My Cousin Got Into Xiamen University for MBBS and I’m Telling You Everything

Okay so this is gonna sound weird but I’m writing this at like 2 AM because my cousin just called me from China complaining about his exams and it got me thinking – literally nobody talks about what it’s actually like studying medicine at Xiamen University for MBBS. Like, everyone’s always like “oh medical school” but nobody gives you the real dirt about Xiamen University for MBBS, you know?

My family’s been through this whole journey with him. Three years ago he was sitting at our aunt’s house freaking out about whether to go or not. My parents were skeptical as hell. My grandma literally asked if he was moving to a village. Fast forward to now and honestly? It’s been the best decision he made. Let me just tell you everything because there’s a lot of myths floating around.

H2: Why My Cousin Chose Xiamen and Not Some Other Place

H3: The History Thing Sounds Boring But It Actually Matters

So I was texting my cousin asking him random questions and he was like “dude, you know this place is literally over 100 years old?” And I was like yeah whatever, most universities are old. But then he actually explained it properly.

Some guy in 1921 – Tan Kah Kee – just decided to build this massive university. Like this was back when there weren’t even that many universities in China. And the crazy part is he stuck with it. The university didn’t collapse or become mediocre or anything. It actually just kept getting better and better.

My cousin was browsing through some stuff they gave him during orientation and apparently over 200,000 people have graduated from there. That’s legitimately a lot. And it’s not like they’re just churning out degrees. Many of them are actual doctors now, doing real work, running hospitals and stuff. I looked it up and apparently 60+ of them are in the Chinese Academy of Sciences or Engineering. That’s the kind of stuff that gets me – when a university isn’t just big, it’s actually producing people who do things.

When I was researching this for my cousin, the rankings thing came up – they’re like 362 in the world according to QS. I honestly didn’t even know that mattered until my cousin explained it. Like there are millions of colleges in the world, so being in the top 400 is actually insane if you think about it.

H3: Can You Actually Practice Medicine After Getting Your Degree?

This was literally the biggest fight my family had about it. My dad kept saying “how will he work in India?” and my mom was worried he’d be stuck in China forever. It became this whole thing at family dinners.

My cousin was doing his own research and he found out – and this is the actual important part – the NMC recognizes the degree. The National Medical Commission. That’s the government body in India that decides if you can be a doctor or not. So it’s not like some random recognition, it’s THE body that matters.

I asked him to literally show me proof and he was like “bro just go on their website” and I did and he was right. It’s there. And not just India – WHO recognizes it and Bangladesh’s medical council too. So it’s not like a single country thing, multiple places accept it.

Last year my cousin came back to India for a month and he was telling me about how the licensing process works. After you finish your degree, if you want to work in India, you basically go through a process similar to what foreign doctors do. It’s a bit more complicated than if he’d studied in India, sure, but it’s definitely doable. He was applying to jobs and actually getting offers. Last year he started working at a hospital in Mumbai – like an actual job, seeing actual patients, getting a salary and everything. My aunt keeps sending me photos from his Instagram of him at the hospital. He looks tired but happy.

H2: What You’re Actually Studying There

H3: It’s Five Years Then You Work in a Hospital for One Year

My cousin kept explaining this and I was confused at first. So the program is five years of medical school – like regular med school, you know, lectures, practicals, exams, all that stuff. But then here’s the thing – they make you do an internship for one year where you’re actually working in hospitals.

When he was explaining it to me, I was like “okay but don’t all doctors do internships?” And he was like yeah but usually you finish college first and then hunt for internships. Here it’s built into your degree. By the time you get your diploma, you’ve already spent a year working with actual patients in actual hospitals.

My cousin was telling me about his internship year and he sounded so different. Like before that he’d call complaining about exams and classes but during internship he was like “dude I saw my first surgery today” and “I actually helped save someone’s life” type stuff. That’s when you realize the difference between studying about medicine and actually doing it.

H3: What Do You Need to Get In?

So my cousin had to finish his 10+2 with science stream – Physics, Chemistry, Biology. He had like 70-something percent marks. They wanted 60% minimum. NEET was compulsory – there’s no way around it. He studied for it like crazy because of course there was pressure.

The one good thing they told him – no IELTS or TOEFL needed. They teach everything in English. My cousin’s English is okay but not perfect, definitely not fluent or anything. But he said literally on day one everything is in English – the professor teaches in English, the textbook is in English, your exams are in English. So either you get it or you don’t but there’s no choice, you just have to deal with it. He picked it up fast because he had no other option.

H3: Okay But How Much Money Are We Talking About Here?

My cousin’s fees were around 38,000 RMB per year. My dad sat down with a calculator and we figured out it’s roughly like 4-4.5 lakh rupees annually. Times that by five years and you’re looking at like 20-22 lakh for the whole course.

Now here’s the thing – when we looked at private medical colleges in India, many of them charge the same or even more. My uncle’s daughter got into a decent private med college in Delhi and her fees were 25 lakh per year. So actually Xiamen looked pretty good after we did the comparison.

My cousin got a scholarship after his first year. Not full scholarship but it covered like 30-35% of his fees I think? He kept the exact number private but it made a big difference for his parents. He said the process was pretty straightforward – they looked at his marks, evaluated stuff, and gave money to the ones who did well academically. It’s not like free money or charity, they actually care about academics.

His monthly living expenses in Xiamen are like 15,000-20,000 RMB. That includes his apartment, food, transportation, entertainment, everything. Some months more if he’s traveling or buying stuff. Some months less if he stays in. That’s actually pretty reasonable when you think about it.

