Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University)

About Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University)

MAI began in March 1930 after the aeromechanical area of Moscow Higher Technical School was separated into a specialized engineering institution. Its curriculum subsequently expanded from aircraft and helicopter engineering into propulsion, radio engineering, missiles, spacecraft, control systems, computing, materials, and industrial production. In 2015, the Russian State Technological University named after Tsiolkovsky was incorporated into MAI. The institution’s official current name includes National Research University, while Moscow Aviation Institute and MAI remain recognized short forms. MAI is a federal autonomous higher-education institution founded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. Its educational license is indefinite, and its official documentation lists current state accreditation. These records, together with active 2026 undergraduate, master’s, and postgraduate admissions, confirm that it remains an operating degree-granting university. The university is strongly specialized rather than comprehensive in the conventional sense. Aerospace remains its organizing theme, but prospective students will also encounter computing, information security, applied mathematics, radioelectronics, power engineering, materials, economics, management, and related fields. MAI reports more than 20,000 students and over 1,800 international students in its 2026 international-admissions material. Applicants should treat these as university-reported figures rather than independently audited enrollment totals.

Admissions differ substantially between Russian-medium domestic routes, international entry, master’s study, and postgraduate research programs. For the 2026 Russian-language undergraduate cycle, MAI publishes program-specific entrance-subject combinations. Many technical fields require Russian plus mathematics and either physics or informatics, while requirements for other disciplines differ. State-funded and tuition-paying places are both available for many full-time programs, but the published catalogue must be checked program by program. MAI’s international 2026 page accepts applications by email, through its online account, or in person. It lists a passport with sufficient remaining validity, educational credentials, notarized Russian translations, and legalization where required. Applicants then undergo document review and online entrance examinations before contracting and prepayment. The advertised international timeline begins on 21 May, places online examinations between June and September, and closes English-medium admission on 15 September, with the final enrollment batch scheduled for 22–26 September. These dates are specific to the displayed 2026 international cycle and should not be generalized to domestic or postgraduate entry. International applicants may need recognition of prior qualifications, visa support, medical insurance, and additional migration and medical documents. Postgraduate applicants follow separate 2026/2027 rules, deadlines, and examinations. Every applicant should use the official page for the exact level, citizenship category, language, campus, and funding route before submitting documents.

MAI’s 2026 admissions catalogue spans undergraduate-level basic higher education, bachelor’s and specialist routes, specialized higher education at master’s level, and postgraduate research training. The Russian-language catalogue includes applied mathematics, computing and information technology, information security, radioelectronics, power and thermal engineering, mechanics, materials, aircraft construction, propulsion, spacecraft, control systems, economics, and management. Availability, duration, study mode, and funding route differ by program and campus. For international applicants, MAI advertises four four-year bachelor’s and four two-year master’s options in both Russian and English: Aircraft Engineering, Propulsion Engineering, Control Systems and Computer Science in Engineering, and Spacecraft Engineering. This English-medium selection is much narrower than the full Russian-language portfolio. Students considering any other field should verify its teaching language directly rather than assuming English availability. The academic environment includes research centers, laboratories, resource centers, student design bureaus, and an experimental plant used for prototypes and research projects. MAI’s stated research areas include aircraft, space and energy systems, information technology, new materials, production technologies, and applications of aerospace and digital technology. Postgraduate study is active for 2026/2027, with separate application periods and entrance examinations. Because Russia is piloting changes to higher-education structures, applicants should examine the precise award, duration, and recognition implications of their chosen 2026 program instead of relying only on familiar bachelor’s/master’s labels.

Key Highlights

• Founded on 20 March 1930
• Federal autonomous public higher-education institution
• Indefinite educational license and current state accreditation
• Aerospace-focused university with related computing, materials, energy, and management fields
• Official 2026 international-admissions page reports more than 20,000 students

Student Life & Environment

Student life is organized across an urban technical campus rather than a self-contained residential enclave. MAI’s official campus information lists nine dormitory buildings with cooking and laundry facilities, bicycle storage, and free Wi-Fi. For 2026 entry, more than 600 dormitory places were expected for eligible non-Moscow first-year students entering full-time, federally funded programs. The university says exact allocations appear in admissions ranking lists, so domestic applicants should not interpret general availability as a guaranteed room. International admissions material states that nearby hostel accommodation is provided to international students and quotes a charge of RUB 6,000 per month for the 2026 admissions cycle. Students must also satisfy specified medical-document requirements before moving into a dormitory. Availability and the applicable residence should be confirmed with the international office before travel. Outside class, MAI describes around 50 sports sections and several gyms, with options ranging from team sports and athletics to martial arts, swimming, skiing, climbing, and chess. Student programming also includes scientific conferences, aerospace events, creative competitions, celebrations, and student-union activities. International students can seek peer involvement through the Global Student Union and the student-ambassador program. The published English-language material is useful for identifying opportunities, but students should confirm which activities currently operate in English.

Location & Surroundings

MAI’s principal address is 4 Volokolamskoye Highway in Moscow. The main campus lies in the city’s northwestern sector, and the university identifies Sokol, Voykovskaya, and Shchukinskaya as nearby Metro stations. Academic buildings, laboratories, design facilities, food outlets, sports spaces, and several residences are distributed across the campus area. Official disclosures also list additional teaching and practical-training locations in Moscow and at partner organizations, while some programs operate through branches outside the central campus. This is an urban setting with access to Moscow’s extensive public-transport network rather than a secluded campus environment. Prospective students should check the location attached to the exact program because facilities and practical training may not all be at Volokolamskoye Highway. International applicants should also plan beyond ordinary commuting considerations: visa issuance, document legalization, payment arrangements, insurance, registration, and travel feasibility can change. MAI provides visa-invitation support after required admissions steps and prepayment, but applicants should verify current entry and financial arrangements before committing funds or booking travel.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Costs depend on program, language, level, and applicant route. For 2026 first-year Russian-medium study, the official fee table lists annual prices that vary by subject; examples include RUB 390,000 for Applied Mathematics, RUB 425,000 for Fundamental Informatics and Information Technology, and RUB 490,000 for Aircraft Engineering. Some listed programs have score-based discounts, and MAI says 2026 tuition is set for the full study period. The domestic paid-study page states that payment is made by semester. For the 2026 international cycle, the advertised aerospace portfolio charges RUB 440,000 per year for Russian-medium bachelor’s study, RUB 480,000 for Russian-medium master’s study, and RUB 500,000 for the listed English-medium bachelor’s or master’s programs. The same page quotes international hostel accommodation at RUB 6,000 per month and medical insurance purchased through MAI at RUB 10,000. It also requires a tuition prepayment before visa-invitation processing. Applicants should request a current contract because the page cautions that fees and requirements can vary. MAI’s Career Center provides career counseling, employer engagement, employment assistance, labor-market analysis, and alumni work. The university also maintains targeted-training, practice, and employment functions, and its official disclosures identify practical-training locations at aviation and aerospace organizations. These structures indicate strong industry orientation, but MAI does not provide a current, independently verified graduate-employment rate or salary figure on the selected sources; outcomes therefore should be evaluated by program and citizenship-related access to employers.