Is Studying MBBS Abroad in 2025 Worth It for Indian Students?

Is Studying MBBS Abroad in 2025 Worth It for Indian Students?

Edited By Prabhjyot Kaur | Updated on Jan 07, 2025 02:21 PM IST

Whether to pursue MBBS abroad or not is one of the most crucial decisions for Indian students. With increasing competition, limited seats in Indian medical colleges and high tuition fees in private medical universities in India, students often consider studying MBBS abroad in 2025. Each year, it is estimated that 20,000 to 25,000 Indian students go abroad to study MBBS courses on average. Why many Indian students are considering studying medicine in a foreign country instead of India includes attractions such as top medical colleges abroad, promising career opportunities, advanced medical facilities, acceptance in top medical universities even with low NEET scores, and global medical networking exposure. However, there are several disadvantages to pursuing an MBBS abroad including language barrier, homesickness, cultural issues, high cost of living, and different academic pressures requiring high effort.

This Story also Contains
  1. Should You Study MBBS Abroad in 2025?
  2. Latest News for MBBS Abroad 2025
  3. Benefits of Studying MBBS Abroad in 2025
  4. Disadvantages of studying MBBS Abroad 2025
  5. Conclusion: Is Studying MBBS Abroad in 2025 Worth It?
Is Studying MBBS Abroad in 2025 Worth It for Indian Students?
Is Studying MBBS Abroad in 2025 Worth It for Indian Students?

The latest changes in the NMC advisory for Indian students regarding MBBS Abroad 2025 have been made. Effective from 26 November 2024, students graduating from NMC-nonrecognized foreign medical colleges are not eligible to appear for the FMGE exam and practice medicine in India. We have mentioned the complete NMC details in the article below for you to consider before making an admission decision.

UK, Germany, Russia, Canada, and the USA are popular countries for Indian students to study MBBS abroad. Many Indian students need to weigh the pros and cons of studying MBBS abroad to make an informed decision. Hence, we have provided a comprehensive guide including the advantages and disadvantages of studying medicine courses abroad, the latest updates by NMC for 2025, and factors to conclude whether is it truly worth it to study MBBS abroad for Indian students. Give this article a read to address the potential challenges and benefits of studying medicine in a foreign country

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Should You Study MBBS Abroad in 2025?

Yes, Indian students seeking admission to top medical universities in the world can consider studying MBBS abroad in 2025. However, several aspects must be considered. Students must consider their financial budget vs. the cost of studying and living in their preferred study-abroad country and their experiences. Students can complete their MBBS degree abroad at a low cost; however, they must have enough funds to cover the tuition fees and living expenses.

Also, exploring different scholarships and financial aid can provide an opportunity for Indian students to complete MBBS courses at relatively low fees as compared to the Indian private medical colleges. Hence, you should study MBBS abroad after comparing the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad as per your profile. Moreover, NMC has issued some important guidelines for MBBS abroad in 2025 that must be considered while deciding whether studying medicine abroad is truly worth it or not.

Latest News for MBBS Abroad 2025

26th November, 2024

NMC Guidelines for MBBS Abroad 2025: Some foreign MBBS universities are not recognised by NMC, and MBBS degrees from these universities are not eligible for the FMGE exam and medicine practice in India. Students hereby cannot appear for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination or practice medicine in India with unrecognised global degrees.

Benefits of Studying MBBS Abroad in 2025

Studying MBBS degrees abroad offers various advantages to international students. Studying MBBS abroad in 2025 delves Indian students with global perspectives, advanced healthcare systems worldwide, top-notch education, and learning new languages. All these help students evolve personally and professionally; marking their journey to be global leaders of the world.

One reason why studying MBBS abroad for Indian students is attractive as it promises not only just quality medical education but also the best return on investment. Here are a few reasons why Indian students consider studying MBBS abroad in 2025:

Affordable MBBS Abroad for Indian Students Fees

Indian medical colleges are quite competitive and offer a limited number of seats for lakhs of students. Private MBBS universities in India are notably higher in tuition fees where the MBBS course fees per year can go up to Rs 25 lakh for Indian students. Hence, studying MBBS abroad is a relatively cheaper and better option for Indian students looking for quality education at a low cost.

