MBBS in Russia

Every year, more than 5,000 Indian students travel to study MBBS in Russia, as it the most popular destination among Indians. The MBBS admission in Russia is confirmed on the basis of eligibility requirements set by NMC/MCI and respective universities of Russia. It is considered to be an ideal destination to pursue medical education in English medium.

At present, eligibility requirement for MBBS in Russia for Indians is 50% marks in PCB, NEET qualification & 17 years of age. In some universities, students must also clear an online entrance test, after which their admission is confirmed. The MBBS degree from Russia (MD Physician) is recognized world-wide, as all universities are recognized by WHO (World Health Organization).

Table of Contents

• Benefits
• Admission
• Eligibility
• Recognition
• Duration
• Medium of Instruction
• Course Syllabus
• Classes/Exams & Grading
• Hostel Facilities
• Career Opportunities

Benefits of MBBS in Russia

Most of the Indian students who plan to study MBBS in Russia may have a rough idea about it’s benefits. But they are not fully aware of the reasons why Russia is still a far better option than most other countries. So, some of the most important and main benefits of MBBS in Russia for Indian students are :

• No Donation : There is no donation required to study MBBS in Russia, as they are direct & solely on the basis of eligibility.
• Global Recognition : All medical universities in Russia have recognition from WHO and hence the MBBS degree is valid globally.
• Top Rankings : The ranking of some of the top universities of Russia is among the top 100 in world and among the top 50 in Europe.
• Valid Degree : The MBBS degree awarded in Russia is known as “MD Physician”, which is  equivalent to “MBBS” degree in India.
• Easy Eligibility : The eligibility requirement for Indian students to study MBBS in Russia for Indians is 50% marks, NEET qualification & 17 years of age (As per NMC’s guidelines).
• Direct Admission : Students can apply for MBBS admission in Russia online, as they only need to provide scans of required documents.
• Affordable Fees : Russian universities offer an affordable course & the lowest MBBS fees in Russia is just INR 16 Lacs (Including tuition fee & hostel).
• Course Duration : The duration of MBBS in Russia is 6 years & it complies with NMC’s prescribed duration (54 months course + 12 months internship).
• Medium of Instruction : The entire course of MBBS in Russia is in English medium for Indian students from the beginning till the end of course.
• Small Classes : Medical classes in Russia have 13-15 students, which helps students to communicate frankly with their teachers and clear their doubts.
• Experienced Faculty : With an experience of more than 2 decades, the teachers are proficient in English and easily interact with Indian students.
• Huge Community of Indians : At present, Russia has the more than 20,000 Indian students, who are studying MBBS in different universities.
• Good Relations : Russia and India have excellent relations between them since a very long time, which makes the students & parents feel secure & safe.

MBBS Admission in Russia

Indian students can apply for direct admission to study MBBS in Russia either online or by visiting any of our offices in India. They should apply in university of their choice before the last date of application, as a limited number of seats are available for MBBS in Russia in each university. The step-by-step process for admission of Indian students is outlined below :

• Students must submit scans of marksheets, NEET qualification & passport (Aadhar, if passport not ready).
• University issues an admission letter, confirming the student’s successful admission to MBBS in Russia.
• University provides instructions about the online test, which is compulsory for MBBS admission in Russia.
• Students then appear in this online test and submit their answers within the time limit provided to them.
• Once they have cleared the online test, they must submit the original marksheets, passport, photos, medical reports.
• University then issues the invitation letter in student’s name for study visa & entry to Russian Federation.
• We apply all documents along with invitation letter in Russian embassy and then collect passport with visa.
• We inform the students about their departure date and provide a list of items that they should carry.
• We assist students in currency exchange, if they wishes to pay fees in US Dollars after arrival in Russia.
• We organize the departure of students in groups from New Delhi to Russia (Up to the destination city).
• One of our representative meets the students at airport in Russia and assists them for all the further procedures.

MBBS Eligibility in Russia

The eligibility to study MBBS in Russia for Indian students is the same as specified by NMC (National Medical Commission) for studying MBBS abroad in other countries. The exact MBBS eligibility requirement in Russia for Indian students is as given below :

• 50% Marks : The student must have minimum 50% marks in PCB (Physics, Chemistry & Biology) in intermediate/12th standard/equivalent. This score should be minimum 40% marks, if the student is from reserved category (SC/ST/OBC).
• NEET Qualification : Indian students must be qualified in NEET exam in 2024/2023/2022 to be eligible to study MBBS in Russia. As per the current rules of NMC, only NEET qualified students will be allowed to appear in the NEXT/FMGE in India after completion of MBBS from Russia.
• Minimum Age : Student must complete full 17 years age by 31st December of the current year i.e. the year in which he/she is applying for admission to MBBS in Russia.

