I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University
Первый Московский государственный медицинский университет имени И. М. Сеченова
Russia's oldest medical school, tracing back to Moscow University's medical faculty of 1758, with a vast clinical campus in central Moscow.
- Students
- 27,000
- International
- 24%
- of students
- Tuition
- RUB 950K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1758
About Sechenov University
Sechenov University is the oldest medical school in Russia. It traces its history to the medical faculty of the Imperial Moscow University, where the first lectures were given in 1758; the faculty became the independent First Moscow Medical Institute in 1930, was named after the physiologist Ivan Sechenov in 1955 and took its current name in 2010. It is run by the Russian Ministry of Health.
The university reports more than 27,000 students, including over 6,500 international students from 114 countries, and more than 20 university clinics. General Medicine is taught at the N.V. Sklifosovsky Institute of Clinical Medicine, which it describes as the largest medical faculty in Russia with 49 departments and 21 clinical bases; Dentistry is taught at the E.V. Borovsky Institute of Dentistry. It also has a Biomedical Science and Technology Park and seven biomedical and bioengineering research institutes.
International students can study General Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy in English or Russian, but every applicant must pass the university's own entrance tests in chemistry and Russian. The university has no scholarships of its own, so most international students pay first-year tuition of 0.95-1.3 million roubles, rising each year of study. It suits students set on a clinical career who are ready to learn Russian for their hospital years.
Why students choose Sechenov University
Russia's oldest medical school, with clinical training across more than 20 university clinics on a large campus in central Moscow.
General Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy are offered in English as well as Russian.
A 12-month preparatory programme (362,000 roubles) teaches Russian and subjects to applicants with little or no Russian.
The university reports more than 130 student communities and an International Student Society linking over 30 national communities.
Admissions
2026/27 admission campaign (2027/28 dates not yet published)
Selectivity
Sechenov publishes no acceptance rate. Admission for international self-funded students is by the university's own computer-based entrance tests with minimum passing scores, followed by a ranked competition list.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign secondary school certificate | Legalised (consular legalisation or Apostille) with a notarised Russian translation and a Certificate of Recognition from Russia's National Accreditation Agency, plus the entrance tests |
|---|---|
| English language | No IELTS or other English certificate is required. All undergraduate applicants, including those for English-taught programmes, take the university's Russian-language entrance test. |
Deadlines
- Specialist programmes, 2026/27 (General Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy) Non-binding Passed18 August 2026 (documents)
Documents accepted from 20 June 2026 (21 August if no entrance tests are needed); entrance tests 21 June-20 August; competition lists 22 August; contracts by 27 August; enrolment orders 28 August 2026.
- Preparatory Department, 2026/27 Non-binding Passed31 August 2026
Documents accepted from 20 June 2026.
- Additional admission for foreign-certificate holders, 2026/27 (General Medicine, Pediatrics, Dentistry, Pharmacy; unfilled paid places) Non-binding Next deadline · In 17 days19 October 2026 (documents, if entrance tests are required)
Documents accepted from 30 September 2026 via abiturient.sechenov.ru or in person; 22 October 2026 for applicants who do not need entrance tests; contracts by 28 October 2026.
These are the 2026/27 dates, including an additional autumn round for foreign-certificate holders that closes in October 2026. The university says admissions usually open in June and close by September; 2027/28 dates will be announced on its website.
How to apply
Choose a programme, then submit documents through the applicant's personal account, the ruID app (via Gosuslugi), by post or in person. Take the entrance tests and reach the minimum score, then receive and sign a tuition contract and pay. Visa invitations are issued only after enrolment and take about 21 working days.
What admissions looks for
- Entrance test scores in chemistry and Russian at or above the minimum (55 for Medicine and Dentistry, 45 for Pharmacy).
- A secondary certificate that is legalised and recognised in Russia.
- Enough Russian to pass the language test, even for English-taught programmes.
- Timely submission of original documents once you appear on the competition list.
Tips for applying to Sechenov University
- 1 Start legalising your school certificate and getting the Certificate of Recognition early; it can take longer than the application itself.
- 2 If your Russian is weak, consider the 12-month preparatory programme before applying to the degree.
- 3 Choose your test language carefully: specialist-programme applicants can take the exams in Russian or English.
