Good news first: since 5 October 2026, low MDCAT marks no longer block admission to MBBS in China. PM&DC's Public Notice No. Exam-59/2026/350 says its Council, in a meeting held on 14 September 2026, decided to exempt the mandatory requirement of having passed the MDCAT for Pakistani students seeking admission into foreign medical and dental institutions. You can read the details in our report on the PM&DC notice that removes the MDCAT requirement for MBBS abroad.
That does not mean every risk has gone. A weak MDCAT result still closes the door on medical and dental colleges inside Pakistan, and a degree from abroad still has to meet PM&DC's recognition rules before it leads to a licence. This guide is for students and parents holding a low MDCAT result. It explains what changed, what did not, which points are still unconfirmed, and what to check before you pay a deposit.
What does the October 2026 PM&DC notice say?
The notice is dated 5 October 2026. The sentence that matters reads: "the PM&DC Council, in its meeting held on 14th September 2026, has decided to exempt the mandatory requirement of having passed the MDCAT as a pre-requisite for Pakistani students seeking admission into foreign medical and dental institutions." APP, The Express Tribune and ProPakistani all reported it.
The wording covers foreign institutions in general. It is not limited to China, so it applies equally to Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and any other country. A student with a low score, a missed MDCAT date or no MDCAT attempt at all is no longer stopped at the PM&DC level from enrolling abroad.
Older articles and agent posts that say "50 percent in MDCAT is required for foreign MBBS" describe the earlier PM&DC notice of May 2026. That condition is no longer the current position. If you still see it on a website, the page has not been updated. Our guide on whether MDCAT is required for MBBS abroad tracks the rule as it develops.
What did not change?
The exemption removes one condition. These parts of the system stay in place:
- MDCAT is still required for admission to medical and dental colleges inside Pakistan.
- A student who wants to transfer from a foreign university into a Pakistani institution must pass the National Examination Board (NEB) assessment.
- A graduate who wants to practise in Pakistan must pass the registration exam for foreign graduates, the NRE.
- Only graduates of PM&DC-recognised institutions get provisional registration and can sit the NRE.
The last point is the one that costs families the most when they ignore it. A university offer lets you study. Recognition by PM&DC decides whether your degree can lead to a licence at home.
What is still unconfirmed?
The earlier May 2026 notice listed more than MDCAT. It also asked for FSc (Pre-Medical) with at least 60 percent, online registration on srf.pmdc.pk, and training conditions such as study hours, attendance and a local language course. The October notice does not say whether these conditions still apply. We will not guess.
So treat the following as open questions until PM&DC answers them in writing:
- Does the 60 percent FSc minimum still apply to students going abroad?
- Is online registration on srf.pmdc.pk still compulsory before you leave?
- Do the hours, attendance and local language conditions still apply?
Confirm all three with PM&DC at pmdc.pk before you enrol, and keep a copy of whatever answer you receive. If your FSc marks are close to 60 percent, this matters more for you than the MDCAT result does.
What still matters for a student with low MDCAT marks?
With the MDCAT barrier gone, four questions decide whether MBBS in China is a good plan for you.
1. Is the university recognised?
This is now the main safety check. For China, only universities on the Ministry of Education list are allowed to teach MBBS in English to international students. Our MOE-listed universities guide explains the list. A 2019 notice named 45 universities, and the ministry said it would review the list, so check a current source. Then check that PM&DC accepts the institution, using our guide to verifying PM&DC-recognised universities in China. A listing in the World Directory of Medical Schools shows a school exists. It does not mean Pakistan recognises it.
2. What does the university itself ask for?
Chinese universities set their own entry rules. Most look at your FSc results, passport, medical and police documents, and sometimes English proof or an entrance exam such as CSCA. Many never asked for MDCAT, so the PM&DC change does not alter their forms. Competitive universities may want higher FSc marks, and a few interview applicants. A low MDCAT score does not matter to them, but low FSc marks might.
