MBBS in China for Indian Students (2027–28): MoE-Listed Universities, Fees, HSK and FMGE Results

Is MBBS in China still a good option for Indian students?

China remains a large and relatively affordable destination with big university hospitals, but it is one of the hardest countries to turn into an Indian licence. Three facts dominate the decision:

1. Only Ministry of Education (MoE) listed universities may teach MBBS to foreigners in English.
2. You must learn Chinese to HSK-4 for clinical work and to be awarded the degree, according to the Indian mission's advisory.
3. FMGE results are weak: about 14.5% of China graduates passed in 2025, against about 21.5% for all countries.

If you choose China, choose a listed university with a multi-year FMGE record well above the country average, and budget serious time for Chinese.

Which Chinese universities can teach MBBS in English? The MoE list

China's MoE controls English-taught MBBS for international students through an annual enrolment plan. Its notice for the 2019–2020 academic year (教外厅函〔2019〕3号, dated 14 January 2019) states that:

• 45 universities were entrusted to recruit MBBS students, with a total plan of 3,370 places;
• universities not on the list may not recruit international students for English-taught clinical medicine, and may only teach it in Chinese, to the same standard as for Chinese students;
• recruiting MBBS students through a "bilingual teaching" model is strictly forbidden;
• the MoE would adjust plans and could restrict or stop enrolment at universities that break the rules.

This is the most recent list we could find on the MoE website, and the Indian mission's September 2022 advisory still points students to it. Check with the Embassy of India in Beijing and the university before applying.

English names are our translations of the MoE's Chinese list. Note that the NBEMS FMGE reports still include many graduates of universities not on this list (for example Qiqihar Medical University and Jiamusi University), from older admissions; do not treat past enrolment of Indians as proof that a university can admit you now.

NMC and Indian mission advisories on MBBS in China

India has issued several warnings about China. The key points, in date order:

The 2022 advisory also reported complaints from past students about teachers' English and limited hands-on patient contact at some universities. Read these alongside the FMGL 2021 rules.

HSK and the Chinese-language requirement for clinical work

You will study the medical syllabus in English but treat patients in Chinese. The Indian mission's advisory is explicit: learning Chinese "is mandatory for clinical sessions", every student must reach HSK-4, and "any student who does not clear this minimum Chinese language skill will not be awarded degree". Requirements differ slightly between universities, so ask yours.

Universities build Chinese into the timetable. Xi'an Jiaotong University's 2026 guide splits its six-year MBBS into four stages, the first of which (two terms) "focus on Chinese Language and Terminology", followed by five terms of basic sciences, three terms of clinical courses and a two-term hospital internship.

Plan on Chinese being a real second workload, not a formality: your internship patients, case notes and hospital staff will mostly use Chinese.

The post-COVID situation

Chinese universities taught Indian students online for long periods after China suspended student visas in November 2020, and NMC said in February 2022 that it does not recognise courses done only online. NMC later made one-time accommodations for students displaced from China (and Ukraine), but those do not apply to new students.

For 2027 entrants, the picture is normal in-person study: Xi'an Jiaotong University's guide, for example, says registration takes place in early September and includes an in-person qualification review. The big new change is admissions testing: listed universities now require the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA), organised by the China Scholarship Council on behalf of the MoE.

How much does MBBS in China cost?

Published 2026 fees at three listed universities, converted at CNY 6.67 = US$1 (ECB reference rate, 13 November 2026) and US$1 ≈ ₹94:

Total cost. Six years of tuition plus university housing comes to about $33,500–$53,000 (≈ ₹31–50 lakh), assuming tuition is charged for all six years. Day-to-day costs vary by city; Numbeo estimates about ¥3,356 ($503) a month for a single person in Nanjing excluding rent (November 2026); your actual spend depends on the city and on how often you eat in campus canteens. Merit scholarships can cut tuition: Nanjing Medical University offers full, half and quarter tuition awards to a share of entrants.

See how China compares on our MBBS abroad fees page and in the cost calculator.

Eligibility, NEET and the 2027 admission process

NEET-UG is mandatory for Indian citizens; the Indian mission's advisory says only students who clear it can later take FMGE. Universities then apply their own criteria. From the 2026 guides:

A 2027 timeline built from these windows:

1. Late 2026 – early 2027: take the CSCA (check csca.cn for dates) and an English test if your schooling was not in English.
2. From November 2026 / January 2027: apply online to listed universities; some fill places first-come, first-served.
3. NEET-UG 2027 (usually held in May): qualify. Because applications close around June, many students apply with a previous year's valid NEET score or submit the 2027 result as soon as it is out.
4. July–August 2027: admission letter and JW202 form; apply for the student (X1) visa.
5. Early September 2027: register on campus.

