Kabardino Balkarian State University MBBS: Fees, FMGE

Kabardino Balkarian State University is a federal state university in Nalchik, Russia, founded on 5 April 1957. Its Medical Academy teaches General Medicine, a six-year medical degree, in Russian and in English. For 2025 to 2026, the English-taught course costs 324,000 roubles a year. In December 2025, 31.72% of its graduates passed FMGE.

Updated on 30 September 2026.

Key Takeaways

• A state university since 1957. Kabardino Balkarian State University was created on 5 April 1957. Its founder is Russia's Ministry of Science and Higher Education (KBSU official information page).

• Medical teaching since 1966. The medical faculty opened in 1966 with 100 students. It has taught students from India in English since 2017 (KBSU Medical Academy page).

• English-taught fee for 2025 to 2026. 324,000 roubles a year, or 1,944,000 roubles for six years. That is about Rs. 3.7 lakh a year (September 2026) (KBSU fee orders for 2025 to 2026).

• FMGE results above the national average. 85 of 268 KBSU graduates passed FMGE in December 2025, or 31.72%. The national figure was 23.94% (NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025).

• Not a futureMBBS partner. futureMBBS works with 23 partner universities in 9 European countries. Russia is not one of them (futureMBBS partner universities).

What is Kabardino Balkarian State University?

Kabardino Balkarian State University (KBSU) is the main public university of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic in Russia's North Caucasus. Its full name is the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh. M. Berbekov". In plain words, it is a government university. Its main address is 173 Chernyshevsky Street, Nalchik (KBSU official information page).

Medicine is taught at the KBSU Medical Academy, 1a Inessa Armand Street, Nalchik. Its director is Professor Ismail Alimovich Miziev (KBSU structure page). For the wider picture of studying medicine in Russia, see our MBBS in Russia country guide.

Kabardino Balkarian State University at a glance

Sources for the table: the official information page, the Medical Academy page, the KBSU list of programmes and teaching languages (PDF), the KBSU student numbers by programme (PDF) and the 2025 to 2026 fee orders (PDF).

General Medicine at Kabardino Balkarian State University

General Medicine is the course a future doctor joins. It is the Russian six-year medical degree, and graduates qualify as a physician. Russia does not award a degree called MBBS. The General Medicine degree is what a graduate presents to NMC, the National Medical Commission, India's medical regulator.

The KBSU medical faculty opened in 1966 with one course, General Medicine. In 1972 it produced its first 115 doctors. By 2021 it had trained over 7,000 doctors (KBSU Medical Academy page). The Medical Academy lists 30 Doctors of Medical Sciences and 85 Candidates of Medical Sciences on its staff. These are Russia's two research degrees, roughly a senior doctorate and a PhD.

Kabardino Balkarian State University fees for 2025 to 2026

KBSU sets its fees by rector's order. The 2025 to 2026 orders are published on the university's paid education services page. They carry one fee for the English-taught course and a separate list for Russian-taught courses by citizenship (KBSU fee orders for 2025 to 2026).

Rupee values use the Bank of Russia rate of 30 September 2026, when 100 rupees equalled about 87.92 roubles (Bank of Russia official exchange rates). The fee covers tuition only. Hostel, food, visa, medical insurance and travel are extra. Students who joined in earlier years pay the fee set for their own year of entry. Our MBBS in Russia fees 2026 guide compares fees across Russian universities.

Is a Kabardino Balkarian State University degree valid in India?

Any foreign medical degree is judged against the NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021. These apply to every student who joined a foreign course after November 2021 (NMC FMGL Regulations 2021). All NMC rules sit on the NMC rules and regulations page.

The whole course must also be finished within ten years of joining. NMC does not approve a country as a whole. Each university and each student's course is checked against these rules. Our guide on how to check NMC and WDOMS recognition explains the listing checks. WDOMS is the World Directory of Medical Schools. Our eligibility guide for MBBS abroad covers the NEET UG rules before you apply.

Kabardino Balkarian State University FMGE pass rate, 2023 to 2025

FMGE, the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination, is the test NBEMS (National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences) runs for doctors trained abroad. Passing it is how a foreign graduate gets registered in India. NBEMS publishes results for each university (NBEMS FMGE page).

For comparison, NBEMS reports these 2025 benchmarks. All Russian universities: 18.07% in June 2025 (822 of 4,550) and 30.94% in December 2025 (2,128 of 6,878). All countries: 18.62% in June 2025 (6,709 of 36,037) and 23.94% in December 2025 (10,264 of 42,868).

In plain terms, about one in five KBSU graduates passed in 2023 and June 2025. About one in three passed in December 2025. KBSU has stayed close to or above the Russia-wide figure in both 2025 exams. The number of KBSU candidates has also grown, from 169 in 2023 to 458 across the two 2025 exams.

Sources: NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025, NBEMS FMGE 2024 institute-wise results and NBEMS FMGE 2023 institute-wise results. For a view across countries, see our FMGE pass rate by country web story and our explainer on what the FMGE exam is.

