MBBS in Ulyanovsk, Russia: Universities, Cost of Living and Life for Indian Students
Ulyanovsk, the Volga city where Lenin was born, has 617,352 people and is 700 km east of Moscow. Ulyanovsk State University (UlSU) teaches medicine in its Institute of Medicine, Ecology and Physical Culture. We found no official price, only agent quotes of USD 3,300–4,200 a year, but 1,072 of its graduates sat FMGE in 2022–2025 and 27.6% passed, above the Russian average of about 25%.
In short: Ulyanovsk, Russia, has one university that teaches medicine, Ulyanovsk State University (UlSU), founded in 1988. There is no official price list in anything we could read; agents quote USD 3,300–4,200 a year (about ₹3.1–4.0 lakh). Over 2022–2025, 296 of 1,072 graduates passed FMGE, 27.6%, above the Russian average of about 25%. English for all six years is not confirmed. The January mean is −9.8 °C, with the warmest July (20.6 °C) of our 14 cities.
Medical universities in Ulyanovsk, Russia
Ulyanovsk State University (UlSU) is at Lva Tolstogo St. 42. It began in 1988 as a branch of Moscow State University, and became UlSU by a presidential decree of 17 December 1995 (English Wikipedia says 1996). Medicine is taught in its Institute of Medicine, Ecology and Physical Culture. It is a state university. Indians search for "Ulyanovsk State Medical University", about 480 a month, but there is no separate medical university; that name means UlSU's medical faculty. English Wikipedia reports about 120 students from 25 countries and elsewhere almost 200 foreign citizens, which counts all nationalities, not Indians. Secondary sources list UlSU in the QS Emerging Europe and Central Asia ranking at 251–300 (2022), a whole-university rank that says nothing about the medical course.
Fee. We found no official price list, and the university's site could not be opened when we tried. Agents quote USD 3,300–4,200 a year (about ₹3.1–4.0 lakh at the rate of 15 October 2026). Ask the international office for a signed fee list in roubles for your intake, with the year-by-year prices and the hostel rate. See the fees page for comparison.
Language. An agent says MBBS here is taught in English and Russian. The university has not confirmed English for all six years in anything we could read. NMC rules need at least 54 months in English and a 12-month internship at the same university; ask in writing. See the NMC rules.
FMGE. UlSU has a large Indian cohort, and its record is above the Russian average in most sessions:
| Session | Candidates | Passed | UlSU | Russian average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 76 | 21 | 27.6% | 26.0% |
| 2023 | 189 | 48 | 25.4% | 19.4% |
| 2024 | 366 | 116 | 31.7% | 29.5% |
| June 2025 | 164 | 30 | 18.3% | 18.1% |
| December 2025 | 277 | 81 | 29.2% | 30.9% |
UlSU beat the Russian average in four of five sessions, and fell just short in December 2025. The number of candidates has grown from 76 in 2022 to 366 in 2024, so the Indian group has grown quickly. About seven in ten candidates still fail in a typical session. See the FMGE pass rate page and the ranking by FMGE results.
Get the Ulyanovsk State University fee structure
We ask the university for the current fee list, the language of instruction and the intake dates.
Ulyanovsk weather for Kerala students
Ulyanovsk stands on the Volga. Our figures (1991–2020 normals) give a January mean of −9.8 °C and a July mean of 20.6 °C, the warmest July of the 14 cities we cover in this group. Winter is still long by Kerala standards, and cold spells fall well below the mean. The time zone is Moscow plus 1 hour, 1.5 hours behind India.
A student needs a down jacket, insulated boots with grip, a hat, gloves and thermal underwear. Senior students can say where to buy them. The winter packing list has the checklist.
How to reach Ulyanovsk from Kerala
Ulyanovsk Baratayevka Airport (ULV) is operating. There is no direct flight from Kerala to Russia, so fly from Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram or Kozhikode to Moscow through Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Doha or Delhi, then about 1.5 hours to Ulyanovsk. The train from Moscow takes about 13.5–16 hours. The city is 700 km from Moscow in a straight line. Ask the university who meets first-year students. See the admission process and NORKA attestation pages. If you are comparing Volga cities, see Cheboksary, Yoshkar-Ola and Kazan.
Cost of living in Ulyanovsk
We found no official monthly cost for Ulyanovsk and no verified hostel price. Budget for tuition, hostel, medical insurance, food, a phone plan, transport and winter clothes, and ask three senior students for their real monthly spend. Because the agent tuition range spans about ₹0.9 lakh a year, the difference over six years is large: confirm the price before you pay a deposit. Keep a reserve of 10–20% for fee changes and the rouble–rupee rate (₹1.132 per rouble on 15 October 2026).
Indian students and food in Ulyanovsk
We found no official count of Indian students. The FMGE rows show 366 UlSU graduates in 2024 alone, so the Indian community is sizeable, and a senior Malayali student should be easy to find. We have no verified source on Indian shops or restaurants in the city. With 617,352 residents, Ulyanovsk has large supermarkets, but ask where rice, spices and Indian vegetables are sold. Students cook in hostel kitchens. Ask the university or us for contacts. Searches for "Ulyanovsk State University photos" and "reviews" are common; remember that reviews on forums are rarely dated, so treat them as leads. See Indian food in Russia.
Is Ulyanovsk safe for Indian students?
Ulyanovsk is in the middle Volga region, not in a border region or the North Caucasus. The Indian Embassy's August 2024 advice named Bryansk, Belgorod and Kursk. We know of no published incident involving Indian students at UlSU. Everyday risks are ice and cold. Check mea.gov.in before each trip, register with the embassy after arrival and refuse any work offer connected with the military. See is MBBS in Russia safe.
Pros and cons of Ulyanovsk for a Kerala student
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| FMGE 27.6% over 1,072 candidates, above the Russian average in four of five sessions | No official fee list; agent range of ₹3.1–4.0 lakh |
| Large Indian group: 366 candidates in 2024 | English for all six years not confirmed |
| Working airport; 1.5 hours by air from Moscow, train 13.5–16 hours | Margin over the Russian average is only about 2 points; December 2025 fell below |
| Milder winter than Siberia (−9.8 °C) and the warmest July of our 14 cities | No WDOMS record found |
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MBBS in Ulyanovsk, Russia: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MBBS fee at Ulyanovsk State University for Indian students?
We found no official price list. Agents quote USD 3,300–4,200 a year, about ₹3.1–4.0 lakh at the rate of 15 October 2026. Ask for a signed fee list for your intake.
Is there an Ulyanovsk State Medical University?
No separate medical university exists. Medicine is taught in the Institute of Medicine, Ecology and Physical Culture of Ulyanovsk State University, a state university. Check that your admission letter names the right institution.
What is the FMGE pass rate of Ulyanovsk State University?
296 of 1,072 graduates passed in 2022–2025, 27.6%, above the Russian average of about 25%. It beat the average in four of five sessions and fell just below in December 2025.
How cold is Ulyanovsk?
The January mean is −9.8 °C and the July mean is 20.6 °C. Buy a down jacket, insulated boots, a hat and gloves for the first winter.
How do I get from Kerala to Ulyanovsk?
There is no direct flight. Fly via a Gulf hub or Delhi to Moscow, then about 1.5 hours to Baratayevka Airport. The train from Moscow takes about 13.5–16 hours.
Sources: NBEMS FMGE reports 2022–2025; agent listings of selectyouruniversity.com, marked as agent figures; Wikipedia (English and Russian) for the city and university; city climate, airport and rail data; Indian Embassy in Moscow advisory of August 2024; NMC FMGL Regulations 2021; Central Bank of Russia rate of 15 October 2026.