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

#166 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

2. St. Petersburg State University

Saint Petersburg

#166 in Europe

#404 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1724

3. National Research University Higher School of Economics

#212 in Europe

#537 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Founded: 1992

4. Tomsk State University

#300 in Europe

#757 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1878

5. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

#344 in Europe

#892 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1946

6. Kazan Federal University

#351 in Europe

#913 in the World

Founded: 1804

7. National Research Nuclear University MEPI

#370 in Europe

#961 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Founded: 1942

8. Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University

Saint Petersburg

#372 in Europe

#965 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1899

9. Novosibirsk State University

#374 in Europe

#972 in the World

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

10. Ural Federal University

#388 in Europe

#1017 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1920

11. RUDN University

#392 in Europe

#1035 in the World

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

12. Moscow Medical Academy

#418 in Europe

#1117 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Founded: 1758

13. ITMO University

Saint Petersburg

#436 in Europe

#1172 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1900

14. Tomsk Polytechnic University

#445 in Europe

#1206 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1896

15. Bauman Moscow State Technical University

#459 in Europe

#1263 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1830

16. National University of Science and Technology "MISIS"

#508 in Europe

#1430 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1930

17. Southern Federal University

#510 in Europe

#1438 in the World

Founded: 1915

18. Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

#517 in Europe

#1454 in the World

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

19. South Ural State University

#542 in Europe

#1522 in the World

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

20. Siberian Federal University

#575 in Europe

#1645 in the World

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

21. Moscow Aviation Institute

#577 in Europe

#1660 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1930

22. Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation

#585 in Europe

#1684 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1919

23. Moscow State Institute of International Relations

#590 in Europe

#1705 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1944

24. Far Eastern Federal University

#592 in Europe

#1711 in the World

Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1899

25. Saratov State University

#595 in Europe

#1718 in the World

Founded: 1909

26. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod

#600 in Europe

#1730 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Founded: 1916

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

#604 in Europe

#1752 in the World

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

28. Russian National Research Medical University

#624 in Europe

#1833 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1906

29. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

#643 in Europe

#1905 in the World

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

30. Moscow State Pedagogical University

#679 in Europe

#2055 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1872

31. Novosibirsk State Technical University

#681 in Europe

#2063 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1950

32. Voronezh State University

#694 in Europe

#2107 in the World

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

33. Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University

Saint Petersburg

#731 in Europe

#2263 in the World

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

34. University of Tyumen

#738 in Europe

#2282 in the World

Founded: 1930

35. Perm State University

#754 in Europe

#2380 in the World

Enrollment: 12,370
Founded: 1916

36. Samara National Research University

#760 in Europe

#2407 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1942

37. North-Eastern Federal University

#761 in Europe

#2408 in the World

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

38. Altai State University

#763 in Europe

#2411 in the World

Founded: 1973

39. Irkutsk State University

#775 in Europe

#2472 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1918

40. Russian State University of Oil and Gas

#797 in Europe

#2568 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1930

41. Belgorod State University

#798 in Europe

#2569 in the World

Founded: 1876

42. Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University

#807 in Europe

#2604 in the World

Founded: 1967

43. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia

#840 in Europe

#2793 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Founded: 1898

44. Russian State University for the Humanities

#853 in Europe

#2846 in the World

Enrollment: 7,000
Founded: 1991

45. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University

Saint Petersburg

#855 in Europe

#2854 in the World

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

46. Northern Arctic Federal University

#863 in Europe

#2893 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1929

47. Perm State Technical University

#878 in Europe

#2942 in the World

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

48. Kuban State University

#882 in Europe

#2955 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Founded: 1920

49. Petrozavodsk State University

#892 in Europe

#2987 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Founded: 1940

50. Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics

#901 in Europe

#3041 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1962

51. Samara State Technical University

#907 in Europe

#3068 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1914

52. Ogarev Mordovia State University

#919 in Europe

#3118 in the World

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

53. State University of Management

#927 in Europe

#3184 in the World

Founded: 1919

54. Chelyabinsk State University

#929 in Europe

#3188 in the World

Founded: 1976

55. Moscow Polytech

#941 in Europe

#3227 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1866

56. Russian State Agricultural University

#951 in Europe

#3278 in the World

Founded: 1865

57. Volgograd State University

#956 in Europe

#3292 in the World

Founded: 1980

58. Saint-Petersburg Mining University

Saint Petersburg

#960 in Europe

#3309 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1773

59. Moscow Technical University - MIREA

#963 in Europe

#3313 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1947

60. Bashkir State University

#975 in Europe

#3387 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1909

61. Kemerovo State University

#977 in Europe

#3392 in the World

Founded: 1974

62. National Research University of Electronic Technology

#983 in Europe

#3423 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Founded: 1965

63. Novgorod State University

Veliky Novgorod

#990 in Europe

#3451 in the World

Founded: 1993

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

#991 in Europe

#3453 in the World

Founded: 1932

65. North Caucasus Federal University

#992 in Europe

#3461 in the World

Founded: 1971

66. Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University

Nizhny Novgorod

#994 in Europe

#3490 in the World

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1917

67. Russian State Social University

#1004 in Europe

#3546 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1991

68. Saratov State Technical University

#1006 in Europe

#3554 in the World

Founded: 1930

69. Penza State University

#1007 in Europe

#3555 in the World

Founded: 1943

70. Ufa State Petroleum Technological University

#1008 in Europe

#3558 in the World

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

71. Ufa State Aviation Technical University

#1010 in Europe

#3563 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1932

72. St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation

Saint Petersburg

#1016 in Europe

#3592 in the World

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

73. Yaroslavl State University

#1018 in Europe

#3594 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1918

74. Moscow State University of Railway Engineering

#1021 in Europe

#3628 in the World

Founded: 1896

75. Tula State University

#1023 in Europe

#3641 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1930

76. Kazan State Technological University

#1029 in Europe

#3679 in the World

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1890

77. St. Petersburg State University of Economics

Saint Petersburg

#1038 in Europe

#3715 in the World

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

78. New Economic School

#1042 in Europe

#3761 in the World

Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1992

79. Tver State University

#1044 in Europe

#3768 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1870

80. Siberian State Medical University

#1051 in Europe

#3834 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1888

81. Tomsk State Pedagogical University

#1053 in Europe

#3860 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1902

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

Saint Petersburg

#1059 in Europe

#3915 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1930

83. Tambov State Technical University

#1060 in Europe

#3916 in the World

Founded: 1958

84. Omsk State Technical University

#1063 in Europe

#3929 in the World

Founded: 1942

85. Ulyanovsk State University

#1068 in Europe

#3960 in the World

Founded: 1988

86. Orenburg State University

#1073 in Europe

#3978 in the World

Founded: 1971

87. Udmurt State University

#1077 in Europe

#3991 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Founded: 1931

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

Saint Petersburg

#1083 in Europe

#4011 in the World

Founded: 1832

89. Magnitogorsk State Technical University

#1087 in Europe

#4044 in the World

Founded: 1934

90. Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical Academy

Saint Petersburg

#1088 in Europe

#4048 in the World

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

91. Moscow State Technological University "Stankin"

#1090 in Europe

#4056 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1930

92. Irkutsk National Research Technical University

#1096 in Europe

#4083 in the World

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

93. Kazan State Medical University

#1097 in Europe

#4091 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1814

94. Omsk State University

#1098 in Europe

#4098 in the World

Founded: 1974

95. Privolzhsky Research Medical University

Nizhny Novgorod

#1110 in Europe

#4166 in the World

Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1920

96. Syktyvkar State University

#1113 in Europe

#4173 in the World

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

97. Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University

#1120 in Europe

#4224 in the World

Founded: 1952

98. Belgorod State Technological University

#1122 in Europe

#4232 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1954

99. Chuvash State University

#1129 in Europe

#4260 in the World

Founded: 1967

100. South-Western State University

#1131 in Europe

#4275 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 $447 + $64-459 for rent (depends on where to live: dormitory, renting with a roommate or solo).