Preparation year

Russian universities are evolving rapidly. Over the recent years, the number of Russian higher education institutions in world education rankings has increased considerably. Top universities in Russia are present in prestigious QS, THE and ARWU rankings. Our website has information on major ranking agencies and their methodology; the charts show Russian universities’ positions in QS, THE and ARWU rankings by overall academic excellence, subject, faculty and region.

According to open data fr om the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the number of students in the country today is about 4 million. Of these, 315,000 are foreign citizens.
 

Applicants choose leading universities in various regions of Russia. Traditionally popular areas of training are medicine, engineering specialities and IT. Among other disciplines, foreigners prioritize economics, finance and natural sciences. In addition to a high level of education, students in Russia get the opportunity to continue their scientific activities and find interesting work. Why should you take a closer look at studying in Russia?

› Fundamental education
Russia is a recognized leader in the training of mathematicians, physicists, chemists, engineers, programmers, doctors, as well as representatives of creative professions. Classical education is considered one of the strongest in the world. Every year Russian universities occupy leading positions in world rankings.

› Large selection of educational programmes
Our website presents leading universities all over the country, from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, and offer more than 4000 basic educational programmes of a huge thematic spectrum from medical, technical and natural sciences to linguistics.

The strength of Russian education is also the training of specialists in the creative professions. Conservatories, theatre and choreographic, art educational organizations, architecture universities offer applicants a variety of programs. Universities also train specialists in modern profiles, such as game design or cyberpsychology. For those looking for creative directions, there are art and music programmes. If you are just getting ready to study in Russia, preparatory courses and programmes for studying Russian as a foreign language are available to you.
 

› Education at any academic level
Russian universities conduct bachelor’s and specialist’s, master’s, postgraduate (residency, postgraduate) programmes. You can also start your path to a prestigious diploma with training programmes, summer schools, courses for studying Russian as a foreign language, etc.

› Price and quality
Russia has an optimal ratio of price and quality of education. In 2020, the cost of studying at the country’s universities on full-time bachelor’s programmes started at 83K rubles per year. We advise you to find out the exact information on prices directly from the university representatives – it depends on many factors, such as the duration, format and level of training, etc.

› The opportunity to study for free In Russia,
there is an opportunity for foreigners to get an education free of charge. Every year the government of the Russian Federation allocates several thousand budget-funded places at universities throughout the country. At the same time, some categories of foreign citizens can enter budget-funded places and outside quotas on an equal basis with Russians. An additional opportunity to enrol for free is to become the winner of the University Olympiad.

› English language educational programmes
More and more Russian universities offer applicants from all over the world programmes implemented entirely in English. You can choose any direction, speciality and academic level.

› Opportunity to learn Russian
Russian is spoken by 260 million people. Universities are actively developing short-term and long-term programmes to study Russian: seasonal schools, online and offline courses.

› Training under double degree programmes
Pay attention to joint programmes with international educational centres. In most cases, half of the training takes place at a Russian university and the other half in another country. Thus, you can get two diplomas from the leading universities at once.
 
› Online learning
Russian universities are actively developing the direction of online higher education – today, students have access to many programmes at all academic levels. At the same time, producing online courses is one of the main trends in modern education. Russian universities have long been part of the global MOOC community and actively expanding their presence both on the international platforms of mass courses Coursera and Edx and domestic – Open Education, Lectorium and Stepik.

› High-tech campuses and laboratories
Every year Russian educational complexes open high-tech campuses and laboratories, with there is everything ready for your scientific achievements. Also, most Russian universities have their dormitories, often located close to academic buildings. The cost of living in them is usually quite affordable.

› Adaptation programmes for international students
Russia is a multinational state on the border of Europe and Asia. More than 200 nations form the diversity of all spheres of life: culture, everyday life and religion. It’s all helps foreigners feel welcome. Universities also provide assistance as many have special adaptation programmes for students from different countries and support systems for new students.

› Student benefits
Russian university students are eligible for several types of benefits. For example, full-time students can get a special transport card to travel via subway, bus or tram at a much lower cost. You will also have discounts on tickets to museums, theatres and cinemas. You can find out more about the benefits here.

› Unique nature and endless travel possibilities
Russia is the largest state in the world, its territory covers several climatic zones from polar to subtropical. 29 Russian natural and cultural sites are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Baikal is the deepest, cleanest and largest freshwater lake on Earth, the majestic mountains of Altai and the Caucasus, the valley of geysers in Kamchatka, Krasnoyarsk pillars, the unique nature of the Far East, the widest rivers are just a few places that you can visit while living in Russia.

If you are more attracted by cultural monuments, then pay attention to the ancient churches of the Golden Ring and the Russian North, the Blue Mosque (Zangar) and the Kremlin in Kazan, palace complexes of the Leningrad Region and the European architecture of Kaliningrad. The historical centres of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tomsk and many other cities are a national cultural heritage and are in great demand among tourists from all over the world. Build your dream itinerary and plan a big trip or go exploring neighbouring cities for the weekend.

› Rich culture
Russia is the birthplace of great writers, poets, philosophers, composers, artists and musicians. Here Lev Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nicholas Roerich, Sergei Rachmaninov, Boris Pasternak, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Sergei Eisenstein, Mstislav Rostropovich presented their masterpieces to the world. Literature, ballet, classical music, architecture, painting, theatre, cinema – this is how the country conquers the hearts of people around the world. Exhibitions, festivals, concerts, shows, performances and other events are constantly held in large cities of Russia.

› Sport life
Sport is very popular among Russians. Recently, many new gyms, outdoor workout areas, and swimming pools have opened. Multifunctional complexes with modern equipment are building. Almost every Russian university has its own sports infrastructure. Students are actively gathering in teams and win prizes at prestigious competitions. Studying in Russia is an opportunity to attend world-class sports events.

› Big cities
Leading universities are located in the largest cities of Russia with a developed infrastructure, wh ere almost every day happen various festivals, exhibitions, sports competitions, film premieres, theatrical performances and much more. In their free time, students can plunge into cultural life, attend interesting events, find a part-time job, meet interesting people and quickly adapt to a new country.

The country has centuries-old traditions of higher education. The first university in Russia was founded in 1687 and called the Slavonic, Greek, and Latin Academy. The renowned Moscow State University was established by Mikhail Lomonosov in 1755. Since then, many universities have appeared throughout Russia – from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad. Russia has given the world a multitude of outstanding intellectuals who have made great discoveries and inventions, and over 40 of them have been awarded the Nobel Prize. Currently, there are 741 universities in 82 regions of Russia that accept international students. You have a unique opportunity to come to Russia and learn about Russian academic traditions.