Cheapest MBBS in UK: Overview & Top Colleges

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If you are planning to pursue MBBS in the UK, you ought to know the tiniest details of the course in the nation. MBBS in the UK has a duration of five to six years. Studying MBBS in the UK will be equivalent to a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, also known as MB BCh or MB ChB at some universities in the UK. Read on to receive all the information about the top universities offering the cheapest MBBS in UK and other miscellaneous details.

Why Study MBBS in the UK?

There are many reasons why one should choose to pursue their MBBS in the UK. They are stated below:

  • The UK offers some of the topmost and most reputed medical colleges to study at. To name a few – University College London, University of Oxford, University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London, University of Cambridge, and more.
  • The medical universities in the UK claim the 2nd highest Nobel Prize in Medicine.
  • The MBBS degree of the UK is also recognized by the directory of world councils and also National Medical Commission (NMC).
  • According to the US News Ranking 2022, 43 of the UK universities are included in the top 650 medical universities of the world.
  • MBBS graduates from the UK need not appear for Foreign Medical Graduate Examination to practise in India.
  • There has been a consistent increase in the pay scale of doctors and physicians over the past six years. It increased to approximately 317,000 GBP in 2021 from 245,000 GBP in 2016.
  • The career choice is so in-demand that the average salary of a doctor or physician is 67% more than that of other health and medical occupations.
  • The duration of MBBS in the USA is seven to eight years, whereas, in the UK, it is five to six years.

MBBS for Indian Students in the UK

To get admitted into the MBBS course, there are three types of entries.

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Cheapest MBBS in UK: Overview & Top Colleges
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Standard Entry: Students can apply for MBBS in the UK directly after graduating from high school (Grade 12). The duration of the course of a standard entry is five to six years.

Graduate Entry: Students can apply after bagging a graduation degree in some related subject. The duration of a graduate entry will be four years.

Preliminary Entry: This is the foundation year for the students who do not meet the requirements of admission into UK medical universities. The duration of the course of a preliminary entry is six years. Indian students can directly apply after completing class 12. They have the highest career scope after graduating with an MBBS degree from the UK as they do not have to go through any examinations or eligibility processes after returning to India.

Eligibility & Tuition Fee

Indian students have different eligibility criteria to study in the UK than other international students. Below mentioned are the general requirements to be eligible to study MBBS in the UK.

  • The student must have scored a minimum of 50 percentile in NEET
  • Must be 18 years old
  • A minimum score of 80% in the 12th board examinations, in which biology is a compulsory subject
  • The board of education should be CBSE or ICSE
  • Have a minimum required score on UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT), the Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT) or GAMSAT

The average required scores for the above-mentioned examinations are given below:

  • UKCAT: 650
  • BMAT: 4.5-5.0
  • GAMSAT: 60-66

If eligible, the applicant must keep in mind that the average tuition fee for studying even the cheapest MBBS in the UK is around 22,800 GBP to 52,000 GBP per year, around 23 lacs to 53 lacs INR. But of course, the tuition fee varies for each university.

Cost of Living

The cost of living is dependent on the location of stay and your lifestyle. If you choose to live in London, do know that the cost of living is typically high in the city rather than outside the city. In London, the average cost of living may be around 1,020 GBP (approx 1,02,700 INR) whereas, outside London, it comes down to around 820 GBP (approx 82,500 INR) per month. This cost excludes the tuition fee. The other charges the students may have to pay to include food and bills, which is approximately around 95 to 105 GBP (approx 9,560 to 10,565 INR) per month. Students may choose to stay either on or off-campus. There is an ample number of apartments, flats, or hostels available for individuals and even on a sharing basis. The average accommodation cost per month is around 400 GBP (4,02,500 INR).

Documents Required for MBBS in the UK

While applying to medical colleges in the UK, the student must have the following documents on them:

  • Attested mark sheets and their copies of 10+2
  • LOR by a recent professor for academics
  • Proof of funds
  • An updated CV/Resume
  • LOR from supervisors, if any
  • SOPs
  • A copy of a valid passport
  • Proof of clearance of English proficiency test (6.5 in IELTS, for international students)
  • Passport size photographs
  • Any diploma certificate

Application Process for MBBS in the UK 2022

Along with all the required documents, follow the mentioned steps to apply to any of the medical colleges in the UK.

  1. The first step is to select the desired university. We are here to help you choose the right university that aligns with your goals and is within your budget.
  2. Assemble all your documents and get them verified by the respective authorized bodies. If you are a resident of a Non-EU state, apply before 1st September or 30th June. For an applicant residing in the EU state, the application has to be made before 15th January.
  3. The applicants can choose to apply directly through the university’s official website or the UCAS portal. Register yourself and start the application form.
  4. After submitting the application form, you need to wait for the confirmation and invitation letter.
  5. Upon receiving the confirmation of admission, visit the nearest British Embassy to begin the immigration process.
  6. Communicate your arrival date to the university. A representative will be sent to receive you.

Now that you have all the information about studying in the UK universities, let us look at the topmost universities offering the cheapest MBBS in the UK and other relevant information about the same.

University College London

University College London, operating as UCL, is a major public research university, located in London, England. It is the second-largest university in the UK by total enrolment and the largest by postgraduate development. It is also a member institution of the Federal University of London. The university has an acceptance rate of 38%.

Ranking: It is ranked number 8 by QS Rankings 2022.

Program Offered: Medicine MB BS

Duration: The program duration is of six years.

