Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University
Санкт-Петербургский политехнический университет Петра Великого
A large engineering university founded in 1899, where two thirds of students study engineering and technology.
- Students
- 35,097
- Tuition
- RUB 322K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1899
- QS World Ranking
- #619
- 2027 edition
About SPbPU
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU, often called Polytech) was founded in 1899 as an engineering school, promoted by Finance Minister Sergei Witte, and opened to students in 1902 on a campus built beyond the city's northern edge. It is now a public technical university with 35,097 students (1 October 2025), 2,081 teaching staff and a 120-hectare campus with 18 dormitory buildings.
Engineering, technology and technical sciences account for 67.8% of students, followed by social sciences (17.0%) and mathematics and natural sciences (12.4%). Teaching is organised into institutes, among them the Institute of Physics and Mechanics, the Institute of Cybersecurity and Computer Science, the Institute of Energy, the Institute of Civil Engineering, and the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade. Most bachelor's programmes are taught in Russian over four years; the university also lists a small group of English-taught bachelor's programmes and 48 double-degree programmes.
SPbPU reports more than 8,500 international students from around 120 countries. It suits applicants who want a technical or engineering degree in a large, established university and who are prepared to study in Russian, or to take a preparatory year to reach the required B1 level first.
Why students choose SPbPU
A broad range of engineering fields, from power engineering and nuclear power plants to software engineering, biotechnology and materials science.
Entrance exams for international applicants are held online in several periods between June and September, so applicants can sit them from home.
Three English-taught bachelor's programmes (International Business, International Trade and Digital Enterprise) are offered alongside Russian-taught degrees.
A campus with 18 dormitory buildings, where a bed in a shared apartment was quoted at 5,000-7,000 roubles a month.
Admissions
2027 entry (dates shown are from the 2026 admission campaign)
Selectivity
SPbPU does not publish an acceptance rate. International applicants on fee-paying places must reach the published passing score in each entrance exam for their programme; state-funded places for foreign citizens are awarded through the Russian Government Scholarship (quota). Russian citizens compete on Unified State Exam (EGE) results for budget or fee-paying places.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school certificate | Completed senior secondary education with a transcript of grades; foreign documents must be legalised where required and evaluated by SPbPU's Centre for International Credential Evaluation before enrolment |
|---|---|
| Language | Russian at B1 for Russian-taught programmes, English at B1 for English-taught programmes; official certificates are not required, as language is tested at entry |
| Russian Unified State Exam (EGE) | Route for Russian school leavers; SPbPU's admissions site lets applicants match programmes to their EGE subjects |
| English language | For English-taught programmes, certificates convert into the English entrance exam score: IELTS 6.0 = 60 points, 6.5 = 75, 7.0 or higher = 100; TOEFL 90-109 = 60, 110-114 = 75, 115-120 = 100; FCE (B2), CAE (C1) and CPE (C2) = 100. |
Deadlines
- Main admission, visa-regime countries (2026 reference, past) Non-binding Passed1 July 2026
Applications opened 20 June 2026. Full-time study started 1 September 2026.
- Main admission, visa-free countries (2026 reference, past) Non-binding Passed7 August 2026
Enrolment and tuition payment for the main admission by 21 August 2026.
- Additional admission, visa-free countries (2026 reference, past) Non-binding Passed17 September 2026
Enrolment and tuition payment by 25 September 2026.
All dates are from the 2026 admission campaign and have passed; SPbPU had not published 2027 dates on the pages checked. In 2026, online entrance exams ran in four periods from 16 June to 21 September. Russian Government Scholarship dates are set on education-in-russia.com.
How to apply
Self-funded international applicants submit their application through the Russian Gosuslugi portal (via the RUid app) from 20 June, with a passport copy, school certificate and transcript with translation, and a TORFL certificate if available. They then sit the entrance exams online; applicants from visa-regime countries receive a visa invitation after passing, which takes 4-6 weeks to process. Applicants for state-funded places apply for the Russian Government Scholarship at education-in-russia.com.
What admissions looks for
- The minimum passing score in each entrance exam listed for the chosen programme.
- Russian at B1 level for Russian-taught programmes, shown by the interview or a TORFL-I certificate.
- A completed, legalised and recognised secondary school certificate.
- For English-taught programmes, English at B1, shown by the entrance exam or an accepted certificate.
Tips for applying to SPbPU
- 1 If you need a visa, apply early: the 2026 deadline for visa-regime countries was 1 July, weeks earlier than for visa-free countries, and the invitation takes 4-6 weeks.
- 2 Download the trial test and sample papers from the admissions page before your online exam, and check your computer meets the technical requirements.
- 3 A TORFL-I certificate can replace the Russian interview, and IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 115 earns full marks for the English exam.
- 4 If your Russian is not yet at B1, consider SPbPU's University Foundation Program first.
