RUDN University (Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia)
Российский университет дружбы народов имени Патриса Лумумбы
Founded in Moscow in 1960 to train specialists for Asia, Africa and Latin America; now has students from 160 countries.
- Students
- 44,000
- International
- 34%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 17.8:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- RUB 345K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1960
About RUDN
RUDN University was founded by the Soviet government on 5 February 1960 to train specialists for countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, and was named after Patrice Lumumba in 1961. It became Peoples' Friendship University of Russia in 1992, and in 2023 the Lumumba name was restored. More than 100,000 graduates had passed through by 2017, and the university says it now has more than 44,000 students, including more than 13,000 international students from 160 countries.
RUDN is a multi-disciplinary university covering medicine, engineering, sciences, economics, law, humanities and agriculture, organised into faculties, institutes, an Academy of Engineering and higher schools. It is best known for training international doctors: General Medicine is its most popular programme among international applicants, followed by Economics, Linguistics, Management and Dentistry. It also has a long tradition in teaching Russian as a foreign language through its Institute of Russian Language.
Most bachelor's and specialist programmes are taught in Russian, with a preparatory year of Russian for those who need it, but several are taught in English, including General Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Economics, Journalism and a Bachelor of Laws. It suits international students who want a multicultural campus where students from many countries live and study together.
Открой мир в одном университете!
“Discover the world in one university!” — university motto
Why students choose RUDN
General Medicine and Dentistry are offered in English as well as Russian, with published annual fees for international students.
International applicants are selected by an online interview in Russian or another language plus a portfolio review, rather than a national exam.
The RUDN Open Olympiad for Foreign Citizens can win you a Russian government quota place; 610 winners and prize-winners were admitted in 2026.
A self-contained campus of 20 teaching buildings and 14 dormitories sits next to 50 hectares of parkland; RUDN reports more than 9,000 dormitory places.
Admissions
2026/27 academic year (applications closed August 2026); the 2027/28 cycle opens in 2027
Selectivity
RUDN does not publish an acceptance rate. By early August 2026, 2,289 international applicants had submitted 4,291 applications for fee-paying study across all levels, against a planned intake of 1,878, and 1,714 international students had received Russian government quota places across all levels.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school certificate (foreign) | Completed secondary education with a Russian translation where required, plus the RUDN interview and portfolio competition (minimum 30 out of 100 in each) |
|---|---|
| Russian Unified State Exam (EGE) | Accepted; RUDN reports a growing number of international applicants admitted on EGE results |
| English language | For programmes taught in a foreign language, the entrance exam is an interview in that language, or a certificate confirming the required proficiency. For Russian-taught programmes, a Russian interview or TORFL-I (B1) certificate is required; students without Russian can first spend a year at the Institute of Russian Language preparatory faculty. |
Deadlines
- Fee-paying (contract) admission, full-time programmes (2026/27) Non-binding Passed20 June to 10 August 2026
Previous cycle. Document review and issue of a Russian entry invitation take about 4-6 weeks.
- Institute of Russian Language preparatory faculty Non-bindingRolling
Applications accepted at any time; depending on when you arrive you are offered two or three semesters of Russian study.
The contract admission window shown (20 June to 10 August 2026) was for the 2026/27 academic year and has closed; RUDN publishes the 2027/28 dates before the next campaign. Russian government quota selection runs separately through Rossotrudnichestvo in two stages (in the applicant's home country, then by the Russian universities), and RUDN Open Olympiad dates are posted at olymp.rudn.ru.
How to apply
Choose a programme, then submit documents online through your personal account (ab.rudn.ru), in person at 10/2 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, by post or through the Gosuslugi (ruID) portal. Required documents include your school certificate and passport (with Russian translation if needed), a medical certificate, a photo and evidence of achievements. Take the online interview and portfolio competition, then sign the contract. Government quota candidates are selected in their home country through Rossotrudnichestvo (education-in-russia.com).
What admissions looks for
- School grades, with particular weight on subjects relevant to the chosen programme.
- Success in subject competitions and olympiads.
- Recommendations from universities, academic supervisors, Russian embassies or consulates, or associations of graduates of Russian universities.
- Proof of Russian language proficiency (for Russian-taught programmes).
Tips for applying to RUDN
- 1 Build a strong portfolio: RUDN's selection for international bachelor's applicants rests on the interview and the portfolio review.
- 2 Consider the RUDN Open Olympiad: winners can study on a government quota place, and prize-winners receive tuition discounts.
- 3 Apply early in the contract window, since issuing a Russian entry invitation takes about 4-6 weeks.
- 4 If you don't yet speak Russian, budget for the preparatory year (US$4,300, or US$4,900 for Medicine, Dentistry, Philology and Linguistics in 2026) or choose an English-taught programme.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in RUB
International students from outside the CIS pay fees set in US dollars: from US$5,100 to US$12,500 a year for bachelor's and specialist programmes from 1 January 2026 (for example US$10,500 for General Medicine in Russian, US$12,000 in English, and US$12,500 for Dentistry in English). Tuition-free places are available through the Russian government quota, selected by Rossotrudnichestvo, and through the RUDN Open Olympiad, whose prize-winners also receive fee discounts.