Germany is one of the cheapest countries to offer MBBS abroad for Indian students in 2025. The public medical universities in Germany offer international students with tuition-free courses, offering them affordability. Also, the tuition fees for medical degrees in other foreign countries such as Ukraine and Russia are quite low as most of these are government-funded. Some of the cheapest MBBS colleges in the world are located in these countries.

Top Medical Educational System

MBBS abroad for Indian students is one of the best options as the educational institutions offer medically expert faculty and well-equipped research facilities. These also offers modern equipment and facilities for a surreal educational experience. One gets a chance to even meet with some of the Nobel laureates as a part of the MBBS abroad course structure. Excellent faculty and globally recognised degrees are benefits of studying there. Some countries with worldwide best healthcare systems offering include world-class medical schools include the US and UK. Here are some of the best 10 medical universities in the world that offer MBBS degrees abroad to Indian students.

Top MBBS Universities in the world 2025

University

QS WUR 2025

Harvard University, USA

4

University of Oxford, UK

3

Stanford University, USA

6

Johns Hopkins University, USA

32

University of Cambridge, UK

5

University College London, UK

Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

Imperial College London, UK

2

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), UK

42

University of California, San Francisco, USA

Students can pursue MBBS abroad with low NEET score

Indian MBBS universities require Indian students to have competitive NEET results due to high NEET cut-offs. Hence, students with low scores are often not accepted into these colleges. Generally, it is not a mandatory requirement for overseas medical colleges, and students can enter these by just qualifying for NEET. Hence, by opting to study medicine in a foreign country in 2025, students can achieve their aspiration to be doctors and experience the advantages of obtaining an international medical degree.

Global Exposure and Networking

Studying MBBS courses abroad in 2025 help international students with global exposure to different types of cultures and traditions. Students thereby get to experience real-time medical cases in the world as a part of their course curriculum. They gain global medical perspectives towards finding solutions to healthcare problems in the field. Students who pursue MBBS abroad gain exposure to different professionals from the medical field through social gatherings, events, meetups, and functions organised by the universities.

Globally Recognised Medical Degrees

Often, the degrees that are offered by the top medical universities in the world are recognised across the globe. Students can easily pursue a career after MBBS abroad or practice medicine in the country after graduation and appearing for a licensing exam. The type of licensing examinations including FMGE, USMLE, NEXT, etc depends on the the country.

Disadvantages of studying MBBS Abroad 2025

We are now familiar with the advantages of studying MBBS courses abroad. It looks like it is really worth it to study MBBS abroad in 2025 till now. However, there are several drawbacks to pursuing medicine abroad that Indian students to not overlook for true evaluation. Here are the cons of studying MBBS Abroad 2025 in the below headings:

Language Barriers

Significantly, students must be proficient in the language in which the MBBS course is offered to understand the syllabus, lectures, chapters, assignments, and more. Several cheapest and best countries for MBBS abroad include countries like Russia, the Philippines, and Germany including US and UK. There the language of instruction of medical courses can be Russian, Filipino, or German which often is a problem for international students. Not being able to understand these can affect the academic performance of students. Hence, the language barrier is one of the major disadvantages of studying MBBS abroad for Indian students.

Communication is also a crucial element in the healthcare industry. Students need to understand the spoken language to build relationships with other students, professors, teachers, faculty, and more. Also, not knowing the local language affects the practical training rounds of the course where students struggle to interpret the patient’s medical concerns and issues, conduct examinations, and understand medical instructions.

Safety Concerns

It is crucial for international students to plan their medical studies in a safe and secure country to avoid unnecessary safety and crime concerns. Especially women international students seek a place where their safety is not compromised. One of the major disadvantages of studying MBBS abroad in 2025 is determining whether the selected country is safe and secure to start the education journey. Being in an unknown environment, adjusting to a new country, and learning new and different safety rules and laws are some of the elements important to evaluating personal safety.