What to weigh before choosing Kabardino Balkarian State University

Five points matter most for an Indian family looking at Kabardino Balkarian State University.

1. Which stream: only the English-taught General Medicine stream fits the NMC English-medium rule. Check the stream named on the admission letter and contract.

2. Fees: 324,000 roubles a year for the English stream in 2025 to 2026, about Rs. 3.7 lakh at the September 2026 rate. Living costs come on top.

3. Russian for patients: clinical years involve Russian-speaking patients, so Russian classes need real effort from year one.

4. FMGE: 31.72% of KBSU candidates passed in December 2025, but 20.00% in June 2025. Plan for serious FMGE preparation alongside the degree.

5. Wider risks in Russia: our report on mass expulsions of medical students at a Russian university and our guide to the disadvantages of studying MBBS in Russia cover what families have faced.

To compare with another North Caucasus option, read our guide to Ingush State University. Before any move abroad, our web story on what to sort out before leaving for MBBS abroad is a short checklist.

Does futureMBBS offer admission to Kabardino Balkarian State University?

No. futureMBBS works with 23 partner universities in 9 countries: Czech Republic (5), Hungary (4), Poland (3), Slovakia (3), Croatia (2), Latvia (2), Romania (2), Cyprus (1) and Lithuania (1). Russia is not among them. The full list is on our partner universities page, and our MBBS in Europe guide covers these countries.

Conclusion

Kabardino Balkarian State University is a state university in Nalchik with a medical faculty dating from 1966. It has taught Indian students in English since 2017. The English stream costs 324,000 roubles a year in 2025 to 2026. KBSU graduates passed FMGE at 31.72% in December 2025, above the national 23.94%. An Indian student should join only the English-taught stream, to meet NMC rules.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kabardino Balkarian State University good for MBBS for Indian students?

Kabardino Balkarian State University has trained doctors since 1966 and has taught Indian students in English since 2017. In December 2025, 31.72% of its graduates passed FMGE, against 23.94% nationally, per NBEMS. Its English-taught fee for 2025 to 2026 is 324,000 roubles a year. Only the English stream meets the NMC language rule.

What is the fee for MBBS at Kabardino Balkarian State University?

For 2025 to 2026, the English-taught General Medicine course at Kabardino Balkarian State University costs 324,000 roubles a year, or 1,944,000 roubles for six years. That is about Rs. 3.7 lakh a year at the September 2026 rate. Hostel, food and travel are extra.

Is Kabardino Balkarian State University MBBS taught in English?

Yes, in a separate stream. Kabardino Balkarian State University lists two versions of General Medicine: one taught in Russian and one taught in English. The Medical Academy states about 630 students study in English, from India and Egypt. Students still learn Russian to speak with patients in hospital.

What is the FMGE pass rate of Kabardino Balkarian State University?

NBEMS figures show Kabardino Balkarian State University graduates passed FMGE at 19.53% in 2023, 26.52% in 2024, 20.00% in June 2025 and 31.72% in December 2025. In December 2025, 85 of 268 candidates passed. The national pass rate that December was 23.94%.

Is Kabardino Balkarian State University recognised by NMC?

NMC does not approve universities by name. It checks each graduate's course against the FMGL Regulations 2021: at least 54 months of study, a 12-month internship at the same university, English-medium teaching and a Russian licence. At Kabardino Balkarian State University, only the English-taught General Medicine stream fits the language rule.

When was Kabardino Balkarian State University founded?

Kabardino Balkarian State University was founded on 5 April 1957 in Nalchik, the capital of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic in Russia. Its medical faculty opened in 1966 with 100 students and produced its first 115 doctors in 1972. By 2021 it had trained over 7,000 doctors.

How many foreign students study medicine at Kabardino Balkarian State University?

Kabardino Balkarian State University reports 1,252 foreign citizens among its General Medicine students, out of about 2,360 in total. The Medical Academy states that about 630 students study in English, from India and Egypt. The rest of the foreign students study in Russian.

Does futureMBBS offer admission to Kabardino Balkarian State University?

No. futureMBBS works with 23 partner universities in 9 European countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Russia is not one of them. This guide gives the official facts on Kabardino Balkarian State University so families can compare it fairly with other options before deciding.

Sources

• Kabardino Balkarian State University: official information page (founding date, founder, address)

• Kabardino Balkarian State University: structure page (Medical Academy)

• Kabardino Balkarian State University: Medical Academy page (history, English teaching, staff)

• Kabardino Balkarian State University: programmes and teaching languages (PDF)

• Kabardino Balkarian State University: student numbers by programme (PDF)

• Kabardino Balkarian State University: paid education services page

• Kabardino Balkarian State University: fee orders for 2025 to 2026 (PDF)

• Bank of Russia: official exchange rates

• NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021 (PDF)

• NMC rules and regulations page

• NBEMS FMGE examination page

• NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025 (PDF)

• NBEMS FMGE 2024 country and institute wise results (PDF)

• NBEMS FMGE 2023 country and institute wise results (PDF)