Ural Federal University
Уральский федеральный университет
One of Russia's largest universities, formed in 2011 from the Ural Polytechnic and Ural State University in Yekaterinburg.
- Tuition
- RUB 320K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1920
- QS World Ranking
- #504
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Urban
About UrFU
Ural Federal University traces its origins to the Ural University founded in Yekaterinburg in 1920. The institution later split into Ural State University (sciences, social sciences and humanities) and the Ural Polytechnic Institute (engineering, metallurgy, power engineering), and the two were merged again between 2009 and 2011 to form UrFU, one of Russia's federal universities. It bears the name of Boris Yeltsin, who graduated in civil engineering in 1955.
UrFU is large: the university reports more than 50,000 students, over 4,900 international students from more than 100 countries, more than 4,400 faculty members and about 400 programmes. Teaching is organised in institutes such as the Ural Power Engineering Institute, the Institute of Physics and Technology, the Institute of New Materials and Technologies, the Graduate School of Economics and Management and the Ural Institute of Humanities.
Most bachelor's programmes are taught in Russian, and international applicants take entrance tests plus a Russian language test at B1-B2 level; a small number of programmes are partly taught in English. The university suits students who want an engineering, science or humanities degree at a big Russian university with a long industrial tradition, and who are prepared to study in Russian, often after a preparatory year.
Думай, делай, достигай!
“Think, act, achieve!” — university motto
Why students choose UrFU
The university reports around 400 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes across engineering, IT, natural sciences, economics and the humanities.
A Preparatory Department (Russian Language School) offers a 1.5-year foundation route of Russian plus specialty subjects for students who do not yet speak Russian.
International fees for Russian-taught bachelor's programmes start at 320,000 RUB a year for non-CIS citizens, with lower rates for CIS citizens and preparatory-department graduates.
UrFU says it runs 193 research and development laboratories and 72 research excellence centres.
Admissions
2027 entry (2027 dates not yet published; 2026 dates shown for reference)
Selectivity
UrFU does not publish an acceptance rate. International bachelor's applicants are admitted on the basis of entrance tests in two major subjects plus a Russian language test; some programmes add a creative exam.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school certificate | Completed secondary education, with the certificate and full transcript translated into Russian, notarised and legalised or apostilled |
|---|---|
| Russian language | B1-B2 level for Russian-taught programmes; tested at admission unless you hold a recognised Russian course certificate |
Deadlines
- Preparatory foundation year (2026 intake, past) Non-binding Passed16 March 2026
1.5-year programme of Russian language plus specialty subjects.
- Bachelor's application window (2026 entry, past) Non-binding Passed20 August 2026
Applications opened 20 June 2026. Programme pages list 1 August as the end of the window for bachelor's programmes, so apply early. Tuition under the contract was due by 21 August 2026.
UrFU has not yet published 2027 dates. For 2026 the bachelor's window ran from 20 June to 20 August (1 August on the programme pages), and an additional round for tuition-paying places opened on 1 September. Expect a similar summer window for 2027.
How to apply
International applicants email their documents to the UrFU admissions team or apply online, then take the entrance tests. Documents include a passport scan with notarised Russian translation and school certificates and transcripts with notarised Russian translations and legalisation or apostille. Successful applicants receive a letter of invitation for the study visa. Government-funded places are available through the Russian Government Scholarship (via Rossotrudnichestvo) and the Open Doors olympiad.
What admissions looks for
- A completed secondary education certificate with a full transcript.
- Results in two entrance tests in subjects related to the chosen programme.
- Russian at B1-B2 level, shown by test or by a Russian course certificate.
- For creative specialties, the result of an additional creative exam.
Tips for applying to UrFU
- 1 Start document legalisation early: every foreign education document needs an apostille or legalisation plus a notarised Russian translation, or it cannot be considered.
- 2 If your Russian is not yet at B1-B2, look at the Preparatory Department's 1.5-year foundation programme, whose 2026 deadline was in March.
- 3 UrFU states that it charges no application or document-evaluation fees and requires no tuition deposit, so be wary of intermediaries asking for payment.
- 4 Check whether you qualify for the Russian Government Scholarship or the Open Doors olympiad, both of which can cover tuition.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in RUB
The Russian Government Scholarship covers tuition for the whole programme, pays a monthly stipend and provides a dormitory place; selection is run by Rossotrudnichestvo and Russian embassies. The Open Doors olympiad offers tuition-free admission, and the Boris Yeltsin Foundation funds annual scholarships for UrFU students.
