With fierce competition and skyrocketing medical education fees of up to Rs 1 crore in India, most medical students are now weighing the option of going abroad for education. In India, the number of seats is very few, with one seat for every 200 medical aspirants. MBBS degrees from abroad are gaining importance as they offer the best medical degrees and also provide great exposure to the field. There are many other reasons why medical programs abroad are getting popular, such as the ready combination of quality education, global exposure, the experience of a new culture and better future prospects. No doubt, studying abroad is an exciting option that leads to better career opportunities.
Have you already taken the life-changing decision of studying abroad but are worried about the Visa process for MBBS abroad? Let’s understand the entire process of admission in a nutshell before we proceed with the process of medical student visa and the requirements for doing MBBS abroad.
Admission Process for Education Abroad
Visa Process for MBBS Abroad
At the outset, you need to get an invitation for the specific course from the university in that country to be able to apply for a student visa. Then you need to try and furnish the information to be eligible for the visa of the country. The acceptance of student visa will be determined by these factors:
- Country of citizenship
- Selected country for study
- Selected course of study
- Selected institution of study
- Fund planning for study
- The visa for MBBS medical studies abroad has different types of requirements and acceptance procedures. However, most of the processes are similar, like understanding the common language, and funds for supporting the living expenses and course fees.
- The visa application will have to be processed from your country through the visa application center. The application and supporting documents need to be submitted along with biometric information. Consult with the visa processing outsourcing agencies like VFS Global for understanding the procedure thoroughly.
- For medical studies abroad, you require a general student visa. In the UK, it is considered as a Tier-4 student visa. In Australia, this visa depends on your country of citizenship and the chosen course of study. In the US, this is called the F-1 visa.
- Apart from the money required for the visa application process, it is necessary for you to prove that you have sufficient funds for your living costs and course fees abroad. For some universities, you need to prove that you have funds for the entire course term, while some universities require proof of funds for the first year only. For example, the UK student visa application requires fund proof of course fees and living expenses (approximately £7,200 for the first year). The Australian student visa application requires fund proof for the return airfare, course fees, and living costs (approximately AUD 18,000 for the first year). The US student visa application requires fund proof of liquid assets for covering the living expenses, courses fees, and readily available funds for management of the remaining course term.
Documents for the visa interview
On the primary basis, check the website of the embassy where you have applied to ensure the availability of the required documents for the interview. The documents may include:
- Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended period of stay
- Visa fees receipt
- 2 photographs
- Visa application form
- Copy of visa interview appointment letter
- Diplomas and transcripts of previous education
- Standardized test scores
- Financial evidence showing fund sufficiency to cover the course fees and living expenses
- Copy of birth certificate and marriage certificate, if applicable
- Principal applicant’s visa or documentation confirming the status of the principal applicant
Important factors you should consider
- English is required depending on the course you picked, else, you may be required to complete an English language certification. You may need to prove your strong understanding of the English language to ful fill the immigration rules. For example, the UK student visa application requires you to communicate in English with a translator. Failing it can lead to visa denial.
- You can take your family along if you meet the corresponding visa requirements of both the countries. For the UK, you should be a post graduate of at least a 12-month duration or a government-sponsored student. For the US, you have to prove your relationship with the dependent. For Australia, you have to prove the fund sufficiency for each dependent.
- On a student visa, there are limitations on the work you can do, of up to 20 hours per week, and you can work only after your course has started.
- You are only allowed to stay in the country for the duration of your course, as mentioned in the visa application. Furthermore, you can stay for a short time after the completion of your studies, depending on the country.
Pursuing medical studies abroad is a life-changing decision, and the right knowledge of the visa process for MBBS abroad can ease the procedure. Those who want to pursue medical studies abroad, or are applying for the visa for medical studies abroad and facing any problems in the process, contact us for more details.
