University Admissions in 2025: What's Changed and What Changes to Expect Next

Contents:

• What will be new in the rules for admission to universities in 2025
• What new rules are expected in 2026

In 2025, consent to enrollment will return to the admissions process for higher education institutions. However, overall, changes to the admissions process remain minor. More significant reforms are expected to be introduced in 2026 and subsequent years. These changes may impact approaches to the admissions process and the conditions for admission to universities.

What's New in the University Admissions Rules in 2025

In December 2024, the Russian Ministry of Education and Science approved a new procedure for admission to higher education institutions, which will be in effect until 2029. In this context, it is important to note the key changes that affect applicants and educational institutions. The main innovations include a revision of the entrance examination assessment criteria, changes in the number of points required for admission, and the introduction of new testing formats. These changes are aimed at improving the quality of education and simplifying the university admissions process. Please pay attention to the latest news and updates in the admissions rules to stay up to date with all the details.

• Applicants may simultaneously participate in the competition at a maximum of five universities, and in each of them - in a maximum of five areas of study or specialties (previously, universities could reduce the number of areas in their admissions rules, and many leading universities allowed you to choose no more than three, now you can choose up to five).
• At the final stage of the competition, you will be required to sign an acceptance form for admission - or mark the appropriate box on the government services portal if you applied through the "Online University Admission" super service. Consents were temporarily removed from the university admissions procedure - now they have been reinstated.
• The competition lists will indicate the qualifying priorities of applicants - whether they are eligible for this program. The main highest priority is determined for everyone, regardless of whether they have submitted consent for admission or not. The highest passing priority is only for those who have already submitted consent for admission. If the applicant does not revoke their consent, they will be enrolled in accordance with their highest admission priority.
• Applicants eligible for admission under a separate quota (primarily SVO participants and their children) will have the opportunity to take internal university exams instead of the Unified State Exam, including when they are part of the main competition and not under a separate quota. Applicants with disabilities and foreign citizens may also exercise this right.
• A special individual achievement has been added for applicants to targeted training: participation in the customer's career guidance events. It is valued at a maximum of 5 points.

What new rules are expected in 2026

Significant changes to the university admissions process are currently being actively discussed. However, applicants for the class of 2025 need not worry—even if new laws are passed in the coming months, they will not take effect until the 2026 admissions campaign. This allows prospective students to prepare for admission under existing rules without fear of sudden changes to admissions regulations.

Last year, changes occurred not only in the admissions process but also in the list of entrance examinations for universities. However, two expected changes were not included in the new list. Specifically, admission to pedagogical programs required passing an exam in the subject they plan to teach in the future. The introduction of a requirement for applicants to engineering majors to have a Unified State Exam result in physics was also discussed.

The updated list retains the option to choose between physics and computer science for engineers, as well as between social studies and a specialized subject for teachers. However, changes to this system are expected in the coming months.

• The list of presidential instructions following the meeting of the Council on Science and Education includes instructions to the Government to introduce mandatory entrance examinations for admission to teaching programs in teacher training areas (including mathematics and natural sciences). The changes are expected to be implemented by November 1, 2025. The idea is to require a Physics Unified State Exam (USE) for admission to the "Pedagogical Education" program with a Physics major. The same applies to future teachers of chemistry, biology, mathematics, and so on.
• According to the government-approved plan for the development of mathematics and natural science education, starting in 2026, a physics exam should become mandatory for admission to all engineering programs and specialties.

Universities had the opportunity to establish stricter admissions rules as early as 2025; however, as practice shows, most leading universities have not done so. For example, at Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), applicants to engineering programs can choose which USE results to provide: physics, computer science, or chemistry. A similar situation is observed at St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, where future engineers also retain the choice between physics and computer science. This demonstrates the flexibility of student selection approaches and the universities' desire to adapt to applicants' needs, which may impact their competitiveness in higher education. At MEPhI, the Unified State Exam (USE) requirements for admission vary depending on the chosen program. For example, specialized specialist programs such as "Nuclear Reactors and Materials" or "Nuclear Power Plants: Design, Operation, and Engineering" require USE results in physics. Meanwhile, for the bachelor's degree in instrument engineering, computer science results are acceptable. A similar situation is observed at MIPT: applicants in engineering programs have the option of choosing exams, while programs with a natural science focus, such as "Technical Physics," require USE results in physics. Please consider these nuances when preparing for admission to ensure you choose the most suitable program and successfully pass the required exams.

