International University of Kyrgyzstan MBBS: FMGE, Rules

The International University of Kyrgyzstan (IUK) is a private university in Bishkek, set up by presidential decree in 1993. Indian students study at its International School of Medicine (ISM IUK). The English programme for Indian students lasts 5.5 years. In December 2025, 6.67% of its graduates passed FMGE, against 23.94% nationally.

Key Takeaways

• Founded in 1993. Presidential Decree No. UP-74 of 11 March 1993 created the International University of Kyrgyzstan, per the IUK history page.

• Medical school since 2018. ISM IUK teaches General Medicine from its Eastern Medical Campus at 6, 7 April Street, Bishkek. The WDOMS entry for ISM IUK (ID F0006555) gives 2018 as the year teaching began.

• 5.5 years for Indian students. ISM IUK lists a 5-year English programme for foreign students and a 5.5-year version for Indian students, on its admission page.

• Passed Kyrgyz state accreditation. The Ministry of Health accredited both General Medicine programmes for six years, from 29 May 2026 to 29 May 2032 (certificate No. MA000002).

• Low FMGE results. NBEMS figures put ISM IUK between 2.79% and 7.27% in every FMGE from 2023 to December 2025. The all-India rate ranged from 16.65% to 25.80% over the same period.

International University of Kyrgyzstan MBBS at a glance

For the country-wide picture, including other universities, living costs and the visa, read our MBBS in Kyrgyzstan country guide.

What is the International University of Kyrgyzstan?

The International University of Kyrgyzstan was created on 11 March 1993 by Presidential Decree No. UP-74, with international university status. Its founders were the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic. San Francisco State University helped set it up. These facts come from the IUK history page.

• 1998 to 1999. A presidential decree of 30 December 1998 and Government Resolution No. 74 of 8 February 1999 made IUK an autonomous, self-governing university.

• 2003. Government Resolution No. 53 of 12 February 2003 turned it into the Educational, Scientific and Production Consortium "International University of Kyrgyzstan".

• 2017. IUK became an academic consortium, a group of colleges, faculties and research units under one name. Its official website lists the central campus, eastern campuses, ISM IUK, a college and an online campus.

International School of Medicine at IUK

ISM IUK is the medical school of the consortium. It was set up after a January 2017 meeting of the Kyrgyz and Pakistani intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation. It has taught General Medicine since 2018, per the ISM IUK "About the university" page. The rector is Professor Asylbek Aidaraliev, a doctor of medical sciences and member of the National Academy of Sciences, per the ISM IUK rector page.

Figures are from the NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025. If you are looking at the other schools, read our International Higher School of Medicine page and our guide to Kyrgyz State Medical Academy. Any offer letter should carry the full name "International School of Medicine, International University of Kyrgyzstan".

How long is the International University of Kyrgyzstan MBBS course?

ISM IUK runs three versions of the same General Medicine programme (code 560001). The length depends on where the student comes from.

The lengths come from the ISM IUK admission page and the WDOMS entry. WDOMS gives the degree title for the Indian programme as Doctor of Medicine (M.D.).

India adds one more year abroad on top of the course. NMC rules need a 12-month internship at the same foreign university after the course. Ask ISM IUK in writing whether that internship is inside the 5.5 years or after it. The answer decides whether the plan is 5.5 or 6.5 years in Bishkek.

Is the International University of Kyrgyzstan recognised?

ISM IUK holds three official listings or accreditations. None of them is an approval from India, because India does not approve foreign universities.

• WDOMS listing. WDOMS is the World Directory of Medical Schools, run by WFME and FAIMER. The WDOMS entry (F0006555) shows ISM IUK as currently operational, with teaching since 2018. It notes that graduates from 2023 onwards can apply for ECFMG certification, the route to United States licensing exams.

• International programme accreditation. The Independent Agency for Accreditation and Rating (IAAR) accredited General Medicine for foreign citizens for five years, from 27 May 2024 to 26 May 2029, per the IAAR certificate.

• Kyrgyz state accreditation. The Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic accredited the 6-year and 5-year General Medicine programmes for six years. The state accreditation certificate No. MA000002 runs from 29 May 2026 to 29 May 2032 and rests on Ministry of Health order No. 586 of 29 May 2026.

The National Medical Commission (NMC), India's medical regulator, does not publish a list of approved foreign universities. Its information desk for students going abroad says it does not endorse any list of foreign medical institutions. What counts is whether your degree meets NMC rules. Our guide on checking NMC and WDOMS recognition explains how to read these listings.

NMC rules an International University of Kyrgyzstan degree must meet

The NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021 set these conditions for a licence to practise in India:

• Course length. The course must run at least 54 months. The 5.5-year ISM IUK programme is 66 months.

