this pool. The criteria for passing the Medical Licensing exam is 50%. This exam is conducted once a year in June. To date, the medium of the licensing exam is Russian. For students to get familiar with Russian terminologies, universities must offer medical terminology classes.

2. Clinical Skills in Hospital: This exam is very similar to the Goss Practical Exam; the only difference is that a doctor takes this 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 supervision. The result of the exam is declared within 1 week after the exam. Thereafter, the student is awarded a Medical License to practice in Russia. Once you clear the Licensing Exam in Russia, you will get a certificate and Registration ID from the Federal Agency. This certificate must be submitted to NMC as proof of Registration to practice as a physician in Russia, along with other Academic certificates of your Medicine course.

Syllabus of MBBS in Russia