Lomonosov Moscow State University
Московский государственный университет имени М. В. Ломоносова
Russia's oldest university, founded in 1755, where international students sit subject interviews in Russian.
- Students
- 38,150
- 22,563 undergraduates
- International
- 10%
- of students
- Tuition
- RUB 557.6K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1755
About MSU
Moscow University was established by a decree of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna in 1755, following a proposal by the scientist Mikhail Lomonosov, whose name it has carried since 1940. It began with three faculties (Philosophy, Law and Medicine) and is now organised into about forty faculties and schools, from Mechanics and Mathematics, Physics and Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics to Journalism, World Politics and Fundamental Medicine, plus research institutes such as the Sternberg Astronomical Institute and the Skobeltsyn Nuclear Physics Institute.
MSU's statistics page lists 38,150 students, including 22,563 undergraduates and specialist-programme students, 3,907 international students and 10,784 faculty staff. The main campus on Sparrow Hills (Leninskiye Gory) is centred on the 1953 Main Building. The university lists eleven Nobel laureates whose lives were connected with it, among them Igor Tamm, Ilya Frank and Boris Pasternak.
Most programmes are taught in Russian. Russian citizens compete through Unified State Exam (EGE) results and, for many programmes, MSU's own additional subject exams. International applicants either compete for paid places through faculty entrance interviews, or are nominated under the Russian government quota. MSU suits students with strong mathematics or subject grounding who are prepared to study in Russian, usually after a preparatory year.
Наука есть ясное познание истины, просвещение разума
“Science is clear knowledge of the truth, enlightenment of the mind” — university motto
Why students choose MSU
Depth in the mathematical and natural sciences: the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics and the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics are among MSU's best-known faculties.
MSU is ranked 133rd in the THE World University Rankings 2026 and joint 115th in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
The Institute of Russian Language and Culture runs a September-to-June preparatory programme in Russian and major subjects, priced at about $6,000.
Seven dormitories house about 15,000 students, interns and course participants on the Sparrow Hills campus, at about 14,000 roubles a month.
Admissions
2026 admission (latest published rules; 2027 rules not yet published)
Selectivity
MSU does not publish an overall acceptance rate. Russian applicants are ranked by EGE scores plus, for many programmes, MSU's additional entrance exams; international applicants compete for a fixed number of paid places per programme (for example 20 in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science in 2026) through entrance interviews.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign secondary school certificate (international applicants) | Completed secondary education, recognised as meeting MSU's requirements through its free online recognition procedure, with a notarised Russian translation; then entrance interviews set by the faculty |
|---|---|
| Russian certificate (Russian citizens) | Unified State Exam (EGE) results in the programme's subjects plus MSU's additional entrance exams (DVI) for many programmes |
| Russian government quota | Nomination by the Russian education ministry; applicants still take any required additional entrance exams |
Deadlines
- International applicants, paid places (bachelor's, specialist and master's) Non-binding Passed25 June 2026
2026 window: 20 to 25 June 2026. The 2027 window has not yet been published.
- Russian applicants to programmes with additional entrance exams Non-binding Passed15 July 2026
Document submission from 20 June 2026; additional exams held 10 to 27 July 2026.
These are the 2026 dates from MSU's Admission Rules 2026. Check cpk.msu.ru for the 2027 rules when they appear.
How to apply
Choose a programme and contact the faculty's international office first. Prepare legalised education documents with notarised Russian translations, a passport copy and photo, and apply for recognition of your foreign education online. Submit the application through the webanketa.msu.ru personal account (forms available from 1 June), the Gosuslugi portal, by post or in person, then sit the faculty's entrance interviews. A study contract is signed and the first semester paid before enrolment.
What admissions looks for
- Strong subject knowledge demonstrated in the faculty's entrance interview, for example mathematics and computer science for Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics.
- Sufficient Russian to pass the Russian-language interview and follow a Russian-taught programme.
- Complete, legalised and translated education documents with recognised foreign qualifications.
- For Russian applicants, high EGE scores and results in MSU's own additional exams.
Tips for applying to MSU
- 1 Contact the faculty's international office before applying: fees, interview dates and visa papers are handled at faculty level.
- 2 If your Russian is not yet strong, plan a year at the Institute of Russian Language and Culture before degree entry.
- 3 Start legalising and translating your school documents early; recognition of foreign education is a separate online step.
- 4 The 2026 window for paid places lasted only six days (20 to 25 June), so have everything ready by early June.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in RUB
MSU states that it does not provide scholarships for self-financed students. Some international students study free of charge within the Russian government quota, nominated by the education ministry, and compatriots living abroad can compete for state-funded places on equal terms with Russian citizens.
