Belarusian State University
Беларускі дзяржаўны ўніверсітэт
Belarus's first and largest classical university, admitting international students by interview rather than entrance exam.
- Tuition
- $3,365
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1921
- QS World Ranking
- #533
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Urban
- 166 buildings and 9 facilities with more than 420,000 sq m of floor space
About BSU
Belarusian State University, founded in 1921, calls itself the country's flagship higher education institution. Its main building stands on Nezavisimosti Avenue in central Minsk, and the university is organised into 16 faculties and 10 educational institutes, among them faculties of mechanics and mathematics, physics, applied mathematics and computer science, radiophysics, chemistry, biology, law, economics, international relations, journalism and philology, plus the School of Business and the International Sakharov Environmental Institute.
BSU says it has more than 5,000 international students and 185,000+ graduates, and it offers 83 bachelor's specialities. It is also a large research and production complex, with 41 faculty research laboratories, 6 research institutes, a research and technology park and 6 manufacturing enterprises; in 2010 it installed the SKIF supercomputer cluster.
For international applicants the route is simple: there is no entrance exam for bachelor's programmes, only an interview testing your command of the language of instruction, Russian or English. Fees for 2026-27 run from about $3,365 to $5,000 a year. It suits students who want a broad classical university in a capital city at moderate cost, and who are ready to study in Russian or pick one of the English-taught programmes.
Why students choose BSU
No entrance exam for international bachelor's applicants: admission is based on an interview in Russian or English.
English-taught bachelor's programmes in fields such as Economics, International Relations, World Economy, Geoinformation Systems and Business Administration, at $5,000 a year.
Russian-taught science and mathematics programmes from $3,365 a year, with a preparatory department for students who need Russian first.
Dormitory places for international students at an estimated $50-70 a month.
Admissions
2026-27 intake (international applications open mid-July to 15 October 2026); the 2027-28 intake follows the same pattern
Selectivity
BSU does not publish an acceptance rate. Belarusian citizens (and citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) compete for state-funded or paid places on centralised testing results; other international applicants are admitted to paid places on the basis of a language interview.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign secondary school certificate | Complete secondary education, with the original certificate and transcript legalised in the issuing country, recognised in Belarus and translated into Russian by a notary |
|---|---|
| Language of instruction | Sufficient Russian (tested at interview) for Russian-taught programmes, or English for English-taught programmes; applicants who fail the Russian interview can join the preparatory department |
| Belarusian and certain CIS citizens | Centralised testing results (or university tests), competing for state-funded or paid places under BSU's admission procedure |
| English language | No specific test score is required; English (for English-taught programmes) or Russian ability is assessed in the admission interview. |
Deadlines
- International applications (2026-27 intake) Non-binding Next deadline · In 9 days15 October 2026
Documents accepted from mid-July; language interviews run from August to 15 October, and from September 2026 every Tuesday and Thursday. Applicants must be in Belarus for the interview.
- Pre-University Preparatory Course Non-binding In 26 days1 November 2026
For students who need to learn Russian before starting a degree.
These dates are for the current 2026-27 intake. BSU has not yet published 2027-28 dates; based on its standing rules, international admission runs from mid-July to 15 October each year.
How to apply
Choose a speciality, then (if you need a visa) apply to BSU for a study invitation and obtain a Belarusian study visa. On arrival in Minsk, have a medical examination, submit your application, passport, legalised and recognised school documents with notarised Russian translations, medical and HIV certificates and photos to the Department of International Relations, pass the language interview, and sign a tuition contract. An applicant's personal account is available at abit.bsu.by.
What admissions looks for
- Completed secondary education that is legalised and recognised in Belarus.
- Enough Russian (or English, for English-taught programmes) to master the programme, as tested at interview.
- Complete, correctly translated and notarised documents submitted in person during the admission period.
- For CIS applicants competing with Belarusians, strong centralised testing scores.
Tips for applying to BSU
- 1 Start the legalisation and recognition of your school certificate early; BSU accepts only originals legalised in the issuing country and recognised in Belarus.
- 2 If you are from a visa country, apply for BSU's study invitation well before the October deadline, since it has to be approved by the migration service before you can get a visa.
