NEET for MBBS in India vs Abroad

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Team MetaApply

Published on September 11, 2025
MBBS in India vs Abroad

NEET is one of the major requirements to pursue your medical dream in India or abroad. However, with a not-so-good NEET score, many medical aspirants in India think that their dream of becoming a doctor in India is finished. The high donation and tough competition are amongst some of the other reasons why MBBS in India becomes a big challenge for aspiring doctors. While some change their medical field, there are many who change their dreams entirely. The clever way out here is, if you don’t want to give hefty donations and want to be a doctor in the future, then all you have to do is, pursue MBBS abroad.

There’s just one catch; you still need to clear NEET. But here’s the twist: you don’t need exceptionally high scores to secure a medical seat abroad. In this blog, we’ll explain the NEET requirements for pursuing MBBS in India versus MBBS overseas.

So, if your dream of becoming a doctor in India feels out of reach, don’t worry. Your pathway is still open and here’s how.

Role of NEET in India vs Abroad

Over 21 lakh students take the NEET in India every year and out of them only around one lakh students get a chance to secure a seat in India to pursue their medical dream. What about the rest of them? If you have landed in the other 20 lakh+ students’ count, then you must have the same question in your head. You cleared the NEET but you’re not landing in the cutoff bracket and now what? Well, who said your options are closed. You can still opt to be a doctor by studying MBBS abroad. Here is a comparison of how NEET is the major requirement to study MBBS in India; however, how it is just a ticket to enter the international waters to pursue your medical degree abroad.

NEET for MBBS in India

NEET score holds the highest importance for medical aspirants who wants to pursue their medical dream in India. Here’s what NEET score meant to medical aspirants.

  • Secure MBBS Seat: It is only with a great NEET score that you can secure a medical seat in India without giving any donations. The NEET is not only an entrance exam, but it also decides your future of becoming a doctor in India. With high competition and limited seats, the only way to get admission in any medical college in India is by cracking the NEET with an exceptional score.
  • Merit-based Admission: In India, you will only get a medical seat based on your merit (your NEET score and your exceptional academic records). The admission process in India for a medical seat depends on the student’s performance in you can secure a medical seat anywhere in the country. After the medical counselling session is done, you will get to know where you will be studying.
  • Cost Effective: With a great NEET score, you can secure a medical seat in India in government colleges and complete your entire degree within 1-5 lakhs; however, the cutoff for a government college is very high. One the other hand, while the cutoff for private colleges in comparatively low, the tuition fees is in crores. Hence, securing a seat in government medical college becomes crucial.
  • Career Determinant: A good NEET score not only decide where you will study in India, but it also decides what your career will look like. Whether you will get to be a doctor or have to change your career path altogether, it only depends on your NEET score.

In short, if you don’t have a good NEET score, your dreams of becoming a doctor are uncertain. This is the reason why many students are picking to Study MBBS Abroad.

NEET for MBBS Abroad

While in India, NEET is the only criterion that determines your medical future, it is nothing but your key to securing an admission in medical colleges abroad. Here’s what role your NEET score plays in your MBBS journey abroad.

  • Minimum Requirement: When it comes to pursuing your medical dream abroad, a good NEET score and high school results in the PCB field is all it takes to get your application approved and your medical dream accomplished. As per NMC, to study MBBS abroad, you need a NEET score so that you can return to India and practice medicine here.
  • Simplified Admission: Unlike India, the admission process for securing a medical seat abroad is comparatively easier. While to pursue MBBS in India, you require great NEET score, to study MBBS abroad, you just need a NEET score and grade 10+2 marksheets. The competition abroad is far less intense, making it a practical choice for Indian students to accomplish their medical dream abroad.
  • Recognition in India: Without qualifying your NEET, your medical degree in India is not valid. To get recognition in India and a chance to practice in India after completing your medical degree abroad, you need to have a good NEET score. This makes it easier for you to qualify the NExT exam and practice medicine in India.
  • Comparatively Affordable: While the medical dream in India becomes a little out of the reason because of tough competition and high donation, it is simply achievable when you decide to study MBBS abroad. The cost of pursuing MBBS abroad is way lesser than that of private colleges in India, making it an affordable option.

In short, if you failed to secure a medical seat in India even after having a good NEET score then you are welcomed to pursue your MBBS abroad. Here is a quick overview of what your journey to become doctor will look like in India vs abroad.

MBBS in India vs MBBS abroad

Role of Career Counselling in Deciding MBBS in India vs MBBS Abroad

It’s been a while since the NEET results were announced and those who have cleared the exam, got a seat, done with their counselling, have already started with their MBBS journey in India. However, if you are in the other lot of students who couldn’t secure a medical seat in India then don’t worry. Instead of being sad over an expensive seat that you couldn’t secure in India, you have your MBBS abroad options open right on the table. Here’s how career counselling experts play a crucial role in making your MBBS dream come true.

  • Determining the Next Steps: After your NEET results are here, the first thing career counselling experts help you with is to know what the possible options on your table are. After the results, you can either skip a year and practice better, take admission in any other medical field like nursing or dentistry, or you can pursue MBBS abroad. The career counselling experts educate you about your best suited options.
  • Country Comparison: The next thing the career counselling experts do is help you with shortlisting the right course and country based on your budget. There are many countries abroad like Russia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and more that offer affordable education and global opportunities. The counsellors help you shortlist the perfect college and country based on your preferences and budget.
  • Admission Support: Unlike India, the admission process to study MBBS abroad is relevantly simple and easier. The career counselling experts here help you in simplifying the admission application process by making you aware of the requirement documents, university deadlines, and visa guidance, enduring your dream of studying MBBS abroad fulfils at every cost.
  • Long-term Roadmap: Career counsellors provide end-to-end support; here, they not only guide you on where you should study, but they also suggest what could be the best suited specialisation and from where you could pursue the same. The counsellors provide you with a personalised roadmap till you accomplish your ultimate dream.

Get Clarity About your MBBS Dream with MetaApply IE Career Counselling

If you’ve received a less-than-ideal NEET score and feel your dream of becoming a doctor has been shattered, hold on; you may be mistaken. As you’ll read in this blog, MBBS in India and MBBS abroad follow very different pathways after the NEET results. In India, only an exceptional NEET score will secure you admission to a medical college. Abroad, however, even a decent NEET score can be enough to gain admission in your preferred destination.

Pursuing MBBS in India can be expensive, especially if you enrol in a private college, where tuition fees may run into crores. By contrast, there are several affordable countries overseas that offer world-class medical education within ₹50 lakhs.

To help you decide what’s best for you and guide you on how to get there, MetaApply Career Counselling experts, in association with MApply Counsellors, are here to support you. From shortlisting affordable options to ensuring you achieve your ultimate goal, you’ll receive a personalised, step-by-step roadmap. So, don’t let a low score stop you from accomplishing what is rightfully yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

MBBS abroad offers affordable fees, global exposure, and quality education. However, students must ensure to pick an NMC approved university and clear NExT to practice medicine in India; unlike the direct licensing after pursuing MBBS in India. Both have different advantages; it depends on your personal goals which seems best to you.

For MBBS abroad, students only need to qualify NEET with the minimum cutoff (around 137 for General, and 107 for OBC/SC/ST), unlike India where the exceptional scorers are offered an admission abroad.

Some of the cheapest in terms of affordable countries to pursue MBBS abroad are Russia, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan among other nations. With tuition fees ranging maximum to ₹50 lakhs in total, it is significantly lower than the private MBBS options in India.

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