Is MBBS in Italy Valid in India? NMC Rules Explained (2026/27)
Each NMC condition for a medical degree abroad, quoted and linked: NEET, course length, internship, English medium, the licence in Italy and FMGE.
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Is MBBS in Italy valid in India? It can lead to registration in India only when every condition of the National Medical Commission's Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 (FMGL 2021) is met. This page takes each condition in turn: its clause, how Italy's Medicine and Surgery degree (class LM-41) meets it, and the proof a graduate keeps.
Every rule is quoted from the NMC's own texts, as read on 28 September 2026, and linked. Where the texts say nothing about Italy, we say so, and we never call a degree valid in India without these conditions attached.
Where things stand: 30 September 2026
The NMC's latest notice on the National Exit Test (NExT), dated 13 July 2023, defers it "till further directions". We found no later notice on the NMC's rules page on 28 September 2026, so the screening test (FMGE) is still the licensing exam for foreign graduates.
For 2026/27 entry, the IMAT 2026 was held on Tuesday 29 September 2026. Anonymous scores follow on Thursday 8 October, the paper view on Monday 19 October and the national ranking on Monday 26 October.
In short
- Yes, if every NMC condition is met: an Italian MBBS can lead to registration in India only when all the FMGL 2021 conditions are met, with NEET-UG qualified before the course starts. No NMC text we read names Italy, and the NMC endorses no list of foreign universities.
- What the Italian degree meets as written: the six-year, English-taught LM-41 degree meets the 54-month minimum, the English-medium rule, the 10-year completion rule and the same-institution rule.
- What the NMC decides on each file: the 12-month internship abroad, since Italy's built-in internship lasts 3 months, and whether Italy's licence meets the "at par with citizens" test.
- Back in India: a supervised internship of at least 12 months and the licensing exam, which is the FMGE while NExT stays deferred. We check each programme against these rules for you.
- ApplyAZ: ApplyAZ is an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, with offices in Milan and India. For eligible students from countries like India we take care of university checks, applications, Universitaly pre-enrolment and the visa file, and we help with the DSU scholarship application at the right time and in the right format.
Planning MBBS in Italy for 2027/28? Check your eligibility first. For eligible students, we check NEET, the NMC conditions and each course before you choose.
Check your eligibilityKey facts: NMC rules for MBBS in Italy, 2026/27
| Key fact | Rule or figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rulebook for foreign medical graduates | NMC (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations 2021, in force from their publication in the Gazette of India on 18 November 2021 | Gazette of India, 18 November 2021, reg. 1 |
| NEET-UG | Required for Indian citizens and OCI holders who start a medical degree abroad on or after May 2018; the NMC says the result is valid for three years | Screening Test Regulations, reg. 4(2)(A); NMC study-abroad page |
| Minimum course length | 54 months; Italy's LM-41 degree runs six years and 360 ECTS (72 months, derived) | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(a)(i); MUR Decree 8/2020 |
| Internship abroad | 12 months in the same institution, in addition to the course; LM-41 has a 3-month internship (TPV, 15 ECTS) inside the six years | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(a)(ii) and Schedule I, para 2(i)(b); Decree 8/2020 |
| Language | English medium; 18 English-taught LM-41 courses at 17 public universities in our listing for 2027/28 | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(a)(iii) |
| Licence in the country of study | The LM-41 degree qualifies holders to practise in Italy once the TPV fitness judgment is obtained | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(b); Decree-Law 18/2020, art. 102(1), quoted in Decree 8/2020 |
| Time limit | Course completed within 10 years of joining | FMGL 2021, Schedule I, para 2(iv) |
| Same institution | The whole course, training and internship at one foreign institution, with no part in India or a third country | FMGL 2021, Schedule I, para 2(iii) |
| Internship in India | At least 12 months of supervised internship, after applying to the Commission | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(c) |
| Licensing exam in India | NExT or another test the NMC mandates; NExT is deferred, so the screening test (FMGE) applies | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(d); NMC notice of 13 July 2023 |
| NMC list of approved foreign universities | None: the NMC states it endorses no list | NMC study-abroad page |
| Verified on | 28 September 2026, from the NMC's and the Italian Gazette's own texts | Sources list below |
Is MBBS in Italy valid in India?
