Guide to Moscow Universities: What You Need to Know to Apply for Commerce

MSU is a leading Russian university. It ranks first in the ranking . This year, the institution, excluding branches in Grozny and Sevastopol, allocated 3.9 thousand budget places, Novye Izvestia calculated.

The number of commercial programs and the cost of education vary depending on the faculty and the chosen specialty. For some programs, such as the International Law Program of the Faculty of Law, Business Informatics, Management, Linguistics at the Higher School of Translation and Economics at the Moscow School of Economics, you can only enroll in a fee-paying department.

How many budget and commercial places are there in MSU faculties — 2025. Photo: 1MI

Future economists and managers will have to pay 750 thousand rubles per year. This is one of the highest prices for education at the best university. There are 196 budget and 380 contract places in these specialties at the Faculty of Economics of Moscow State University. Over the year, the cost has increased by 27% . In 2024, it was 590 thousand rubles.

Some of the most expensive areas at the university are also at the faculty of fundamental medicine. The cost of training in the specialty of "general medicine" is 724 thousand rubles per year, in the specialty of "pharmacy" — 612 thousand. Growth over the year by 44%.

690 thousand rubles is the cost of tuition at the Faculty of Law. The cost of tuition at the Faculty of Public Administration has increased by 20% in a year. For first-year applicants in 2025, the price will be 512.8 thousand rubles . The same amount is tuition at the Faculty of World Politics, the Higher School of Public Audit, etc.

Half a million rubles a year is the minimum price for studying at Moscow State University. Even at the Physics Department, where the largest number of budget places are provided, the cost for applicants this year will be 547.2 thousand rubles. Maternity capital, which currently reaches 690 thousand rubles, will not cover even 1.5 years of a child's education at the best university in the country.

The cost of studying at Baumanka in commerce also depends on the chosen specialty. The most budget-friendly direction is "sociology". For a year of study in this specialty, you will have to pay 359 thousand rubles . This is 12.5% ​​more expensive than for those entering last year.

Unlike Moscow State University, "Economics and Management" is one of the least expensive majors at Bauman Moscow State Technical University. A year of study in these specialties at the university will cost 379 thousand rubles.

But the most expensive direction is “design” – 666 thousand rubles . The price increase over the year is 7.5%.

Non-budgetary ones also include:

MIPT has 1,092 budget places for this year's graduates. Almost half of them - 545 - are in the "applied mathematics and physics" training areas.

Only 318 students will be accepted on a contract this year. The cost of studying at the university starts from 767 thousand rubles . Over the year, the minimum price has increased by 64% . For comparison: in 2024, graduates could study on a contract in "applied mathematics and computer science" for 467 thousand rubles.

The most expensive area this year is the educational programs of the Phystech School of High-Tech Business. A year of study for applicants in 2025/2026 costs 2 million rubles . This is even more expensive than in a medical school.

The second most expensive programs are those of the Higher School of Software Engineering at MIPT. A year of study in each of the programs costs 957 thousand rubles. In 2024, it was possible to enroll here for 648 thousand rubles — 47% cheaper.

The top three also includes "nuclear physics and technology" and "technical physics". For contract training in these specialties, you will have to pay 893 thousand rubles.

By the way, not everyone will be accepted, even if you have an extra two million annually. The minimum passing score this year for the Unified State Exam in Russian should be no lower than 70, and in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science and other subjects - from 85 and above.

The most expensive training program at Sechenov University is "medical care", profile "health modeling". Over six years, you will have to pay 9.2 million rubles . The cost is comparable to the price of a two-room apartment in the regions.

Dentists are in second place. You will have to shell out 5.9 million rubles for the period of study only for a specialist degree. You will pay almost half a million more when entering a residency in a narrow profile. Don't be surprised later why the prices for dental services are so high. The entire salary of doctors for the next 15 years after graduation goes to repaying educational loans.

The most budget-friendly course at the university is "social work". A year of study in correspondence will cost 165 thousand rubles. However, except for the tick about graduating from a medical school, all the benefits end there. You will not be able to work as a doctor after completing such courses. But beauty salons will take such a specialist "with a medical education" with all their might.

By the way, Sechenov University has seen one of the lowest indexations of commercial tuition in a year. Depending on the field, contract tuition has increased in price by 7-22%.

Tuition fees at MEPhI start at 170,000 rubles per semester if you enroll in "economics" or "management." The price for "physics" and "biotechnical systems and technologies" is 250,000 rubles. This year, 574 graduates will be accepted on a contract basis.

The most budget-friendly program at MGIMO is "sociology of digital communications" at the Faculty of International Journalism and environmental programs at the Institute of International Trade and Sustainable Development. A year of study will cost 625 thousand and 675 thousand rubles, respectively.

The most expensive program is "international finance and investment management", implemented jointly with a Swiss university. A year of study there costs 1.2 million rubles.

The cheapest course to study at the Higher School of Economics is jurisprudence. The cost of tuition per year is 370 thousand rubles. But the program is full-time and part-time. The most expensive course is "international business". You will have to pay 1 million rubles per year to study in this specialty. The international program in economics and finance costs 900 thousand rubles per year.

Going on a contract is the only chance to study at Moscow universities for those who did poorly on the Unified State Exam. And there are more such graduates this year, Novye Izvestia wrote earlier. Not every family can afford to pay for expensive education, but sending your child to study in the regions is also not an option. The alternative is to take out an educational loan. There are risks in this case, too, as discussed below.

Banks issue educational loans at 3% per annum. During the period of study, the student pays only interest on the loan, and nine months after graduation - the principal of the loan. The preferential rate is valid for the entire term. The loan must be repaid within 15 years after graduation.

An important nuance: if for some reason the student is expelled from the university, the bank will have to return the full cost of the loan at the market interest rate. It is currently 21.7%.

"This is a huge motivation to finish your studies. Otherwise, you will have to pay the bank the fabulous interest that the state is currently paying for you," Elena K., a first-year student at the Russian State Humanitarian University, told NI.

Last year, she took out an educational loan for the entire term of her studies when it became clear that even with an average score of 80, there was no chance of getting into the budget: beneficiaries and visitors from the regions took all the places. She plans to pay it back after graduating from the university, when she gets a job.