Top Countries to Study MBBS or MD Abroad in 2025

Before we dive into the top countries to study MBBS and MD abroad in 2025, we’d like you to pause for a moment.
Take a second to relax, close your eyes, and think back to the time when you first dreamt of becoming a doctor. As a child, it may have been your very first ambition — whether inspired by your parents, a real-life hero, or even a reel-life hero saving lives on screen. You may not even remember when they became your role models.

But now, in 2025, you’re ready to take your very first step towards becoming a doctor!

Many of you are likely preparing for the NEET-UG exam this year. 4th May 2025 is a significant date that could shape the future for many of you. But with a total of 1,18,190 MBBS seats and lakhs of candidates appearing for the exam, what if — despite achieving a good rank — you don’t secure a seat in India? Does that mean your dream of becoming a heart surgeon will go unfulfilled? Absolutely not! You can still become a doctor by pursuing MBBS Abroad.

In today’s blog, we’ll walk you through the journey from pursuing an MBBS degree to an MD degree abroad and highlight the top countries where you can make your medical dreams come true.

The Journey of Becoming a Specialist

As a 12th class student, you are all set to take the first step towards becoming a doctor.

The dream of wearing a white coat and having a stethoscope dangling around your neck is surely a fascinating one. But what if due to some reason you didn’t get a successful admission in India? Do you have a plan ‘B’ ready? If not, then don’t worry! Today, in this blog, we are helping you prepare your plan ‘B’ and accomplish your dream of becoming a doctor for sure.

Here’s how your journey to a specialist is going to look like.

Step 1: Taking NEET Exam

After completing your schooling in India, you are required to take the NEET-UG exam to gain admission to one of the country’s top medical colleges.

However, due to the limited number of seats or the high donation fees, not every student who clears NEET gets the opportunity to fulfil their dream of becoming a doctor in India.

As a result, many choose to pursue MBBS abroad.

Step 2: Pursuing MBBS Abroad

In your journey of becoming a doctor, getting an MBBS degree or Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery is required.

This is an undergraduate medical degree students get who wants to Be a Doctor. After 5 years of constant education and 1 year of clinical experience or internship, a student becomes a General Practitioner or a Junior Doctor.

The main objective of an MBBS degree is to give students the basic learnings on medicine, surgery, and clinical knowledge.

The subjects that are covered in 5-6 years of MBBS learning include the following:

• Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry
• Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology
• Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Gynaecology
• Community Medicine, Psychiatry
• Clinical rotations and internships in hospitals

Step 3: Specialisation with MD Abroad

Once you have become a General Practitioner or Junior Doctor, after a while you would wish to do a specialisation in one of the many fields you have studied in your MBBS days. Hence, this is your next step in the journey of becoming a doctor- to get an MD!

MD stands for Doctor of Medicine. It is a postgraduate degree medical students pursue after completing MBBS. The objective of this degree is to allow GPs or JDs to do specialisation in a field of their preference.

The duration of this degree is 2-3 years where the initial years are about new learnings and the last one year is for gaining practical experience in the field of one’s specialisation.

Some of the popular specialisations’ doctors pursue after MBBS are listed below:

1. MD in General Medicine
2. MD in Paediatrics
3. MD in Radiology
4. MD in Dermatology
5. MD in Psychiatry
6. MD in Anaesthesiology

The Further Step!

After getting the MD, where many prefer to stop their education there, there are still many who go for super-specialisation.

The super-specialisation fields include;

1. Cardiology
2. Neurology
3. Oncology
4. Gastroenterology
5. Plastic surgery

After getting a super-specialisation, the journey of a doctor can go beyond borders. Hence, those who wants to practice medicine in a different country, they must clear their license and board certification to practice medicine abroad.

Now, as we lay down your journey of becoming a doctor. Knowing it is a tiring process, but your ambition is not letting you give up on your dream. Here, it is time to look at some of the Top Countries to Study MBBS and MD abroad in 2025.

