Programs and degrees at Russian universities

Russia has many universities and programs, and the choice can feel large. This guide explains how degrees are organised, which language you can study in and how to choose a program and a city that suit you.

How higher education is organised

Russian higher education has several levels. The lengths below are the usual ones for full-time study. They can differ by field and by university, so always check the exact length on the program page.

• Bachelor’s degree (бакалавриат): usually 4 years.
• Specialist degree (специалитет): usually 5 to 6 years. It is one long program that prepares you for a specific profession. General medicine is the best-known example and usually takes 6 years.
• Master’s degree (магистратура): usually 2 years, after a bachelor’s or specialist degree.
• Postgraduate study (аспирантура): usually 3 to 4 years of research after a master’s or specialist degree, comparable to a PhD program.

The academic year starts on 1 September. If your degree is taught in Russian and you do not speak Russian yet, you will usually begin with a preparatory year of language and subject classes.

On a study visa, choose full-time study (очная форма). The rules on extending your stay and on working in your free time are written for full-time students.

Russian or English: the language of teaching

Most programs in Russia are taught in Russian. To start a bachelor’s degree in Russian, you usually need level B1. Some master’s programs, and language fields, ask for B2 or C1.

A growing number of programs are taught in English, more often at master’s level. Check the language of each program, not only of the university. One university may teach a field in Russian in one program and in English in another.

Even if you study in English, daily life happens in Russian: shops, doctors and offices. Learning some Russian before you leave will help you in any program.

Popular fields for international students

International students in Russia study almost every subject. These fields attract many of them:

• Medicine and health
• Engineering and technology
• IT and computer science
• Sciences and mathematics
• Economics and business
• Humanities, law and international relations
• Agriculture
• Russian language and teaching

You can filter our list of universities by these fields and by city.

How to choose a program and a city

Think about these points in this order.

1. Your field and your plans. Start with the job you want later. If you plan to work in your home country, ask the authority there that recognises foreign diplomas how it treats a Russian degree in your field. This matters most for regulated professions such as medicine.
2. Language. Decide whether you will study in Russian, with a preparatory year if needed, or in English.
3. Budget. Fees vary by university, program and city, so check the current amount on the university’s official website. Living costs are usually higher in Moscow and Saint Petersburg than in most other cities. Plan for housing, food, health insurance and travel as well as fees.
4. Climate. Winters are long and cold everywhere in Russia. They are colder in Siberian cities such as Tomsk and Novosibirsk, and milder in the south, around Rostov-on-Don and Volgograd.
5. People you know. Friends, relatives or a community from your country can make the first year easier. Ask the university’s international office whether it already has students from your country.

Our cities guide can help you compare cities. If you hope to study for free, read about the Russian Government scholarship (state quota) in our admissions guide.

Check the university and find programs

Before you apply, check two things:

• The university holds a state licence to teach.
• Your program has state accreditation.

Russian universities publish this information on their official websites, usually in a section called “Сведения об образовательной организации” (information about the educational organisation). Rosobrnadzor, the federal service that supervises education, keeps the official registers.

Accreditation matters for more than your diploma. For example, full-time students in state-accredited programs may work in their free time without a work permit. Read more in our work guide.

To search for programs, use official sources:

• Study in Russia (studyinrussia.ru), the official portal of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. It lists universities and programs and offers online admission.
• The university’s own website. Check fees, deadlines and the language of teaching there.
• Our universities list, which shows well-known universities by city and field. It is for information only and is not a list of partners.

Your next step

When you have a shortlist, read our admissions guide to see the documents and deadlines. If your program is taught in Russian, read about the preparatory year.

Still unsure which program fits you? Tell us about your plans through the Start Your Journey form. We will reply by email with next steps, in your language.