HSE University
Национальный исследовательский университет «Высшая школа экономики»
Moscow's post-1992 economics and social science university, now a multi-campus research university admitting by exam and olympiad.
- Students
- 63,200
- International
- 9%
- of students
- Tuition
- RUB 200K
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1992
About HSE
HSE University (the National Research University Higher School of Economics) was created by government decree in November 1992 to train economists and analysts for Russia's transition to a market economy, at a time when existing universities taught little modern economics. It has since grown far beyond economics into a broad research university covering mathematics, computer science, physics, law, humanities, social sciences, design and media.
HSE has campuses in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Perm plus an online campus, with 63,200 students and PhD students, about 5,800 of them international, and 6,900 academic staff. In Moscow, teaching is organised into faculties such as Economic Sciences, Computer Science, Mathematics, Law, World Economy and International Affairs, the Graduate School of Business and the Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM). Bachelor's students follow a structure of a major, a minor and compulsory 'data culture' courses in digital literacy, programming and data analysis.
Admission is exam-driven: Russian applicants compete with Unified State Exam (USE) scores and olympiad results, while international applicants sit HSE's own entrance exams, use recognised international exam results, or win an olympiad. It suits students who test well, like quantitative work, and are comfortable studying and living in Russia.
Non scholae, sed vitae discimus
“Not for the school but for life we study” — university motto
Why students choose HSE
Every bachelor's student takes a minor and a compulsory data culture track in digital literacy, programming and data analysis, whatever their major.
International applicants can earn a tuition-free place through the HSE International Olympiad, the Open Doors olympiad or a Rossotrudnichestvo quota, as well as through HSE's entrance exams.
The International College of Economics and Finance (ICEF) runs a four-year, English-taught economics bachelor's with international partners and a double-degree option.
HSE reports that 95% of alumni are employed six months after graduation.
Admissions
2027 entry (dates below are from the 2026 admissions campaign unless noted)
Selectivity
HSE does not publish an overall acceptance rate. Admission to both state-funded and fee-paying places is competitive and ranked: fee-paying international applicants are ranked on their qualifying-event results, and signing a contract and paying does not guarantee a place.
Typical entry requirements
| International applicants (fee-paying and state-funded tracks) | A completed secondary education document that goes through HSE's recognition procedure, plus results in the entrance exams set for each programme (listed in the programme catalogue with minimum scores) |
|---|---|
| Recognised international exams | TOEFL iBT 110-120 converts to 100 points in English; A-level A* or AP Calculus 5 converts to 100 points in Mathematics; TRKI-IV (C2) to 100 points in Russian |
| Olympiads | Winners and prize-winners of the HSE International Olympiad, Open Doors and listed olympiads (e.g. IMO, IPhO, IOI, the International Economics Olympiad) can compete for Russian government scholarship places on specific programmes |
| Russian USE (EGE) | Russian citizens are ranked on USE scores in the subjects set for each programme; HSE publishes past passing scores |
| English language | English-taught programmes list English among their qualifying events; a TOEFL iBT result from 1 September 2024 onwards can replace HSE's English exam (110-120 counts as 100 points on HSE's scale). |
Deadlines
- Full scholarship (state-funded) track, 2026 campaign (past) Non-binding Passed13 March 2026
Opened 1 November 2025. Olympiad certificates had to be uploaded by 20 March 2026.
- Fee-paying track, 2026 campaign (past) Non-binding Passed3 August 2026
Opened 20 June 2026; programmes with a creative competition closed 24 July; tuition payment deadline 17 August; ranking lists 19 August; studies began 1 September 2026.
- HSE International Olympiad 2026-27 registration Non-binding Next deadline · In 23 days29 October 2026
Registration runs 10 September to 29 October 2026; the olympiad takes place 6 to 16 November 2026 and this year is held in Russian only. Prize-winners can compete for tuition-free places.
HSE had not published its 2027 admissions calendar for international bachelor's applicants as of late September 2026. In 2026 the full-scholarship track ran from 1 November to 13 March and the fee-paying track from 20 June to 3 August; expect a similar pattern for 2027.
How to apply
Register in HSE's 'My Application' international applicant account, choose up to two programmes, then sign up for and take the qualifying events (entrance exams), upload olympiad or international exam results, and go through the recognition procedure for your school-leaving documents. Fee-paying applicants can also apply through Russia's Gosuslugi portal (from abroad via the ruID app) and must sign a contract and pay for the first semester before the ranking lists are published.
What admissions looks for
- High scores in the qualifying events set for your programme, taken online or in person; results appear in your account within 14 days.
- Olympiad success: HSE recognises its own International Olympiad, Open Doors and a list of international olympiads for scholarship places on specific faculties.
- For some programmes, additional criteria such as an interview or a creative competition (for example, some Open Doors programmes require an interview).
- Recognised international results in English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Russian, which can replace HSE's own exams.
Tips for applying to HSE
- 1 If you want a tuition-free place, aim for the olympiad routes early: HSE International Olympiad registration closes 29 October 2026, and the 2026 scholarship track closed in mid-March.
- 2 Use HSE's mock tests and past papers before sitting the entrance exams; you can take each subject only once, either online or in person.
- 3 If you already have a strong TOEFL, A-level or AP score, upload it to replace the matching HSE exam rather than sitting it again.
