The six factors that actually matter
1. The attached hospital. Size and patient volume, and — far more important — how much students are actually allowed to do during postings.
2. Total six-year cost. Tuition plus hostel plus living plus travel, across six years. Not the first-year figure in a brochure.
3. Hostel and distance. Where you live, who you share with, and how long it takes to reach the hospital for an early duty.
4. Support for international students. Whether there is real structure for new arrivals or you are expected to work it out alone.
5. Track record of students. How students from that college do at completion, internship and the screening examination.
6. City and practicalities. Cost of living, travel home, airport access, and whether the city suits how you want to live.
The questions only a current student can answer
College websites answer none of these. Ask them of someone in their third or fourth year.
- What time do you leave for a morning posting and what time do you get back?
- In a typical ward posting, what do you actually do — observe, or examine patients under supervision?
- How many of your batch are on track to finish on time?
- What do you eat in a normal week?
- What would you change if you were choosing again?
- What did the college not tell you that you wish it had?
Tell us which colleges are on your shortlist and, where we can, we will put you in touch with a student there. No fee, and no interest on our side in which one you pick.
Signals that should worry you
- Nobody will give you the college’s official fee circular in writing
- A recognition claim that cannot be verified on an official listing
- Pressure to pay quickly to "hold a seat"
- Being discouraged from contacting the college directly
- No current student you can speak to independently
- Vague answers about hostel location, hospital size or internship arrangements
- Any suggestion that eligibility requirements can be worked around
Building a workable shortlist
Six to eight colleges is a shortlist you can actually research. Forty names is a list you will make a decision on emotionally.
- Filter by city and college type to get a manageable set
- Remove anything where you cannot obtain an official fee circular
- Rank what remains on hospital, hostel and total cost — in that order
- Speak to a student at your top three
- Then decide, with your parents, using the full six-year figure
Use our college directory to do the first two steps in about ten minutes.
Frequently asked questions
We do not publish rankings, because "best" depends on your marks, budget, city preference and what you want from clinical exposure. What we will do is help you build a shortlist that fits your actual position.
Verify its recognition and listing status on official Indian and Bangladeshi sources, obtain its official fee circular in writing, and speak to a current student independently. If any of those three is impossible, treat that as your answer.
Where to verify this yourself
We would rather you checked than took our word for it. These are the places to confirm anything in this guide before you act on it:
- The official website and admission circular of the specific college you are considering
- Current students at the college — the only genuinely unfiltered source available to you
- The Bangladesh Medical & Dental Council — the regulator in Bangladesh
- The National Medical Commission — the current regulations for foreign medical graduates
Fees, eligibility rules, recognition status and admission requirements change from time to time. Always verify the current position with the medical college and with the applicable Bangladeshi and Indian authorities before making any financial or academic decision.
Written by the MBBSinDhaka.in Student Team — Final-year MBBS students and student mentors. Published , last reviewed .