We also know that the study MBBS or MD abroad can be a big financial constraint. Therefore, below, we are only going to mention top affordable countries to study MBBS abroad. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Top 5 Affordable Countries to Study MBBS and MD Abroad in 2025

As you are all set for the NEE exam, it is never too late to have a look at your other options. To help you have a clarity, below are some of the countries offering affordable MBBS education and post-study work permits. Check the list below.

Germany

It is popularly known by everyone that Germany is one such country offering free education to students across the globe and a chance to work after graduation in EU countries. But something that many people don’t know is Germany also offers the best medical education in the world at no to low cost.

German medical universities like Heidelberg University, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and LMU Munich provide strong clinical training and research exposure. After completing MBBS in Germany, a student is for sure to get a job due to high global employability rate post-graduation.

The tuition fees are mostly free in major German universities. Though the cost of living is $10,000–$12,000/year. Other than this, to study MBBS in Germany, students must have B2 or C1 level of German language proficiency as it is mandatory.

Georgia

The next country in the list of MBBS or MD Abroad is Georgia. Emerging as a hotspot for MBBS aspirants due to low cost and European lifestyle. Giving students the opportunity to work anywhere in the world after graduation, the Georgian universities like Tbilisi State Medical University and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University provide students with the best clinical practice and exposure.

A couple of advantages for Indian and international students who decide to pursue MBBS in Georgia contains, no entrance exam required, easy visa process, safe and friendly environment, and most important, the courses are taught in English.

The tuition fees of studying MBBS in Georgia is $4,000–$6,000/year and living cost ranges from $2,000 to $3,000 per year.

Russia

Russia has been a favourite country of many international students when it comes to study MBBS abroad. It is not only because of the great international networking opportunities but also because of the budget-friendly education option. The tuition fee of MBBS in Russian universities ranges between $3,500–$6,000/year and the living cost is somewhere between $1,200 to $2,000/year.

However, what makes Russia a primary choice amongst Indian and international students is there is no entrance exam required, and the courses are taught in English. Besides this the universities like Sechenov University, Kazan State Medical University, and Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University offer degrees recognised by WHO, NMC (India), and other global councils.

Turkey

Known for its rich history, stunning landscapes, and friendly environment, the nation is situated strategically between Europe and Asia. This gives the country best advantage of providing excellent European academic standards at the cost of Asian norms.

With the $3,000 to $25,000/year (lower in public universities) and living cost ranging somewhere between $3,000 to $5,000/year, the nation provides best medical exposure with no donations or capitation fees.

The top Turkish universities for MBBS abroad includes Istanbul University – Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, and Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, offering quality education in English for students’ easy accessibility.

All these medical universities are recognised by WHO, NMC (India), ECFMG (USA), and WFME. With no entrance exam and access to modern hospitals and facilities, Turkey is a popular destination amongst Indian students.

Kazakhstan

The last nation in the list of top countries to study MBBS abroad in 2025 is Kazakhstan. This nation is ideal for students who wants a cost-effective, NMC-approved, globally recognised degree without compromising in the clinical training and exposure.

Kazakhstani universities like Astana Medical University, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, and Kazakh National Medical University (KazNMU), Almaty offer high-quality medical education at the tuition fee of $3,000–$4,000/year. With no language barrier, no entrance exam, and a five-year degree course, Kazakhstan is rapidly becoming a popular destination for MBBS aspirants.

All you have to do to get admission in a Kazakhstani university is to learn the local language a little for your time of practicing medicine in local hospitals and clinics.

Grab your White Coat Abroad with MetaApply IE

At MetaApply IE, we understand the value of your dream of becoming a doctor. We also understand that it is not an easy journey. You have to study constantly for long hours and do your best to become a great doctor one day. But the preparations of that one day begins today. As you are all set to take the NEET-UG exam, what if you didn’t get a seat in India? Don’t let anything shatter your dream. Therefore, have a plan ‘B’ ready with MetaApply IE.

Knowing the cruciality of your doctor dream, MetaApply IE is there to help you at every step. As you saw above, the mentioned countries do not need any entrance exam and offer best quality education at affordable cost. This means you don’t have to struggle much to get a successful admission abroad.

So, what are you waiting for? Start planning your MBBS abroad journey today, only with MetaApply IE.