MBBS in Serbia is a good option for Indian students.
Serbia is a rapidly developing country in south-eastern Europe that is emerging as a remarkable MBBS abroad destination for Indian students. Serbia has applied for membership in the EU. In all probability, the nation will be a member of the EU by 2025.
In recent years, the Serbian government has put a lot of focus on developing its educational infrastructure. Since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has made it impossible for international students to study MBBS in Ukraine, several European countries have become more important.
Serbia is definitely one of them.
Quick FactsAbout Serbia
No. of Medical Colleges
No. of Medical Colleges
College Type
Govt Only
Degree Awarded
MD Equivalent to MBBS
Duration
6 Years
Eligibility Criteria
PCB 50 % Above
Admission Process
University written Exam
Indian Students
90-100 ( Across All years)
Total Budget for MBBS
35-40 Lacs
Licensing Exam for Indian Students
Permitted
Medical college Recognition
NMC/ECFMG/WHO/ GMC UK
Study Pattern
ECTS 360 Credits ( 6 Yrs)
1st Year -Pre Clinical
2-3 Year -Para Clinical
4-6 Year -Clinical"
Session Starts
Sept
MBBS in Serbia for international students
As mentioned, Serbia has applied for consideration to be made a member of the EU. The country has been stepping up its academic infrastructure because foreign students contribute majorly to the Serbian economy.
Coming to MBBS, in Serbia , like the rest of Europe, it is called an MD. So, an MD from a Serbian Medical University featured in the list given in the table in the next section (WDOMS list) are eligible to appear in the NEXT to practice in India.
Alternatively, he/she may appear in USMLE and go for a Medical PG in the US.
Medical Universities in Serbia
The table below contains the names of the biggest universities in the nation of Serbia .
You have to be cautious as to which university you choose because most of these universities do not have English as the medium of instruction. Many times, to earn fat commissions, foreign education agents promote the non-English Universities as English ones.
As you can see, WDOMS establishes that only the 2 universities that are in Nis are the ones that offer MBBS in English. Moksh represents the older of the 2 universities – University of Nis Faculty of Medicine.
Like other European nations, the ECTS is effective in Serbia as well. This calls for a level of uniformity in academic parameters across the continent. So, according to the ECTS, the Serbian MBBS duration is 6 years.
That means you are eligible to appear in NEXT as per the latest NMC guidelines.
Living Cost
The cost of living in the nation of Serbia may well be described as moderate. You will manage fairly well if you can afford to spend €250 per month. This much will cover all your costs, except accommodation, of course.
We can safely say that the average range of the monthly living cost will be between €200 and €300. In the table below, we are sharing the current prices of principle expenditures an average youth commonly incurs.
Commodity/Service
Cost (in Euros)
Milk (1 litre)
0.85
Loaf of bread
0.43
Eggs (a dozen)
1.701.70
Meal at an average restaurant
6.0
Monthly Local Conveyance Pass
27.0
Basic Utilities (Gas, Electricity etc in a rented home)
129.0
Hostel
Though the universities listed above are all public and they all have hostel facilities, it is highly unlikely that you will find accommodation in them. Most of the international students who go to Serbia opt for rented apartments.
These apartments vary in rent depending on their size and location. The number of students that share an apartment depends on the kind of money they can afford. If we speak of the minimum expenditure on accommodation that you will incur, it will not be more than €150–200.
These apartments are designed for international students and are fully furnished. They are hygienic and safe.
MBBS in Serbia cost
The MBBS in Serbia tuition fee, in general, has a wide range of variations. Among the various Serbian medical universities, the lowest tuition fee that you will find is €5,500 per year, with the highest being €7000.
However, let’s talk about the University of Nis Faculty of Medicine that offers an MD in English and that is suitable for your consideration as an Indian student. Of course, you may visit the page to get details. Here, we are giving a brief heads-up.
So, in the MD in English at the University of Nis, you will pay a total tuition fee (all inclusive) of €8,000 in the first year. In the subsequent years, you will pay €5,700. So, the total amount that you will be spending over the next 6 years as tuition fees at this Serbian medical university will be €36,500.
MBBS in Serbia eligibility
The eligibility criteria that you need to fulfill to get admission to a Serbian medical university are basic and common, as summarised in the table below.
Age
17 – 25 years
Class XII
60% PCB with English
NEET Qualification
Compulsory
Entrance Exam)
NACompulsory
Why study MBBS in Serbia ?
Serbia is going to be an EU member nation by 2025. Taking admission in a Serbian university will give you all the EU career choices upon completion of your MD.
In the university specified above, you will study MD in the English language.
The educational infrastructure in Serbia is improving at a rapid rate, and you will have a balanced academic experience.
You will be eligible to appear in the NEXT exam, so you can very well practice in India after clearing NEXT. You are eligible for a medical PG in India too.
You will also be eligible to appear in USMLE, PLAB, etc. after your Serbian MD.
Whether in Serbia or any country, you start realising the importance of being a specialist after the 2nd year of MBBS. That’s actually too late. Let’s start understanding things here.
First, you need to visualise how tough it is to secure a medical PG seat in a Govt. college in India.
The success ratio to get a PG at Govt. Medical College India is 11%. That is to say, only 1 out of 10 will succeed. The chance of getting a clinical specialty is bleaker. It is 1 out of 20 applicants. Either you must have crores to pay to Pvt. Med. colleges or give up the medical PG dream altogether.