- About 14,000 roubles per month
- Dormitory
- About 15,000 roubles per month for food and 10,000 roubles for other expenses
- Food and personal expenses (MSU estimate)
- About 12,500 roubles per year
- Medical insurance (mandatory for foreign citizens)
- About $6,000 for September to June
- Russian preparatory programme (IRLC)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Mathematics (Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics)
Andrey Kolmogorov studied and worked at MSU; international places are filled through mathematics and Russian interviews.
Applied Mathematics and Computer Science (Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics)
20 places for international applicants in 2026, with interviews in mathematics, computer science and Russian.
Physics
Nobel physicists Igor Tamm and Ilya Frank studied and worked at the university.
Economics
Bachelor's places for foreign citizens cost 970,000 roubles a year for 2026 entry.
Chemistry
Nobel laureate Nikolay Semenov founded the Department of Chemical Kinetics in the Faculty of Chemistry in 1944.
Research
- Research institutes include the Sternberg Astronomical Institute, the Skobeltsyn Nuclear Physics Institute, the Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology and the Research Computing Centre.
- MSU counts eleven Nobel laureates connected with the university, including Nikolay Semenov (Chemistry 1956) and Igor Tamm and Ilya Frank (Physics 1958).
- The Institute of Mechanics and the International Laser Centre are among MSU's research centres.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics
- Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics
- Faculty of Physics
- Faculty of Chemistry
- Faculty of Biology
- Faculty of Fundamental Medicine
- Faculty of Economics
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Journalism
- Faculty of Philology
- Faculty of World Politics
- Institute of Asian and African Studies
Student life
Student life centres on the Sparrow Hills campus and its 1953 Main Building, with seven dormitories offering single to quad rooms, dining rooms, libraries, gyms and sports grounds. Accommodation for international students is on a contract basis and subject to availability, so it must be arranged with the faculty before arrival. Two dates anchor the university calendar: 25 January, St Tatiana's Day and the anniversary of the founding decree, and 26 April, when an annual student research conference is traditionally held.
- St Tatiana's Day on 25 January marks the 1755 founding decree.
- An annual student research conference held each April.
- Seven dormitories housing about 15,000 people on the main campus.
- University libraries free to use for students.
Housing. Dormitory places are offered to international students on a contract basis, subject to availability, at about 14,000 roubles a month.
Location
MSU's main campus sits on Sparrow Hills in south-west Moscow, with historic buildings on Mokhovaya Street in the city centre. Moscow is Russia's capital and largest city, with an extensive metro network and long, cold winters. MSU's own estimate puts food and personal costs at around 25,000 roubles a month on top of dormitory rent.
Nearest airport: Vnukovo International Airport (VKO)
Notable alumni
- MG Mikhail GorbachevLast leader of the Soviet Union; law graduate
- AS Andrei SakharovPhysicist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate (1975)
- AK Andrey KolmogorovMathematician who founded modern probability theory; studied and taught at MSU
- BP Boris PasternakPoet and author of Doctor Zhivago, Nobel Prize in Literature 1958; studied philosophy at Moscow University
- IF Ilya FrankPhysicist, Nobel Prize in Physics 1958; graduated in 1930
- RG Raisa GorbachevaSociologist and lecturer; studied and later taught at MSU
- MK Maxim KontsevichMathematician and Fields Medal winner; studied at MSU
Frequently asked questions
Can international students study at Moscow State University?
Yes. International students compete for paid places through faculty entrance interviews, or study free of charge if nominated under the Russian government quota. Most programmes are taught in Russian.
How much does Moscow State University cost for international students?
Fees are set by each faculty. For 2026 entry, examples range from 557,580 roubles a year (Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics bachelor's) to 970,000 roubles a year (Economics bachelor's places for foreign citizens). MSU does not give scholarships to self-financed students.
Do I need to speak Russian to study at MSU?
For most programmes, yes: teaching is in Russian and international applicants take a Russian-language interview. MSU recommends its Institute of Russian Language and Culture preparatory course, which costs about $6,000.
What entrance exams does MSU require?
International fee-paying applicants sit faculty interviews, such as mathematics plus Russian for mathematics programmes. Russian citizens use EGE results plus MSU's own additional exams for many programmes.
When is the MSU application deadline for international students?
In 2026, international applicants for paid places applied between 20 and 25 June 2026. The 2027 dates will appear in MSU's admission rules on cpk.msu.ru.
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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