- 4 Scholarships come only from the Russian government quota (apply via russia-edu.minobrnauki.gov.ru), not from the university.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in RUB
Sechenov offers no scholarships, grants or discounts of its own. International students can apply for a Russian government quota from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, which also covers tuition, or win the Open Doors olympiad (master's and PhD).
- 362,000 roubles
- Preparatory programme (no or little Russian), 12 months
- 231,000 roubles
- Preparatory programme (fluent in Russian), 7 months
- 5 university dormitories plus partner facilities
- Housing
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
General Medicine (6 years, Medical Doctor)
Taught in Russian or English at the Sklifosovsky Institute, which the university calls Russia's largest medical faculty (49 departments, 21 clinical bases); first-year fee 1,300,000 roubles for international students.
Dentistry (5 years, Dental Doctor)
Taught at the Borovsky Institute of Dentistry; the university reports an ARWU subject band of 201-300 in Dentistry and Oral Sciences.
Pharmacy (5 years, Pharmaceutical Chemist)
Includes internships with industrial partners; the university reports a QS subject band of 101-150 in Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
Residency (clinical specialisation)
Russian-taught postgraduate training in surgery, cardiology, neurology, paediatrics and more, with an entry score of 70.
Research
- More than 35,000 square metres of research facilities and seven biomedical and bioengineering research institutes.
- The Sechenov Biomedical Science and Technology Park gives students a chance to join research projects.
Schools & faculties
- N.V. Sklifosovsky Institute of Clinical Medicine
- E.V. Borovsky Institute of Dentistry
- Biomedical Science and Technology Park
- Preparatory Department
Student life
Sechenov's historic clinical campus lies around Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Street in Moscow's Khamovniki district, with 19th-century clinic buildings beside modern hospitals and labs. The university runs five dormitories plus partner housing. International students are supported by a Buddy Program, the Council of Nations and the International Student Society, which brings together more than 30 national communities, and the university reports over 130 student communities in science, culture and sport. Health insurance is mandatory for international students.
- Buddy Program to help new international students settle in Moscow.
- More than 130 student communities in science, culture and sport.
- International Student Society linking over 30 national communities.
- Five university dormitories.
Housing. The university provides housing in 5 dormitories and additional partner facilities; rates are published only in Russian-language documents.
Location
Moscow is Russia's capital and largest city. Sechenov's main clinical campus is in the central Khamovniki district, along Bolshaya Pirogovskaya and Pogodinskaya streets. International students should check current Russian entry rules: citizens of visa-free countries must apply in advance through the ruID app, and new arrivals must confirm biometrics at a bank within 10 days.
Nearest airport: Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO)
Notable alumni
- AC Anton ChekhovPlaywright and short-story writer; studied at the medical school from 1879 and practised as a doctor
- NP Nikolay PirogovSurgeon and pioneer of field surgery and anaesthesia; graduated from the Imperial Moscow University Faculty of Medicine, the university's predecessor, in 1828
- IS Ivan SechenovFather of Russian physiology, after whom the university is named; MD from Moscow University (1856)
- SK Sergei KorsakoffNeuropsychiatrist who described Korsakoff's syndrome; graduated in medicine from Moscow University (1875)
- NF Nil FilatovFounder of Russian paediatrics; Moscow University medical graduate
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study medicine at Sechenov University?
For students entering in 2026/27, first-year tuition for international self-funded students is 1,300,000 roubles for General Medicine or Dentistry and 950,000 roubles for Pharmacy, and the fee rises each year (to 1,584,000 roubles in year 6 of General Medicine).
Can I study medicine in English at Sechenov?
Yes. General Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy are offered in English, but all applicants still take the Russian-language entrance test, and other profiles are taught in Russian.
What are the entrance exams for Sechenov University?
Computer-based tests in chemistry and Russian: the minimum is 55 in each for General Medicine and Dentistry and 45 for Pharmacy, out of 100.
Does Sechenov offer scholarships to international students?
Not from the university itself. You can apply for a Russian government quota, which covers tuition, through the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
When do Sechenov admissions open?
For 2026/27, the main round accepted documents from 20 June to 18 August 2026 (entrance tests until 20 August). An additional round for holders of foreign school certificates in General Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Pediatrics runs from 30 September to 19 October 2026 (22 October if no entrance tests are needed). Admissions usually open in June each year.
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 Sechenov University in the QS World University Rankings 2027.