South Kazakhstan Medical Academy (SKMA), Shymkent: MBBS Fees, Hostel and Admission

About South Kazakhstan Medical Academy

South Kazakhstan Medical Academy (SKMA) is a medical academy in Shymkent, a major city in southern Kazakhstan. Its main building is on Al-Farabi Square, with the student dormitory nearby. SKMA is organised as a joint-stock company and trains doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and public-health specialists, as well as residents and doctoral students.

International students study through SKMA's international faculty, which has its own dean's office and a migration specialist. The academy publishes a practical guide for international students covering arrival, transport and migration registration.

This page covers SKMA's tuition and hostel costs, the 2026 change to the programme model, and the NMC checks Indian students should make. For context, see our MBBS in Kazakhstan guide.

SKMA fees and hostel 2026-27

Careers360 lists SKMA's tuition at about $4,500 a year (≈ ₹4.2 lakh) for 2026-27, for a 6-year course. SKMA's own tariff order for 2025-26, signed by the rector on 4 June 2025, sets the dormitory rates.

We convert tenge at the National Bank of Kazakhstan's official rate of about 454 KZT per US$ (2 November 2026). The tariff order we opened covers Kazakh-language tariffs and does not list a separate tuition figure for foreign students, which is why we rely on Careers360 for tuition. Ask the international office for the official 2027-28 order before paying, and pay only to SKMA's account.

Living costs in Kazakhstan run at roughly $180–$440 a month according to Careers360's estimate; the academy's guide notes that a city bus ticket costs 70 tenge.

Programme length: the 6 + 1 model

SKMA announced on 8 May 2026 how Kazakhstan's reform affects each cohort:

Under the new model, interns get an "intern doctor" status and work under a mentor with access to medical information systems. For an Indian student entering in 2027, ask whether the international programme follows 6 + 1 (7 years in total) or a 6-year structure with the internship inside it, and get the answer in writing.

Is the SKMA degree valid in India?

An SKMA degree can lead to Indian registration if your programme meets the NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021: at least 54 months of study, a 12-month internship in the same institution, English medium throughout, licence eligibility in Kazakhstan on par with citizens, and completion within 10 years. Both 6-year and 6 + 1 structures can satisfy the duration rule if the internship is run by SKMA.

After graduation you complete a 12-month internship in India and pass FMGE. Read our NMC FMGL rules guide and internship in India guide.

FMGE results

SKMA did not appear among the Kazakh universities with a separately reported FMGE 2024 pass rate in the Careers360 summary of NBEMS data we found. Kazakhstan's national figure was about 25.1% (1,261 of 5,018). Ask SKMA for its NBEMS institution-wise results; our FMGE guide explains what to look for.

Admission and arrival

You need age 17 by 31 December of the admission year, Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English (50% in PCB; 40% SC/ST/OBC; 45% PwBD) and a qualifying NEET-UG score.

Steps:

1. Contact SKMA's international office (info@skma.kz) for the 2027 application form and price order.
2. Submit your passport, school certificates and NEET scorecard.
3. Receive the admission letter and visa invitation; pay the first-year fee to SKMA.
4. Apply for the student visa; see our student visa guide.
5. On arrival, bring your passport to the international office within 3 days of crossing the border for migration registration, as SKMA's guide requires for students from India.

SKMA's guide also gives directions: bus No. 12 runs from the airport to the main building and dormitory, and bus No. 64 from the railway station.

Life in Shymkent

Shymkent lies in the far south of Kazakhstan, so winters are milder than in Astana or Karaganda, while summers are hot. Visa and MasterCard are accepted widely, and SKMA's guide lists several banks near the main buildings.

Teaching is in English, but patients speak Kazakh or Russian. SKMA's guide includes basic Kazakh phrases; plan to learn Russian properly for your clinical years.

Should you choose SKMA?

SKMA suits budget-conscious students who prefer a warmer city and a low hostel cost. Its weaknesses are the lack of an official published tuition figure for foreigners and no public FMGE record. Compare it with Karaganda Medical University and Semey Medical University before deciding.

Pros and cons of SKMA

Advantages

• One of the lowest official hostel tariffs we found: 250,000 KZT a year for foreign students (2025-26).
• Mid-range tuition of about $4,500 a year.
• Southern city with milder winters than northern and central Kazakhstan.
• Publishes a practical guide for international students covering arrival, migration rules and transport.

Drawbacks

• No official tuition figure for foreigners in the documents we could open; the $4,500 figure comes from Careers360.
• The new 6 + 1 model may mean a 7-year path; confirm the structure for foreign entrants.
• No SKMA-specific FMGE pass rate appeared in the 2024 data we found.
• Patients speak Kazakh or Russian; you need the language for clinical years.