Known for its powerful and progressive education system, Russia has become one of the major hubs for global medical education. It’s one of the popular destinations for the Indian students to pursue their career in medical studies.
Approx. 14000 Indian students are pursuing their medical degree from Russia and every year the number is on rise. On scanning the reasons for which Indian students prefer medical colleges in Russia for pursuing their MBBS degree, one will definitely come across multiple problems.
However, a large portion of native students still wonder about the advantages of choosing Russia as one of the best countries to study medicine and grab an MBBS degree. It’s time to explicate the unfolded facts:
- A global degree that’s accepted everywhere
Finding a good medical college in India is becoming much more difficult these days. Even after passing the merit list of the All India Medical Entrance Exam, finding a seat in the government medical colleges is a challenging deal ahead. That’s because quota based reservations are a real deal for the students to break through the admission process. Whereas, with the Indian private medical colleges, the MBBS course fees might reach from 20 Lakhs to 1 Cr. INR in a year.
While it comes to Russia, the amount stays within 192/193000, – 873-874,000 Russian Rubles per annum, roughly making it around 1,83,281.86 INR- 8,29,988.28 INR approx. After getting an MBBS degree in Russia, an Indian student need not pass the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) additionally to start legal practice in India. That’s because they get to pass the MCI screening test in their MBBS course in Russian medical colleges. That’s, one of the numerous benefits of studying mbbs in Russia based colleges or universities.
- Low fee structure
Low fee structure is one of the key aspects for which international students consider Russia one of the best countries to study medicine. Out here the easy admission process and low cost of living is an added leverage for Indian students. According to overseas education experts, the estimated cost of studying MBBS in Russia is not more than 150-200 US$ per month. Availing a low tuition fee is quite difficult in the private Indian medical institutes.
3. Easy admission process
Even after ranking within 10,000 in All India Medical Entrance Examination, it’s indefinite for a student to get admitted in some of the reputed Indian medical institutes, but one such rank can always help you to get admitted in Russian medical colleges.
The best part is you can smartly bypass the option to pay a donation or capitation fees in Russian medical universities.
4. Ample of scholarship opportunities
Getting a scholarship opportunity in Indian medical colleges can be a hard nut to crack!
Whereas, in Russia it’s as easy as a pie.
A student passing their 10+2 or HS/ equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English must have an aggregate percentage of 50% marks is eligible to get admitted in Russian medical colleges. Some of the top medical colleges in Russia provide scholarship opportunities to the overseas students, who’re looking for it.
If your academic percentage is good, you can always expect to get a good scholarship opportunity in the Russian medical colleges!
5. English is the language used for teaching
Most of the Russian universities consider English as the primary medium of teaching. That’s why language barriers are never an issue with students from abroad. The top best MBBS colleges in Russia meant for Indian students, always focus on teaching in English language, so that class lectures are easy to understand. On attaining the basic English speaking and analyzing criteria, getting admitted in Russian colleges is always easy.
6. Dual diploma in medicine
Russia is one of those few education hubs that comes under the Bologna declaration treaty. One such option provides the students in the medical colleges to avail a dual diploma degree. With one such advantage, the international students have the option to avail joint academic programs with other foreign universities. That way, getting a double diploma degree is no big fuss at all!
7. A country with high literacy rate
Russia has a literacy rate up to 99.6% and it has been accepted all over the globe. It’s high quality of education and cost efficiency attracts maximum numbers of students from overseas to take part in the university.
8. Trained for MCI screening test
It’s compulsory in most of the Indian medical universities to pass the MCI screening test. Whereas, in Russia there’s no such compulsion at all. That’s because, the students get trained for MCI screening tests while pursuing their medical degree from Russian medical institutes. By taking an admission in Russia based medical colleges students don’t have to pay an additional amount for availing MCI test to start their medical practice in India. After the completion of their MBBS degree they can start practicing medicine once they’re back in India.