- 4 Check the language of instruction: HSE offers more than 55 programmes in Russian or English, and some olympiad-track programmes require a preparatory year of Russian.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in RUB
International students can study tuition-free on a Russian government scholarship place won through the HSE International Olympiad, HSE entrance exams, the Rossotrudnichestvo quota or the Open Doors olympiad. Some fee-paying programmes, including ICEF and International Relations and Global Studies, offer individual tuition discounts based on selection results.
- HSE International Olympiad, HSE entrance exams, Rossotrudnichestvo quota, Open Doors olympiad
- Tuition-free routes for international applicants
- 100,000+ participants a year; 6,000+ admitted to Russian universities in 7 years
- Open Doors olympiad
Academics
Academic calendar: Academic year starts 1 September
International Programme in Economics and Finance (ICEF)
Four-year English-taught economics degree with international partners and a double-degree programme; 1,170,000 RUB a year in 2026.
Data Science and Business Analytics
English-taught four-year bachelor's in Moscow, 1,000,000 RUB a year in 2026.
International Relations and Global Studies
English-taught international programme in international relations and public policy, with tuition discounts available by selection.
Mathematics (Faculty of Mathematics)
The Faculty of Mathematics recognises prizes from the IMO and other listed mathematics olympiads for scholarship places; fee-paying places cost 560,000 RUB a year in 2026, among HSE Moscow's lowest.
Economics
HSE's founding discipline, with separate tracks including Economics and Data Analysis and a joint HSE-NES programme.
Research
- HSE hosts an AI Research Centre and the Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Sciences.
- Its cHARISMa HPC cluster is ranked among the top 10 supercomputers in the CIS.
- The Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience studies the biological foundations of human behaviour, and HSE runs 192 research departments.
- HSE maintains the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey of economic status and health and a repository of socio-economic data.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Economic Sciences
- Faculty of Computer Science
- Faculty of Mathematics
- Faculty of Physics
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Creative Industries
- Graduate School of Business
- HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM)
- International College of Economics and Finance (ICEF)
HSE reports 95% alumni employment six months after graduation and more than 145,000 alumni of its degree programmes.
Student life
HSE's Moscow campus is spread across buildings in the city centre rather than a single enclosed campus, and student life runs through faculties, student organisations and projects, which are a formal part of the bachelor's curriculum. International students get dedicated support: an international student support office, a visa support centre, help finding housing in Moscow and accommodation in HSE dormitories. The international student body is about 5,800 across campuses, and many programmes are taught in English.
- Four city campuses (Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm) plus an online campus.
- Dedicated international student support office and HSE Visa Support Centre.
- Project work has been a core element of HSE bachelor's study since 2014.
- Over 400 partnership agreements with international partner universities.
Housing. HSE offers dormitory places and a student housing office, and supports international students in finding housing in Moscow; check availability for your campus and programme.
Location
HSE's main campus is in central Moscow, Russia's capital and largest city, with buildings clustered around the city centre and connected by the Moscow Metro. International students need a Russian student visa, which HSE's visa support centre helps arrange, and must follow Russian migration registration rules after arrival.
Nearest airport: Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO)
Notable alumni
- MO Maxim OreshkinEconomist and former Minister for Economic Development of Russia; graduated from HSE in 2004
- KN Konstantin NoskovFormer Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media; master's in strategic management from HSE
- VK Vladimir KiriyenkoCEO of the social network VK; graduated from HSE in 2005
- AV Andrey VorobyovGovernor of Moscow Oblast; MBA from HSE
- DW Dinara WagnerChess player; bachelor's in world economy from HSE in 2020
- GY Grigory YudinSociologist and political scientist; BA and MA in sociology from HSE
- RD Roman DobrokhotovInvestigative journalist and founder of The Insider; graduate studies at HSE
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at HSE University for international students?
HSE says fee-paying bachelor's tuition starts from 200,000 RUB per year. English-taught Moscow programmes cost more, for example 870,000 RUB for International Relations and Global Studies and 1,170,000 RUB for ICEF in 2026.
Can international students study at HSE for free?
Yes, on Russian government scholarship places won through the HSE International Olympiad, HSE entrance exams, the Rossotrudnichestvo quota or the Open Doors olympiad. In 2026 this track ran from 1 November 2025 to 13 March 2026.
Does HSE accept SAT or IB?
HSE's published recognition list converts TOEFL iBT, A-levels, AP exams and the TRKI Russian test to its 100-point scale in place of its own exams; the SAT and IB are not on that list, so check with the international admissions office.
Are there English-taught bachelor's programmes at HSE?
Yes. HSE offers more than 55 programmes in Russian or English, including English-taught ICEF, Data Science and Business Analytics, and International Relations and Global Studies.
When is the HSE International Olympiad?
For the 2026-27 cycle, registration runs from 10 September to 29 October 2026 and the olympiad is held from 6 to 16 November 2026, in Russian only this year.
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.
- HSE International Admissions: Apply for Undergraduate Programmes
- HSE International Admissions: Fee-paying Bachelor's admissions 2026
- HSE International Admissions: Qualifying events
- HSE International Admissions: Recognition of international exam results
- HSE International Admissions: Recognised olympiads
- HSE International Olympiad
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