• Internship abroad. A 12-month internship is needed at the same foreign university that awards the degree.

• English medium. The whole course must be taught in English.

• One university, one country. Study, training and internship must all happen at the same university, with no part done in India or a third country.

• Licence in Kyrgyzstan. The graduate must be registered to practise in Kyrgyzstan, on the same terms as a Kyrgyz citizen.

• Ten-year limit. The course must be finished within ten years of joining.

• Back in India. The graduate must pass the screening exam, currently FMGE, and then do a 12-month supervised internship in India. Read what the FMGE exam is.

International University of Kyrgyzstan FMGE pass rate, 2023 to 2025

FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduate Examination) is the exam a foreign medical graduate must pass before working in India. NBEMS publishes results for each university. The table puts ISM IUK next to the all-India figure for the same exam.

Put simply, fewer than one in ten ISM IUK graduates passed in each of these four exams. In 2023 it was fewer than three in a hundred. Across all four exams, 40 of 777 candidates passed, about 5%. For all Kyrgyzstan graduates, the pass rate was 15.51% in June 2025 and 20.21% in December 2025.

How ISM IUK compares with other Kyrgyz universities

The gap between Kyrgyz universities is wide. In FMGE 2024, these were the results for the larger medical schools and for ISM IUK:

ISM IUK had the lowest pass rate of the schools in this table. The choice of university inside Kyrgyzstan matters more than the choice of country. Compare countries in our FMGE pass rate by country web story.

What the 2025 decree and 2026 orders mean for IUK

Medical education in Kyrgyzstan is being reorganised. Presidential Decree No. 250 of August 2025 set up a state monopoly on training doctors. It gave Kyrgyz State Medical Academy the exclusive right to provide higher medical education, per the Embassy of India, Bishkek advisory on the decree.

• Accreditation deadline. The Ministry of Health had to complete state accreditation of private medical universities by 1 June 2026. IUK received its certificate on 29 May 2026, valid for six years.

• What passing means. Under the decree, private universities that pass may later become branches or units of Kyrgyz State Medical Academy, under its academic supervision.

• What failing means. Universities that fail may run only as preparatory courses or clinical training bases.

• Student transfers. Ministry of Health order No. 1074 of 14 September 2026 moved students of three institutions that had not passed accreditation to other universities. IUK is not named in the order, which is published on the Embassy of India, Bishkek website.

• One-year terms. In its advisory of 25 August 2026, the Embassy discussed universities accredited for only one year. IUK's accreditation runs for six years.

• Central admissions. The Cabinet of Ministers created a state International Students Admission Centre by Resolution No. 189 of 19 March 2026, per the Embassy advisory of 23 June 2026.

The full story is in our posts on MBBS in Kyrgyzstan accreditation rules for 2026 and the 2026 Kyrgyzstan MBBS transfers.

How to apply to the International University of Kyrgyzstan for MBBS

Who can apply to ISM IUK?

• NEET UG qualified. Indian citizens who want a foreign medical degree must qualify NEET UG. NMC treats the NEET result as the eligibility certificate, valid for three years, per its information desk page. See is NEET required for MBBS abroad.

• 12 years of school with 60%. ISM IUK admits foreign students with complete secondary education (12 years) and a score of at least 60%, per its admission page.

• School equivalence. The Kyrgyz Ministry of Education and Science must issue a certificate that your school education is equivalent.

• Entrance test. Applicants sit a test in chemistry, biology and English, online or in person.

Steps to apply to ISM IUK

1. Register online. Register on the Kyrgyz Ministry's "Applicant online" system at edugate.edu.gov.kg.

2. Document review. ISM IUK reviews your documents and, if they meet the rules, emails you a link to the entrance test.

3. Entrance test. Take the computer test at in.test.edu.kg, or the offline test, in chemistry, biology and English.

4. Recommendation to enrol. After you pass, ISM IUK recommends you for enrolment on the same Ministry system.

5. Hand in originals. Once confirmed, submit your documents to the ISM IUK Student Department in Bishkek.

Documents for ISM IUK admission

• Application. An application addressed to the rector.

• Passport and visa. Original and copy of the passport with the entry visa.

• School certificate. Original and copy of the 12-year school certificate with at least 60%.

• Equivalence certificate. From the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education and Science.

• Medical certificate. Showing no medical reason that prevents study in Kyrgyzstan.

• Photos. 11 photos on a white background: six of 3x4 cm, four of 3.5x4.5 cm and one digital copy.

• Health insurance. A compulsory medical insurance policy.

Campus, hostel and clinic at the International University of Kyrgyzstan

• Eastern Medical Campus. The main ISM IUK teaching building is at 6, 7 April Street, Bishkek.