- 3 Budget for arrival costs listed by BSU: document processing $55, registration $70, medical examination $100 and insurance of about EUR 170 a year.
- 4 If your Russian is weak, choose an English-taught programme or plan a preparatory year first.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
International students on the standard route study on a fee-paying contract; places funded by the state are open to citizens of Belarus and of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and to foreigners admitted under international agreements. BSU does not list general scholarships for international bachelor's students on its admission pages.
- About $50-70 per month
- Dormitory for international students
- Document processing $55, visa $60, registration $70, medical examination $100
- One-off arrival costs listed by BSU
Academics
International Relations (English or Russian)
Taught in the Faculty of International Relations; $5,000 a year in English or $4,575 in Russian.
Applied Computer Science
Offered by the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science and the Faculty of Radiophysics and Computer Technologies at $3,625 a year.
Mathematics and Mechanics
Four-year Russian-taught programmes in the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics at $3,365 a year.
Economics (English-taught)
A four-year English-language bachelor's in the Faculty of Economics at $5,000 a year.
Nuclear and Radiation Safety
A five-year programme at the International Sakharov Environmental Institute, at $3,600 a year.
Research
- BSU has 6 research institutes, 41 research laboratories in its faculties and a research and technology park.
- Its 6 manufacturing enterprises produce hardware, devices, materials and technologies developed at the university.
- The SKIF supercomputer cluster, installed in 2010, is available to BSU teachers, researchers and postgraduates.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics
- Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science
- Faculty of Physics
- Faculty of Radiophysics and Computer Technologies
- Faculty of Chemistry
- Faculty of Biology
- Faculty of Geography and Geoinformatics
- Faculty of International Relations
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Economics
- School of Business
- International Sakharov Environmental Institute
Student life
BSU is a city university spread across 19 academic buildings in Minsk, with 10 dormitories. Students have 70 computer laboratories and a central sports complex with a swimming pool, gyms, a skiing centre and a stadium, and 7 university museums. Students' self-governance and a students' trade union run activities alongside faculty events, and BSU students regularly compete internationally, with recent news of wins in draughts and geology championships. International students come from many countries and are supported by the Department of International Relations.
- Sports complex in central Minsk with a swimming pool, stadium and skiing centre.
- 10 dormitories, with places for international students at about $50-70 a month.
- 7 university museums.
- More than 5,000 international students.
Housing. BSU provides dormitory places to international students who need them, at an estimated $50-70 a month depending on season and amenities.
Location
Minsk is the capital of Belarus, and BSU's main building is on Nezavisimosti Avenue in the city centre, with the international office on Leningradskaya Street nearby. BSU estimates day-to-day living costs at about $300 a month, low by European standards. Foreign students must register with the migration authorities after arriving.
Nearest airport: Minsk National Airport (MSQ)
Notable alumni
- SA Svetlana AlexievichJournalist and author; Nobel Prize in Literature 2015
- SS Stanislav ShushkevichPhysicist and first head of state of independent Belarus
- LA Lev ArtsimovichPhysicist and Soviet Academy of Sciences academician
- BM Boris MordukhovichMathematician, professor at Wayne State University
- IN Ilya NemenmanTheoretical physicist at Emory University; studied physics at BSU before completing his bachelor's degree in the US (no BSU degree)
- UA Uladzimir ArlouHistorian and writer; graduated from BSU's School of History in 1975
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to take an entrance exam to study at BSU as an international student?
No. International bachelor's applicants are admitted on the basis of an interview in the language of instruction, Russian or English.
How much does Belarusian State University cost for international students?
For 2026-27, bachelor's tuition is $3,365 to $5,000 a year depending on the programme; English-taught programmes cost $5,000. A dormitory place is about $50-70 a month.
Does BSU teach in English?
Yes, some bachelor's programmes are taught in English, including Economics, International Relations, World Economy, International Logistics, Geoinformation Systems and several School of Business programmes. Most others are in Russian.
When is the application deadline at BSU?
International applications for bachelor's and master's programmes are accepted from mid-July to 15 October, and the preparatory course takes applications until 1 November.
Do I need a visa to study at BSU?
Citizens of countries that need a visa for Belarus must first obtain a BSU study invitation and then a study visa; visa-free citizens can travel without one.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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