3. Can you pass the NRE later?
The NRE is hard even for eligible students. The December 2025 NRE Step I had 7,012 candidates appear, and 1,473 passed, about 21 percent overall, according to Pakistan Today. News outlets reported that the pass mark was reduced from 70 to 60 percent in 2024. A low MDCAT score is a rough signal that your basic sciences need work. Plan to build that base over the first years abroad, because the NRE will test it. Our guide to PM&DC registration after MBBS abroad covers the steps.
4. Do the FSc and registration conditions still apply?
This is the unconfirmed part above. Until PM&DC clarifies, assume a 60 percent FSc Pre-Medical minimum and online registration could still be asked of you, and prepare for them. If they are dropped later, you lose nothing by being ready.
Decision table: where do you stand?
Use your own result to find your row. The table is our reading of the October 2026 notice, not a legal opinion.
| Your situation | What it means now | Sensible next step |
|---|---|---|
| Low MDCAT score, FSc 60 percent or above | MDCAT no longer blocks foreign admission. | Shortlist MOE-listed universities, then confirm the FSc and registration conditions with PM&DC. |
| Did not sit MDCAT | No MDCAT is needed for admission abroad. | Apply abroad if the route suits you. You would need MDCAT only if you later want a Pakistani seat. |
| FSc below 60 percent | The October notice is silent on FSc, so the condition is unconfirmed. | Ask PM&DC in writing before paying anything, and ask your board about improvement options. |
| Hoping to transfer to a Pakistani college later | You must pass the NEB assessment. | Ask PM&DC for the current NEB rules before you enrol abroad. |
| Want a seat in Pakistan this year | MDCAT still decides local MBBS and BDS seats. | Retake MDCAT and compare the local fees with the full foreign cost. |
Why "no MDCAT needed" is still incomplete advice
Some agents will now say "you need nothing, just pay and go". The MDCAT part of that sentence is correct. The rest is not. A Chinese admission office checks whether you can be taught. PM&DC checks whether you can practise in Pakistan. These are two separate gates, and the second one still exists.
Ask the agent three questions in writing:
- Is this university on the MOE list and acceptable to PM&DC?
- Do the FSc, registration and training conditions of the earlier PM&DC notice still apply, and who confirmed that?
- Can you show me the PM&DC notice you rely on, with its number and date?
A consultant who cannot answer clearly is selling an admission, not advice. Our guide on how to spot a fake study-abroad consultant covers more warning signs.
Should you retake MDCAT or go abroad?
The answer used to depend on whether you had reached 50 percent. It now depends on your goal and your budget.
A retake makes sense if you still want a seat in a Pakistani medical or dental college. Local passing marks have been 55 percent for MBBS and 50 percent for BDS, and in April 2026 PM&DC allowed a one-time reduction of up to 3 percent to fill vacant seats, bringing the bars to 52 and 47 percent, as ProPakistani reported. The relaxation applied to the 2025-26 session only. PM&DC's examination regulations allow one MDCAT attempt in each calendar year, with no limit on later attempts, according to the 2021 regulations on the PMC website. Check that no newer version has replaced them.
Going abroad makes sense if:
- Your family can fund the whole course, not just year one.
- You are ready for a new language, cold weather and a different teaching style.
- You are willing to prepare for the NRE from the first year.
- You have checked the unconfirmed FSc and registration conditions with PM&DC.
A retake costs one year. A badly chosen foreign route can cost years and millions of rupees. Do the maths before choosing speed over certainty.
What does MBBS in China cost compared with staying home?
Our own university pages show the range. For China, listed annual tuition runs from about RMB 12,000 to RMB 75,000, and hostel from about RMB 2,200 to RMB 12,000 per year, depending on the university and room type. For Georgia, tuition on our pages runs from about USD 2,000 to USD 8,000 per year, and for Azerbaijan from about USD 2,500 to USD 7,000. These exclude flights, food, extra clinical-year costs and any foundation or language year, so see the MBBS in China page, MBBS in Georgia and MBBS in Azerbaijan for line items.
The total depends on the whole course. Our self-funded MBBS cost comparison works through full six-year numbers. If you compare with a Pakistani private college, ask for the current fee sheet, because private fees differ widely. Our comparison of Georgia versus China sets out the trade-offs between two popular routes.