MBBS Degree from Russia

The MBBS degree from Russia is recognized by WHO & NMC, which makes it completely valid in India as well other countries of the world.

• The recognition of medical universities of Russia by WHO is published on WDOMS (World Directory of Medical Schools) website.
• As NMC (National Medical Commission) no more publishes any list on it’s website, it recommends students to pursue MBBS only from universities listed on WDOMS.
• All Russian medical universities award MD (Physician) degree to students on successful completion of MBBS education.
• This MD (Physician) degree from Russia is equivalent to MBBS degree in India, as they are just different names of the same degree according to each country’s naming convention.
• Thousands of Indians have completed their MBBS degrees from Russia in the past few decades, who are now working in government & private hospitals in India & abroad.

MBBS Duration in Russia

The duration of MBBS in Russia is 5 years 8 months (Including 1 year internship), which is often generalized as 6 years by majority of people in India.

• Entire MBBS course of 6 years in Russia is taught in English medium to Indian students (Including classes, lectures, tests & exams).
• It includes the full MBBS course and internship, which are necessary to work as a doctor in Russia, India or any other country.
• The duration of MBBS in Russia abides by the new rules set by NMC/MCI in (Nov’2021) for Indian students to study MBBS abroad.
• As per new rules of NMC, MBBS from any abroad country should have duration of 54 month (4.5 years) course + 12 months (1 year) internship.

Medium of Instruction in Russia

The medium of instruction of MBBS in Russia is English for Indian students & other foreigners too, who wish to study in English medium.

• The entire course of MBBS in Russia is taught in English, except when the students have to interact with local Russian patients in hospitals.
• All classes, lectures, test and exams (Whether in university or in hospital) are conducted in English during the entire medical course.
• Foreign students learn Russian language as a subject from the very beginning of course along with other MBBS subjects.
• By the time they reach 3rd year of their MBBS course, they become fluent in Russian and do not face any problems in interacting with patients in hospitals too.
• Knowledge of Russian is necessary for all foreigners who plan to spend few years in Russia (Whether study or any other purpose). This is because they need to speak in Russian only, when outside university for their daily activities.

MBBS Syllabus in Russia

The MBBS course syllabus in Russia is same across all medical universities for Indian students. It covers all the subjects that are taught in Indian colleges as well. The year wise theoretical & clinical subjects taught during MBBS in Russia are :

• 1st-2nd Year : Mostly theoretical subjects are covered during the the first 2 years of MBBS in Russia for international students. These subjects majorly include Anatomy, Histology, Physiology, Biochemistry & Microbiology.
• 3rd Year : This is year is considered to be be the most tough as it covers several theoretical subjects along with regular visits to hospitals for clinical classes as well. The main subjects taught are Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Internal Medicine, Pathological-Anatomy & Surgery.
• 4th-6th Year : The focus shifts towards clinical classes from the 4th year of MBBS in Russia. Students mostly attend classes in hospitals only and have very few of them in university. The subjects covered during these years are Surgery, Preventive & Social Medicine, Forensic Medicine, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Gynecology & Obstetrics, ENT, Psychiatry, Dermatology, Oncology, Urology, Neurology, Infectious Diseases & Medical Laws.

Classes/Exams & Grading in Russia

Indian students’ classes for MBBS in Russia are conducted in such a way that they gain theoretical & practical knowledge simultaneously in a very efficient manner.

• The MBBS classes in Russia for Indians do not have more than 12-15 students, which is an ideal teacher to student ration for easy learning.
• Classes with less students allows each of them to directly interact with teachers without any hesitation, making it look more like a group discussion.
• Highly qualified teachers & professors are appointed to train foreign/international students, who are also very proficient in teaching in English language.
• Students learn and practice on cadaver/dead-body from the 1st year itself (like in India), unlike some other countries where dummies are used.
• The grading/marking system is based on numbers ranging from 2 to 5, where 5 means excellent & 2 means fail. Students must score min 3 (Meaning average), in order to pass a test/exam.
• During the first 2 years of MBBS in Russia, more emphasis is given on theoretical subjects. Students attend most of the classes in university campus during these years.
• In the 3rd year of MBBS course, students have few subjects’ classes left to attend in university. This is because they start attending clinical classes in hospitals, where start interact with patients as well.
• From 4th to 6th year, they attend classes in various hospitals (Depending on subject specialty) located in the city. The classes are inclined towards practical/clinical learning as students interact with local patients on a regular basis.
• At the end of course, all students must pass a final government licensing exam, after which they are awarded MBBS/MD (Physician) degrees.

Hostel Facilities in Russia

The hostel facilities in Russia for Indian students are more or less the same in all medical universities of Russia. In most cases, foreign students are provided accommodation in one of the university’s government hostels. However, in some cases students have to stay in a private hostels or rent a flat/apartment by their own, until a room is available in government hostels.

