MDCAT no longer required for MBBS abroad: PM&DC drops rule for students going to foreign colleges

MDCAT is no longer required to study MBBS or BDS abroad. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has dropped the rule that Pakistani students must pass the Medical and Dental College Admission Test before taking admission at a foreign medical or dental college, Dawn reported on Monday 5 October 2026. The council decided on 14 September and issued the notification on 5 October, Aaj News reported.

In its words, the council "decided to exempt the mandatory requirement of having passed the MDCAT as a prerequisite for Pakistani students seeking admission into foreign medical and dental institutions."

What changed

• Before: in May 2026 the PM&DC said students heading abroad had to "mandatorily qualify the MDCAT and obtain registration with the PMDC before leaving the country", The Nation reported at the time.
• Now: a student admitted to a foreign medical or dental college does not need an MDCAT pass for that admission.

PM&DC President Dr Rizwan Taj linked the decision to the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, which had questioned the rule's consistency and legal basis at its meeting on 15 September, Dawn reported. A Senate subcommittee had called the requirement "arbitrary" in June, saying it lacked an "explicit legal mandate" and might not stop admissions to weak colleges anyway.

What students going abroad still have to do

The MDCAT exemption covers admission only. According to Dawn's report:

1. To practise in Pakistan after graduating, a foreign medical graduate still has to pass the registration exam for foreign graduates and complete PM&DC licensing.
2. To transfer to a Pakistani college mid-degree, a student still has to pass the National Examination Board assessment.

The May 2026 rules also set standards a foreign college has to meet for its degree to count in Pakistan, including WFME accreditation, at least 6,200 study hours and 80% attendance over five years, The Nation reported. Before paying any fee, check that the college is recognised by the PM&DC: an unrecognised degree cannot be registered here, MDCAT or not.

What it means for families

The change mainly helps students who did not take or did not clear MDCAT 2026 and have offers from colleges in China, Central Asia, Russia or elsewhere. It does not lower the bar to practise: the licensing exam on return is where foreign graduates are tested. Students aiming for a public medical college in Pakistan still need MDCAT, and our MDCAT aggregate calculator works out your merit from matric, FSc and MDCAT marks. Results and dates for this year's test: MDCAT 2026 result and aggregate.

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