What if MBBS abroad does not suit you?
You still have honest options, and some are stronger than a poorly checked MBBS file.
- Retake MDCAT and aim for a score that qualifies you for local seats.
- Apply for BDS, which also depends on MDCAT in Pakistan.
- Look at Pharm-D, DPT, nursing or lab technology. Entry rules differ by university, and some use their own test, so read each prospectus.
- Improve FSc marks if that is the barrier, after checking with your board what is allowed.
Choosing a different field is not failure. A completed degree you can practise with is better than a medical degree you cannot register.
How Titans Abroad handles low-score cases
Titans Abroad is a free MBBS-abroad counselling service that started in 2024. It does not charge a consultation fee, and it only recommends PMDC/PMC-approved and, for China, MOE-listed universities. If your MDCAT is low, we will tell you plainly that it no longer blocks foreign admission, and we will also tell you which conditions remain unconfirmed. If your file is ready, you can start on the apply now page.
A short checklist before you decide
- Write down your MDCAT percentage and your FSc percentage.
- Read the PM&DC notice of 5 October 2026, and note that it covers MDCAT only.
- Ask PM&DC whether the FSc, registration and training conditions still apply, and keep the reply.
- Pick a university only after checking it against the MOE list, PM&DC and WDOMS.
- Ask the agent to confirm in writing how your file affects NRE eligibility.
- Compare the full six-year cost with a retake year plus local options.
MBBS in China with low MDCAT marks is now allowed at the PM&DC level, and that is a real change for many families. The safe plan is to treat it as a reason to check recognition, entry rules and the open conditions more carefully, not less.
Frequently asked questions
Can I study MBBS in China with low MDCAT marks?
Yes. Since PM&DC's notice of 5 October 2026, MDCAT is no longer a mandatory requirement for Pakistani students seeking admission to foreign medical and dental institutions, and Chinese universities decide admission on your documents. Confirm the FSc and registration conditions with PM&DC before you enrol, because the October notice does not mention them.
What is the minimum MDCAT score for foreign MBBS?
There is none now. The earlier May 2026 notice asked for 50 percent, but PM&DC's Council decided on 14 September 2026 to exempt the MDCAT requirement for admission abroad. Websites that still quote 50 or 55 percent as the foreign-admission minimum are out of date.
Can I do MBBS abroad without giving MDCAT?
Yes, for admission abroad. The exemption applies to foreign medical and dental institutions in any country. You would still need MDCAT for colleges inside Pakistan, and you would need the NEB assessment to transfer into a Pakistani institution later.
Will my degree be valid in Pakistan if my MDCAT was low?
Your MDCAT score no longer decides this. What matters is whether your university is recognised by PM&DC. Only graduates of PM&DC-recognised institutions get provisional registration and can sit the NRE, and you must pass the NRE to practise. Check recognition before you pay.
Should I retake MDCAT or go abroad?
Retake if you want a Pakistani seat, because MDCAT still decides admission to medical and dental colleges inside Pakistan. Go abroad if your family can fund the whole course and you are ready to prepare for the NRE. PM&DC rules allow one MDCAT attempt per calendar year.
Do Chinese universities check MDCAT?
Most do not. They look at your FSc results, passport, medical and police documents, and sometimes English proof or CSCA. The change in PM&DC policy does not alter their admission forms, but it does mean PM&DC will no longer ask for an MDCAT score as a condition for studying abroad.
Do the FSc 60 percent and PM&DC registration conditions still apply?
We cannot confirm it. The May 2026 notice asked for at least 60 percent in FSc (Pre-Medical), online registration on srf.pmdc.pk and training conditions. The October 2026 notice does not say whether they still apply. Ask PM&DC through pmdc.pk and get the answer in writing before enrolling.
What are the alternatives to MBBS abroad?
You can retake MDCAT, apply to a private medical college in Pakistan, try BDS, or study related fields such as Pharm-D, DPT, nursing or medical lab technology. Entry rules for these differ by university, so check each prospectus.