Is MBBS abroad really worth it depends on the level of safety challenges faced by students in the country such as crime, politics, police restrictions, and more. A few of the safest and most secure countries for Indian students to pursue MBBS abroad in 2025 include the following:

Top 10 Safest Countries to Study for Indian Students

  • Austria

  • Portugal

  • Ireland

  • Malaysia

  • Iceland

  • New Zealand

  • Singapore

  • Switzerland

  • Denmark

  • Slovenia

Also Read: Top 10 Safest Countries in the World 2025

Homesickness

MBBS degree abroad in 2025 requires hard work and effort as it is one of the toughest courses for Indian students in 2025. Being away from family, friends, and a known environment often leads to emotional imbalance for students. This leads to the feeling of loneliness and homesickness in the country they are pursuing MBBS courses. Eventually, this negatively impacts their performance in studies and personal well being. Hence, students while making a decision on whether to study MBBS courses abroad or not must take into consideration that they need to start their studies in an unknown environment without the support from family and friends.

However, there are certain ways through which students can overcome homesickness and loneliness during their studies. Some of the ways to cope with emotional distress while studying MBBS abroad include the following:

  • Stay in touch with family and friends

  • Try new hobbies

  • Make friends with other students in class and spend time with them

  • Use university support services. Top medical universities in the world offer different services to help them solve the challenges of abroad studies.

It is very important for Indian students to understand the cons of studying MBBS abroad in 2025 including the mental health issues and homesickness that can make it challenging for them to adapt to a new environment

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Conclusion: Is Studying MBBS Abroad in 2025 Worth It?

One must consider their career and academic goals, financial budget, and potential ways to cope with different challenges posed by studying MBBS degrees abroad in 2025 before deciding whether it is truly worth it to pursue medical courses abroad or not. Generally, pursuing medicine in a foreign country in 2025 is a good option due to competitive medical seats in Indian medical colleges and high tuition in private medical universities. Weighing the potential pros and cons of studying MBBS abroad is thereby important for a decision.

Students who decide to study MBBS abroad in 2025 must be willing to learn a new language and invest proper time, money and efforts to enjoy the advantages of a top-notch medical education system, better career options, and understanding of worldwide medical issues while preparing for challenges such as NMC guidelines and passing FMGE ( Foreign Medical Graduate Examination) to practice medicine in India.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is studying MBBS abroad worth it for Indian students?

Yes, studying MBBS abroad is definitely worth it as foreign medical institutes offer top-notch education, and expert faculty with advanced medical-equipped laboratories for Indian students. Also, there is relatively less competition to get admission as compared with Indian medical colleges help students easily get admission even with low NEET scores.

2. Is it worth studying abroad and coming back to India?

Yes, it is truly worth it to study abroad and come back to India, especially after MBBS. Students can practice medicine in India after appearing for licensing exams such as FMGE. However, the medical colleges must be recognised by NMC as per the latest guidelines in 2025.

3. Is it safe to study in Russia in 2024 for Indian students?

Russia is one of the top countries to study medical courses such as MBBS for Indian students. However, there have been some crime-related cases in the country mainly with Indians during the previous year 2024. Due to this, there has been an advisory issued by the Embassy of Moscow to safeguard Indian students from these incidents. Hence, students must consider their safety and take precautionary measures before deciding to study in Russia.

4. Which country is best for MBBS abroad for Indian students?

Some of the top countries for MBBS abroad that offer rigorous medical courses and possess the best healthcare system in the world include the USA, UK, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Philippines, Canada, Australia, and many more.

5. What is the success rate of MBBS from abroad?

The success rate of MBBS abroad depends on the chosen medical university and the country. MBBS from top countries such as USA, UK, and Canada have a success rate of around 3 to 4%, 30%, and 7 to 8% respectively. This is because medical colleges in these countries are highly competitive and getting into it requires a strong medical academic record.

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