• Hostel. A five-storey hostel at the same address, a five-metre walk from campus, has 800 places for foreign students. Rooms take two to three students and have shower cabins. A canteen serves three meals a day, per the ISM IUK food and accommodation page.

• Morphology building. Anatomy teaching uses a separate building at 100/1 Lev Tolstoy Street, Bishkek.

• University clinic "Amanat". ISM IUK lists its own clinic at 88/1 Turusbekova Street, Bishkek, on its infrastructure page.

• Simulation training centre. Students practise clinical and manual skills on simulators before working with patients.

Hostel, food, visa, insurance and travel are paid on top of tuition. For a full family budget, see our guide to money needed for MBBS abroad.

Does futureMBBS place students at the International University of Kyrgyzstan?

No. futureMBBS works with 23 partner universities in 9 European countries: Czech Republic (5), Hungary (4), Poland (3), Slovakia (3), Croatia (2), Latvia (2), Romania (2), Cyprus (1) and Lithuania (1). Kyrgyzstan is not one of them. See our partner universities page.

Conclusion

The International University of Kyrgyzstan is a 1993 private university whose medical school has taught since 2018. It is listed on WDOMS and passed Kyrgyz state accreditation in May 2026 for six years. That puts it on the right side of the 2025 decree.

The number that should shape a family's decision is FMGE. ISM IUK graduates passed at between 2.79% and 7.27% from 2023 to 2025, well below the national and Kyrgyz averages. Settle the internship question in writing, and compare these results with other universities, before paying any fee.

Frequently asked questions about International University of Kyrgyzstan MBBS

Is the International University of Kyrgyzstan good for MBBS for Indian students?

Its medical school is listed on WDOMS (F0006555) and holds Kyrgyz state accreditation to May 2032. But its FMGE results are low. In December 2025, 6 of 90 graduates passed, 6.67%, against 23.94% nationally. Families should weigh this result before choosing ISM IUK over other Kyrgyz universities.

How many years is MBBS at the International University of Kyrgyzstan?

ISM IUK lists a 5.5-year English programme for Indian students and a 5-year one for other foreign students. NMC also needs a 12-month internship at the same university. Ask ISM IUK in writing whether that year sits inside the 5.5 years, as the total stay may be 6.5 years.

Is the International University of Kyrgyzstan approved by NMC?

NMC does not approve or list foreign universities. It checks each graduate against the FMGL Regulations, 2021: at least 54 months of study, a 12-month internship at the same university, English medium and a licence in Kyrgyzstan. The graduate must then pass FMGE and a 12-month internship in India.

What is the FMGE pass rate of the International University of Kyrgyzstan?

NBEMS data show ISM IUK at 2.79% in 2023 (9 of 323), 6.69% in 2024 (17 of 254), 7.27% in June 2025 (8 of 110) and 6.67% in December 2025 (6 of 90). The all-India rate was between 16.65% and 25.80% in the same exams.

Did the International University of Kyrgyzstan pass state accreditation in 2026?

Yes. The Kyrgyz Ministry of Health issued state accreditation certificate No. MA000002 on the basis of order No. 586 of 29 May 2026. It covers the 5-year and 6-year General Medicine programmes for six years, until 29 May 2032. IUK is not named in the September 2026 transfer order.

Is ISM IUK the same as the International Higher School of Medicine?

No. ISM IUK is the medical school of the International University of Kyrgyzstan and has taught since 2018. The International Higher School of Medicine is a separate private school founded in 2003. NBEMS reports separate FMGE results for each, so check the full name on any offer letter.

What is needed to get admission at the International University of Kyrgyzstan?

You need a qualifying NEET UG result, a 12-year school certificate with at least 60%, and a Kyrgyz equivalence certificate. You register on the Ministry system at edugate.edu.gov.kg and pass a test in chemistry, biology and English. A passport with visa, medical certificate and photos complete the file.

Sources

• International University of Kyrgyzstan, history of the university

• International University of Kyrgyzstan, academic consortium

• ISM IUK, about the university

• ISM IUK, about the university (Russian)

• ISM IUK, rector

• ISM IUK, how to apply for General Medicine

• ISM IUK, food and accommodation

• ISM IUK, university clinic Amanat

• ISM IUK, accreditation documents

• Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, state accreditation certificate No. MA000002

• IAAR, international programme accreditation certificate, 2024

• WDOMS entry, International School of Medicine, International University of Kyrgyzstan (F0006555)

• NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021

• NMC information desk for students going abroad

• NBEMS FMGE exam page

• NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025

• NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2024

• NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2023

• Embassy of India, Bishkek, advisory on the state monopoly decree

• Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, order No. 1074 of 14 September 2026

• Embassy of India, Bishkek, advisory of 25 August 2026

• Embassy of India, Bishkek, advisory of 23 June 2026