MBBS in Samara, Russia: University, Cost of Living and Life for Indian Students
Samara, on the middle Volga, 850 km from Moscow, has one university on this site that teaches medicine to foreign students: Samara State Medical University (SamSMU). The only fee we found, 450,000 roubles a year (about ₹5.1 lakh), comes from an admissions aggregator and an agent, not from the university. Only 28 SamSMU graduates sat FMGE in 2022 to 2025, and one passed. This page explains why that number matters, and what to ask before you pay.
In short: Samara is a city of 1,173,299 people (2021 census) with an operating international airport, a metro and a train of about 13 hours from Moscow. SamSMU's fee of 450,000 roubles a year (about ₹5.1 lakh) is an aggregator and agent figure; we found no official foreigner price list. FMGE evidence is thin: 28 candidates in 2022 to 2025 and 1 pass (3.6%), too few to judge, and it suggests that the English-taught Indian group is small or recent. The university does not clearly state English for all six years. Local time is 1.5 hours behind India.
Medical university in Samara, Russia
Samara State Medical University (SamSMU, founded 1930, Chapaevskaya St. 89) is the only medical university in Samara that we cover. Fees are converted at the Central Bank of Russia rate of 15 October 2026.
Fee. The Vuzopedia admissions listing shows General Medicine, language English, at the International Institute of SamSMU for 450,000 roubles (about ₹5.1 lakh), and the same listing tells users to check the university's own lists. An agent table shows the same figure for years one to six and a hostel of 32,000 roubles for year one (about ₹36,200), without saying whether that is the annual fee. We found no price list on the university website that we could read. Treat 450,000 roubles as an estimate, and ask SamSMU for the official foreign-student price list and the hostel fee for your intake.
Language. We could not read any official wording about the language of instruction for all six years. A page linked to the university says training is given in Russian and English; agents say "entirely in English" or "English and Russian". None of this proves the English-medium course that the NMC requires, so ask SamSMU to confirm in writing that your group is taught in English throughout, including clinical rotations. A document on an English-language programme exists on the university site, but we could not open it.
FMGE. NBEMS counts of SamSMU candidates are very small: 12 in 2022, 7 in 2023, 5 in 2024, 2 in June 2025 and 2 in December 2025. One passed (in 2022), so the rate is 3.6% (1 of 28). Numbers this small are not a measure of teaching quality. They do tell you that few Indian graduates of SamSMU have come through FMGE yet, so you cannot look at a track record. The 2019 university presentation puts all foreign students at 453, and Wikipedia at about 350; an agent claim of 700 to 1,000 Indian students has no source. Ask SamSMU how many Indian students are in each year of the English programme today. Compare cities with large, documented groups, such as Kazan and Perm, on the FMGE pass rate page.
Get the Samara State Medical University fee and language terms
We ask the university for the current foreign-student fee and the English-medium terms, and send them to you.
Samara weather for Kerala students
The January mean in Samara is −9.6 °C and the July mean is 21.9 °C (1991 to 2020). Winters are colder than in Moscow and milder than in Ufa and Perm, and summers are warm. Snow lies from about November to March, and the open Volga plain brings a strong wind. Buy a down jacket, insulated boots, thermal layers and gloves in Samara after arrival, with advice from seniors; the winter packing list shows what to take from Kerala.
How to reach Samara from Kerala
Kurumoch International Airport (KUF) is operating. The flight from Moscow takes about 1.8 hours and the train about 13 hours. From Kerala there is no direct flight to Russia: fly from Kochi (COK), Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) or Kozhikode (CCJ) to Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Doha or Delhi, then to Moscow and on to Samara. Allow a buffer for airport restrictions during drone alerts, which have affected several Russian airports in 2026.
Samara is one hour ahead of Moscow, so local time is 1.5 hours behind India. It is 850 km from Moscow in a straight line. The Russian consulate for the student visa is in Chennai; see admission.
Cost of living in Samara
We have only a thin set of user-submitted prices for Samara: Numbeo showed on 7 October 2026 a one-way public transport ticket at 40 roubles and a meal at an inexpensive restaurant at about 700 roubles (about ₹790), from only 12 contributors, so treat it as a rough guide. We found no official student budget and no verified rent figure. Samara has a metro, and prices are likely lower than in Moscow. Ask SamSMU for the hostel fee and room type, then ask senior students for their real monthly spending. See cost of living in Russia.
Indian students and food in Samara
We found no official count of Indian students. The FMGE evidence suggests a small number of Indian graduates so far. It may also mean a smaller student community than in Kazan or Perm. We could not verify any Indian restaurant. Ask SamSMU to connect you with Indian students now in the English programme and ask them where they buy rice and spices. See Indian food in Russia.
Is Samara safe for Indian students?
Samara is a Volga city, not on the border with Ukraine and not in the North Caucasus. We know of no published incident involving Indian students at SamSMU. Check the advisory at mea.gov.in before each trip, register with the Indian Embassy in Moscow after arrival, keep copies of your documents with your parents, and ask about hostel security. Never accept a job or contract offer connected with the military. See is MBBS in Russia safe.
Talk to us about Samara State Medical University
We ask for the written fee, the English-medium terms and the number of Indian students, and tell you honestly whether Samara fits.
MBBS in Samara: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MBBS fee at Samara State Medical University in INR?
We found only an aggregator and agent figure of 450,000 roubles a year, about ₹5.1 lakh. We could not read an official foreigner price list, so ask SamSMU for the current list and the hostel fee.
Is MBBS at Samara State Medical University taught in English?
The sources disagree: one linked page says Russian and English, agents say English or both. Get written confirmation of an English-medium group for all six years including clinical rotations, because the NMC requires English.
What is the FMGE pass rate of Samara State Medical University?
Only 28 SamSMU candidates sat FMGE in 2022 to 2025, and 1 passed. The sample is too small to judge, but it also means there is little track record of Indian graduates.
How cold is Samara?
The January mean is −9.6 °C and the July mean is 21.9 °C. Winters are cold and windy, and summers are warm.
How do I get from Kerala to Samara?
Fly through a Gulf hub or Delhi to Moscow, then about 1.8 hours to Kurumoch Airport, which is operating. The train from Moscow takes about 13 hours.
Sources: climate (Samara 1991–2020) and population (2021 census) from Wikipedia; Vuzopedia admissions listing and agent fee tables for SamSMU (marked as agent figures); SamSMU 2019 presentation; Numbeo (user-submitted prices, 7 October 2026); NBEMS FMGE reports 2022–2025; Central Bank of Russia rate of 15 October 2026.