ITMO University
Национальный исследовательский университет ИТМО
St. Petersburg's IT, photonics and programming university, and a seven-time world champion in the ICPC.
- Students
- 14,352
- International
- 17%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 17.8:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- RUB 450K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1900
About ITMO
ITMO University in St. Petersburg traces its history to 1900 and grew up as the Leningrad Institute of Precision Mechanics and Optics. Its own description is a university that leads in IT, quantum science and photonics, while also combining technical fields with social sciences in areas such as science art and digital humanities. THE's 2026 data puts enrolment at about 14,400 students, 17% of them international.
Teaching is organised in schools that group faculties and institutes, including the School of Computer Technologies and Control, the School of Physics and Engineering, the School of Translational Information Technologies and the School of Life Sciences. ITMO is best known internationally for competitive programming: its teams won the ICPC World Finals seven times between 2004 and 2017, and it hosted the 2013 finals.
An important practical point: all of ITMO's Bachelor's programmes are taught in Russian, with some English-taught courses, so Russian is an admission requirement and international applicants sit entrance exams in Russian or use Russian Unified State Exam results. The university runs a nine-month Russian foundation programme for students who need it. ITMO suits strong maths, physics and programming students who are ready to study in Russian.
Why students choose ITMO
Competitive programming heritage: ITMO teams won the ICPC World Finals seven times between 2004 and 2017, and Gennady Korotkevich was on the 2013 winning team.
Bachelor's programmes such as AI360: ML Native, Computer Technologies, Information Security and Physics of Photonics Technologies reflect the university's IT and optics specialisms.
International students can study tuition-free through a Russian Government scholarship distributed by Rossotrudnichestvo, or win free tuition through the ITMO.STARS and Open Doors competitions.
ITMO says it covers up to 70% of travel costs for Bachelor's students taking part in conferences, summer schools or seminars abroad, and runs semester exchanges with partner universities.
Admissions
Bachelor's entry, autumn 2027 (2026 admission dates shown; 2027 dates not yet published)
Selectivity
ITMO does not publish an overall admission rate. Tuition-free places are allocated by ranked lists based on Unified State Exam results or ITMO's own entrance exams, and each programme publishes its number of tuition-free and fee-based places (for example, Computer Technologies had 180 tuition-free and 140 fee-based places).
Typical entry requirements
| Russian Unified State Exam (USE) | Results in the subjects set for each programme; tuition-free places go to the highest-ranked applicants |
|---|---|
| International school-leaving certificate | Accepted with an academic transcript and notarised Russian translation (legalised where required); applicants sit ITMO's entrance exams, including Russian |
| English language | Not applicable to Bachelor's programmes, which are taught in Russian. International applicants must pass an entrance exam in Russian; ITMO's nine-month Foundation Program prepares students for it. |
Deadlines
- Tuition-free places via ITMO internal exams Non-binding Passed10 July 2026, 17:00 Moscow time
2026 cycle; applications opened 20 June 2026.
- Tuition-free places with USE results or school competitions Non-binding Passed25 July 2026, 17:00 Moscow time
2026 cycle; ranked lists published 27 July and enrolment confirmed by 1 or 5 August depending on the route.
- Fee-based places Non-binding Passed18 August 2026
2026 cycle deadline shown on programme pages.
These are ITMO's 2026 Bachelor's admission dates; the 2027 dates had not been published when this was checked. Expect a similar June-August timeline for autumn 2027 entry. Russian Government scholarship applications go through Rossotrudnichestvo and the Education in Russia platform, on that agency's own timetable.
How to apply
Choose a programme, create an account in ITMO's applicant portal (abitlk.itmo.ru) and upload your ID, a notarised Russian translation of it, and your school certificate and transcript with notarised Russian translations. Take ITMO's entrance exams (or submit USE results), then confirm enrolment by the deadline. Admitted international students receive an invitation letter for a Russian student visa, which usually takes at least a month. Russian Government scholarship applicants apply instead through Rossotrudnichestvo and the Education in Russia platform.
What admissions looks for
- High scores in the programme's entrance subjects, whether through the USE or ITMO's own exams.
- A working command of Russian, since all Bachelor's programmes are taught in Russian.
- For ITMO.STARS and Open Doors, strong performance in competition tasks and a portfolio showing ability and motivation.
- For government scholarship candidates, academic performance and the fit of their chosen subject area, assessed after Rossotrudnichestvo's first selection stage.
Tips for applying to ITMO
- 1 Use ITMO's free TEST-DRIVE practice tasks in maths, physics, computer science, chemistry and social studies before the entrance exams.
- 2 If your Russian is not yet good enough, budget a year for the Foundation Program before starting the degree.
- 3 Try the Open Doors competition, open to citizens of any country except Russia, for early admission without standard entrance exams.
