Countries You Should Not Go For MBBS Abroad In 2026

List Of Countries Where MBBS Degrees Are Invalid In India

It is crucial for medical students to check whether the country that is chosen offers an MBBS degree that is valid in India. There are several countries that offer an MBBS degree that is not valid in India. In cases where students plan to practice medicine in India after graduating from medical degrees abroad, they must avoid such countries. Let us now take a look at the list of countries where MBBS degrees are not valid in India to be aware and make informed academic decisions.

Pakistan

Pakistan is one of the countries that Indian students must not go to for MBBS abroad in 2026. Also, Pakistan is not a good choice, especially for Indian students, as the medical colleges as well as their degrees are not recognised by the NMC (National Medical Commission) of India. Consequently, they are not eligible for the FMGE licensure exam. Hence, students who complete their MBBS from Pakistan cannot practise medicine in India, as their medical degrees are not valid under the Indian Medical curriculum.

Moreover, India tends to have very diplomatically risky relations with Pakistan, where Indian students may face legal, political, and other restrictions during their intended stay in the country.

Philippines

The Philippines is one of the most popular countries for MBBS abroad for Indian students. However, many are unaware that a Philippines MBBS degree is not recognised as valid in India. Therefore, students intending to practise medicine in India after completing their MBBS from the Philippines should avoid studying there.

The invalidity arises because the Philippines MBBS degree does not adequately meet the requirements set by the NMC. To enrol in an MBBS programme in the Philippines, medical students must first complete a Bachelor of Science course, which lasts around 1.5 to 2 years. The MBBS itself takes four years. The NMC does not recognise the BS course as part of the MBBS duration, making the total MBBS duration in the Philippines different from the standard Indian MBBS curriculum.

Related Reads:

• Is NEET Compulsory for Studying MBBS Abroad?

Ukraine

Ukraine is yet another country to avoid for MBBS abroad due to safety concerns for Indian students. Ukraine has been at war with Russia since 2022, which has significantly hampered education. Recently, thousands of Indian students were evacuated from Ukraine because of the ongoing crisis affecting their studies. Since one of the major NMC guidelines for studying abroad is that the MBBS degree must not be completed via online clinical training, it might not be the right country, given the current geopolitical issues.

Azerbaijan

The country offers MBBS degrees for Indian graduates; however, medical aspirants should not go to Azerbaijan because it has shown very low pass rates in FMGE exams over the past few years. This indicates that the country provides questionable medical education, where Indian students are unable to prepare well for licensing exams such as FMGE or NEXT. Moreover, another issue is that courses for students seeking medical education in Azerbaijan are not conducted in English.

Although the universities in Azerbaijan claim that classes will be held in English medium, many classes are conducted in Russian or another local language, especially during clinical years, making it very difficult for students to adapt and understand. Also, Azerbaijan has numerous private medical colleges that offer MBBS degrees for international students; however, the quality of medical education is quite poor in these institutions due to a lack of proper infrastructure, accreditation, qualified faculty, or hospital ties for clinical training.

China

The major requirement of the NMC for Indian students studying MBBS abroad is that degrees must not be completed through online classes. However, after covering many Chinese medical universities, it is evident that they conducted only online classes for more than two years, particularly for international medical students. This poses a significant challenge for them to comply with the MC guidelines. Also, although the MBBS degrees in China are taught in English, clinical rotations at hospitals require Chinese language proficiency, which is a major language barrier for many Indian aspirants.

Each year, the FMGE passing percentage for Indian medical graduates from most Chinese medical universities is as low as 10%, raising serious questions about the quality of medical education there. Although some top universities in China offer excellent MBBS degrees for international students, a large number of lower-tier Chinese universities are eager to attract Indian students but present various challenges. Therefore, Indian students should not consider going to China for MBBS abroad without carefully weighing these factors.

Turkey

The country you should be cautious of before considering MBBS abroad for Indian students is Turkey, due to safety and political concerns. As a country facing political instability involving diplomatic tensions with other nations, it is not an ideal destination for international students. Therefore, students should avoid going to Turkey for MBBS abroad in 2026. Additionally, the NMC mandates that MBBS degrees obtained abroad must be in English to meet the standards of Indian Medical Education.

However, a significant number of medical universities in Turkey primarily teach courses in Turkish. Moreover, most Turkish colleges do not offer clinical internships in India or with hospitals, which poses a challenge for meeting the NMC’s requirement of a one-year internship with the same medical college abroad with which candidates have completed their MBBS degrees. Also, the Turkish medical colleges often offer a lower tuition fee structure for MBBS degrees; however, the education quality is highly questionable.

Iran

Although the country does not pose a significant number of challenges, political instability in Iran subjects international students to high scrutiny and additional restrictions. This often results in restrictions for Indian medical students aiming to pursue their clinical training in Iranian hospitals. Most medical universities in Iran teach MBBS degrees in Persian, with only a few courses offered in other languages. This raises questions about their compliance with NMC standards and educational quality. The MBBS degrees in Iran are not recognised globally, making it very difficult for students to gain practical experience after completing their degree there.

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Other Alternatives for MBBS Abroad: Except Countries You Should Avoid

The countries mentioned above should be avoided for studying MBBS abroad by Indian students in 2026. However, there are some countries that offer widely recognised MBBS degrees in English, which have good career prospects after graduation and are recognised under the NMC guidelines for studying abroad. We have mentioned a list of some of the safest as well as best alternatives for MBBS abroad in 2026. Indian students can have a look at this list before making informed decisions regarding choosing the country.

Affordable Countries to study MBBS Abroad

• Georgia

• Nepal

• Russia

• Uzbekistan

• Nepal

• Kazakhstan

Best Countries to study MBBS Abroad

• USA

• UK

• Canada

• Australia

• New Zealand

Related Reads:

• What is 54 Months Rule for MBBS Abroad? (NMC)

• MBBS Abroad Without NEET

Points to Consider before Selecting the Country to Study MBBS Abroad

Indian students must avoid the above-mentioned countries for MBBS abroad. Besides this, it is crucial for Indian students to consider some important points before selecting the right country for MBBS abroad. Check this out below as advice for Indian students:

• Verify the NMC recognition of the university and the degree.

• Check the FMGE passing percentage of the chosen country and the institution from the last 3 years.

• Verify with the alumni or the current medical students of the chosen university if there is one in your network. It helps students to understand the real position of the institution.

• Avoid agent trapping, as sometimes they endorse medical universities because they get huge commissions on them. Verify yourself before enrolling.

• Instead of looking for low tuition fee universities, consider the future ROI and career scope in the chosen country for MBBS abroad.

Read more about top countries for MBBS abroad for Indian students 2026