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 896 universities in 85 regions of Russia that accept international students. You have a unique opportunity to come to Russia and learn about Russian academic traditions.
Russian universities offer several types of education. Firstly, there is full-time attendance, when you need to be present at the university classes during the day. Secondly, there is the evening option, when you attend classes in weekday evenings and weekend days. Thirdly, you may choose part-time enrolment, where students listen to introductory lectures and subsequently study at home in accordance with a specially developed curriculum, and then come to the university to pass tests and exams. There are several levels of higher education: You can study in programme that award a Bachelor's, Specialist, Master's, or Postgraduate Degree as well as professional training programme or career advancement programme, or you can simply come to study Russian language.
After completing and sending the application form online, you shall send copies of your documents of: Copy of your school certificates + Copy of your passport, for approbation of acceptance.
For the pre-Masters courses, typical entry requirements are at least 3 years of higher education and UKV IELTS 5.5 (minimum of 5.0 in all skills).
If you do not meet the English language entry level but have at let UKVI IELTS 4.5 (minimum 4.0 in all skills) you can do a course that includes extended English and skills (EES).
Intake: Students may be able to start in spring (January – April), summer (May – August) or autumn (September – November).
Studying at a Russian university on a contract basis is an optimum combination of a price and quality: international students gain fundamental knowledge and prestigious diplomas for a very reasonable price. The tuition fees of Russian universities may be different, but in any case, it is lower than in Europe or in other countries.
At the same time, the quality of Russian education is as fine as European one. The Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation determines the minimum tuition fee – it cannot be less than the amount invested in education per student by the state. Certainly, tuition fees of Russian universities depends on the specific curriculum, its duration and the institution where the training will take place.
In addition, household spending in Russia (housing, food, transportation, medical insurance and others) is lower than in many countries. Full-time international students are offered a variety of benefits, the same as Russian students. Some Russian universities sometimes encourage talented students and give them discounts on tuition.
After completing four-years-undergraduate programmes, students receive a bachelor's degree and a diploma of higher education. After that, students can continue their studies and take a Master programme.
Training on full-time program of the Bachelor's Degree costs approximately 120-140 thousand rubles ($ 2,100-2,400)* per year. The minimum cost is 67 thousand rubles ($1200) per year; the maximum – 380 thousand rubles (about $6600) per year.
How much does it need to spend to get a Specialist’s degree in a Russian University?
Specialist’s degree is awarded after at least five years of training. It has more of practical focus in comparison to a Bachelor.
The cost of training on the full-time department of the Specialist’s degree is about 150-170 thousand rubles (2600-3000 dollars)* per year on average. The minimum cost is 68 thousand rubles ($ 1,200) per year. The maximum is 430 thousand rubles ($ 7,500) per year.
The cost of studying a Specialist degree in a medical university in Russia is on average 220-250 thousand rubles ($3,800-4,300) per year.
Master’s degree is awarded after two years of training and provides a deeper knowledge of the chosen major of studies. You can apply for a Master programme if you have either Bachelor’s or Specialist’s degree.
Training on the full-time department of Master’s degree on average costs 160-180 thousand rubles ($2,700-3,000)* per year. The minimal cost is 82 thousand rubles (about $1,400) per year. Maximum – 450 thousand rubles ($7,800) per year.
Studies in postgraduate programmes last at least three years. Graduates with Master or Specialist degree can apply for a postgraduate programme, if they are interested in research and teaching. After the defense of the thesis, graduate students are awarded the degree of Candidate of Science (PhD).
Training on the full-time department of the post-graduate course costs on average 200-220 thousand rubles ($3440-3800)* per year. The minimum cost is 72 thousand rubles ($1,240) per year. The maximum – 250 thousand rubles ($4,300) per year.
Many universities have Preparatory Departments, where potential international students can take an intensive educational course, which allows them to apply to any Russian university in future. Usually the programme includes an intensive Russian language course, as well as some general courses which a necessary for examination on a chosen major of study. Training in the Preparatory Department can take from a few months to a year.
Bachelor and Master programmes differ in curriculum and tuition fees. Training in the preparatory department, for both undergraduate and graduate students, costs approximately the same – an average of 120 thousand rubles ($2,100)* for the annual course.
There are short thematic programmes, which include not only training, but also cultural and entertainment programme in the most universities. Most often, it is a Summer School, but universities also host spring, autumn and winter courses. As a rule, such programmes last from three to eight weeks and provided with a certificate of participation.
Tuition fee in a Summer School on average is about 20-40 thousand rubles ($350-690 dollars)*. Sometimes universities offer students to pay only travel, or travel and accommodation, and the educational programme itself is free of charge.
In line with global education trends, Russia’s leading universities offer studying in English. You will be able to study in Russia if you know only the basics of the Russian language or even if you don't know it at all.
To find a programme quickly, use the Study in Russia search service, and select the appropriate parameters (language of instruction – English).
The terms and conditions of admission to English-language programmes of Russian universities vary. It all depends on the university, the programme and the student’s chosen subject. Applicants are typically asked to send a document certifying their previous education (a diploma or a certificate), a cover letter, and to confirm their level of English (usually an IELTS or TOEFL certificate). At some institutions you need to submit a CV, a portfolio, references from teachers, and complete an interview in English (by phone or Skype).
Of course, it is difficult to foresee everything you will need in Russia during your studies since certain things can only be learned through experience. However, some things can be learned in advance. We have prepared a set of useful articles. After reading them, you will find out approximately how much money you will need to live in Russia, how much housing, food, public transport, and medical insurance cost on average, and what benefits you will receive as a student. You will also learn about safety in Russia, how you can spend your leisure time, what food Russians prefer as well as specifics about the climate in different parts of this enormous country.
Studyinrussia.ru lists 3,400 education programmes offered by best Russian state universities. Using our convenient search tool, you can select your undergraduate, specialist's degree*, graduate, PhD or clinical internship major, as well as the minor (Preparatory Department, summer/winter school, Russian language courses etc). The description of each programme contains information on tuition fee, language of instruction and supervisor’s contacts. Sign into the website and send your application directly to the university designating the programme you have chosen.
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