Is it Cheaper to Pursue a Career in Medicine Abroad?

India isn’t exactly known for its medical education as the country has very less number of government college seats and the private medical colleges require a ridiculously large amount of fee. More than 13 lakh students appear for the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) which is considered to be the entrance test almost every medical school in India and has also become mandatory for candidates willing to pursue medicine abroad since 2017. The Medical Council of India (MCI) is the government body that oversees medical education in India. The MCI has taken up many initiatives to accommodate foreign education for Indian students.

The number of medical seats offered by Indian government colleges is far less than the demand for them. Many students get disappointed every year as they can’t get into a decent government college even though they have a good score in the entrance test. Of course, there is an alternative in private colleges. Any private medical college in India has a way higher fee for medical education when compared to government colleges. It is estimated to cost anywhere from 10 Lakh INR to 50 Lakh INR on average to complete MBBS in India through a private college. For decent and recognized private college, the range goes up to 40-50 Lakh INR for the total MBBS program. This cost is very high for middle-class students in India. For this reason, many try to look for options abroad. But, many wonder if it is actually cheaper to study medicine abroad.

Let’s take Bangladesh, one of India’s neighbors that had a very rough history. It is a very fast developing country and has seen a stark rise in its economy in the past decade. It is nowhere near what we might call a “developed” nation but it is on its way. It has clean roads, good buildings, and a good educational system. MBBS in Bangladesh is a pretty popular choice amongst Indian medical students. Many universities in Bangladesh are recognized both by the MCI and the World Health Organization (WHO). Students from all over the world are finding Bangladesh to be quite the place to study medicine. It is especially good for Indian students as many universities in Bangladesh have a very similar syllabus offered by Indian colleges, preparing students for the MCI screening test, which is used by the MCI to check if a candidate is allowable to practice medicine in India. In fact, graduates from Bangladeshi colleges have the highest passing rate for MCI screening test.

Also, Bangladesh provides one of the best quality education for Medicine in the world. The total cost of doing MBBS in Bangladesh, along with accommodation and other charges, on averages happens to be around 25 Lakh INR which is far less than most Indian private universities. This is one of the reasons why MBBS in Bangladesh is so popular in India. It is cheaper and affordable. Georgia is another country that has caught the Indian students’ eye. Located in the intersection of Europe and Asia, it is the former Soviet Republic that is known for its beautiful landscapes and lavish mountains.

MBBS in Georgia is popular all over the world. Many international students flow into Georgia to pursue their medical studies. The country has some well-known universities and provides high-quality education. It is a European country and offers many of the European facilities one might expect. MBBS studies in Georgia are in high demand among Indian students. The admission into medical colleges in Georgia is very simple compared to that of India. Many facilities for research and work are also available in Georgia for medical students. The travel and other expenses, along with the tuition fee to study MBBS all add up to less than that of Indian universities. Hence, Georgia is another very good option for studying MBBS abroad.

There are many other such options which are cheaper to study MBBS than India. One other country is the Philippines. But, one must be aware that although the cost is less, it can take time to be settled in another country and the climate will change drastically. The climate in Georgia is dominantly rainy. Good exposure and education are also a good reason to choose to study abroad even with a little higher fee. But, it is sometimes less to study MBBS abroad than in India due to the high tuition fee in India.