List of 100 best universities in Russia

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Top 100 universities in Russia ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 10.8M citations received by 1.31M academic publications made by 385 universities from Russia, the popularity of 5,737 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. Moscow State University

#54 in Europe

#165 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

2. St. Petersburg State University

Saint Petersburg

#163 in Europe

#397 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1724

3. National Research University Higher School of Economics

#209 in Europe

#531 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Founded: 1992

4. Tomsk State University

#315 in Europe

#795 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1878

5. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

#342 in Europe

#879 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1946

6. Kazan Federal University

#364 in Europe

#944 in the World

Founded: 1804

7. National Research Nuclear University MEPI

#368 in Europe

#953 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Founded: 1942

8. Novosibirsk State University

#372 in Europe

#961 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 7,131
Founded: 1959

9. Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University

Saint Petersburg

#386 in Europe

#1009 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1899

10. RUDN University

#388 in Europe

#1017 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1960

11. Ural Federal University

#405 in Europe

#1062 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1920

12. Moscow Medical Academy

#431 in Europe

#1159 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Founded: 1758

13. ITMO University

Saint Petersburg

#445 in Europe

#1208 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1900

14. Bauman Moscow State Technical University

#457 in Europe

#1245 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1830

15. Tomsk Polytechnic University

#458 in Europe

#1247 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1896

16. National University of Science and Technology "MISIS"

#508 in Europe

#1414 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1930

17. Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

#515 in Europe

#1435 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1977

18. Southern Federal University

#527 in Europe

#1482 in the World

Founded: 1915

19. South Ural State University

#533 in Europe

#1502 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1943

20. Siberian Federal University

#571 in Europe

#1621 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Enrollment: 32,145
Founded: 2006

21. Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation

#580 in Europe

#1664 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1919

22. Moscow Aviation Institute

#587 in Europe

#1702 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1930

23. Moscow State Institute of International Relations

#604 in Europe

#1760 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1944

24. Far Eastern Federal University

#606 in Europe

#1766 in the World

Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1899

25. Saratov State University

#628 in Europe

#1842 in the World

Founded: 1909

26. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod

#635 in Europe

#1864 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Founded: 1916

27. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

#636 in Europe

#1868 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 16,401
Founded: 1907

28. N.R.U. Moscow Power Engineering Institute

#640 in Europe

#1878 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 17,519
Founded: 1930

29. Russian National Research Medical University

#672 in Europe

#2025 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1906

30. Voronezh State University

#678 in Europe

#2049 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 20,188
Founded: 1918

31. Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University

Saint Petersburg

#707 in Europe

#2145 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 10,000
Founded: 1886

32. Moscow State Pedagogical University

#718 in Europe

#2175 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1872

33. Novosibirsk State Technical University

#720 in Europe

#2191 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1950

34. University of Tyumen

#744 in Europe

#2320 in the World

Founded: 1930

35. Perm State University

#768 in Europe

#2419 in the World

Enrollment: 12,370
Founded: 1916

36. North-Eastern Federal University

#771 in Europe

#2445 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 19,077
Founded: 1956

37. Altai State University

#772 in Europe

#2446 in the World

Founded: 1973

38. Irkutsk State University

#783 in Europe

#2495 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1918

39. Belgorod State University

#785 in Europe

#2515 in the World

Founded: 1876

40. Samara National Research University

#804 in Europe

#2600 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1942

41. Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University

#812 in Europe

#2629 in the World

Founded: 1967

42. Russian State University of Oil and Gas

#821 in Europe

#2671 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1930

43. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia

#852 in Europe

#2830 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Founded: 1898

44. Northern Arctic Federal University

#853 in Europe

#2841 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1929

45. Russian State University for the Humanities

#868 in Europe

#2883 in the World

Enrollment: 7,000
Founded: 1991

46. Chelyabinsk State University

#880 in Europe

#2940 in the World

Founded: 1976

47. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University

Saint Petersburg

#886 in Europe

#2974 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 8,000
Founded: 1897

48. Ogarev Mordovia State University

#908 in Europe

#3050 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 8,000
Founded: 1931

49. Perm State Technical University

#909 in Europe

#3060 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 1953

50. Kuban State University

#910 in Europe

#3065 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Founded: 1920

51. Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics

#913 in Europe

#3076 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1962

52. Petrozavodsk State University

#919 in Europe

#3095 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Founded: 1940

53. Samara State Technical University

#936 in Europe

#3190 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1914

54. Saint-Petersburg Mining University

Saint Petersburg

#949 in Europe

#3227 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1773

55. State University of Management

#960 in Europe

#3274 in the World

Founded: 1919

56. Volgograd State University

#964 in Europe

#3298 in the World

Founded: 1980

57. Bashkir State University

#966 in Europe

#3302 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1909

58. National Research University of Electronic Technology

#972 in Europe

#3339 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Founded: 1965

59. Kemerovo State University

#980 in Europe

#3389 in the World

Founded: 1974

60. Moscow Technical University - MIREA

#982 in Europe

#3399 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1947

61. Russian State Agricultural University

#988 in Europe

#3447 in the World

Founded: 1865

62. Novgorod State University

Veliky Novgorod

#990 in Europe

#3460 in the World

Founded: 1993

63. Kazan National Research Technical University named after A.N. Tupolev - KAI

#992 in Europe

#3465 in the World

Founded: 1932

64. North Caucasus Federal University

#993 in Europe

#3471 in the World

Founded: 1971

65. Saratov State Technical University

#995 in Europe

#3477 in the World

Founded: 1930

66. St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation

Saint Petersburg

#998 in Europe

#3510 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 12,000
Founded: 1941

67. Tula State University

#1004 in Europe

#3554 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1930

68. Ufa State Petroleum Technological University

#1005 in Europe

#3560 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1948

69. Moscow Polytech

#1006 in Europe

#3561 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1866

70. Tomsk State Pedagogical University

#1009 in Europe

#3578 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1902

71. Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University

Nizhny Novgorod

#1013 in Europe

#3586 in the World

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1917

72. Tver State University

#1016 in Europe

#3593 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1870

73. St. Petersburg State University of Economics

Saint Petersburg

#1021 in Europe

#3647 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Enrollment: 12,500
Founded: 1930

74. Moscow State University of Railway Engineering

#1022 in Europe

#3649 in the World

Founded: 1896

75. Penza State University

#1024 in Europe

#3666 in the World

Founded: 1943

76. Ufa State Aviation Technical University

#1025 in Europe

#3674 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1932

77. Russian State Social University

#1042 in Europe

#3744 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1991

78. Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia

Saint Petersburg

#1046 in Europe

#3772 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1797

79. New Economic School

#1048 in Europe

#3777 in the World

Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1992

80. Yaroslavl State University

#1050 in Europe

#3788 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1918

81. Kazan State Technological University

#1051 in Europe

#3789 in the World

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1890

82. Siberian State Medical University

#1055 in Europe

#3823 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1888

83. Irkutsk National Research Technical University

#1064 in Europe

#3904 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 35,700
Founded: 1930

84. Tambov State Technical University

#1066 in Europe

#3916 in the World

Founded: 1958

85. Bonch-Bruevich St. Petersburg State University of Telecommunications

Saint Petersburg

#1079 in Europe

#4006 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1930

86. Omsk State Technical University

#1081 in Europe

#4021 in the World

Founded: 1942

87. Magnitogorsk State Technical University

#1085 in Europe

#4043 in the World

Founded: 1934

88. Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical Academy

Saint Petersburg

#1086 in Europe

#4053 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Enrollment: 4,000
Founded: 1925

89. Moscow State Technological University "Stankin"

#1087 in Europe

#4057 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1930

90. Omsk State University

#1098 in Europe

#4103 in the World

Founded: 1974

91. St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Saint Petersburg

#1100 in Europe

#4108 in the World

Founded: 1832

92. Ulyanovsk State University

#1106 in Europe

#4138 in the World

Founded: 1988

93. Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University

#1107 in Europe

#4141 in the World

Founded: 1952

94. Udmurt State University

#1113 in Europe

#4172 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Founded: 1931

95. Syktyvkar State University

#1114 in Europe

#4174 in the World

Enrollment: 8,630
Male:Female: 32:68
Founded: 1972

96. Chuvash State University

#1115 in Europe

#4175 in the World

Founded: 1967

97. Belgorod State Technological University

#1122 in Europe

#4240 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1954

98. Orenburg State University

#1127 in Europe

#4259 in the World

Founded: 1971

99. Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology

Saint Petersburg

#1134 in Europe

#4294 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1828

100. South-Western State University

#1135 in Europe

#4295 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1964

The best cities to study in Russia based on the number of universities and their ranks are Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tomsk, and Kazan.

Average cost of living for students in Russia is $347 + $48-341 for rent (depends on where to live: dormitory, renting with a roommate or solo).