It can be, but only if every condition of FMGL 2021 is met and NEET-UG was qualified before the course began. Italy's six-year English-taught Medicine and Surgery degree meets the length, language, 10-year and same-institution rules as written. The internship abroad and the licence test are decided by the NMC when each graduate applies.
The legal base is regulation 3 of FMGL 2021: "No foreign medical graduate shall practice medicine in India, unless he is granted permanent registration in accordance with the provisions of these regulations." No NMC text we read names Italy, and the NMC's study-abroad page states that "the National Medical Commission does not endorse any list of Foreign Medical Institutions/ Universities for MBBS or equivalent course".
Sources: FMGL 2021, reg. 3 and NMC information for students studying abroad.
So no Italian university can honestly be called "NMC approved", and no consultancy can promise registration in India. What we can do is check each programme against the clauses below, before a student commits, and keep that check on file.
What are the NMC rules for MBBS abroad, clause by clause?
FMGL 2021 sets nine conditions in regulation 4 and Schedule I: course length, internship abroad, English medium, subjects, one institution, the 10-year limit, a licence abroad, internship in India and the licensing exam. NEET comes from the Screening Test Regulations. The table sets each against Italy's LM-41 degree.
| Condition | NMC clause (quoted) | How an Italian LM-41 degree meets it | What the student keeps as proof (our working list) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEET-UG qualified before the course | Screening Test Regulations 2002, reg. 4(2)(A); Eligibility Certificate Regulations, reg. 8(iv): "Indian Citizens/Overseas Citizen of India intending to obtain primary medical qualification from any medical institution outside India, on or after May 2018, shall have to mandatorily qualify the 'National-Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Admission to MBBS course'." | Not an Italian requirement: entry to English-taught Medicine is through the national admission test (IMAT). The student meets this rule in India, before enrolling. | NEET-UG scorecard with its result date; the NMC says the result is valid for three years |
| At least 54 months of study | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(a)(i): "undergone a course leading to foreign medical degree with minimum duration of fifty-four months" | Met as written: LM-41 runs six years and 360 ECTS (72 months, derived), under MUR Decree 8/2020. | Degree certificate and transcript with the course start and end dates |
| 12-month internship abroad, in the same institution, in addition to the course | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(a)(ii); Schedule I, para 2(i)(b): "Should have been completed internship of twelve months in addition to such course referred to in clause (a), in the same foreign institution where the primary medical qualification has been obtained" | Not met in the same form: LM-41 has a 3-month practical evaluative internship (TPV, 15 ECTS) inside the six years, and no separate 12-month internship after the degree. No NMC text on Italy was found, so the NMC decides this on each file. | The university's record of the TPV and of every clinical placement, with dates and hospitals |
| English medium | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(a)(iii): "Received a foreign medical degree with medium of instructions in English" | Met on the 18 English-taught courses listed below. An Italian-taught course would not meet this rule as written (our reading). | A university certificate stating that the course is taught in English |
| Listed subjects and hands-on clinical training, commensurate with Indian MBBS | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(a)(iv); Schedule I, paras 2(i)(b) and 2(ii)(a): "The course and internship or clinical clerkship shall commensurate with the MBBS course of India in accordance with the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 and subsequent amendments thereto" | Set out in each university's study plan. We compare the plan with Schedule I for every course we shortlist. | The study plan and a transcript listing each clinical subject |
| The whole course at one institution | FMGL 2021, Schedule I, para 2(iii): "no part of medical training and internship shall be done in India or in any country other than country from where the primary medical qualification is obtained" | Met when all six years are taken at the one Italian university. A transfer, or an exchange term at another institution, would conflict with the text as written. | A transcript showing every exam and placement at the same university |