FMGE pass rate for China graduates

China's FMGE results are well below average, and fell further in 2025.

The university matters a great deal. Selected universities, 2025 and 2024 (June + December):

Sources: NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025 (country totals) and our tally of the NBEMS institute-wise reports for 2024 and 2025. Being on the MoE list does not guarantee good results, so check both. More in our FMGE guide.

Does MBBS in China fit NMC FMGL 2021?

Mixed. The six-year course, with a final-year internship in the university's affiliated hospital, can meet FMGL's length and internship structure, provided that year is a genuine 12-month internship: NMC's FMGL FAQ treats the internship as separate from the clinical postings inside the 54-month course. Listed programmes are taught in English. The problems are elsewhere:

• Language of clinical training: clinical sessions require Chinese. FMGL requires English as the medium of instruction for the whole course, so ask the university how teaching and assessment in the clinical years are delivered.
• Licence on par with citizens: FMGL requires you to be eligible for a licence in China. The Indian mission says that means passing China's doctor qualification examination after the internship.
• Same institution: the internship must be in the same university's hospitals. Be careful with programmes delivered elsewhere; the MoE table lists a separate 50-place offshore quota for Wenzhou Medical University, for example.

Life in China: language, climate, food and safety

Language. Outside the classroom, daily life is in Chinese, which is why HSK study pays off quickly.

Climate. Northern cities such as Xi'an have cold, dry winters; Nanjing and Wenzhou have hot, humid summers; Kunming is mild most of the year.

Food. Chinese food is varied but pork-heavy; vegetarian Indian students usually cook or rely on a few Indian restaurants in big cities. Ask seniors about canteen options before you arrive.

Practicalities and safety. Many foreign apps and websites (Google services, WhatsApp) do not work normally in China, and WeChat is used for almost everything, including payments and class groups. Register with the Indian Embassy or consulate covering your city. See life as an Indian medical student abroad.

How to verify a Chinese medical university

1. Check the MoE list (table above) and ask the university for its current MoE enrolment approval for English-taught MBBS.
2. Check WDOMS (search.wdoms.org). See WDOMS, ECFMG and WFME recognition.
3. Check NBEMS FMGE results for the university over two or more years.
4. Read the official admission guide on the university's own website (fees, CSCA, deadlines), and apply through its official portal.
5. Ask in writing how Chinese teaching, HSK and the internship are organised, and how graduates sit the Chinese qualification exam.

Red flags

• Admission to an unlisted university "in English" — not allowed under MoE rules.
• "Bilingual" MBBS — explicitly banned by the MoE.
• Promises that HSK is optional — the Indian mission says no degree without HSK-4.
• Any online-only component — NMC does not accept online-only medical study.
• "NMC-approved university" claims — NMC publishes no such list. See agent scams and red flags.

Should you choose China in 2027?

Choose China only if you are ready to learn Chinese properly and can get into a listed university with a strong FMGE record, such as Xi'an Jiaotong University, Nanjing Medical University or Wenzhou Medical University. If an all-English course matters more to you, compare Nepal or Bangladesh, or use the country finder.

Pros and cons of MBBS in China

Advantages

• Large, well-equipped teaching hospitals at the major listed universities (e.g. 3,600 beds at XJTU's First Affiliated Hospital)
• Tuition of about $4,950–$6,000 a year at well-known listed universities, with merit scholarships
• A clear official list of universities allowed to teach MBBS in English, published by China's Ministry of Education
• Some listed universities post FMGE pass rates of 25–40%, well above the China average

Drawbacks

• FMGE pass rate of about 14.5% in 2025, among the lowest of any major country
• Chinese (HSK-4) is required for clinical work and for the degree, on top of the medical syllabus
• Licence to practise in China requires passing the Chinese doctor qualification exam, which FMGL 2021 makes a precondition
• Many FMGE candidates come from universities that are not on the MoE English-MBBS list
• Indian students' online-only years during COVID were not accepted by NMC

Medical universities in China (3)

Tuition is per year in US dollars for the English-medium general-medicine programme. Click a university for intake, hostel, recognition and FAQs.

University	City	Type	Tuition / year	Duration
Wenzhou Medical University	Wenzhou, Zhejiang	Public	$4,950	6 years
Nanjing Medical University	Nanjing, Jiangsu	Public	$5,100	6 years (incl. 1-year internship)
Xi'an Jiaotong University	Xi'an, Shaanxi	Public	$6,000	6 years (incl. 1-year internship)