Education in Russia is available to citizens of all countries including India. We’ll tell prospective Indian students how they can enter a Russian university.
Russia and India began to cooperate in education in the 1950s. At that time, the first Indian students came to the USSR to study. Approximately in the same period, India developed an interest in Russian and included it in universities’ curricula. Russian is currently taught in Indian schools across the country. There are five Russian Centres For Science and Culture in India located in New Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, Trivandrum and Chennai. They offer Russian language courses taught by native speakers using government-approved programmes and textbooks. The rapid development of economic and cultural ties and tourism between the countries generates the demand for specialists with high level of proficiency in Russian.
Universities of the two countries conclude partnership agreements, develop joint education programmes, exchange students, launch laboratories and carry out research, “round table” discussions etc. In 2014, the two countries established the Russian-Indian Universities Association. National Research Tomsk State University is its coordinator for Russia. The association includes Far Eastern Federal University, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Lobachevsky University, National University of Science and Technology, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Higher School of Economics, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Novosibirsk State University, Samara University, ITMO National Research University, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and Ural Federal University. Among the Indian participants are University of Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology (Varanasi), Bombay Institute of Technology and Indian Statistical Institute.
An increasing number of Indians have been willing to study at Russian universities in the recent years. In the 2015/2016 academic year, Russia was providing higher education to more than 5,000 Indians on undergraduate, specialist and graduate programmes; a year later, their number increased to 6,6001. A majority of university entrants select medical programmes as the profession of doctor is among the best-paid and much needed in India, and Russian medical universities graduates’ skills are greatly appreciated. Indian applicants take an interest in engineering professions, too.
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Every year, Russian universities participate in education fairs in several Indian cities to present their programmes and provide information on admission rules and study options. New English medium programmes were announced this year: Computer and Information Science, Aerospace Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. The presentation was held in New Delhi, Chennai, Trivandrum, Mumbai and Calcuttta and involved 12 Russian universities including National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Ural Federal University, Far Eastern Federal University and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.
The Russian Centre for Science and Culture invites Indian schoolchildren to English speaking teleconferences hosted by representatives of prestigious universities. They highlight the Russian education system, tuition fees and life of Asian students in Russia. Applicants are welcome to ask questions online.
Russian universities tuition fees
Prospective Indian students are welcome to apply to any Russian university. If you have decided to study in Russia, choose the appropriate programme and the university using the search tool on studyinrussia.ru. Sign into our website and contact the university’s Admissions Board to find out about entry rules, examinations and document requirements.
Affordable tuition fees are a major advantage of study in Russia. Medicine is among the most popular fields of study. Specialist’s degree, postgraduate or medical internship programmes are available. Specialist programmes take six years to complete. Dentistry, with five-year training, is the only exception. Postgraduate studies last three years; internship programmes take two to four years to complete depending on specialty. Nursing care is the only medical bachelor’s degree programme.
In 2018, tuition in clinical medicine fields (such as pediatrics, nursing care and dentistry) and pharmacy starts at 103,000 rubles ($1,717) upwards for specialist programmes, 115,000 rubles ($1,917) for postgraduate programms and 138,000 rubles ($2,300) for medical internship programmes. In fundamental medicine, tuition fees start from 153,000 rubles ($2,550) a year for specialist's degree programmes, 161,000 rubles ($2,683) a year for postgraduate programmes and 138,000 rubles ($2,300) a year for internship programmes. Tuition fees for undergraduate programmes in nursing care start upwards of 103,000 rubles ($1,717).
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Engineering professions can be learnt at undergraduate and specialist degree levels. According to 2018 data, tuition fees for BA and specialist's degree programmes in mathematics and computer science, fundamental informatics and information science start from 89,000 rubles ($1,483) a year, MA programmes tuition fees start from 96,000 rubles ($1,600) a year and payments for postgraduate programmes start from 161,000 rubles ($2,683) a year. Undergraduate and specialist programmes in nuclear power engineering and aircraft and rocket engineering are priced at 153,000 rubles ($2,550) a year, masters and postgraduate programmes in these fields are priced from 161,000 rubles ($2,683).