| Completed within 10 years of joining | FMGL 2021, Schedule I, para 2(iv): "The total duration of the foreign medical graduation course shall be completed within ten years from the date of joining the course." | Met on a normal timetable: a six-year course leaves four years (derived) for a repeated year. | The enrolment record with the date of joining, and the graduation date |
| Licence to practise in the degree country, at par with its citizens | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(b): "competent to grant license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practice medicine given to citizen of that country" | The LM-41 degree itself qualifies holders to practise in Italy once the TPV fitness judgment is obtained, and the final exam counts as the state licensing exam. Whether this meets the "at par" test is for the NMC. | The degree certificate showing the qualification to practise, and any registration issued in Italy |
| Supervised internship in India, at least 12 months | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(c): "undergone supervised internship in India for a minimum term of twelve months, after applying for the same to the Commission" | Done in India after graduating; it applies to every foreign graduate, whatever the country. | The record of the application to the Commission and the completed 12 months |
| Licensing exam in India | FMGL 2021, reg. 4(d): "has cleared the National Exit Test or such other mandated test or tests conducted by the Commission." | Taken in India. The screening test (FMGE) applies while NExT stays deferred. | The pass result |
The clauses quoted name no document list, so the last column is our working list, not an NMC list.
Sources: FMGL 2021, Gazette of India copy, NMC copy, Screening Test Regulations, Eligibility Certificate Regulations and MUR Decree 8/2020.
Is NEET required for MBBS in Italy?
Yes, for Indian citizens and OCI holders who want to practise in India. Italian universities do not ask for NEET, but regulation 4(2)(A) of the NMC's Screening Test Regulations requires NEET-UG from anyone who starts a medical degree abroad on or after May 2018. The NMC says the result stays valid for three years.
The rule reads: "Indian Citizens/Overseas Citizen of India intending to obtain primary medical qualification from any medical institution outside India, on or after May 2018, shall have to mandatorily qualify the 'National-Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Admission to MBBS course'." The same words sit in regulation 8(iv) of the Eligibility Certificate Regulations.
Sources: Screening Test Regulations, reg. 4(2)(A) and Eligibility Certificate Regulations, reg. 8(iv).
The NMC's study-abroad page adds that "the result of NEET shall be valid for a period of three (3) years from the date of declaration of result". We line up the NEET result date with the IMAT and enrolment dates, so the course starts inside that window.
Source: NMC information for students studying abroad.
Which licensing exam do Italian graduates take in India, FMGE or NExT?
Today it is the screening test, the FMGE. FMGL 2021 regulation 4(d) asks for the National Exit Test "or such other mandated test or tests" of the NMC. NExT has been deferred since the NMC notice of 13 July 2023, and we found no later notice on 28 September 2026.
The deferral notice reads: "the National Exit Test (NEXT) examination is deferred on the advice of the Ministry, dated 11.07.2023, till further directions from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare". The Screening Test Regulations set the FMGE pass mark: "A candidate shall be declared as having passed only if he/she obtains a minimum of 50% (fifty percent) marks in each paper separately".
Sources: NMC notice of 13 July 2023 and Screening Test Regulations, reg. 9.
When NExT starts, the law already names it: "Any person with a foreign medical qualification shall have to qualify National Exit Test for the purpose of obtaining licence to practice medicine as medical practitioner". The NExT Regulations 2023 cover foreign graduates who meet FMGL and say the exams NExT replaces then stop applying.
Sources: NMC Act 2019, s. 15(4) and NExT Regulations 2023, regs 3(3)(ii) and 3(5).
Does the Italian internship meet the NMC's 12-month rule?
Not in the same form, and no NMC text we read settles it for Italy: FMGL 2021 asks for 12 months of internship in the same foreign institution, in addition to the course. Italy's LM-41 degree has a 3-month practical evaluative internship, worth 15 ECTS, inside the six years. The NMC decides this point on each graduate's file.
