North Western State Medical University Fees: Everything I Learned After Researching This for My Kids MBBS

Look, my son wanted to do MBBS. Like every parent in India with a kid who scores decently in boards, we panicked about fees. Private medical colleges? 20-25 lakhs a year. Impossible. Then someone mentioned Russia, and honestly, I was skeptical. But after months of research and talking to actual parents whose kids are studying there, I want to share what we learned about North Western State Medical University.

The Honest Truth About Costs (Before We Go Further)

My wife’s sister’s son is in his third year there right now. When we first asked about fees, we thought there’d be hidden charges everywhere. Nope. The tuition is 4,40,000 Rubles per year. The hostel is 36,000 Rubles. That’s it for the main stuff. Together, about 3.8 lakhs in Indian money. Every year.

Do the math for six years—we’re talking roughly 23 lakhs just for education and living space. Back home, a single year at a private college costs more than that. My wife literally cried when she realized we could actually afford to send our son to a university that’s ranked globally and recognized by Indian medical authorities.

Now, this isn’t saying there are zero other expenses. You’ve got to fly there. Visas need renewing. Medical insurance—you have to have that. Food beyond what the hostel provides. My nephew’s mom spent about 50,000 rupees for his initial flight and setup. Every year they budget another 15-20,000 for miscellaneous stuff. So realistically, you’re looking at maybe 30-32 lakhs for the entire six-year degree. Still way less than what you’d pay here.

What My Nephew Actually Does There (Not What The Brochure Says)

My sister sends me updates about her son constantly. He’s not just sitting in lectures learning theory. In his first year itself, he was in hospital wards watching actual doctors treat actual patients. By second year, he was assisting in procedures. I asked him on a video call once what surprised him most, and he said, “Didi, we’re not a number here. We actually examine real patients, not just models.”

The hospital at North Western State Medical University has 1,645 beds. That sounds like a number, but here’s what it means: there are enough patients, enough cases, enough real medical work that every student gets hands-on experience from day one. No waiting until fourth or fifth year to actually do something. No overcrowded labs where 100 students fight over two microscopes.

My nephew showed me photos of their anatomy museum—they have actual historical specimens, proper museum setups. He sent me videos of their labs. Modern. Well-equipped. The kind of facilities you’d see in cities like Delhi, not what you’d expect in a smaller Russian city.

The Place Itself—Saint Petersburg Is Actually Gorgeous

Okay, this is going to sound silly, but when my nephew first arrived, he was freaked out. He’d never left India. We all worried. But here’s what happened: he arrived in September, the weather was decent, and he messaged us saying, “Mom, the city is so clean and organized. And the buildings—they look like they’re from old European movies.”

That’s actually important to mention. Saint Petersburg isn’t some random place. It’s a major Russian city with universities, culture, museums everywhere. My nephew joined a gym, found Indian restaurants (surprisingly good ones), made friends with students from Kazakhstan, Nigeria, and Germany in his class. He’s not sitting in isolation somewhere. There’s a real student life there.

The thing about White Nights in summer—when he first experienced it, he couldn’t sleep. The sun doesn’t set. Like, at 11 PM it’s still bright outside. His first reaction was “This is weird, I hate it.” By mid-summer, he was like “Actually, this is amazing for studying and exploring.” It’s one of those things that sounds strange until you experience it.

The Actual Hospital Work—Where It Clicked For Him

My nephew told me something that stuck with me. He said, “Aunty, in Indian colleges, they show you five patients, teach you about textbook diseases, and that’s it. Here, I see the diversity of cases—rare diseases, complicated cases, everything.” He’s training under professors who’ve been doing this for decades, seeing cases from across Russia and Eastern Europe.

His clinical rotations started in year two. By year three, he was doing some procedures under supervision that some Indian medical students don’t do until internship. The faculty there seems genuinely invested in teaching. Not rushing through 500 students per year. Actual, personalized medical education.

One story he shared: he diagnosed a condition incorrectly during a ward round. His professor didn’t just tell him he was wrong—spent 45 minutes explaining why, teaching him to think differently, showing him actual X-rays from similar cases. He said that kind of teaching is rare.

Getting In—The Realistic Process

Here’s what you actually need to do. Your kid finishes 12th. They take NEET. They need 50th percentile (or 40th if they’re in a reserved category—that’s the rule). Then they apply. The university accepts from September.

The documents they want: 10th and 12th mark sheets, passport, NEET scorecard, and a transfer certificate. My brother-in-law had everything ready, submitted in April, and by June they had confirmation. No waiting months. No complicated visa issues (the university helps with that). By August, my nephew had his visa, booked his flight, and he was there.