Bauman Moscow State Technical University has changed its exam schedule for most specializations and programs. The option to choose between physics and computer science is now retained only for some computer science programs and is no longer available for all programs. Physics is a required subject for admission to engineering programs.

The adopted law will come into force on September 1, 2025. Amendments to the Law on Education allow college graduates to enroll in universities without taking the Unified State Exam, but only in programs that correspond to their major or profession obtained in secondary vocational education. Each university will independently determine the eligibility of programs and develop the list and types of entrance examinations. This innovation is aimed at simplifying the admissions process and improving the compliance of professional training with the requirements of higher education.

It is important to note that some universities still maintain this procedure. Universities have the right to independently determine how to admit applicants with secondary vocational education (SVE) – either through internal examinations or based on the Unified State Exam (USE) results. As a result, some educational institutions establish conditions under which only those applicants who have SVE in a relevant specialty can apply for internal examinations, while other candidates must apply based on the Unified State Exam (USE) results.

In February 2025, the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Valery Falkov, announced a reduction in fee-based admission to programs of study that are not in high demand on the labor market. This decision will affect both public and private universities. Reducing fee-based admission will contribute to the optimization of educational programs and improve the quality of training specialists who meet the demands of the modern market.

Starting in 2026, changes in the number of fee-based places at universities are expected, but the details of their regulation are not yet clear. The list of presidential instructions from April 1 stipulates that the Government must submit proposals for coordinating the number of fee-paying places with relevant federal agencies by December 1, 2025. A bill was submitted to the State Duma, which proposes that the number of fee-paying places at universities will be determined by the Government based on the economy's need for qualified specialists. A separate procedure is planned for this purpose.

The reduction in educational programs will affect certain fields, although the exact list has not yet been announced. It is expected that the changes will affect socioeconomic specialties such as economics, management, law, and advertising. The list of presidential instructions mentions the need to amend legislation by December 1, 2025. These amendments will allow for the issuance of educational loans at a reduced rate only for those specialties and fields of study that are aligned with the objectives of ensuring Russia's technological independence and leadership. An official list of such specializations has not yet been published and is expected soon.

The mass transition to the new higher education system, a pilot project for which began in 2023, is planned for 2027. The reform implementation deadlines have been repeatedly revised: previously, there were discussions of expanding the new approaches as early as 2025. Currently, the reform bill has not yet been presented, but it is known that it is being prepared.

The transition to new levels of education will significantly change the university admissions process. Instead of traditional bachelor's and specialist's degrees, higher education programs will be introduced that will not have a strict classification. Previously, they were planned to be called basic programs, but this term was not mentioned in recent statements by representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science. In the current system, a bachelor's degree requires four years of study, and a specialist's degree requires five to six years. In the new model, the length of study will vary depending on the chosen specialization. This means that programs with varying durations, ranging from four to six years, will be available at a single level of higher education. This will give applicants the opportunity to choose educational paths that best suit their career goals and interests.

At the same time, it is necessary to change the list of higher education specialties. In 2022, a new list was approved, but its implementation was delayed after the launch of a pilot project that included maintaining the bachelor's degree program at universities. This means that the range of programs at higher education institutions may change not only depending on the level of education but also in their content. Educational trajectories within university programs should become more flexible, which will better align with student needs and labor market demands.

Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Elena Tumakova recently noted the need to implement programs allowing students to transfer between specialties within a single group. It is planned that during the first stage of their studies, students will study general courses, with a more specialized focus introduced in later years. This innovation is aimed at improving the educational process and adapting students to the changing demands of the labor market.

Recent presidential instructions indicate that by December 1, 2025, legislation will be amended to allow students to study in stages. This means that after completing the first two years of the program, students will be able to obtain their first professional qualification, for example, in a vocational profession. This approach provides the opportunity to begin working in their acquired specialty while continuing their education according to an individualized plan. Due to these innovations, higher education institutions may change their admissions practices, focusing not only on individual programs but also on groups of related specialties. Therefore, when applying, it will be important to consider potential intermediate qualifications and the possibility of transferring between specialties during the course of study. These changes are aimed at increasing the flexibility of the educational process and adapting it to the needs of the labor market.