The two texts side by side. FMGL 2021, Schedule I, para 2(i)(b): "Should have been completed internship of twelve months in addition to such course referred to in clause (a), in the same foreign institution where the primary medical qualification has been obtained". The NMC's FAQ on FMGL adds that "internship/clerkship and clinical posting & training are separate phases of practical learning".
Sources: FMGL 2021 and NMC FAQs on FMGL, Q17.
On the Italian side, MUR Decree 8/2020 puts 15 credits into the 3-month internship (TPV): one month in surgery, one in medicine and one in general practice. At least 60 credits of the degree go to professional-skills training.
Source: MUR Decree 8 of 2 April 2020, LM-41 class sheet.
Separately, every foreign graduate does at least 12 months of supervised internship in India after applying to the Commission, under regulation 4(c). That internship in India is on top of the one abroad, as the NMC's FAQ confirms.
Sources: FMGL 2021, reg. 4(c) and NMC FAQs on FMGL, Q14.
Does an Italian medical degree give a licence to practise in Italy?
Yes: under Decree-Law 18/2020, article 102(1), the LM-41 degree in Medicine and Surgery itself qualifies holders to practise as doctors in Italy, once the TPV fitness judgment is obtained. MUR Decree 8/2020, article 1, makes the final exam count as the state licensing exam. FMGL 2021 regulation 4(b) needs such a licence.
The NMC clause asks for registration with a body "competent to grant license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practice medicine given to citizen of that country". Whether Italy's licence meets the "at par with citizens" words for a graduate from India is for the NMC to decide.
Sources: FMGL 2021, reg. 4(b) and MUR Decree 8/2020, preamble and art. 1.
Two points our sources did not settle: the registration with the Ordine dei Medici (the medical council) before practice, and the Italian rules for non-EU graduates who stay to work. We did not verify either on an official text, so this page states neither as fact.
Is MBBS in Italy long enough for the NMC's 54-month rule?
Yes. FMGL 2021 regulation 4(a)(i) asks for a course of at least 54 months, and Italy's LM-41 degree runs six years with 360 ECTS credits, which is 72 months (derived). Schedule I, para 2(iv), adds that the course must be completed within 10 years of joining, which a six-year course leaves room for.
The two clauses: "undergone a course leading to foreign medical degree with minimum duration of fifty-four months", and "The total duration of the foreign medical graduation course shall be completed within ten years from the date of joining the course."
Sources: FMGL 2021, reg. 4(a)(i) and Schedule I, para 2(iv) and MUR Decree 8/2020, LM-41 class sheet.
The NMC's FAQs of 8 June 2026 read the 10-year rule together with the Graduate Medical Education (Amendment) Regulations 2019, which first set 10 years from admission. For graduates admitted after 2019, the same answer asks them to "clear the FMG examination within 10 years from the date of admission".
Source: NMC FAQs of 8 June 2026, Q12.
Six of the 18 English-taught courses in our listing run under the reformed class, LM-41 R. Its class sheet was not reached, so the six years and 360 credits on this page come from Decree 8/2020.
Is MBBS in Italy taught in English, as the NMC requires?
Yes, on the English-taught courses. FMGL 2021 regulation 4(a)(iii) requires a foreign medical degree with English as the medium of instruction. Our listing for 2027/28 shows 18 English-taught Medicine and Surgery courses at 17 Italian public universities, each a six-year LM-41 degree entered through the national admission test.
Italy also runs Medicine in Italian, and for 2026/27 its open first semester admits non-EU residents abroad too. On regulation 4(a)(iii) as written, an Italian-taught degree would not meet the English-medium rule; that is our reading, as no NMC text we read covers it.
Sources: FMGL 2021, reg. 4(a)(iii) and MUR Decree 941 of 10 July 2026, art. 1(1).
English-taught courses keep a single admission test for 2026/27. Clinical years still bring patients who speak Italian, so we plan Italian study from year one.
