Open the application
In ruID, go to the application in the electronic travel authorization section.
Outside Russia
ruID
Submit your documents through the ruID app.
Admission to a Russian university
How to submit documents
Choose a convenient submission method
Other methods
University account
Apply through the official applicant account of your chosen university.
By mail
Send the document package to the admissions office by registered or trackable mail.
In person — at the university admissions office
Hand your documents to the admissions office of your chosen university.
Detailed admission process
Open the steps in order and note which documents and actions will be required.
Applications in the ruID app and the “Online university admission” super service can only be completed in RussianIf you do not speak Russian, contact the admissions office of your chosen university.
1Choose a field of study and a universityChoose a university and check the admission rules
First, find suitable universities and educational programs. Each university sets its own application deadlines, list of entrance examinations, and document requirements.
- Compare programs, tuition fees, language of instruction, and accommodation options.
- Check the admission rules on the website of each university you have selected.
- If you need assistance in Russian, contact the admissions office in advance.
Where are you submitting your documents from?
2Download the ruID appThe app is available in major app stores
Install ruID from App Store, Google Play, RuStore or AppGallery. The app is required for a foreign citizen’s digital profile and can be used to submit an application from abroad.
Installation on your phone
Complete the four steps in sequence. The name of the download button may vary depending on the app store.
Step 1
Open the app store
Use App Store, Google Play, RuStore, or AppGallery.
Step 2
Find ruID
Enter “ruID” in the search bar and select the app from the results.
Step 3
Start the download
Open the app page and tap “Download” or “Install.”
Step 4
Wait for the installation to complete
Once installation is complete, open the app and proceed to registration.
3Register with ruIDCreate a digital profile for a foreign citizen
Open the ruID app, select your preferred interface language, and tap “Register”. Create a PIN code to log in to the app, answer the question about SNILS, and enter your personal details.
- Use a valid phone number and an accessible email address.
- Enter your passport details: series, number, issuing country, expiry date, citizenship, and place of birth.
- Check the information recognized from the document and correct any inaccuracies before continuing.
- Enter the code from the image and wait for a message confirming that your digital profile is ready.
- Save your password, PIN code, and access to the selected verification channels.
Registration in the app
Complete the fields using your documents and check the information before moving to the next screen.
Step 1
Create a PIN code
Create a unique sequence of digits for quick access to ruID.
Step 2
Answer the question about SNILS
If you do not have SNILS, it may be created automatically after you enter Russia.
Step 3
Enter your personal details
Enter your surname, first name, date of birth, email address, and gender.
Step 4
Enter your passport details
Enter the number, issuing country, expiry date, citizenship, and place of birth.
Step 5
Check the application form
Check the information against your document and enter the verification code from the image.
Step 6
Wait for your profile to be ready
After verification is complete, the app will notify you that your digital profile has been created.
4Choose a submission methodThe ruID app abroad or the “Online university admission” service
In the ruID app, open the “Education” section, select “Obtain or verify education,” and then the “University admission” service. On a computer, you can continue the application on Gosuslugi.
Outside Russia
First, register in ruID. The login and password created in the app can be used to sign in to Gosuslugi on a computer.
In Russia
If you already have a verified Gosuslugi account, open the service and click “Submit an application.”
How to open the service
The required section is located in the main menu of ruID.
Step 1
Open the “Education” section
On the main screen ruID, select the “Education” card.
Step 2
Select “University admission”
In the “Obtain or confirm education” section, click “Submit an application”. The interface of this section is available in Russian.
5Complete and submit the application29 steps: from personal details to consent to submit
Complete the sections in sequence. The information in the application must match your passport, translations, and education document.
Application pathway
6 sections29 actions
Open the sections in order.
1–6Personal information and educationYour profile, citizenship, temporary or permanent residence permit, and level of previous education.
- Open the service and click “Start”
Sign in through ruID or a verified Gosuslugi account.
- Indicate whether you hold Russian citizenship
Answer the question about citizenship of the Russian Federation.
- Check your personal details
Check your surname, first name, patronymic, date of birth, and citizenship.
- Indicate whether you have a temporary residence permit or residence permit
Add information about your temporary residence permit or residence permit, if applicable.
- Confirm your compatriot status
Indicate whether you are a compatriot residing abroad.
- Select your previous education
Indicate your previous education level and the country where the document was issued.
7–12Universities, programs, and accommodationAchievements, selection of up to five universities and programs, and accommodation needs.
- Add achievements
Indicate your individual achievements, such as an honors diploma, sporting achievements, or victories in academic competitions. Then review the information about targeted education.
- Select up to five universities
A main university and its branches are considered one university.