Total Applicants: NEET PG 2021
Specialty
Govt Med College
Pvt Medical College
Seats
Success Ratio
Seats
1.75 Lacs
MD (non-clinical)
15K
8.6%
10K
MS (Clinical)
8K
4.6%
5K
Total
23K
11.4%
15K
Those who have a Serbian university MBBS also have to go through NEXT as per NMC Notification. NMC will conduct this exam in two parts, NEXT-1 and NEXT-2.
The objective of the NEXT-1 will be to assess the student’s knowledge of pre-, para-, and clinical subjects. Only after qualifying for NEXT-1, will any Medical student be eligible for Internship. Post-completion of internship, students need to go through NEXT-2 which will assess their clinical skills, patient management, and medical history.
Those who clear NEXT-2 will get the licence to practice, and rankers of NEXT-1 will get PG seats of their choice. You may refer to the page for detailed information on NExT Exam
During MBBS study, a student realises the importance of being a specialist. They also understand the competitiveness of securing an MD / MS Seat in a Govt. College. Let's look at the success ratio to get a PG Seat in Govt Medical Colleges in India, which is 11% broadly; we can say that only 1 out of 10 will get a PG Seat, whereas the chances of getting Clinical speciality is 1 out of 20 applicants. The PG journey will be challenging, or students should have enough money to get a paid seat in Pvt Medical College in Crores!
Total Applicants NEET PG 2023
Specialty
Govt Med College
Pvt Med College
Seats
Success Ratio
Seats
2.06 Lacs
MD (Non Clinical)
15K
8.6%
10K
MS (Clinical)
8K
4.6%
5K
Total
23K
11.4%
15K
Will early preparation and the right mentorship pave your dream of becoming a specialist? NMC has already announced the introduction of the NEXT Exam in India in 2024. This Exam will replace all Medical PG exams in India. The Exam will be conducted in two parts: NEXT-1 and NEXT-2.
The Objective of the NEXT-1 is to assess the Student's Knowledge of Pre, Para, and Clinical Subjects on the National Level. Only after qualifying for NEXT-1 will any medical student be eligible for an internship. After completing the internship, Students must go through NEXT-2, assessing their Clinical skills, Patient Management, and Keeping Medical history. Those who will Clear NEXT-2 will be awarded a license to practice, and Rankers of NEXT-1 will get PG seats of their choice of speciality. You may refer to Page for detailed information on the NExT Exam.
Medical PG in the USA (USMLE) after MBBS in Serbia
Most Abroad students also plan to do a Medical PG from the USA because getting PG Seats in India is tough.
With the introduction of NEXT, most students in India are attracted to USMLE prep from 1st year of MBBS since it simulates the new NMC Competency-based curriculum remarkably. The US healthcare system is considered one of the best healthcare systems in the world for numerous reasons, such as high rewards, excellent Infrastructure, merit-based assessment, and open opportunities for super specialities. Most countries try to replicate the US healthcare assessment system for their Medical Graduates. The USMLE exam is divided into 3 Parts. One can appear in USMLE Step 1 after 2nd Year, USMLE Step 2 CK during internship and Step 3 during residency (Medical PG).
MOKSH Coaching focuses on a patient-centered learning approach which helps students score high on both USMLE & NEXT. MOKSH is the leading name in USMLE Coaching. Currently, 1000+ Students from Indian and Abroad medical colleges are preparing for USMLE steps via the MOKSH Platform.
The Board Test (PLAB test) is the instrument usedto assess the skills and knowledge of an International Medical Graduate. It also judges whether they can be trained to practice medicine in the UK.
In short, an IMG's performance in PLAB determines her Eligibility to practice in the UK. The PLAB test has two stages. PLAB 1 is an exam that has 180 MCQs that test your recall. On the other hand, PLAB 2 is a practical OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Exam) that tests your clinical skills.
The GMC ascertains your linguistic skills by assessing your score on specific tests. It may be the IELTS (Band Score 7.0 or higher) or OET (Grade B in reading, writing, listening & speaking).
After you pass PLAB 1 & 2, you apply for the GP registration. There is one constraint. You have a window of 2 years after clearing PLAB 2, which you may use no later.
By 2024, the UK Medical Licensing Assessment will replace the PLAB. Consequently, the GMC UK will change certain things in PLAB and create the UKMLA exam.
PG in Germany after MBBS Abroad is another excellent option, though it requires you to learn the German language. Of the six levels starting from A1 to C2, you need to clear A1 and A2, qualifying you to apply for thevisa.
Once the Language formalities are done, you get into the phase where you do an Observer-ship from a German hospital approved by the German Medical Council. Residency follows this.
This may sound simple here, but the process is quite complicated. To know more about PG in Germany,
The most challenging time for any student is to wait after the NEET counselling process to know whether they are getting a college of their choice. Sometimes, this dilemma continues for a couple of months due to multiple rounds of counselling. It has become more difficult due to parallel counselling of All India Quota and various States due to COVID-19. The counselling process is very complex, where 700+ Govt. and Private colleges offer 1 Lac+ Seats, and fee variation is also huge, ranging from less than 1 Lac to 2.5 Cr for the course.
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