Source: MUR Decree 1005 of 6 August 2026, art. 1(1).
Can I transfer universities during MBBS in Italy and still meet the NMC rules?
Not on the text as written. FMGL 2021 Schedule I, para 2(iii), says no part of the training and internship may be done in India or in any country other than the degree country. The NMC's FAQ adds that the whole course, training and internship happen in the same foreign institution.
The FAQ answer reads: "The entire course, training and internship or clerkship shall be done outside India in the same foreign medical institution". So a transfer between Italian universities, or an exchange term at another institution, would conflict with the rule. We plan the six years at one university for that reason.
Sources: FMGL 2021, Schedule I, para 2(iii) and NMC FAQs on FMGL, Q11.
Check your eligibility first. Eligible students book a one-to-one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and we check each course against the NMC clauses with them.
Check your eligibilityWhich Italian public universities teach MBBS in English?
Our listing for 2027/28 shows 18 English-taught Medicine and Surgery courses, class LM-41, at 17 public universities, each running six years. Every one meets the English-medium and 54-month rules as written. The internship and licence points apply to all of them alike, so the NMC check is the same for each.
Source: our programme listing (c1/progs_en.json in our CMS), checked on 24 to 27 September 2026. Places, cut-offs and fees for each course are in our medical universities in Italy table, IMAT cut-off scores and MBBS fees for Indian students.
What proof does an Italian graduate keep for the NMC?
Proof for every condition, collected during the course rather than after it. That means the NEET-UG scorecard, the enrolment record, the study plan and transcript, a certificate of English medium, the record of the TPV and each clinical placement, and the degree certificate. The clauses we quote name no documents, so this is our working list.
| When | What to keep | Which clause it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Before enrolment | NEET-UG scorecard with its result date | Screening Test Regulations, reg. 4(2)(A) |
| On enrolment | The enrolment record with the date of joining the course | Schedule I, para 2(iv) (10 years) |
| Each year | The study plan and transcript, with every exam at the same university | Reg. 4(a)(iv); Schedule I, paras 2(ii)(a) and 2(iii) |
| Clinical years | The record of the TPV and of each clinical placement, with dates and hospitals | Reg. 4(a)(ii); Schedule I, para 2(i)(b) |
| At graduation | Degree certificate, a certificate of English medium and the qualification to practise in Italy | Regs 4(a)(i), 4(a)(iii) and 4(b) |
| Back in India | The FMGE result and the supervised internship record | Regs 4(c) and 4(d) |
The NMC's FAQs of 8 June 2026 show how verification works in one area: for study done online, "A compensation certificate is one of the documents that may be considered during verification."
Source: NMC FAQs of 8 June 2026, Q11.
What does the NMC not say about MBBS in Italy?
No NMC text we read names Italy. We found no NMC notice on Italy, on internships built into a degree, or on Italy's licence, and the NMC endorses no list of foreign universities. So the internship abroad and the "at par" licence are decided by the NMC when a graduate applies.
Several NMC notices from 2023 to 2026 could not be opened on 28 September 2026, as their old links no longer load. Their content reaches this page only through the NMC's FAQs of 8 June 2026. Rules can change, and we read the current texts at the time each student decides.
Source: NMC Rules and Regulations page.
Reality check
- All conditions, not most. Registration in India needs every FMGL 2021 condition, and the NMC decides it, not the Italian university.
- The internship gap. Italy's internship is 3 months inside the course, while FMGL 2021 asks for 12 months in addition to it.
- Italian with patients. Teaching is in English, but the clinical years bring patients who speak Italian.
- Few places. Entry is through one national test, with few places for non-EU applicants living abroad; see our IMAT guide.
What we handle for eligible students: the NEET and NMC check for each course, the shortlist, Universitaly pre-enrolment, the IMAT registration and the visa file. The university decides admission, the consulate decides the visa and the NMC decides registration in India.
After graduating, the applications to the NMC for the internship and registration in India are the graduate's own, made in their own name. We help the student keep the right proof, in the right format, from year one.