- 344,000-507,000 RUB
- Partly English-taught bachelor's programmes (non-CIS, per year)
- None charged by UrFU
- Application fees
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (academic year starts 1 September)
International Economics and Business (bachelor's)
Partly taught in English and listed by UrFU as EFMD accredited; 507,000 RUB a year for non-CIS students.
Software Engineering (bachelor's)
One of the Russian-taught IT degrees in the top fee band, reflecting demand for computing places.
Technological Machinery and Equipment (bachelor's)
An engineering degree partly taught in English, rooted in the Ural Polytechnic's machine-building tradition.
Applied Ethics for Business and Industry (bachelor's)
One of only three bachelor's programmes partly taught in English.
Translation, Interpretation and Cross-cultural Communication (bachelor's)
A Russian-taught linguistics degree popular with international students who have completed the preparatory year.
Research
- UrFU reports 193 research and development laboratories and 72 research excellence centres.
- The university names research traditions in mathematics, nanoscience, chemistry, physics and psychology.
- Alumnus Nikolay Krasovsky founded a school in mathematical control theory and differential games, and alumnus Yury Osipov chaired the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Schools & faculties
- Engineering School of Information Technologies, Telecommunications and Control Systems
- Graduate School of Economics and Management
- Institute of Chemical Engineering
- Institute of Civil Engineering and Architecture
- Institute of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- Institute of New Materials and Technologies
- Institute of Physics and Technology
- Institute of Physical Education, Sports and Youth Policy
- Ural Institute of Humanities
- Ural Power Engineering Institute
- Ural Advanced Engineering School
- Institute of Fundamental Education
Student life
UrFU houses students in about 20 dormitories around Yekaterinburg, including a cluster of newer blocks and a hotel-style dormitory on Stoletiya Uralskogo Universiteta Street. With more than 4,900 international students, the university has an International Students Adaptation Centre, a buddy system and foreign student associations for groups from China, India, Vietnam, Africa, Latin America, Central Asia and elsewhere. The annual Friendship of Nations Festival showcases these communities. New arrivals must complete a medical examination and fingerprint registration within 90 days of entering Russia.
- Around 20 student associations for international communities, from the African Student Association to the Vietnamese Student Association.
- A buddy system and adaptation centre for new international students.
- The Friendship of Nations Festival, an annual celebration of the international student body.
- Graduates include Boris Yeltsin, Olympic champion gymnast David Belyavskiy and film director Gleb Panfilov.
Housing. UrFU lists around 20 dormitories in Yekaterinburg, and a dormitory place is included in the Russian Government Scholarship.
Location
Yekaterinburg is one of Russia's largest cities and the main centre of the Urals, on the border between Europe and Asia. UrFU's main building stands at 19 Mira Street, facing Kirov Square, with dormitories spread around the eastern part of the city. Winters are long and cold, so international students should budget for winter clothing.
Nearest airport: Koltsovo International Airport (SVX)
Notable alumni
- BY Boris YeltsinFirst President of the Russian Federation; graduated in civil engineering in 1955
- NR Nikolai RyzhkovSoviet Prime Minister; machine engineering graduate (1959)
- YO Yury OsipovMathematician and former President of the Russian Academy of Sciences
- GP Gleb PanfilovFilm director; chemistry graduate (1959)
- YG Yuri GurevichComputer scientist and inventor of abstract state machines; mathematics graduate (1968)
- VK Vladislav KrapivinChildren's writer with more than 200 publications; journalism graduate (1960)
- DB David BelyavskiyOlympic champion gymnast; graduated in 2019
- AM Anna MatveevaNovelist and journalist; journalism graduate (1994)
Frequently asked questions
Can I study at Ural Federal University in English?
Only a few bachelor's programmes are partly taught in English (International Economics and Business, Technological Machinery and Equipment, and Applied Ethics for Business and Industry). Most bachelor's degrees are taught in Russian and need B1-B2 Russian.
How much does UrFU cost for international students?
For 2026-27, Russian-taught bachelor's programmes cost 320,000 to 507,000 RUB a year for non-CIS citizens, with lower prices for CIS citizens and UrFU preparatory graduates.
What entrance exams does UrFU require?
International bachelor's applicants take two tests in major subjects plus a mandatory Russian language test, and some specialties add a creative exam.
When is the UrFU application deadline?
2027 dates are not yet published. For 2026, applications ran from 20 June to 20 August (1 August on the programme pages), with the foundation year closing on 16 March.
Are there scholarships at UrFU for international students?
Yes. The Russian Government Scholarship covers tuition, a monthly stipend and a dormitory place, and the Open Doors olympiad offers tuition-free admission.
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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