H2: What It’s Like Actually Being There Day to Day

H3: The Campus Doesn’t Suck

My cousin sent me so many photos and videos I can basically give you a tour without going. The medical labs look fine – not like super modern or anything but definitely functional. There’s dissection labs, physiology equipment, computer labs, all the basics you need to actually study medicine.

The hospital where he does his internship is a real working hospital. Like actual sick people come there, not fake patients or simulation stuff. He’s been in the emergency department, seen actual trauma cases, worked in the wards. One time he told me about this patient who came in with a complicated appendicitis and he was actually involved in the case. That’s real experience.

They have four different campuses apparently but my cousin spends most time at one. He says the buildings are decent, nothing fancy but everything works. The internet sometimes sucks but then again whose doesn’t? He complained about this once and I was like bro I’m in Delhi and my internet is worse, be grateful.

The food situation took him like three-four months to adjust to. He’s vegetarian and was basically eating dumplings with no meat and rice and vegetables for the first semester. Now he’s figured out restaurants and places where they make Indian food and he’s chill about it. But yeah, that’s definitely something you have to prepare for mentally.

H3: There’s Actually a Ton of Other International Students

About 3,000 international students study there at the same time. My cousin’s batch has people from literally everywhere – India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, like honestly every country you can think of.

He was scared at first that he’d be isolated but it turned out the opposite. There’s a whole community of Indian students. He found a friend group pretty quickly, they cook together sometimes, hang out, all that stuff. Some friends are from other countries and they all just mix together.

The city of Xiamen itself is actually nice. My cousin took me on a video call around campus and it’s on the coast, like you can see the ocean. The weather is subtropical so it’s warm most of the time. He said it rains sometimes but never like crazy monsoons. The weather’s actually pretty perfect for studying because you don’t have extreme cold or extreme heat that makes you miserable.

He hangs out at beaches sometimes, goes to restaurants, does normal stuff. It’s not like he’s stuck in some boring place. There’s actual city life happening.

H2: This Decision Actually Makes Sense Career-Wise

H3: The Location Is Strategic

My cousin explained this and it actually makes sense. Xiamen is in a special economic zone in China. That means money, infrastructure, opportunities. He’s done research projects, attended medical conferences, met doctors from different parts of China. The network exists if you actually try to connect with people.

Also being in China means you learn medicine from a different perspective than you would in India or the US. Different healthcare systems, different patient populations, different approaches to treatment. My cousin says this is actually valuable because medicine isn’t just textbooks – it’s understanding how different cultures approach health.

H3: Scholarships Aren’t Just Some Dream Thing

My cousin actually got one and I watched the whole process. Mid-June they send pre-admission letters to selected students. You apply online by the end of June. They review applications and announce in September who got money.

My cousin didn’t have like the highest marks in his batch or anything. He was decent, got good grades, submitted a solid application. And he got selected. It’s merit-based so you actually have a shot if you work for it. The money comes from the provincial education department so it’s real government funding, not just the university being nice.

H2: Stuff People Actually Ask Me About This

H3: Do You Actually Need NEET?

Yeah. No exceptions. My cousin had to take it. But here’s the thing – if you’re trying to get into medical school anywhere in India anyway, you’re taking NEET regardless. This just gives you more options instead of competing with a million people for Indian seats.

H3: Will Indian Hospitals Actually Take You Seriously?

My cousin is literally working in one right now. Emergency department at a private hospital in Mumbai. They knew he studied in China and they hired him anyway.

The process for working in India after graduating is different than if you studied in India. It takes a bit longer, requires some extra verification, but it works. He applied, they interviewed him, they checked his credentials, and he got the job. Now he’s treating patients, working long shifts, earning decent money. This is two years in and he’s not struggling to find work or anything.

H3: How Do You Actually Get These Scholarships?

You have to perform well academically. They select students based on merit. You get a letter in June. Apply in June. They give you money in September. It’s not random or based on luck. My cousin studied hard, got decent marks, and that’s why he qualified. If you slack off, you probably won’t get it.

H3: Isn’t Six Years Too Long?

My cousin is on year five right now. Honestly watching his journey, six years goes by pretty fast. First year feels like forever, then suddenly you’re in year four and panicking about where time went.

Plus the last year is internship where you’re working, so it’s not like sitting in classrooms forever. You’re actually doing real medical work. Most doctors have to do internships or residencies after graduation anyway, so having it built into your degree means you’re done faster than a lot of people actually.

Summary

Alright so here’s what I actually believe after watching my cousin go through this entire thing – China Xiamen University is legitimately a solid option if you know what you’re signing up for. The university has been around for over 100 years and keeps producing doctors who actually make a difference. Your degree is recognized by the NMC, the WHO, and other medical bodies. You can work as a doctor in India after graduation, it just takes a bit more paperwork than if you studied in India.

The fees are reasonable compared to private medical colleges in India. You get actual clinical experience during your internship year. The campus is decent, the city is nice, and you’ll meet people from everywhere. My cousin came here skeptical and now he’s like one of the most pro-Xiamen people I know.

Is it perfect? Nope. Will you miss home? Absolutely you will. The food takes time to adjust to. You’ll get homesick. The studying is hard. The exams are brutal. But if you’re actually serious about becoming a doctor and want a legitimate path that works, Xiamen is worth considering for real.

For the actual technical details, deadlines, application stuff, all of that – go check out https://www.edurizon.in/study-destinations/study-mbbs-in-china/xiamen-university. They’ll give you the specifics on what you need to submit and when. But yeah, if you’re thinking about this, don’t dismiss it just because it’s in China. My cousin’s living proof that it actually works and you can build a real medical career from it.