Related guides: MBBS in Italy for Indian students, MBBS in Italy vs India, MBBS in Europe for Indian students, MBBS scholarships in Italy, IMAT results and public universities in Italy.
Check your eligibility first. For eligible students, we check the NMC conditions for each course on the shortlist.
Check your eligibilityFrequently asked questions
Is any Italian university NMC approved?
No, and no foreign university is. The NMC's study-abroad page states that it does not endorse any list of foreign medical institutions or universities. What counts is whether the degree and the graduate meet every FMGL 2021 condition, which the NMC decides when the graduate applies for registration.
How long is a NEET result valid for MBBS abroad?
Three years from the date the result is declared, according to the NMC's study-abroad page. The NEET rule itself is in regulation 4(2)(A) of the Screening Test Regulations and covers Indian citizens and OCI holders who start a medical degree abroad on or after May 2018.
Do I need an internship in India after MBBS in Italy?
Yes. FMGL 2021 regulation 4(c) asks every foreign medical graduate for a supervised internship in India of at least 12 months, after applying to the Commission. The NMC's FAQ on FMGL confirms that it comes in addition to the internship done abroad.
What is the FMGE pass mark?
The Screening Test Regulations set it at a minimum of 50% of the marks in each paper separately, under regulation 9. The FMGE is the screening test foreign graduates take while the National Exit Test stays deferred, as it has been since the NMC notice of 13 July 2023.
Is NExT in force for foreign medical graduates in 2026?
No. The NMC notice of 13 July 2023 defers the National Exit Test until further directions from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and we found no later notice on 28 September 2026. When NExT starts, the NMC Act 2019, section 15(4), makes it the licensing exam for foreign graduates.
Can I study medicine in Italian in Italy and still practise in India?
Not on FMGL 2021 as written. Regulation 4(a)(iii) requires a foreign medical degree taught in English, so an Italian-taught course would not meet it; that is our reading, as no NMC text we read covers Italy. The English-taught LM-41 courses meet the rule.
Can I do an Erasmus term abroad during MBBS in Italy?
Not without a conflict with FMGL 2021. Schedule I, para 2(iii), says no part of the training and internship may be done in any country other than the degree country, and the NMC's FAQ asks for the whole course in the same institution. We plan the six years at one university.
How does ApplyAZ help with the NMC rules for MBBS in Italy?
ApplyAZ is an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities. For eligible students from countries like India, we check NEET and each NMC condition against every course we shortlist, then handle Universitaly pre-enrolment, the IMAT registration and the visa file. The NMC decides registration in India.
Sources
- NMC (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations 2021, Gazette of India, 18 November 2021 and the NMC copy, regs 1 to 4 and Schedule I
- NMC FAQs on FMGL Regulations (File No. U-15024/15/2024-UGMEB(Pt)(PublicNotice)), Q8, Q11, Q14 and Q17, and NMC FAQs of 8 June 2026, Q11 and Q12
- Screening Test Regulations 2002, as amended, regs 3 and 4(2)(A); NMC page on the Screening Test Regulations, reg. 9; Eligibility Certificate Regulations 2002, reg. 8(iv)
- NMC information for students studying abroad and the NMC Rules and Regulations page
- National Medical Commission Act 2019, s. 15(3) and 15(4); NExT Regulations 2023, regs 3(3)(ii) and 3(5); NMC notice of 13 July 2023 deferring NExT
- MUR Decree 8 of 2 April 2020 (Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 103, 20 April 2020), LM-41 class sheet, art. 1 and the preamble quoting Decree-Law 18/2020, art. 102(1)
- MUR Decree 941 of 10 July 2026, art. 1, and MUR Decree 1005 of 6 August 2026, art. 1(1)
- Written by İrem Yılmaz, Student Experience Lead at ApplyAZ, and reviewed by Reeya Sharma. Published and last updated on 30 September 2026; rules verified on 28 September 2026.
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