Lomonosov Moscow State University

Ulitsa Kolmogorova, 1, Moscow 119991, Russia

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Overview

Lomonosov Moscow State University is the most prestigious institution of higher learning in Russia, located in the capital city of Moscow. Over 38,000 students are enrolled at MSU, of which more than 10% are international students, and over 22,000 are undergraduates.

MSU has two campuses in the city of Moscow: Vorobyovy Gory (the main campus, with most of the academic buildings and sports complexes) and Mokhovaya. It also has seven international branches, in countries that were once part of the Soviet Union and in China. All campuses are notable for t...

University Highlight

Establishment year	1755
Total Students	38,150 (34,722 full time)
International Students	3,907 (3,875 full time)
QS World University Rankings 2024	=87
Campus Size	N/A
Total Number of Campuses	2 in Moscow + 7 Branches abroad
University Website	https://www.msu.ru/en/
No. of Schools and Divisions	41 Faculties
Nobel Prize Winner Alumni	11
No. of Education Programs	Overall: 128 (UG), 168 (PG) For International Students: 70 (undergraduate), 80+ (Master’s), 20 (PhD)
Student to Faculty ratio	3.7:1

Course Highlight

Lomonosov Moscow State University offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses through 41 Faculties, which are further subdivided into Divisions and Departments

The Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics provides UG and PG taught and research programs through two Divisions (Mechanics and Mathematics), which are further divided into 26 Departments, including Number Theory, Higher Algebra, General Topology and Geometry, and Aeromechanics and Gas Dynamics.
The Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs through 20 Departments, including Mathematical Physics, Computational Methods, Functional Analysis and its Applications, and Optimal Control.
The Faculty of Physics teaches UG and PG courses, and carries out research via its eight Divisions (Experimental and Theoretical Physics, Solid State Physics, Radio Physics and Electronics, Nuclear Physics, Geophysics, Astronomy, Applied Mathematics, and Continuing Education), with a total of 39 Departments within.
The Faculty of Chemistry provides UG and PG taught and research programs through 17 Departments, including Physical, Inorganic, Analytical, and Organic Chemistry.
The Faculty of Biology conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs through 28 Departments, including Zoology, Anthropology, Physiology, and Biochemistry.
The Faculty of Geology provides UG and PG taught and research programs through 6 Departments: Regional Geology and Earth History and Lithology and Marine Geology.
The Faculty of Geography conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs through 15 Departments: Biogeography, Land Hydrology, Cartography and Geoinformatics, and Landscape Geochemistry and Soil Geography.
The Faculty of Fundamental Medicine conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs through 12 Departments: Biological and Medical Chemistry, Normal and Topographical Anatomy, Therapy, and Internal Medicine.
The Faculty of History provides UG and PG taught and research programs through five Divisions, including History of Art and History of International Relations.
The Faculty of Economics conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs through 18 Departments, including Macroeconomic Regulation and Planning, Agroeconomics, Population, and Finance and Credit.
The Faculty of Law conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs through 16 Departments: Legal History and State History, Commercial Law and Basics of Law, Criminal Law and Criminology, and Constitutional Law and Municipal Law.
The Faculty of Psychology provides UG and PG taught and research programs through 11 Departments: Industrial and Engineering Psychology, Personality Psychology, Methodology of Psychology, and Psychological Aid.
The Faculty of World Politics conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs through four Chairs: International Security, International Organizations and World Political Processes, Regional Issues of World Politics, and Information Support for Foreign Policy.
The Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts provides UG and PG taught and research programs through four Departments, General Theory and Semiotics of Art, Music, Verbal Arts, and Theatre.
Other Faculties include Materials Science, Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Soil Science, Fundamental Physical and Chemical Engineering, Philology, Philosophy, Journalism, Sociology, Foreign Languages and Area Studies, Public Administration, Global Studies, Educational Studies, Political Science, Business Administration, Economics, Translation and Interpretation, Advanced School of Public Administration, State Audit, Management and Innovation, Innovative Business, Contemporary Social Sciences, Television, Biotechnology, Cosmic Research, Military Training, the Higher School of Policy in Culture and Management in the Sphere of Humanities, and the Institute of Asian and African Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

Undergraduate international applicants to MSU must hold a valid high school degree or diploma, and must satisfy certain academic excellence criteria that vary according to Faculty; these can be found on individual Department web pages. Many countries have international admissions offices; these can be contacted for information specific to entry requirements. If the program of interest is taught in Russian, the applicant will need to be fluent in the language; in the absence of this, a 10 month course at the Institute of Russian Language and Culture is necessary. For programs taught in English, the applicant will need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores if the country of origin has a native language other than English.