- 4 Start document legalisation and notarised Russian translations early; foreign documents must be legalised unless a treaty exempts them.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in RUB
Foreign citizens can take tuition-free Bachelor's places through the Russian Government scholarship, applied for via Rossotrudnichestvo offices at Russian embassies or Russian Houses and the Education in Russia platform. ITMO.STARS offers free tuition to talented Russian-speaking applicants, and the Open Doors competition gives international students (any citizenship except Russian) early admission without entrance exams on a state-funded, tuition-free place. Fee-paying students sign a contract for paid educational services with the university, which they must also show when registering with the migration office.
- Tuition-free places via Rossotrudnichestvo
- Russian Government scholarship
- Up to 70% of travel expenses
- Travel support for academic events abroad
- RUB 6,000
- State fee for a multiple-entry student visa
Academics
Computer Technologies (Applied Mathematics and Computer Science)
ITMO's flagship programming degree, with 180 tuition-free and 140 fee-based places; fee RUB 679,000 a year.
AI360: ML Native
Machine learning degree in the same Applied Mathematics and Computer Science subject area; fee RUB 679,000 a year.
Physics of Photonics Technologies
Builds on ITMO's optics and photonics heritage; 85 tuition-free and 20 fee-based places across the photonics subject area.
Information Security Technologies
103 tuition-free and 120 fee-based places in Information Security for 2026.
Game Development Technologies
Part of the Infocommunication Technologies subject area, alongside ITMO's Game Development School.
Infochemistry
Chemistry and chemical technology degree linked to ITMO's Infochemistry Scientific Center; 65 tuition-free places in 2026.
Research
- ITMO describes its top research fields as IT, quantum science and photonics.
- Research units include the International Research and Educational Center for Physics of Nanostructures, the Infochemistry Scientific Center and the National Center for Cognitive Research.
- ITMO.HIGHPARK is a planned new campus and cluster for education, research and innovative manufacturing in St. Petersburg.
Schools & faculties
- School of Computer Technologies and Control
- School of Physics and Engineering
- School of Translational Information Technologies
- School of Life Sciences
- Faculty of Technological Management and Innovations
- Higher School of Engineering and Technology
Student life
ITMO has five dormitories in different parts of St. Petersburg, including corridor- and block-style units and a separate interuniversity campus, all reachable by public transport. International students are supported by an International Student Council, the Get Local international students club and a buddy programme, and there is a wide range of sports and creative clubs. Programming culture is strong, with ITMO students regularly competing in the ICPC. Full-time international students are allowed to work, including for the university.
- Seven ICPC World Finals titles between 2004 and 2017, and host of the 2013 world finals.
- Five dormitories across St. Petersburg.
- International Student Council, the Get Local club and a buddy programme for newcomers.
- Up to 70% of travel costs covered for students attending events abroad.
Housing. ITMO provides dormitory places in five buildings around St. Petersburg; the university's migration office registers only students living in its dorms.
Location
ITMO's main building is at Kronverksky Prospekt 49 in St. Petersburg, and its five dormitories are spread across the city and linked by public transport. ITMO describes the city as much cheaper to live in than many European capitals, estimating RUB 20,000-30,000 a month for an average student. International students must register with the migration office within three working days of arrival and need health insurance valid for St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast.
Nearest airport: Pulkovo Airport (LED)
Notable alumni
- GK Gennady KorotkevichCompetitive programmer; won the 2013 ICPC World Finals with ITMO and Google Code Jam 2014-2020
- YD Yuri DenisyukPhysicist and a founder of optical holography in the Soviet Union; graduated in 1954
- AA Askar AkayevFirst President of Kyrgyzstan; graduated from the Leningrad Institute of Precision Mechanics and Optics in 1967
- TM Tamara ManinaSoviet Olympic gymnast and sports scientist; studied at the institute 1958-1965
- PB Pavel BelovPhysicist working on nanophotonics and metamaterials; graduated with honours in 2000
- DH Ding HenggaoChaired China's Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (1985-1995); postgraduate degree from the Leningrad Institute of Fine Mechanics and Optics (1961)
Frequently asked questions
Can I study at ITMO in English?
Not at Bachelor's level: all ITMO Bachelor's programmes are taught in Russian, with some English-taught courses, so Russian is an admission requirement. ITMO offers a nine-month Russian Foundation Program to prepare.
How much does ITMO cost for international students?
Fee-based Bachelor's places cost RUB 450,000 to 679,000 a year for 2026 entry, depending on the programme. Students on a Russian Government scholarship through Rossotrudnichestvo study tuition-free.
How do international students pay tuition at ITMO?
Fee-paying students sign a contract for paid educational services with ITMO; fees are set per year in Russian roubles on each programme page (RUB 450,000-679,000 for 2026 entry). Keep the contract: ITMO's Migration Services Office asks for it at migration registration and when extending your stay, and the RUB 6,000 multiple-entry visa fee is paid using details from that office.
What entrance exams does ITMO require?
International applicants use Russian Unified State Exam results or take ITMO's own entrance exams in the programme's subjects, such as maths, physics or computer science, plus Russian.
When is the ITMO application deadline?
In 2026, tuition-free applications closed on 10 July for ITMO's internal exams and 25 July for USE results, and fee-based applications closed on 18 August. 2027 dates are expected on a similar timeline.
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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