Why More Indian Students are Choosing Russia for MBBS

Why More Indian Students are Choosing Russia for MBBS

Why More Indian Students are Choosing Russia for MBBS has become a matter of discussion as thousands of Indian medical aspirants fly towards Russia every year. Russia with its low rates of tuition fee, international degree, and English mediums amongst them have become the most attractive country to earn a degree in MBBS. In this article, we will learn the main factors that lead to this tendency with facts and information databases, as well as consider the prospects of Indian students and the challenges that face them.

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Why do Indian Students Go to Russia for MBBS?

Why do Indian students go to Russia for MBBS? This is mostly due to the low cost of medical school as compared to Indian VMCs. In India, an entire course in MBBS may cost 50-100lacs, but in Russia the completion cost including the cost of tuition and expenses amounts to 20-40 lacs in 6 years program. Also, Russia is more affordable (including the admission process) as there are no excessive donation fees to pay.

The other interesting influence is English-medium MBBS programs. A significant part of Russian medical universities like Kazan Federal University, Moscow State medical University offer courses that are specifically in English and, it removes the language barrier to Indian students. Nevertheless, basic speaking of Russian is promoted in the clinical practice, making students more adaptable.

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Key Benefits of Studying MBBS in Russia

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Why do Most Indian Medical Students Pursue an MBBS in Russia?

Why do most Indian medical students pursue an MBBS in Russia? The medical universities of Russia are internationally known by their educational standards and modern equipment. As per the QS World University Rankings 2025, universities such as Lomonosov Moscow State University or Kazan federal university are some of the best medical schools in the whole world. These are universities that are accepted by big institutions such as National Medical Commission (NMC), World Health Organization (WHO), and World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), which will enable graduates to work in India and overseas after successfully passing their licensing test such as the FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduates Examination).

The students are motivated to go to Russia by the high competition in securing the MBBS seats in India. In 2025, more than 20 lakh students were vying against only 1.18 lakh MBBS seats in India with a success rate as low as 4-5%. Russia, having more than 60 medical universities and even greater admissions of international students (e.g., Volgograd State Medical University offers 140 to 350 seats to Indian students by 2025), is another option.

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Why Indian Students Prefer Russian Medical Universities

The reason Why Indian Students Prefer Russian Medical Universities is that they have an extensive curriculum and practical training. Russian MBBS degrees are focused on practical clinical experience and students have an internship year in one of the affiliated hospitals of the university. The ratio between teachers and students, which is typically 1:15, provides intimate attention, which boosts the results of the instruction.

The governments spend much on Russian universities thereby subsidizing the tuition fees and maintaining state of the art facilities. There are also scholarships like Nigerian Trust Overseas Scholarship, Russian Government Scholarship among others available to reduce the cost burden on Indian students.

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Top Russian Medical Universities for Indian Students (2025)

Why do Indians Go to Russia for Medical?

Why do Indians go to Russia for medical? Russia is supportive in other aspects other than academics to Indian students. Universities offer cheap residence hostels with facilities such as heating systems to overcome the cold weather in Russia that can go as low as 0 C over 3-4 months. Indian mess facilities, costing 100-120/month, and Indian grocery stores make the students feel at home.

There is also the influence of cultural ties between India and Russia. The presence of the Indian community (with more than 23,000 Indian students attending Russian medical universities already) promotes the feeling of belonging. Fairs such as the Russian Education fair 2025 in Kolkata also tighten the bonds and provide the Indian students access to the university officials directly.

Challenges of Studying MBBS in Russia

While Russia is a popular choice, students face challenges:

• FMGE pass rate: The FMGE pass rate of Russian graduates is 20-25% and it needs committed studying.

• Climate: The severe winter could be a tough challenge to students who attend warmer regions of India.

• Language barrier: Clinical training during the interaction with the patients requires basic Russian.

• Engagement: It might be that some students might take time adapting to the Russian food, culture.

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Career Opportunities After MBBS in Russia

Graduates have diverse career paths:

• Practice in India: Students able to pass FMGE may then join the NMC and practice in India.

• After Graduation: PG courses to be taken in Russia (on Russian medium) or elsewhere (e.g. USMLE for USA).

• Work in other countries: Russian MBBS degree is accepted in other countries such as Canada, Australia and the UK, as long as it requires local board exams.

• Research and Academy: There is a chance in clinical research or as a teacher anywhere in the world.

Conclusion

The reasons why more Indian Students are Choosing Russia for MBBS are pretty obvious since the country has affordable fees, it offers high quality educational services, and it has a conducive environment. The trend is projected to increase in 2025-26 with more than 30,000 Indian students enrolled in Russia to pursue MBBS already. Indian students can realize their dream of becoming successful doctors by attending NMC approved universities and passing exams such as FMGE.

Also Read: Cost of MBBS Abroad