Tuition Fee: The tuition fee of the program per annum is 34,660 GBP (approx 34,87,640 INR)

Imperial College London

Imperial College London, legally known as the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, is a private research university in London. It has an acceptance rate of 14%.

Ranking: It has been ranked 7th by QS Rankings 2022.

Program Offered: Medicine MB BS

Duration: The course duration is of six years.

Tuition Fee: The course fee per annum is 45,300 GBP (approx 45,58,280 INR)

University of Manchester

It is one of the redbrick universities founded in 2004 by joining the University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology and the Victoria University of Manchester. It has an acceptance rate of 70%.

Ranking: According to the QS Rankings 2022, the university has been placed at the 27th position.

Program Offered: Medicine MBChB

Duration: The duration of the course is 5 years.

Tuition Fee: The tuition fee for the first two years is 29,000 GBP (approx 29,18,105 INR) and the next three years is 48,000 GBP (approx 48,29,970 INR)

University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is the fourth-largest university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham. It has an acceptance rate of 13.5%.

Ranking: The university stands at 14th position according to QS Rankings 2019.

Program Offered: Medicine MBChB

Duration: The program has a duration of five years.

Tuition Fee: 1st and 2nd year: 23,310 GBP (approx 23,45,550 INR); 3rd to 5th year: 39,960 GBP (approx 40,20,950 INR)

University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh is a public research university in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is one of Scotland’s four ancient universities and the sixth-oldest university in continuous operation in the English-speaking world. It has an acceptance rate of 10%.

Ranking: It has been ranked 16th by the QS Ranking 2022.

Program Offered: Medicine MBChB

Duration: Six years is the duration of the program.

Tuition Fee: The tuition fee per annum is 33,700 GBP (approx 33,91,040 INR) There are a lot of financial aid options available for the students to fund their education.

Scholarships for MBBS in the UK

Universities in the UK offer a range of scholarships to international students. Waivers on the course fees are offered based on the academic excellence and extracurricular achievements of the student.

The documents required for applying for a scholarship are: 

  • Copies of the academic records
  • An updated CV/Resume
  • A neatly written Letter of Intent
  • Scorecards of IETLS or TOEFL
  • LOR is based on outstanding academic or extracurricular performance

Some of the general scholarships are discussed below: 

  • Global Health Future Leaders Scholarship: 2,500 GBP
  • Chevening Scholarship: 18,000 GBP
  • Rhodes Scholarship: 15,140 GBP
  • Imperial College Faculty of Medicine Scholarship: 1,000 GBP
  • Hulk York Medical School International Scholarship: 8,740 GBP

Process for Visa Application

You need to apply for a UK student visa after reeing an acceptance from the university you applied to. You have to apply for a Tier 4 visa.

The following documents are needed to meet all the requirements:

  1. Letter of Acceptance from your university
  2. A valid passport and recent passport size photographs
  3. Proof of funds
  4. Details of your university and accommodation
  5. Original mark sheets
  6. Report of your health checkup

After gathering all the documents, follow the below process to apply for a UK student visa:

  1. Register and submit your visa application form online. Book an appointment by checking the appointment calendar. After submitting the form, you will get an email with your application number.
  2. After receiving the email, pay the fees and college the receipt.
  3. You will then have to appear for a visa interview as per the schedule and submit the mandatory biometrics, photograph, application, and other documents.
  4. You will get your Tier 4 visa in about six weeks.
  5. It is advisable to start the visa application process three months before the beginning of your course for a smooth process.

Career Opportunities in the UK

The benefits of pursuing MBBS are already mentioned in the blog above. In addition to that, you can choose to practice as a doctor in the UK. For that, you must register yourself at the UK Medical Registrar maintained by GMC. You will need the following documents to obtain the license for practising in the UK:

  •  A minimum score of 7.0 in IELTS or equivalent scores as proof of English proficiency
  • A primary medical qualification
  • Explanation of year gap in education or medical practice (if any)
  • Proof of all medical, non-medical, and other activities taken up in the last five years or since graduation

Some of the career opportunities with their approximate annual income are given below: 

  • General Medical Practitioner- 267,000 GBP
  • Ophthalmologist- 290,000 GBP
  • Obstetrecian/Gynaecologist- 382,000 GBP
  • Neurologist- 423,000 GBP
  • Invasive Cardiologist- 558,000 GBP

PG After MBBS in the UK

Students can choose to pursue an MD/MS with a specialization of their choice after completion of MBBS in the UK. Some of the specializations available are:

  1. Ophthalmology
  2. Dermatology
  3. Surgery
  4. Orthopaedics
  5. Diabetes
  6. Gynaecology
  7. Neurosurgery
  8. Paediatrics
  9. Internal Medicine
  10. Radiology

Conclusion

The UK is one of the best countries to pursue MBBS from, owing to its reputation and the education facilities the country offers. Indian students have an even higher scope of doing well after pursuing MBBS from the UK. This blog will tell you why the UK is one of the best countries to complete your education from. A lot of universities also offer the cheapest MBBS in the UK, and there is also the availability of scholarships.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pursue PG just after MBBS in the UK?

Yes, absolutely. Though MBBS is a great career choice, studying further will only add to your knowledge and enhance your expertise. It will also provide you with the upper hand in getting a higher-paying job.

What is the degree equivalency of MBBS of the UK in India?

An individual who has completed MBBS or MS/MD in the UK will be considered the same in India. Indian students can come back to practice in India without needing to worry about giving any examinations to obtain a license to practice.


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Saket Kohli

An International Higher Ed professional with 7+ years of experience studying, working, and living across three geographies, currently on a mission to share his journey as an International Student.

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