Universities and Colleges in Russia - Courses, Fees, Scholarships, Admission Requirements & Grades

Renowned for its rich cultures and traditions, state-of-the-art infrastructure and technological advancements, Russia is gradually becoming one of the top study-abroad destinations for international students.

From Moscow being one of the best student cities to Lomonosov Moscow State University, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, RUDN University, Saint Petersburg State University, and Kazan Federal University, being a part of the top 500 global universities, Russia is a top choice to pursue higher education abroad.

In order to get enrolled as a student in any Russian university, all interested students must appear for at least one of the following English proficiency exam(s): IELTS/TOEFL.

As of 2024, the count of international students enrolled in Russian universities is more than 355,000. Russia is particularly popular among Indian students planning to study MBBS abroad.

Universities in Russia: Highlights

Parameter	Statistics
Number of universities in Russia	More than 60
Tuition fees of universities in Russia	INR 10 L - 40 L
Top Streams in Russia	MBBS, MBA/PGDM, MIM, MS, MD, BDS
English language exams required	IELTS/TOEFL

Why Study in Russia?

Russia is a very favourable destination for overseas students, as it is home to several globally renowned universities. Russia offers higher education degrees that are accepted and recognized throughout the world and the majority of Russian courses encourage students to obtain experience while they are enrolled, providing them with professional experience.

A wide variety of scholarships are available to support education, and one of the main draws to Russia is the country's affordable educational system. International students holding a work permit and or those enrolled in a full-time program at a state-accredited university are permitted to work part-time jobs.

Here’s all you need to know about studying in Russia.

Top Universities in Russia

Lomonosov Moscow State University, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, and RUDN University are some of the top-ranked universities in Russia, which are part of the top 350 universities in the world.

Given below is the list of the top 10 universities in Russia as per some of the top university ranking bodies:

Russian University	QS World University Rankings 2025	Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025
Lomonosov Moscow State University	#94	#107
Bauman Moscow State Technical University	#298	#351-400
RUDN University	#316	#601-800
Saint Petersburg State University	#365	NA
Kazan Federal University	#401	#801-1000
HSE University	#410	#401-500
Tomsk State University	#431	#501-600
Novosibirsk State University	#442	#801-1000
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology	#456	#251-300
National Research Nuclear University MEPhl	#497	#501-600

Here’s detailed information about top-ranked universities in Russia:

Best Business & Management Universities in Russia:

As per the QS World University Rankings for Business & Management, the top universities in Russia are:

University Name	QS Subject Rankings
HSE University	#110
Lomonosov Moscow State University	#148
Saint Petersburg State University	#151-200

Best Engineering Universities in Russia:

As per the QS World University Rankings for Engineering & Technology, the top universities in Russia are:

University Name	QS Subject Rankings
Lomonosov Moscow State University	#58
Bauman Moscow State Technical University	#170
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology	#182

Top Courses in Russia

Russia is known for its quality of teaching and world-class programs all around the globe. Most of the Russian universities offer popular courses such as the MBA/PGDM, MS, BBA, BE/BTech, MIM and more.

Top Courses in Russia	Count of Universities
MBBS	56
MBA/PGDM	4
MIM	4
MS	3
MD	2
BDS	2
MPH	1
BSN	1
LLB	1

Admission Requirements to Study in Russia

Listed below are the details:

Entrance exams accepted by universities in Russia:

A few universities in Russia may require GMAT/GRE scores as an entry requirement and international students must fulfil this criterion to secure admission, especially in Business & Management courses. However, most of the universities do not mandate it.

English language requirements by universities in Russia:

In order to get into a university in Russia, all international students must provide proof of proficiency in the English language, as an admission requirement. Majority of the Russian universities accept IELTS/TOEFL score(s) for their English language requirements. In Russia, nearly all the universities accept IELTS scores. Hence, students must take this test (if possible).

English Proficiency Exams Accepted	Count of Universities
IELTS	54
TOEFL	16

Cost of Studying in Russia

On average, the cost of studying in Russia can be considered affordable, as all Russian universities have an annual tuition fee under INR 10 L, which makes them ideal study-abroad options.

First-Year Tuition Fee Range	Count of Universities
Up to INR 10 L	62

Cost of Living in Russia

Russia is a popular choice among students all around the globe even though its cost of living is quite heavy on the pocket. On average, the monthly cost of living in Russia for international students ranges between INR 30 K - 40 K for Indian students. However, the expenses are very subjective, depending on the lifestyle and purchasing power of the student residing and studying at a university in Russia.

Scholarships Offered by Universities in Russia

Several universities in Russia offer scholarships to international students and some are publicly funded, to help students cut down the expenses of studying abroad. Some scholarships to study in Russia for Indian students are listed below:

Scholarship Name	Maximum Disbursement Amount
K.C. Mahindra Scholarships for Post-Graduate Studies Abroad	INR 8,00,000
Haini Zeini Scholarships	INR 82,500
Narotam Sekhria’s Scholarships	NA

Jobs in Russia

Studying in Russia is very fruitful for students worldwide as the return on investment is huge. Some of the most popular and highest-paying job sectors for international students in Russia are Finance, IT, Engineering, Oil and Gas, Telecommunications, etc.

Listed below are the details of the average salary offered after education from the top-ranked Russian universities:

University	Average Salary
Lomonosov Moscow State University	INR 4.1 L
Bauman Moscow State Technical University	INR 20 L - 60 L
RUDN University	INR 8 L - 11 L
Saint Petersburg State University	INR 3 L
Kazan Federal University	INR 5.3 L

Anushree Sinha03-25-2022 00:00