NMC Approved Medical Universities in Russia: Eligibility Rules Explained
There is no official list of NMC approved medical colleges in Russia. Since November 2021, a Russian degree is valid in India only if the course meets the conditions of the NMC's Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations. This page explains those conditions and how to check a university against them.
In short: the NMC says it "does not endorse any list" of foreign medical institutions. A degree from Russia counts in India when the course lasted at least 54 months, was taught in English, included a 12-month internship at the same university, and leads to a licence to practise in Russia. The graduate then passes FMGE (later NExT) and does a 12-month internship in India.
Why there is no "NMC approved" list
Until 2021 the old Medical Council of India published lists that agents still quote as "MCI approved" or "NMC approved". The National Medical Commission replaced that approach with the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021 (FMGL), in force from 18 November 2021. On its general information page the NMC states that it does not endorse any list of foreign medical institutions or universities for MBBS, and asks students to confirm fees and course details directly with the institution.
So when a brochure says a Russian university is "NMC approved", it means at best that the university's programme can meet the FMGL conditions. Whether your degree qualifies depends on how your own course is run: the language, the duration, where you did the internship. That is why the checks below matter more than any list.
The FMGL 2021 conditions, one by one
| Condition | What it says | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | The medical course lasts at least 54 months. | Reg. 4(a)(i) |
| Internship abroad | At least 12 months of internship in addition to the course, in the same foreign institution that awards the degree. | Reg. 4(a)(ii) |
| Language | The medium of instruction is English. | Reg. 4(a)(iii) |
| Subjects | Theory, practical and clinical training equivalent to the Indian MBBS, including community medicine, general medicine, psychiatry, paediatrics, surgery, anaesthesia, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedics, ENT, ophthalmology, dermatology and emergency medicine. | Schedule I |
| Licence | The graduate is registered with, or eligible for a licence from, the medical regulator of the country of study, on the same terms as its own citizens. | Reg. 4(b) |
| One institution, one country | The whole course, training and internship are done outside India in the same foreign institution. No part in India or a third country. | Schedule I, para 2(iii) |
| Time limit | The course must be completed within 10 years of joining. | Schedule I, para 2(iv) |
| Licensing exam in India | Pass NExT or another test the NMC prescribes. Until NExT starts, this is FMGE. | Reg. 4(d) |
| Internship in India | 12 months of supervised internship in India after passing the exam. | Reg. 4(c) |
The regulations apply to everyone who started a foreign medical course on or after 18 November 2021. A student joining a Russian university in 2027 is fully covered.
Check a university against the NMC rules
Send us the name; we will tell you what to ask the university in writing.
What the rules mean for a course in Russia
English for all six years
Many Russian universities run English-medium groups for foreign students. Some switch to Russian in the clinical years, or teach clinical subjects partly in Russian; agents sometimes call this "bilingual". Under Regulation 4(a)(iii) the medium of instruction must be English. Ask the university for a written statement that your group is taught in English in every year, and keep it. Learning Russian is still necessary to talk to patients, but the course itself must be in English.
The internship inside the six years
The Russian General Medicine degree takes six years. For FMGL purposes the university needs to show at least 54 months of course and, in addition to them, 12 months of internship at the same institution. Ask the dean's office how the six years are split and whether the transcript and certificate show the internship separately. Indian authorities check these documents when you apply for registration.
Licence to practise in Russia
Regulation 4(b) requires that the graduate be eligible to practise in the country of study on the same terms as its citizens. In Russia, graduates go through a state accreditation procedure before they can work as doctors. Ask the university how its foreign graduates complete this step and what document they receive.
Online classes
According to the NMC FAQ, theory subjects may be taught online, but practical and clinical training must be done in person at the university and its hospitals, with a certificate. Students whose studies went online during COVID-19 or the Russia–Ukraine conflict were asked to complete compensatory offline training; an NMC notice of 18 March 2026 explains how that must be documented.
No transfers
Because the whole course must be in one institution, moving to another university or country partway through can make the degree ineligible. Choose the university carefully at the start.
Russian universities and the English-medium question
The table shows what each university on this site says about the language of its General Medicine programme for foreign students, as checked in October 2026. "Full English" means the university states the whole programme is in English. "Mixed" means part of the course is taught in Russian. "Unclear" means we could not find a clear statement; ask before applying.
How to check a Russian university yourself
Find it in the World Directory of Medical Schools
Search the university at wdoms.org, the directory run by FAIMER and the World Federation for Medical Education. A listing shows that the school exists; the directory itself says a listing is not a recognition or accreditation. It does not prove that a particular course meets the NMC rules.
Get the language in writing
Ask for an official letter or contract clause stating that the General Medicine programme for your group is taught in English for the full duration.
Check the curriculum and internship
Ask for the curriculum and confirm that the subjects in Schedule I are covered and that 12 months of internship are done at the same university.
Look at FMGE results
NBEMS publishes how many graduates of each university pass FMGE. Our FMGE pass rate table has the figures from 2020 to December 2025.
Read the NMC notices
Rules for foreign graduates change through public notices. Check nmc.org.in before you pay and once a year during the course.
After you return to Kerala
A graduate who has passed FMGE applies for provisional registration to do the 12-month supervised internship, then for permanent registration. In Kerala the registering body is the Travancore-Cochin Medical Council (TCMC) in Thiruvananthapuram. Keep your degree certificate, transcript with internship details, the English-medium letter, passport with visa pages for the whole course, and the FMGE pass certificate together; councils check that the course was done in one country and one institution.
A practical habit for Kerala families: start a folder in the first year and keep every certificate, every visa page and every letter from the dean's office in it. A missing paper can delay registration by months.
Not sure a university qualifies?
Tell us which universities you are looking at. We will tell you what to ask each of them.
Frequently asked questions
Does the NMC publish a list of approved universities in Russia?
No. The NMC states that it does not endorse any list of foreign medical institutions. Since 18 November 2021, a foreign degree is accepted if the course meets the FMGL Regulations 2021, whatever list an agent shows.
What NMC rules must a Russian university meet for its degree to be valid in India?
At least 54 months of course in English, a 12-month internship at the same university, the Schedule I subjects, eligibility for a licence to practise in Russia, the whole course in one institution and completion within 10 years. The graduate then passes FMGE (later NExT) and a 12-month internship in India.
How can I check if a Russian medical university is recognised?
Find it in the World Directory of Medical Schools (wdoms.org), get the English-medium status and internship arrangement in writing from the university, and look at its FMGE results in the NBEMS reports.
What happens if I study at a university that does not meet NMC rules?
You may not be allowed to sit the licensing exam or register as a doctor in India, even with a valid Russian degree. The NMC has warned that non-compliance can make a graduate ineligible for registration.
Can I register with the medical council in Kerala after MBBS in Russia?
Yes, if your course met the FMGL conditions, you pass FMGE (or NExT when it starts) and complete the 12-month supervised internship in India. In Kerala you apply to the Travancore-Cochin Medical Council for provisional and then permanent registration.
Sources: NMC FMGL Regulations 2021 and NMC FAQ on FMGL (8 June 2026); NMC general information page (checked 15 October 2026); NMC public notices of 7 December 2023 and 18 March 2026 as summarised in the NMC FAQ.