- 5 For a state-funded place, apply for the Russian Government Scholarship and list SPbPU as your first priority; the university can issue a recommendation letter that adds competitive points.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in RUB
State-funded places for foreign citizens are available through the Russian Government Scholarship, applied for at education-in-russia.com; SPbPU can issue a recommendation letter to applicants who list it as their first priority. Dormitory fees are not covered by the state scholarship. Self-funded students pay tuition under a contract.
- 1,035 (1 October 2025)
- Foreign citizens studying under the state quota
- 5,000-7,000 roubles a month (prices from September 2022)
- Dormitory bed in a shared apartment
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (September-January and February-June)
Software Engineering (09.03.04)
Profiles in quality software development and system software; 460,000-506,000 roubles a year for international students in 2026/27.
Nuclear Power Plants: Design, Operation and Engineering (specialist)
A specialist (full-time) degree in the design and operation of nuclear power plants, at 366,000-402,000 roubles a year for international students; SPbPU also runs an Institute of Nuclear Power Engineering branch in Sosnovy Bor.
Electrical Power Engineering (13.03.02)
Profiles cover electric power systems and networks, power stations, relay protection and high-voltage engineering.
International Business (English-taught)
One of three English-taught four-year bachelor's programmes, with a semester at a partner university abroad.
Applied Mathematics and Informatics (01.03.02)
Profiles include mathematical modelling and artificial intelligence, software engineering and bioinformatics.
Research
- SPbPU's International Facts page lists more than 120 foreign partner companies, including five international research and education centres.
- Research units include a Supercomputer Center, a Computational Biology Center, a Materials Design and Additive Manufacturing Laboratory and a technology park.
- SPbPU reports income of over 200 million roubles from foreign sources for research and projects in 2025.
Schools & faculties
- Institute of Physics and Mechanics
- Institute of Cybersecurity and Computer Science
- Institute of Energy
- Institute of Civil Engineering
- Institute of Machinery, Materials, and Transport
- Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications
- Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology
- Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade
- Institute of Humanities
- Institute of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism
- Higher School of International Educational Programs
- Institute of Nuclear Power Engineering (Sosnovy Bor branch)
Student life
Polytech's campus in the north of Saint Petersburg is built around the white main building of 1902, set in a large park, with 18 dormitory buildings for students. International students can ask for a buddy from the SPbPU Adapters to meet them at the airport and help with housing, registration and paperwork, and the university has a PolySPACE service for international students. Students renting privately must register with their landlord's help, so it is worth arranging this before signing.
- Buddy support from SPbPU Adapters for airport pick-up, housing, registration and a SIM card.
- 18 dormitory buildings with about 130,600 square metres of accommodation.
- International Polytechnic Summer School, with more than 1,000 international participants reported.
- 48 double-degree programmes and exchange semesters with partner universities.
Housing. Foreign students on full-time degree programmes can stay in on-campus dormitories; others must find and register private housing themselves.
Location
Saint Petersburg is Russia's second-largest city. SPbPU's main building is on Polytechnicheskaya Street in the Kalininsky district, north of the city centre. The university's own guide lists a metro fare of 65 roubles, a canteen lunch of 200-300 roubles and a one-room flat at 20,000-25,000 roubles a month (prices from 2022).
Nearest airport: Pulkovo Airport (LED)
Notable alumni
- PK Pyotr KapitsaNobel Prize-winning physicist; graduated from the Petrograd Polytechnical Institute in 1918
- YK Yulii KharitonPhysicist and chief designer of the Soviet atomic bomb; physics degree from the Leningrad Polytechnical Institute, 1926
- NP Nikolai PolikarpovAircraft designer; graduated in 1916
- GB Georgy BerievSeaplane designer; engineering degree from the School of Shipbuilding Engineering, 1930
- ND Nikolay DukhovDesigner of tractors, heavy tanks and nuclear weapons; studied at the mechanical faculty
- DB David BronsteinChess grandmaster; studied at the Leningrad Polytechnical Institute for about a year (non-degree)
Frequently asked questions
Can I study at SPbPU in English?
Mostly no: most bachelor's programmes are taught in Russian and require B1 Russian. SPbPU lists English-taught bachelor's programmes in International Business, International Trade and Digital Enterprise, at 530,000 roubles a year in 2026/27.
How much does SPbPU cost for international students?
In 2026/27, Russian-taught bachelor's programmes cost 322,000 to 664,000 roubles a year, with slightly higher fees for students from visa-regime countries. Engineering programmes are mostly 322,000-354,000.
What entrance exams does SPbPU require?
International applicants take online exams set by SPbPU, such as Mathematics, Chemistry, Computer Science or Social Science, plus a Russian interview; a TORFL-I certificate can replace the Russian test.
When is the SPbPU application deadline?
In 2026 it was 1 July for applicants from visa-regime countries and 7 August for visa-free countries, with an additional round until 17 September. The 2027 dates had not yet been published.
Are there scholarships at SPbPU?
Yes: foreign citizens can apply for a state-funded place through the Russian Government Scholarship at education-in-russia.com, and SPbPU can issue a recommendation letter if you list it first.
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.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to SPbPU in the QS World University Rankings 2027.