- Check the entrance examinations
Add programs and admission competition groups. Before making your selection, open the “Entrance examinations” link for each group and compare the list of examinations.
- Add other universities
Repeat the program selection for other universities without exceeding the overall limit.
- Indicate whether you need a dormitory
Indicate whether you will need a place. Dormitory accommodation is provided subject to available housing and vacancies; the university determines the allocation procedure, taking benefits and competition into account.
- Select universities with dormitories
Select only those universities where you will need a dormitory place and where places are available for applicants.
13–17Examinations and prioritiesUnified State Exam (EGE), internal examinations, program order, and Russian language certificate.
- Enter your EGE results
Add results from the past five years, including the current year.
- Select entrance examinations
Specify internal examinations if you do not have valid EGE results. Select “EGE only” only if you have all the required results.
- Set program priorities
Assign number 1 to your preferred program and rank the others according to your preferences. Numbers must not be repeated.
- Check priorities
If a number is incorrect, go back and enter the priorities again.
- Upload your Russian language certificate
Add a Russian as a foreign language certificate if you have one.
Citizens of Belarus may apply based on the results of centralized testing or a centralized examination taken within the past two years, provided they did not take the Unified State Exam (EGE) in the same subjects in the current year.
18–20Documents and portfolioDocument details, all pages, translations, legalization, and portfolio.
- Enter the document details
Enter all information in Russian based on the notarized translation. If the document has not yet been issued, select the relevant option and provide the requested information.
- Upload your education document
All pages and supplements, a notarized translation, and, where required, legalization or an apostille are needed. Formats: PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG.
- Upload your portfolio
This is required only for programs with an entrance examination in the form of a portfolio competition.
Recognition of foreign education in Russia
The need for this procedure depends on the country where the education was obtained and the status of the document.
Document legalization
Check the requirements for the country of issuance: an apostille or consular legalization may be required, while legalization is not required for some countries.
Check country-specific requirementsRecognition of education
This is a procedure separate from legalization that confirms the level of education and the right to continue studying in Russia.
Learn about the recognition procedureExpress assessment
A voluntary preliminary assessment indicates the likely outcome but does not replace the official recognition decision.
Take the express assessmentSelf-recognition
Some universities are authorized to recognize a foreign document themselves for admission purposes. Check whether the selected university is included in the official list.
View the list of universities21–24Visa and additional informationEntry details, visa, preparatory faculty, agency, and photograph.
- Provide your entry and visa details
Add a valid Russian visa and the place where it was obtained, or your migration card details. If you do not have a visa, select the place where it will be obtained.
- Provide information about the preparatory faculty
If you attended a preparatory course, enter the details and upload the certificate.
- Specify the recruitment agency
Select an agency from the list or find it using the “Other” option.
- Upload a photo
Your face must be looking at the camera, and you must not wear a head covering. Formats: JPG, JPEG, PNG.
25–29Passport, addresses, and submissionPassport and translation, entry document, addresses, consent, and submission.
- Check your international passport details
They must match the passport and its notarized translation. Correct any errors before continuing.
- Upload your passport and its translation
Add a scan of your passport and its notarized translation. Formats: JPG, JPEG, PNG. These files are required: without them, the application will not be accepted for review.
- Specify the document for entry
Confirm the passport you will use to enter the country, enter your name in Latin characters exactly as it appears in the document, and check your phone number and email address.
- Enter your addresses
Provide your registration address in Russia, if available, your residential address in your home country, and your actual address.
- Confirm your consent and submit the application
Read the rules, check the consent box, and click “Submit application”.
After submitting: save your applicant code — you will need it to find your entry in the admission ranking lists.
6Track the application statusCheck messages in your personal account and save your applicant code
After submitting the application, monitor status changes and requests from universities. The applicant code appears in the upper-right corner of the application page and is used in competitive selection lists.
Applicant’s personal account
This section displays the selected universities, the current status of each application, and the applicant code.
Save the applicant code
The code is located on the right side of the application page. You can use it to find yourself in applicant lists and competitive selection lists on university websites.
After submittingMonitor changes to your application status in your personal account
The university may request additional information. It is important to respond on time — this affects your enrollment.
Application progressFrom registration to document verification at the university4
Registered on the portal
The application has been received in the service database.
Forwarded to the university
The document has been sent to the university.
Received by the university
The data has been received by the university.
Under review
University staff are reviewing the documents.
Action requiredYou need to provide additional information or wait for the entrance examinations2
Request for additional information
Additional information or documents must be provided.
Awaiting examination results
Not all examinations have been completed, or the university has not yet uploaded the results.