• All Indian students are provided accommodation in university’s hostels for the entire period of their MBBS in Russia.
• It is compulsory to stay in university’s hostel for at least 1 year as new students don’t have knowledge of Russian language for communicating with locals.
• After 1 year, they can still continue to stay in university’s hostel or rent a flat/apartment with some of their friends, if they wish to leave university hostel.
• Indian boys & girls are provided accommodation in separate hostels or in completely separate blocks/wings of the same hostel.
• All university & private hostels are equipped with CCTV surveillance (At all important places in hostels) & fire alarm (In all rooms as well) safety systems for the safety of international students.
• The entry & exit times from hostel premises are 6:00 AM & 08:00 PM respectively. A security guard is always present to monitor the students & locals visiting the hostel.
• Each hostel floor has a common kitchen where Indian students can prepare food by their own. A reading hall, sports hall & laundry is available in each hostel, whether government or private.
• All rooms are equipped with furniture & beddings (study table & chair, lamps, bed, bed sheets, pillow & wardrobes). Students can get the furniture repaired by hostel administration (If damaged) and exchange the beddings every week.  To keep the rooms warm during peak winters, each room is equipped with radiators (heating system for winters) as well.
• Foreign students don’t have to pay anything additional for electricity, hot/cold water & cooking gas. All these charges are included in the government/private hostel’s fee in Russia. However, these charges have to be paid additionally based on usage, when one stays in an apartment.
• Indian students can choose to between 2/3/4 seater rooms according to availability. They can change rooms later as well, by simply submitting an application to the hostel administration.
• Indian mess facility is available in some hostels in Russia, where students can enjoy delicious food prepared by Indian cooks. The charges for Indian mess range from USD 100-120 per month.

Career after MBBS from Russia

Indian students who complete their MBBS from Russia have the same career options, that students in India have after completing MBBS from any government or private medical college.

• Students can appear in NEXT (National Exit Test)/FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduates Exam or MCI Screening Test) in India, if they wish to practice as a registered doctor in India.
• They can appear in PG exam of English speaking countries (USMLE/PLAB/NZREX/GAMSAT/MCAT), if they wish to do post-graduation or work in any of those countries..
• Indian students can work as a registered doctor in Russia & several neighboring countries after completing their medical course. This opportunity is only for those Indian students, who complete their MBBS degree from Russia, as they become fluent in Russian as well.
• Apart from working as doctors, these Indian MBBS graduates can continue further PG (Any Specialty) in Russia. As post-graduation involves clinical/practical classes, it is taught in Russian medium only. Thus, only those Indians who complete MBBS from Russia can take PG admission in Russian universities without language course training.

About Medical Education in Russia

MBBS in Russia is one of the best choices one can make when planning to study MBBS abroad. The MBBS course from Russia is approved/recognized by WHO & all other international bodies (Including NMC) which makes the MBBS degree from Russia valid in whole world. Russian medical universities receive immense funding from government, so as to maintain a high standard of education.

Indian students in Russia get the opportunity to participate in various exchange programs conducted by other renowned universities. Under these programs, they can travel to other neighboring countries and Europe to learn about new advancements in field of medicine. The national language of Russia is Russian and it is most spoken language in country. Foreigners start learning Russian language from the very beginning of their MBBS course.

The long term good relations between Russia & India have generated substantial  trust between both the countries. This can be clearly seen in the attractive MBBS fees & simple MBBS eligibility requirement in Russia for Indians especially. Russia has proved to be one of the most consistent abroad destination for Indians. Since several decades continuously, it has been accepting thousands of Indians every year for pursuing MBBS education in Russia.

About Russia

We have tried to cover every topic related to MBBS in Russia till now. Let’s know a little about the country as well which was formerly known as USSR until 1991. It is the largest country in the world & has a coastline of more than 35,000 kms. Russia’s lakes contain approx. 1/4th of whole world’s liquid fresh water. The largest water body is Lake Baikal which is also the world’s oldest, deepest & purest fresh water lake.

Moscow (Moskva) is the capital city of Russian Federation. Some other major cities are St. Petersburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk, Kazan & Ekaterinburg. Russia is such a vast country that it alone has 11 different times zones. It is the 11th largest economy in world based by nominal GDP & 6th largest by PPP. Russia’s soil is a very rich source of natural resources like natural gas, petroleum, coal, minerals, ores & timber.

The country has more than 80 government universities that have global recognition. The climate of Russia has 2 major seasons i.e. summers & winters. Average temperature in summers stays from +25 to +35 °C, while it is between -5 to -30°C during winters. The winters can often be extreme and temperature can dip down to -30 to -40°C as well (Especially in central & eastern regions). The number of Indian students studying MBBS in Russia currently and those who have completed too, are far more than any other country.

FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)

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