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As more and more Indian students choose to pursue MBBS degrees abroad, it is highly important to ensure that these foreign medical qualifications are both high-quality and meet the NMC guidelines. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has set out a set of specific guidelines aimed at regulating and maintaining the quality of medical education abroad for Indian students. A key aspect of these regulations is the 54-months rule for MBBS abroad. As per NMC, ‘the student has to undergo a minimum of four and half years (54 months) of theoretical and practical training for acquisition of primary medical qualification i.e. undergraduate medical training (MBBS) after 10+2 educational structure with an additional 12 months of internship/clinical clerkship after qualifying in the country where the medical qualification has been awarded. The MBBS education must have been in English medium.’ This rule specifies the minimum duration for an acceptable MBBS program abroad and eligibility to practice medicine in India. Understanding the eligibility criteria and rules is crucial for aspiring medical students to plan their education abroad in 2025.
Another crucial aspect is that NEET is one of the primary and important exams for doing MBBS abroad for Indian students. As per the latest NMC data, there were more than 24 lakh NEET UG registrations in 2024. Whereas the available seats were 1,18,000 seats across 700 medical colleges in India. This means that the competition for these MBBS seats in India is incredibly high. This serves as one of the reasons why students choose to study MBBS abroad. The NMC has recently issued another advisory expressing its concerns about Indian students who are looking to enroll in foreign medical schools. Even after previous warnings, many students still choose to attend private medical colleges abroad that fail to meet the NMC's established standards.
Update: The FMGE exam might get replaced by the NExT exam, however, currently, no date has been announced by NMC officially.
NMC introduced the 54 month rule for candidates who wish to pursue MBBS abroad in its FMGL Regulations 2021. The rule clearly states that an MBBS student is required to complete a minimum of 54 months, that is, 4.5 years of study at the same institution or university abroad. This rule was released through an official gazette called the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiates (FMGL). The curriculum must include essential subjects like
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General Medicine
Surgery
Community Medicine
Psychiatry
Paediatrics
Anaesthesia
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Orthopedics
Ophthalmology
An important note is that the course should not take more than 10 years after the date of admission to complete. In addition, your entire MBBS course should be completed in the English language only.
Apart from the 54 months rule for MBBS abroad, NMC has also stated rules for internship. Students must undergo clinical, theoretical, and practical training aligned with the Indian MBBS course. This internship experience should be for 12 months. These 12 months are not a part of the 54 month rule for MBBS abroad. This means that after 54 months or 4.5 years, an additional 1 year of internships is required. In addition, make sure that the internship that you partake in helps you get hands-on training on the subjects that you covered during your 54 months of MBBS degree abroad.
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For aspiring medical professionals who are planning where to study MBBS abroad, it is recommended that you check for countries that fulfil the 54 months rule for MBBS abroad. Before applying for universities abroad, make sure they provide a minimum of a 4.5-year curriculum. Some of the countries include.
Note: NMC does not approve or recognize any foreign medical college, university, or country. The countries mentioned are simply where NMC guidelines are followed.
Country | Course Duration |
China | 5+1 Year of |
Bangladesh | 5+1 Year of |
Poland | 6-Year Including |
Kazakhstan | 5+1 Year of |
Kyrgyzstan | 5+1 Year of |
Nepal | 4.5+1 Year of |
Uzbekistan | 5+1 Year of |
Russia | 6-Years Including |
Armenia | 6-Years Including |
Belarus | 6-Year Including |
Egypt | 6-Years Including |
Romania | 6-Year Including |
Slovakia | 6-Year Including |
Georgia | 6-Years Including |
Bosnia | 6-Year Including |
Lithuania | 6-Year Including |
Moldova | 6-Year Including |
Serbia | 6-Year Including |
Malaysia | 5-years, No Internship |
Croatia | 6-Year Including |
Czech Republic | 6-Year Including |
Latvia | 6-Year Including |
USA via Caribbean | 4/5 Years |
Mauritius | 5-Year, No Internship |
Philippines | 2 Yrs BS+ 4.5 MD +1 |
Hungary | 6-Year Including |
An important fact regarding the NMC approved universities or countries for MBBS is that NMC does not endorse or recommend any universities or countries to study MBBS abroad. Instead they have provided a set guidelines for MBS aspirants. Any university or country that fulfils these rules are accepted by NMC. Similarly, the following colleges follow NMC guidelines for MBBS abroad.
Cairo University
Yaroslav The Wise Novgorod State University
Kazakh National Medical University
Alexandria University
University of Vienna
Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Medical University of Bahrain
Jimma University
Charles University
University of Pisa
University of Florence
Orenburg State Medical University
Apart from the rules specified by NMC, here are a few general eligibility criteria to be followed by an MBBS abroad aspirant.
Academic Requirement - Completed secondary education (10+2) with a focus on science, specifically in subjects like Biology, Physics, and Chemistry
Age - Applicants should be at least 17 years old to apply for MBBS admission abroad. There is no maximum age for an MBBS applicant.
English Proficiency Tests - Scores are required for English proficiency of the candidate. IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE scores are required for the MBBS abroad.
Entrance Exams - Each country has its own specific tests for MBBS admissions abroad. The exam depends on the desired country from which you want your MBBS degree.
MCAT in the US
UKCAT in the UK
UMAT in Australia
Best country for MBBS in abroad for Indian students:
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There is no maximum age limit for MBBS abroad. However, you need to be at least 17 years of age as of December 31st of the year in which you apply for MBBS abroad.
The FMGE exam might get replaced by the NeXT exam. However, there is no official notification regarding the same from NMC.
If you are an Indian student aiming to study for an MBBS degree abroad, Russia is often the top choice, due to its low tuition fees that can range from just $1,750 to $2,000 a year. Other cheap options include Kyrgyzstan and China, where annual fees typically fall between $2,000 and $3,000.
In the United States, an MBBS is usually known as a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. This is a postgraduate program that is quite similar to the MBBS offered elsewhere, but in the US, you need to complete a bachelor's degree in a pre-medical field first. The MD program generally takes about four years to finish.
To qualify for NEET 2025, candidates should have either passed or are currently taking their 10+2 exams (or equivalent) with subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English from a recognized board. They also need to be at least 17 years old by December 31, 2025. For general category candidates, the minimum percentage required is 50%, while for those in reserved categories (SC, ST, OBC, PWD), it’s either 40% or 45%, depending on the specific category.
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