These are the minimum prices approved by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science; the current price depends on the university, mode of study, region and other factors. Use our convenient search tool to look up the tuition fee for a given education programme.
University entry options
Indian applicants can sign a study contract with a Russian university or qualify for a scholarship if they have good grades in their secondary education certificate. Candidates can consider several competitive selection options to get a scholarship:
Unified State Exam
The Unified State Exam (EGE) is the most difficult way for prospective Indian students to secure a government-funded place. To pass the EGE, a candidate has to be proficient in the language as all assignments are completed in Russian. The examination is taken at EGE centres; as a rule they are schools operating under the aegis of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There are several such schools in India: in New Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai (their addresses are available on the Russian Foreign Ministry website). EGE applications are forwarded to these schools from 1 November till 1 February. For additional information contact personnel of the Federal Service for the Supervision of Education and Science (Rosobrnadzor) who are responsible for EGE arrangements abroad.
International Olympiads
Every year, Russian universities, their associations and the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) hold international Olympiads to select talented schoolchildren. Time to Study in Russia is an Olympiad organised in India by leading Russian universities such as Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, National University of Science and Technology etc. Some intellectual competitions are held online, for example the international Olympiad Open Doors: Russian Scholarship Project for prospective graduate students or University of Tyumen’s Talent++ for prospective postgraduates.
These academic competitions secure various advantages for the winners and runners up who get extra points, tuition discounts and even the opportunity to enrol at the university without taking entrance tests. More information on major international Olympiads is here.
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Russian government scholarship contest
Every year, the Russian government sets aside 15,000 university places for foreign nationals. The selection of candidates is the prerogative of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) which has centres in many countries including India (in New Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, Trivandrum and Chennai). Contact Rossotrudnichestvo over scholarship quotas.
Language of instruction
Students in Russia can take Russian and English medium programmes. If an applicant wishes to study in Russian but cannot speak it well enough, they can enter the Preparatory Department which is available at any Russian university. Foreign nationals take a year-long Preparatory Department course in Russian and the disciplines linked to their future profession. At the end of the academic year, they take examinations, get a certificate of completion of pre-university training and apply for the major. Russian universities offer international students English-taught programmes in different fields. However, it is best to acquire basic Russian skills at intensive language courses or summer schools for quick adaptation to the country.
Document requirements
An Indian applicant seeking to enter a Russian university needs to prepare documents including Higher/Senior Secondary School Leaving Certificate / Pre-University Certificate / Indian Senior Certificate Examination. Under the Russian-Indian Agreement on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil and Trade Matters2 the certificate does not have to be apostilled; however, it must be translated into Russian and notarised according to the established procedure. Some universities prefer the translation by the Russian consulate in India over notary office translation. A prospective student also has to submit an application to the university, passport and medical certificate and photos. Contact university representatives for document details. Sign into the website and contact university staff directly to learn complete information. They will reply within ten days.
Entry into Russia
Indian students planning to study at a Russian university will need a student visa. Contact Russian consulates in India (New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Calcutta) over obtaining a student visa; their addresses can be found on the Russian Embassy in India website. A student visa can only be obtained if a student has an invitation from the host university sent through Russia’s Federal Migration Service. An Indian national should turn up at the university for enrolment and registration within 24 hours upon arrival in Russia.
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Russian university degrees authentication
Indian nationals who received degrees from a Russian university should have them apostilled in accordance with the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention3. Contact the regional Education Department for this service; their addresses are available on the Russian Ministry of Education and Science website or on the website of the Federal Service for the Supervision of Education and Science (Rosobrnadzor). You can only apostille the degree certificates issued by state-owned universities or government-accredited private universities. The period of application review is 45 days. Contact Rosobrnadzor representatives for the list of required documents.
As for medical degrees from Russian universities, their recognition in India is handled by the Medical Council of India (MCI). Indian nationals certified in Russia for medical profession can start practicing medicine in their home country only after registering at the MSI and passing the Screening Test. In addition, the Russian university that conferred the degree on the graduate should be on the list of MCI-recognised universities. This list includes I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Far Eastern Federal University, Kazan Federal University, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Novosibirsk State University, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia and Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University.
