The classification of MBBS courses in Russia based on the medium of instruction is as follows: 1) Russian-taught Program 2) English-taught Program 3) Bilingual Program (3 years in English and 3 years in Russian). There’s another type of program which is Russian-taught but uses English as an intermediate language for its international students; however, it is not advisable to opt for such program unless a student is highly proficient in the Russian language. The Russian-taught program has an extra year of study as its duration which is meant to act as a preparatory course for the international students. International students choosing to study medicine in Russia in an English-taught program do not need to undertake a language preparatory course.

However, elementary Russian language is taught to foreign students opting for an English-taught program as well as those enrolled in a bilingual program so as to help them interact with local patients during their clinical rotation.

The Russian Federation is a signatory of the ‘Bologna Convention’ for equivalence of education and this means that a degree received in Russia has unquestionable recognition in all European nations that are signatory to the convention; this includes all European Union countries as well as most European nations. Russian medical degree is also globally accepted by all major international bodies including the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Medical Education Directory (IMED), the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER), and the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) in USA, General Medical Council (GMC) in UK and the Medical Council of India (MCI).

Students that are 17 years of age on or before 31^st December in an academic year can apply for an admission to the general medicine program in Russia. Each medical university in Russia has its own cut-off percentage as a pre-requisite for admission. The other criteria for admission of international students in Russian medical program differs for country to country, and has been set as following for Indian students in accordance with the guideline of Medical Council of India (MCI), the governing body for admissions to medical institutes in India:

A student willing to enrol in general medicine (MBBS) must have scored at least 50% marks with physics, biology, and chemistry as the main subjects in class 12^th board exams. A student belonging to a reserved category may have a minimum passing score of 40% in the above-mentioned subjects in order to secure an admission in a general medicine program abroad. The students must also qualify in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to secure an admission in a Russian medical university.

Russia has emerged as one of the top destinations for medical studies for international students. Russian medical universities are known globally for their academic excellence and have consistently ranked as world’s top medical universities. Russian medical colleges are well-equipped with outstanding laboratories and offer modern teaching methods as well as great research endeavours. Russian medical universities have highly trained and qualified faculty that encourage and facilitate their students to become outstanding doctors. The medical training in Russian universities is a combination of theoretical and practical aspects of the medical profession.

The tuition fees in most Russian medical universities is extremely less compared to similar international programs as the Russian government subsidises medical education for Russian as well as international students by almost 50%, thus enabling students to pay for only half the cost of such programs. The total tuition fees for quite a few medical programs in Russia is about 1.7 million Roubles (INR 1.8 million). A few select Russian universities have a tuition fee of 3.5 million Roubles (INR 3.72 million) Russian medical universities do not charge any capitation fee for a student’s admission.

Each academic year is divided into 2 semesters. There are 2 modes of teaching namely theory lectures and practical classes. Topics to be taught in theory are mentioned in advance for the students to prepare before the lectures, and tests are taken every single day after the lectures. Most theory exams have a test-pattern of MCQ and if one scores well in one’s daily tests, exemption may be granted for the final exam of the semester. A student may appear for a failed subject without repeating the academic year in Russia. Clinical rotations are well integrated into the medical course; and the students have them during each semester from 4^th year of their study.

Class strength of a medical university is about 15 students in Russia as against 70-100 students in India, and this allows for a greater student-teacher interaction. The Russian medical faculties pay close attention to the practical skill development of their students. The candidates are also encouraged to participate in medical events and seminars for their professional growth, and the students can also expect their medical faculties to mentor them in medical research work.

Hostels in Russia are simple and comfortable. All hostels have with cold and hot water supply and a central heating system to keep the room temperature under control. Each room contains beds, desks, chairs, storage space and a telephone. The hostels charge on an average, an amount of 5000 Roubles per month to its tenants, while the cost of rent for a three-bedroom private apartment in the city centre is about 47,000 Roubles (USD 660). Tenants in Russia are required to pay for their utilities and communal charges. Centralised heating is offered between autumn and spring in the apartment blocks for a small monthly fee.

Upon completion of medical study in Russia, a medical graduate may enrol in a postgraduate course in a specialization area in medicine or surgery in Russia or any other country including but not limited to the USA, the UK, Germany or India. The qualifying conditions for a specialization in these countries differ from country to country and the information can be availed from a number of authentic sources online.

The medical graduate can also work in the job area of hospital management. A specialised course in hospital management is available as a postgraduate program too for medical graduates. The program involves the management principles in running hospitals as well as human resource management, medical billing management and health information systems within the hospital ecosystem. Medical graduates can also join a number of research organizations for pursuing a job in research-oriented opportunities.

An Indian medical graduate from a Russian medical university can practise as a licensed doctor in India after clearing the licentiate exam NEXT (national exit test) and work as a doctor in public or private sector in India.

Life for expats in Russia is generally comfortable, with expenses such as groceries and utility bills being fairly inexpensive even in major cities such as Moscow. Outside of the major metropolitan areas, prices are even cheaper, with lower bills for food and transportation. On an average, the monthly minimum expenses for groceries per person is 5200 Roubles (INR 5500). A lot of universities in Russia offer Indian food to its international students at a very reasonable price, generally in an Indian mess. Utilities are cheap and normally cost around 40 USD a month. The cost of the internet can be as low as 1100 Roubles (INR 1170) per month. Local calling and mobile messaging is extremely cheap. Local Russian restaurants, cafes and bars are highly affordable and offer good wholesome fare. Transportation is quite comfortable and doesn’t cost a bomb. A student may spend about 400 Roubles (INR 425) at most as a monthly expense for transport needs. Other study-related expenses can cost about 1000 Roubles (INR 1062) a month and include books and other miscellaneous expenses. Annual Insurance costs 5000 Roubles (INR 5314) a month.