WHY CHOOSE BELARUS FOR HIGHER STUDIES

• Belarus is an upcoming, modern East European country with a solid educational system, a good IT base, plenty of land, reasonable cost of living, law-abiding and warm-hearted people. Yes, Belarus is not a part of European Union, but it has modern infrastructure, the technology and the efficiency which is the hallmark of Western Europe. A very well run public transport system including metro, app-based taxi services, smart bus stops, high speed internet, international banking, affordable and modern healthcare system, virtually zero crime rate and sincere workforce makes the place very comfortable and close to western standards.

(Go to FAQ for more details about cost of living and other living conditions in Belarus)

• A robust Education system has been the forte of this country. The country boasts of 99.7% literacy rate. Basic school education is free, and it is compulsory for all the children to attend school till the age of 15. While still there is not enough emphasis on teaching English in schools and English is not widely understood/spoken by the people, government have started to realize the importance of English and professional courses like medicine are now available in English. It is not unusual to find someone on the road, in a restaurant, in a clinic, in a supermarket who would understand little English and help you.

• Belarus has more than 50 institutions of higher learning. Belarus National Technical University, Belarusian State University, Belarusian Linguistic University and four Medical Universities besides other institutions boast of high standards of education and their degrees are recognized in European Union. Impeccable discipline, unambiguous guidelines, dedicated faculty, contemporary international syllabus and government support has made higher education in Belarus affordable and sought after especially among students from developing countries.

• Higher education is highly subsidized for local population. Even for foreign students, the fee structure of Belarusian universities compares favorably with that of EU and other Western universities and even with Indian institutions which makes it an attractive destination for them. More than 6000 foreign students enroll in higher education institutions in Belarus every year. At present there are about 800 Indian students studying in various universities in Belarus, with majority of them pursuing MBBS. A 6-year MBBS degree would entail a total expenditure of Rs. 6 to 8 lakh per year (including tuition and living expenses) which is much cheaper than studying in a private medical college in India.

• In May 2015 Belarus officially joined the Bologna Process - an intergovernmental cooperation of 48 European countries in the field of higher education. Widely differing education and training systems in Europe have traditionally made it hard for Europeans to use qualifications from one country to apply for a job or a course in another. Increased compatibility between education systems makes it easier for students and job seekers to move within Europe. Bologna Process is a step in this direction and by joining it Belarusian degrees have a wider acceptability in EU.

• Therefore Belarus, by virtue of its high standards in education, low tuition fees and low cost of living, highly disciplined people, high IT penetration, modern infrastructure and location near West Europe, is an ideal destination for higher learning, especially for students from developing countries.