- US$5,100 to US$12,500 per year
- International (non-CIS) bachelor's/specialist fees, from 1 Jan 2026
- US$4,300 per year (US$4,900 for Medicine, Dentistry, Philology, Linguistics)
- Preparatory faculty (Russian language), 2026
- 1,714 across all levels
- Government quota places allocated to international students (2026)
- 610
- RUDN Open Olympiad winners and prize-winners admitted (2026)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
General Medicine (31.05.01)
A six-year specialist degree and the most popular programme among international applicants, taught in Russian (US$10,500 a year) or English (US$12,000).
Dentistry (31.05.03)
Five-year degree offered in Russian or English; among the top five programmes chosen by international applicants.
International Relations (41.03.05)
A leading choice for government quota students; US$6,600 a year for international fee-payers.
Law (40.03.01), including a Bachelor of Laws in English
Profiles in general law, international law and an interdisciplinary law and politics degree.
Fundamental Informatics and Information Technologies (02.03.02)
Offered by the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence; entered the top five choices of 2026 Olympiad admits.
Petroleum Engineering (21.03.01)
Engineering Academy programme; one of several engineering degrees alongside mining, applied geology and nanoengineering.
Research
- RUDN reports more than 200 laboratories.
- The Academic Research Institute of Gravitation and Cosmology is one of its research institutes.
- UI GreenMetric has ranked RUDN the greenest university in Russia.
Schools & faculties
- Institute of Medicine
- Academy of Engineering
- Faculty of Science (Physics, Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Faculty of Artificial Intelligence
- Faculty of Economics
- Law Institute
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Philology
- Institute of Foreign Languages
- Institute of World Economy and Business
- Agrarian and Technological Institute
- Institute of Russian Language
RUDN reports the maximum five stars in the QS Stars rating, with the highest scores in six of eight indicators and a breakthrough in employability; no graduate employment rate is published.
Student life
RUDN's campus on Miklukho-Maklaya Street works like a small town: 20 teaching buildings and 14 dormitories sit within walking distance of each other, with shops, a bank branch, cafes serving African, Arab, Indian, Russian, Chinese and Georgian food, a medical centre and a sports complex. The fountain on the central square is seen as the heart of the campus. Students from different countries are usually housed together to help with language learning, and the Interclub runs cultural events for international students.
- Students from 160 countries study on one campus.
- The Interclub serves as a club for international students.
- A medical centre and sports and wellness complex are on campus.
- RUDN offers a second degree in translation alongside your main programme.
Housing. RUDN reports more than 9,000 dormitory places, including 14 dormitories on the Miklukho-Maklaya campus (five-storey blocks with shared facilities and high-rise apartment blocks); rooms are for 2-3 people and places are allocated after enrolment orders are issued.
Location
The campus is in south-west Moscow, next to about 50 hectares of parkland. Moscow is Russia's capital and largest city, with an extensive metro network, and winters are long and cold. International students must register with the migration authorities within days of arrival, which RUDN's Passport and Visa Service handles for residents of its dormitories.
Nearest airport: Vnukovo (VKO), Sheremetyevo (SVO) or Domodedovo (DME), Moscow
Notable alumni
- MA Mahmoud AbbasPresident of the Palestinian Authority; earned his Candidate of Sciences degree at Patrice Lumumba University
- BJ Bharrat JagdeoFormer President of Guyana; master's degree in economics (1990)
- PL Porfirio LoboFormer President of Honduras; doctorate from Patrice Lumumba University
- IK Irina KhakamadaRussian economist and politician; graduated in economics in 1978
- LS Lucy SekiBrazilian linguist of indigenous languages; master's and PhD in linguistics
- JD Jeanne d'Arc MujawamariyaRwandan politician, Minister of Environment (2019-2024); bachelor's and master's in chemistry
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study at RUDN for international students?
For students from outside the CIS, 2026 annual fees for bachelor's and specialist programmes range from US$5,100 to US$12,500, e.g. US$10,500 for General Medicine in Russian and US$12,000 in English. Russian and CIS citizens pay in roubles, from 345,000 to 890,000 a year for 2026/27.
Can I study at RUDN for free?
Yes, through a Russian government quota place, selected in your home country by Rossotrudnichestvo, or by winning the RUDN Open Olympiad for Foreign Citizens. In 2026, 1,714 international students received quota places at RUDN.
Does RUDN teach in English?
Some programmes are taught in English, including General Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Economics, Journalism and a Bachelor of Laws. Most others are in Russian, with a preparatory Russian language year available.
What are the entrance exams at RUDN for foreigners?
A remote interview in Russian (or in the programme's foreign language) plus a portfolio competition, each scored out of 100 with a minimum of 30. A TORFL-I certificate can replace the Russian interview.
When is the RUDN application deadline?
For 2026/27, fee-paying applications were accepted from 20 June to 10 August 2026. Dates for 2027/28 will be published on international.rudn.ru; quota applicants apply through education-in-russia.com.
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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