Affordability
Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are promoted as budget-friendly MBBS programs; however, the actual cost for the full 6 years of study is as follows:
- MBBS Costs in Armenia
- Annual Tuition Range: $2,500 – $4,000 USD
- Total Tuition (Over 6 Year Program): ₹12 Lakhs – ₹20 Lakhs
- Living expenses (Hostel): $1,000-$2,000 USD/year
- Monthly Living Expenses Range: $200 – $400/month
- Total Investment for Completing the 6-Year Program: Approximately ₹18 Lakhs – ₹28 Lakhs
- MBBS Costs in Kyrgyzstan
- Total Tuition (Over 6 Year Program): ₹13 Lakhs – ₹22 Lakhs
- Living Expenses: Approximately $120/month (Approx. ₹10,000)
- Comfortable Accommodation at $120/month
- Total Investment for Completing the 6-Year Program: Approximately ₹15 Lakhs – ₹25 Lakhs.
The FMGE Data
During the four years from 2019 through 2022, there were 3137 Indian nationals who attended Medical Schools in Armenia who participated in FMGE, and just 16.9% of these students passed the exam. Even with a growth of 140% in these four years, the actual number of graduates has consistently been less than that of other countries’ overall FMGE pass rate. It has gotten to the point where Education Consultants specializing in medical studies abroad advise against choosing to study in Armenia (even though it is less costly than most other nations) and instead promote Bangladesh and Nepal as better alternatives.
Regarding the overall performance of Graduates from Schools/Institutes of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan has not performed as well as some of the other countries that have students from Kyrgyzstan; however, it has still performed better overall than its counterparts in Armenia. According to the latest FMGE Data from Kyrgyzstan, there are still poor overall scores for Kyrgyzstan, but significant improvement compared to Armenia in some instances. The highest medical universities in Kyrgyzstan are reporting continuous growth in their scores on the FMGE, which suggests that their curriculum is better aligned with the expectations of Medical Schools in India compared to their counterparts in Armenia.
Quality of Medical Education
- Armenia's Education System
Armenia has a six-year medical degree programmer, where the five years of academics and one year of clinical practice are conducted in English, but many of the private medical universities that are accepting international students have low-quality educational facilities and faculty members.
- The concerning points
- Kyrgyz Republic's Education System
The Kyrgyz Republic offers a six-year programmer, and a lot of its universities are implementing modern teaching methods, in addition to the traditional methods that were used in the past. One of the benefits is that there are approximately 5,000 medical students studying in the Kyrgyz Republic each year at reputable universities, and international students are very well accommodated.
NMC, WHO, FAIMER and the Ministry of Education all have collaborated and acknowledged the Kyrgyz Republic’s universities; Kyrgyz Republic universities have a strong affiliation with clinical facilities and provide a unique opportunity for exposure to practice. The number of students studying in KRG (the Kyrgyz Republic) is continually growing, and providing an increasing number of students with a peer support network. Overall, both Kyrgyzstan and Armenia have significant variations in the quality of each institution; however, the Kyrgyz Republic has a much stronger infrastructure for supporting progressive medical education.
Clinical Exposure
- Armenia
- Kyrgyzstan
Its medical universities have developed partnerships with teaching hospitals to provide hands-on clinical training to students during their last few years of medical education, including an internship year. Each university and hospital has a unique level of quality associated with the clinical exposure provided, thereby preparing students for how to practice medicine in the real world based on the experience gained at their clinical partner’s location.
Living Conditions and Student Life
- Armenia
- Located approximately 3875 km from India; flight time from India (approximately 6 hours – 50 minutes)
- Capital city Yerevan provides all the necessary modern comforts
- The Indian community is growing, but is still not nearly as large as other traditional international student locations
- The traditional Armenian cuisine does not closely resemble Indian cuisine
- A safe country that experiences very low levels of crime
- Cold winters and a four-season climate
- Kyrgyzstan
- Geographically closer to India, approximately 320 minutes flight time from New Delhi to Bishkek
- The cost of living is 64.24% lower than in the United States; rent is 80.13% lower than in the United States
- There is a larger, more established Indian student population
- There are many Indian grocery stores and restaurants
- It is safe for foreign students, especially Indian students
- Temperate climate, not extreme like that of Kazakhstan
Language & Cultural
- Armenia
- Courses are taught in English, and entrance tests are not required.
- While it is not compulsory to learn Armenian, it is beneficial to correctly engage with patients during the practical side of your clinical training.
- Because the Armenian Culture is dissimilar to the Indian Culture, you will need to adapt.
- Armenia has a smaller community of international students than Kyrgyzstan.
- Kyrgyzstan
- Courses are taught in English, and an IELTS/SAT is not required.
- Russian and Kyrgyz are the local languages; however, English is acceptable in larger cities.
- Compared to some other countries, Kyrgyzstan has a more traditional or conservative society.
- Kyrgyzstan has a larger number of international students, making for a more diverse and multicultural environment.
Infrastructure
- Armenia
There is great variation in the quality of infrastructure among the institutions, where the best is seen to be in the University State Medical of Yerevan; however, several of the private institutions have been criticized for their lack of adequate facilities, labs, and educational resources.
- Choose Kyrgyzstan if:
Most Medical Universities in Kyrgyzstan are currently in the process of upgrading their infrastructure, with many institutions being refurbished with modern labs, digital classrooms and libraries with adequate information. Overall, the quality of infrastructure at recognized institutions is fairly consistent across the many institutions currently operating within the country.
When to Choose
- Choose Armenia if:
- You conducted thorough research before applying to the private university you are at the moment considering.
- You are prepared to put down a lot of money for more FMGE preparation coaching.
- You enjoy being immersed in a European culture.
- The university has official records of student FMGE pass rates.
- Kyrgyzstan
- Your main focus is affordability (both countries are generally affordable, but Kyrgyzstan is usually regarded as offering an even better price-to-value ratio).
- FMGE success is very important to you (higher FMGE success rates generally indicate better FMGE preparation).
- You desire a larger community of fellow Indians who are also attending university in the country you are planning to attend.
- You want more options for quality education since many universities in Kyrgyzstan have similar levels of quality.
Connect with EOCL India
EOCL India has formed direct partnerships with recognized medical universities in Europe and Central Asia that are on the list of NMC-recognized universities. Education Orbit Counselling and Links and EOCL India are dedicated to providing the highest level of counselling to our students with regard to their individual academic profiles and future career goals, as well as their personal situations. Are you interested in getting professional advice on whether to attend medical school in Armenia or Kyrgyzstan? Call EOCL India today to schedule your personal counselling session.