Competition and enrollmentParticipation in the admissions competition and the final enrollment order2
Participating in the admissions competition
The applicant has been included in the competition lists; the results are pending.
Included in the enrollment order
The applicant is included in the list of enrolled students.
Application completedStatuses indicating no further participation in the admissions competition.4
Rejected by the university
The university has not admitted the applicant to the admissions competition.
Withdrawn by the applicant
The applicant has deleted the entire application or competition group.
Not selected in the competition
The applicant was not selected in the competitive selection process.
Withdrawal from enrollment
No consent to enrollment was provided, or a request to be removed from the list was submitted.
7Complete enrollmentMeet the university’s requirements and wait for the enrollment order
Contact the university, fulfill the enrollment requirements, and, if necessary, sign a tuition agreement. The university determines the deadlines and procedure.
Clarify the requirements with the university
Submit your consent to enrollment (if you are applying for tuition-free study) or sign an agreement (if you are applying for tuition-based study). The university sets the exact deadline.
Submit your consent to enrollment
If you are applying for a state-funded place, submit your consent to enrollment. If you change your decision, withdraw the consent and submit it again.
Wait for the enrollment order
If you pass the competition, you will receive a notification in your personal account after the enrollment order is issued.
Without meeting the requirements established by the university, the university will not be able to complete the admission procedure.
8Submit an entry application through ruID
If this option is available for your citizenship, submit the application no later than 72 hours before your trip and wait for a positive response.
Step 1
Step 2
Provide the details
Specify the document, countries where you will cross the border, regions to be visited, length of stay, and the purpose “education”.
Step 3
Submit your preliminary biometrics
Take a facial photograph, repeat the suggested phrase, and record your voice.
Step 4
Submit the application
Do this no later than 72 hours before entry and wait for a positive response.
Available only to citizens of: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and South Ossetia.
9Enter RussiaThe procedure depends on whether you need a study visa
Prepare the documents required to cross the border. Different requirements apply to visa and visa-free entry.
If a study visa is not required
- Present an identity document at the border.
- If the trip was arranged through ruID or Gosuslugi, the information will be available to the border authorities.
- After crossing the border, a SNILS may be generated automatically if the entry application was submitted through the service.
If a study visa is required
- The university issues an invitation and sends it electronically or in paper form.
- The visa is obtained at a consular office of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your country.
- The visa confirms the right to stay in Russia for the prescribed period.
A study visa requires a certificate confirming the absence of HIV infection. The certificate is valid for one year. To apply for a study visa, your passport must be valid for more than 18 months. Documents issued outside Russia must be translated into Russian and notarized. Check the list of required medical documents with your university.
10Confirm your account after entering RussiaBiometrics, multifunctional service centers, and digital profile
After crossing the border, complete identity verification to gain full access to government services.
Confirm your biometric data
Within 10 days after entering Russia, visit a bank branch with the document you used to enter the country. A bank employee will take your photograph and record your voice.
Confirm your account
Select the nearest center in ruID and bring your identity document and SNILS, if available. You can apply for a SNILS on site.
Use your digital profile
After crossing the border, a QR code containing your personal data will be generated in ruID.
A verified account provides access to government services online, including checking and paying fines, tax debts, and state fees.
Other ways to submit documents
Choose a university first: its admissions office sets the available methods, deadlines, address and required documents.
University account
Apply through the official applicant account of your chosen university.
- Open the university page and go to its official website.
- Register for the university applicant account.
- Complete the application, upload the documents and track the status in your account.
By mail
Send the document package to the admissions office by registered or trackable mail.
- Check whether the university accepts applications by mail and confirm the deadline.
- Confirm the exact mailing address, document list and copy requirements.
- Keep the receipt and tracking number until delivery is confirmed.
In person — at the university admissions office
Hand your documents to the admissions office of your chosen university.
- Check the address, opening hours and whether an appointment is required.
- Bring originals and copies, translations and any required certificates.
- Ask for a receipt or application registration number.
Before uploadingThe data matches · the pages are legible · the format is supported
Before submitting the applicationFirst Check If required
What to prepare in advance
Gather the main documents, then check the data and file quality. Additional materials will only be required in certain cases.
Main documents
- Foreign passport (valid for more than 1.5 years)
- Notarized translation of the passport
- All pages of the educational document and its supplements
- A phone number and email address you can access at all times
Data and file quality
- The full name spelled consistently across all documents
- Legible scans with no cropped edges
- PDF, JPG, JPEG, or PNG formats
Additional materials
- Apostille or legalization
- Certificates and achievements
- A portfolio for specific programs
- An HIV-negative certificate for the visa
Start preparing for admission
Choose a university, check its admission rules, and complete the instruction steps in sequence.
