How to Apply to Universities in Russia (2027): Step by Step
Foreign citizens need a visa to enter Russia unless an agreement allows visa-free entry, and a study visa is applied for at the Russian consulate where the applicant permanently lives, with an original invitation issued by a territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a passport valid for at least one and a half years and an HIV-free certificate valid for 3 months. The Consular Department says the visa fee is charged on a reciprocity basis and points to each consulate's tariff, without stating an amount. Verified university examples: HSE University's Moscow master's tuition table runs from 390,000 to 950,000 rubles per year, RUDN University's English-taught General Medicine costs 12,000 US dollars per academic year, and Sechenov University charges 1,300,000 rubles per year for General Medicine.
Choose a university and programme and check the language of instruction. English-taught programmes exist at HSE University (master's), RUDN University (bachelor's, specialist's, master's) and Sechenov University (General Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy).
Apply through the university's online service (HSE: My Application or Gosuslugi; RUDN: International Applicant Personal Account; Sechenov: ruID and Gosuslugi or the applicant account) before the deadline: HSE fee-paying master's, August 8, 2026; RUDN additional round, October 2, 2026; Sechenov, August 18, 2026 (2026/2027 cycle).
Take the entrance step: portfolio evaluation, a computer test, or an interview in English where the programme is English-medium.
Sign the tuition contract and pay, then receive the university's invitation to enter Russia, issued by a territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Apply for the study visa at the Russian consular institution where you permanently live, with passport, electronic application form, photographs, fee, the original invitation and an HIV-free certificate valid for 3 months.