One thing nobody tells you: the English language requirement isn’t strict in the way you’d think. The university understands international students—the entire teaching is in English. But they’re patient. My nephew’s English was okay, not perfect, and he managed fine. By month three, he was comfortable. By year two, discussing complex medical concepts in English like it was nothing.

The Recognition Part—It’s Actually Legit

When my nephew got selected, my father-in-law was like, “But will his degree be recognized in India?” Legitimate question. The National Medical Commission of India recognizes this university. That’s not some random approval—that’s the actual regulatory body for medical education in India. The WHO recognizes it too.

After he finishes, he’ll come back to India, take the mandatory screening exam, get registered with the NMC, and he can practice medicine in India just like any AIIMS graduate. In fact, several of his batch mates from his first year are already back in India, working in hospitals, or doing their post-graduation. No issues, no “but where did you study?” questioning.

The World Health Organization recognition means he could potentially work in tons of other countries too. That’s not marketing speak—that’s literally what it means.

What Surprised Us (The Real Insights)

The Student Community

You’d think it would be lonely—Indian kid in Russia. Nope. There are hundreds of Indian students there. He made friends with kids from Mumbai, Kerala, Punjab, even some Pakistani students. Plus students from African countries, Central Asia, everywhere. The hostel is diverse, the campus is diverse. He’s learning medicine AND getting a truly international experience.

The Quality of Teaching

My sister expected just okay professors. But she was shocked—many of them studied or trained in Western countries, published research, some have books written under their names. These are serious academics, not people teaching because they couldn’t find anything else to do.

The Practical Cost Reality

We thought there’d be hidden expenses everywhere. Surprisingly, no. The university is transparent. Hostel fees cover your room and basic meals. Extra food, entertainment, travel within Russia—that’s on you. But the main expenses are upfront, no surprises.

The Winter Thing

Everyone asks about this. Yes, winters are cold. Really cold. My nephew wore proper winter gear and said it was fine. He even went snowboarding. Russians are used to it, the city is built for it, infrastructure handles it. It’s not as dramatic as people think.

Real Talk About What Could Be Better

Look, it’s not perfect. The winter is genuinely hard if you’ve never experienced cold. Some bureaucratic stuff with Russian paperwork is slower than Indian bureaucracy (which is saying something). My nephew missed Indian food for the first few months. One of his friends got homesick badly in first year.

The city is beautiful but it’s not like studying in London or America. But honestly? For the cost and quality trade-off, these aren’t dealbreakers.

Questions Every Parent Asks (And Real Answers)

Total cost—what’s the real number?

6 years of tuition: 26.4 lakhs (approx). 6 years of hostel: 2.16 lakhs. Flights, insurance, visas, miscellaneous over 6 years: 3-4 lakhs. Total: roughly 31-33 lakhs. That’s what we budgeted, and that’s what we’ve spent so far.

Will they actually get quality education?

From what my nephew is learning—yes. He’s being taught by serious professors, seeing real patients from day one, doing practical work that most Indian medical students don’t get until much later. The quality is there.

Can they practice in India after graduating?

Yes. NMC recognizes the degree. They come back, take the screening test, get registered, and they practice. Multiple people from his batch have already done this.

Is it safe?

Saint Petersburg has better public safety than many Indian cities. The hostel has security. The university has oversight. My nephew has never mentioned safety concerns. My sister was more worried about him; he’s more worried about whether he’ll pass his exams.

Can they work part-time to support themselves?

Students can work. Many do. My nephew picked up some tutoring work with younger students online. Not much, but enough to cover some extra expenses. It’s allowed and it’s normal.

What Happens After—The Real Outcome

My nephew’s long-term plan is to finish here, do some post-graduation specialization possibly in Europe, then come back to India. He’s not trying to escape India—he’s getting quality medical education affordably and keeping options open.

Several of his seniors from the previous batches are now working—one’s in a Delhi hospital, another did post-grad in surgery and is in Mumbai, another went to Europe for further specialization. They all say their degree from North Western State Medical University opened doors rather than closing them.

Why We’re Sharing This

Honestly, if my son gets selected here, we’re sending him. For 30-32 lakhs over six years, with a globally recognized degree, education from serious professors, and hands-on training from day one, it’s a no-brainer compared to what we’d pay for anything remotely similar in India.

Will it be easy? No. Will he miss home? Probably. Will it be worth it? Based on what we’ve seen with my nephew, absolutely.

If you want to explore this seriously and talk to people who’ve navigated the entire process, visit https://www.edurizon.in/study-destinations/study-mbbs-in-russia/north-western-state-medical-university. They’ve guided families through all of this, and they can give you the real picture. Our experience with North Western State Medical University has been genuinely positive, and if you’re considering this path for your kid, it’s worth exploring seriously.