Mari State University MBBS: Fees, FMGE Results and Admission for Indian Students

Mari State University at a glance

Mari State University (MarSU) is a multi-subject state university in Yoshkar-Ola, the capital of the Mari El Republic in the Volga region, under Russia's Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Its official disclosure page gives its founding date as 1 January 1972. Medicine is taught in its Medical Faculty, the name used in India's FMGE records.

By FMGE numbers, it has the largest Indian cohort of any Russian university. NBEMS data shows its graduates made 1,004 FMGE appearances in 2025, more than any other Russian institution in both the June and December sessions, and 930 in 2024 (second only to Perm State Medical University). You will study with a very large group of Indian seniors and batchmates.

How much does MBBS at Mari State cost?

For foreign students from non-CIS countries starting in 2026-27, Mari State charges 380,000 roubles for the first year of General Medicine, about $4,650 (₹4.4 lakh). A separate order sets 2026-27 fees for English-medium students already in years 2–6.

Converted at about 82 roubles per US$ (Bank of Russia, 14 November 2026) and US$1 ≈ ₹94. Source: Mari State orders No. 669-A (25 May 2026) and No. 653-A (26 May 2026).

What will six years cost you? The orders do not fix your future fees, so here are two reference points:

• If your fee stayed at the year-1 price: 2,280,000 roubles, about $27,750 (₹26.1 lakh).
• If your later years cost what current students pay in 2026-27: 1,743,300 roubles, about $21,200 (₹19.9 lakh).

Ask the international office how the contract fee changes from year to year. Hostel prices for foreign students are not clearly published online; the university's disclosure page lists 11 dormitories with 1,481 rooms for out-of-town students. For living costs, Russia's Study in Russia portal estimates 24,300–32,400 roubles a month for a foreign student (about $300–$400). Use our cost calculator to compare.

Language of instruction

Mari State's first-year fee order is titled for foreign citizens taught in English and French, and its order for years 2–6 is for foreign students taught in English. Choose the English track: India's FMGL Regulations 2021 require English as the medium of instruction for the whole course.

Patients in Yoshkar-Ola speak Russian, so learn the language from the first semester. Ask the faculty to confirm in writing that all six years, including clinical rotations, are taught in English and that the diploma supplement will state it.

FMGE results of Mari State graduates

Source: NBEMS institute-wise FMGE reports. Russia-trained candidates overall passed at 29.5% in 2024 and 25.8% in 2025. With so many candidates, Mari State's results are statistically more reliable than those of small cohorts, and they sit close to or slightly above the national average. See our FMGE exam guide.

Admission and eligibility

Indian applicants need a qualifying NEET-UG score (valid for three years), Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English, at least 50% in PCB (40% for SC/ST/OBC), and must be 17 by 31 December of the admission year. See NEET for MBBS abroad.

Typical steps for a Russian state university:

1. Apply with your passport, Class 12 documents and NEET result, with notarised Russian translations as required.
2. Receive the admission decision and sign the education contract.
3. Pay the first fee by bank transfer in roubles; Indian Visa and Mastercard cards do not work in Russia.
4. Get the study invitation and apply for a Russian student visa (see our student visa guide).
5. Arrive for the September start and complete migration registration.

Check Mari State's admissions pages for the 2027 dates, and read our MBBS in Russia guide for payment routes under sanctions.

FMGL checklist: questions to ask

Use the NMC's FMGL Regulations 2021:

• Is every year of General Medicine taught in English?
• How is the 12-month internship or clerkship organised? The NMC's FAQ treats it as separate from the clinical postings within the 54-month course.
• How do international graduates show licence eligibility in Russia on par with Russian citizens?
• Under what exact name (university and faculty) is it listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, and does that match the diploma?

Should you choose Mari State?

Mari State is a lower-cost option with the biggest Indian community in Russia and FMGE results around the national average. It suits students who value a large peer group and a moderate budget. If you want stronger FMGE results at a similar first-year fee, compare Orenburg State Medical University; for the lowest first-year fee in our list, see Stavropol State Medical University, keeping its weaker FMGE record in mind.

Pros and cons of MarSU

Advantages

• One of the lower first-year fees in Russia at about $4,650
• Very large Indian cohort: more FMGE appearances in 2025 than any other Russian university
• FMGE pass rates close to or above the Russia average (31.4% in 2024, 28.7% in 2025)
• Eleven dormitories with nearly 1,500 rooms for out-of-town students

Drawbacks

• Medicine is a faculty of a multi-subject university, not a stand-alone medical university
• Big swings between sessions: 19.7% in June 2025 versus 33.8% in December 2025
• Hostel prices for foreign students are not clearly published online
• Russian is needed with patients despite the English-medium track