MBBS Abroad University Checklist

Last reviewed: 20 September 2026

A university verification and family decision guide for Indian students

Use this checklist before selecting a foreign medical university or paying any application, reservation or service fee. It focuses on the complete programme and licensing pathway rather than rankings, promotional claims or the lowest advertised tuition.

Important: The National Medical Commission does not endorse a list of foreign medical universities. A university name alone cannot prove that a particular programme, campus, internship or admission route meets the requirements that apply to an Indian student.

1. Confirm the student’s eligibility first

• NEET is qualified and the result is valid for the intended admission date.
• Class 12 subjects, practical study and marks meet the current eligibility requirements.
• The university’s academic entry conditions have been received from an official university source.
• The passport will remain valid through the admission and visa process.
• Any gap year, transfer, pre-medical or language-course condition has been disclosed and checked.
• The student’s admission date is recorded because different regulations can apply to different cohorts.

NMC states that Indian and OCI candidates intending to obtain a foreign primary medical qualification from May 2018 onward must qualify NEET. It also states that the result is treated as the eligibility certificate and is valid for three years from the result date for the relevant course.

2. Identify the exact institution and programme

Record these details exactly as they appear on the official offer and university website:

• legal name of the university;
• campus and city;
• name of the faculty or medical school;
• title of the awarded qualification;
• programme language;
• intake month and year;
• total academic duration;
• internship duration and location; and
• name of the organisation receiving each payment.

Do not assume that a branch campus, partner college, offshore programme or similarly named institution has the same authorisation as the main university.

3. Complete the NMC programme check

For candidates governed by the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021, current NMC materials identify a minimum 54-month medical course, a 12-month internship at the same foreign medical institution, English instruction, mandatory subjects, appropriate local licence eligibility and later Indian requirements. Check the complete regulation and current clarifications for the student’s admission cohort.

4. Verify the school with independent sources

• Check the exact school and campus in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
• Read the programme details and sponsor notes where applicable.
• Confirm authorisation with the country’s competent medical or education regulator.
• Review official NMC alerts and advisories for the country or programme model.
• Ask the relevant Indian embassy or official authority when the status remains unclear.
• Save dated copies or screenshots of the documents used for the decision.

A WDOMS listing is a directory record. WDOMS expressly states that listing does not itself mean recognition, accreditation or endorsement by WDOMS, WFME or FAIMER.

5. Examine the clinical and internship plan

Clinical training is central to medical education. Ask for specific evidence rather than a promise of “good exposure.”

• Which hospitals are owned, affiliated or contracted for teaching?
• How many beds and departments are available to the programme?
• When do students begin supervised patient contact?
• What language is used with patients, and what language preparation is provided?
• How are rotations scheduled and attendance recorded?
• Can international students complete the same clinical work as local students?
• Where is the internship completed, who supervises it and how is it documented?
• What happens if a hospital partnership changes during the course?

If the answer is vague, request the hospital list and current rotation schedule directly from the university.

6. Build the complete family budget

Record the full programme cost, not only first-year tuition. Include:

• tuition and annual increases;
• application, registration, laboratory, examination and graduation charges;
• hostel or private housing, deposits and utilities;
• food, transport, phone and winter clothing;
• visa, residence permit and annual renewal charges;
• insurance, vaccination and medical examination costs;
• document apostille, legalisation, translation and courier charges;
• flights, baggage and airport transfers;
• internship, clinical equipment, uniforms and books;
• counselling or support-service fees;
• currency-conversion costs and exchange-rate risk; and
• a contingency reserve for unexpected travel or delay.

Ask whether every fee is fixed, estimated or subject to change. Obtain the refund terms separately for university payments, third-party charges and counselling services.

7. Review safety and student support

• Verify hostel rules, security, distance from campus and emergency contacts.
• Ask who assists after arrival and whether support continues beyond the first semester.
• Check medical insurance, nearby healthcare and the process for reporting harassment or academic problems.
• Speak with current students from the same campus and programme, not only selected promotional representatives.
• Review travel advisories, local law, climate, language and the current geopolitical situation.
• Confirm how academic records and original documents are returned if the student withdraws.

8. Check the offer, contract and payment route

• The offer names the correct university, campus, programme and intake.
• Every condition is written clearly.
• The fee schedule matches the invoice.
• The refund and cancellation terms are available before payment.
• The payment recipient is the university or an identified contracted organisation.
• No blank form, altered invoice or personal bank account is used.
• Every original document and payment receives a written receipt.
• Verbal promises are added to the contract or official email before acceptance.

Warning signs that require a pause

• “NMC approved” or “WHO approved” is used without a precise official source.
• The agent will not identify the exact campus or awarding institution.
• The internship location changes when detailed questions are asked.
• The programme depends on online, offshore or split-country clinical training that has not been cleared.
• The university will not confirm local licence eligibility.
• Only first-year tuition is disclosed.
• Payment is demanded urgently before the written offer, invoice or refund terms are supplied.
• A guaranteed visa, licence, examination result or admission outcome is promised.

Final decision rule

Do not shortlist a programme with an unresolved item in course duration, internship, English instruction, clinical training, local licence eligibility or the applicable Indian pathway. A lower fee cannot compensate for a qualification that does not support the student’s intended licensing route.

Official sources

• NMC: For Students to Study Abroad
• NMC: Rules and Regulations
• NBEMS: FMGE information and sessions
• WDOMS: About and listing disclaimer

Ask Scholars Abroad to review your shortlist

Bring the university offer, curriculum, fee schedule, internship information and any recognition claim you received. Scholars Abroad can help organise the questions and documents for comparison. Final regulatory, academic, visa and financial decisions should use current written information from the university and official authorities.

Request a university checklist review

This page provides general information and does not guarantee admission, visa approval, registration, licensing or examination outcomes.