9. Low cost of living as a student
Russia outshines the other European medical universities and colleges on the basis of affordability factor. The cost of living for a student in foreign countries like the USA, UK and Germany can be expensive. Whereas, the living cost in Russia for international students barely exceeds 9437.02- 1306.65 INR approx. That makes the country one the cheapest destinations for the international students, especially those hailing from India.
10. Nominal hostel charges with modern facilities
Most of the Russian universities provide hostel accommodation to its global students. They’re not that expensive in comparison to the other foreign university hostels. Most of the Russian universities include hostel facilities while dispatching an admission letter to the candidates. It includes furnished rooms, study areas, spacious kitchen and recreation centres like gyms too. The facility qualifies all the requirements needed in a hostel facility for the students. The hostel fees in Russia barely exceeds 400-600US$ for a student. The accommodation facility also includes single and room sharing options too. Most of the international students prefer the room sharing option to trim their living cost.
Students are also free to rent off-campus flats depending upon the budget, however most of them avoid one such option as the flat rents are fairly high in Russia and everyone can’t afford the budget.
11. Ample of research scopes
Russian medical universities are known for offering brilliant research scopes to their fellow researchers. Students from overseas seeking research opportunities have access to modern laboratories, apparatus, other miscellaneous research facilities etc. That helps them to explore their research subject in various ways. Such opportunities unlock global exposure to international students while pursuing their research work on a broader spectrum of academic fields related to medicine.
13. Unbolting multiple career opportunities
Russian medical institutes are known for unlocking the gateway to multiple career opportunities in medicine. Finding jobs after completing MBBS in Russia in comparison to India, is much easier. That’s because, students get ample scope to:
- Pursue their higher studies in medicine
- Ample scope to join the international research project to skyrocket their medical career
- Continue post graduation after finishing their MBBS course in Russian institutes
- Easy to join as a paramedic, medical or non-medical staff in the Russian nursing homes
- Start their medical practice in India after receiving their FMGE clearance test
- Open a private chamber after getting a Dr. Degree, which is equivalent to FRCS in India
- Pursue post medical graduation courses in hospital management
14. A country known for its peaceful student environment
Countries like India, UK, USA often steal the limelight for hate crimes, campus violence, racism, etc. It’s one of the reasons for which international students are a bit sceptical about pursuing their higher studies in those countries.
When it comes to Russia, global students get to enjoy a cosmopolitan academic life and peaceful study environment. Russia is known for its welcoming nature to the global student community. Their deep association with the social and moral values are highly appreciated worldwide amongst the global student community. That makes Russian educational institutes a hotspot for international students to pursue their medical degree.
15. Hassle-free international student visa
While getting a 6.5 score to 8 score in TOEFL and IELTS exam is mandatory, to pursue your higher studies in USA, UK and Germany, Russian universities are free from such compulsions.
Getting a student visa is dead easy anyhow in Russian colleges.
With some of these valid documents, getting a Russian education visa is hassle-free indeed. That includes:
- Filled up visa application
- Valid international passport
- Original invitation letter provided from the University
- Genuine documents of 10th, 11th and 12th ( if bachelor’s degree is done, that’s also valid one)
- Original invitation letter from the University
- General Health Medical Certificate that has to be issued at least two months before your entry in Russia
- HIV-AIDS test clearance certificate
- 2* passport size photograph and to and fro air Ticket that has to be valid for a year
Processing student visa applications is not that hard. While the other countries might have to pay a bulky amount for processing their visa fees, the student visa cost from Russia to India is quite cheap.
The processing fee might vary on applicant’s citizenship but it’s low in comparison to countries like the UK, USA or Germany. As a visa application you might have to pay a VFS service charge not more than 1830 INR (with added GST) that’s quite less in comparison to the processing fee needed in the visa application to other countries.
There are various other factors involved to choose Russia for pursuing your higher studies in medicine. We’ll come back to those in the next blog!