Postgraduate international applicants must satisfy similar criteria. Candidates applying to Master’s courses at MSU must have a valid Bachelor’s degree with transcripts certifying academic excellence. Applicants to PhD courses must have a Master’s degree from a recognized University, along with a record of research achievement.

Admission

All international applicants to MSU are advised to do so through the online portal, though documents can also be sent through the mail. The following documents must be uploaded:

Either original or scanned copies of relevant degrees obtained; these will differ according to whether the degree being applied to is a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD program. These must be certified by relevant authorities in the home country.
Russian translations of all academic transcripts, with grades or marks obtained. These must be notarized for international students, with the requirements published on the relevant University page.
Scanned copy of the identity page of either a passport or the national identity card.
A recent photograph of the applicant.

For Bachelor’s and Master’s course applicants, the application window is between mid-June and mid-July every year for most programs. PhD candidates can apply in two waves: one between June 15 and July 10, and the other between August 8 and August 22.

Candidates can apply for a maximum of five areas of study. Once the shortlist of candidates is released, all foreign applicants must appear for a remotely held entrance examination. Those who pass this test must send their enrolment consent to the relevant Faculty, after which they receive an invitation letter from the University, with which they can apply for a Russian student visa.

Fees

Undergraduate students at MSU pay tuition fees that vary according to the program. Here are some indicative numbers:

In the Faculty of Philosophy, the tuition fees for international UG students are 411,070 rubles (~USD 5,040) per year.
In the Faculty of Biology, the tuition fees for foreign undergraduate students are 455,990 rubles (~ USD 5,646) per year.

Postgraduate students at MSU pay tuition fees that vary according to the program. Here are some indicative numbers:

In the Faculty of Philosophy, the tuition fees for international Master’s students are 418,470 rubles (~ USD 5,130) per year.
In the Faculty 0f Biology, the annual tuition fees for Master’s programs are 427,560 rubles (~USD 5,300).
The Faculty of Fundamental Medicine has the highest Master’s tuition fees on average: 427,560 rubles (~USD 5,300) per year for Russian students, and 462,480 rubles (~USD 5,700) per year for international students.
For PhD programs in most Faculties, the tuition fees are between 400,000 and 450,000 rubles per year.

In addition to tuition fees, international students at MSU should budget for the following expenses:

For programs taught in Russian, candidates who are not fluent in the language will need to take a one year course in the language; this costs approximately USD 6,000.
Medical insurance, which is mandatory for all international students in Russia, costs approximately 12,500 rubles (approximately USD 150) per year.
Translation and local certificate of academic documents (prior degrees and transcripts) entails a one time cost of approximately 5,000 rubles (~60 USD).
Accommodation fees in one of the eight student dormitories on campus costs about 14,000 rubles (USD 175) per month, which comes out to approximately USD 1,750 for ten months spent on campus.
Food and personal expenses (including travel and shopping) come to about 25,000 rubles (~USD 310) per month, or approximately 3,100 USD per year.

Campus facilities

Lomonosov Moscow State University has two adjacent campuses in Moscow. The main Vorobyovy Gory campus has many academic buildings, extensive sports grounds and indoor locations (including stadia, aquatics pools, football and athletics grounds, gymnasiums, and tennis courts), the main library, and the publishing house of the University. The Mokhovaya campus has some academic buildings and the Zoological Museum. The University also has six overseas branches (primarily in erstwhile Soviet Republics), located in Kazakhstan (Tashkent, Baku, Dushanbe, Yerevan, and Koper). It also operates a joint University with the Beijing Institute of Technology in Shenzhen; this is its seventh location abroad.

The hub of all cultural activities at MSU is the Moscow University Arts and Entertainment Center. All the creative student organizations come together under this umbrella, including multiple orchestras, international dance ensembles, music studios, and literature groups. The Center organizes performances for members of the University and the public.

Annual events at MSU bring the whole student body together to celebrate special occasions. The main events are the Graduation Day, the Science Festival, the Student Spring Festival, and the University Autumn Dance Festival. At these events, students and faculty members collaborate to put on elaborate performances. There are also events periodically organized by international cultural associations, including Korean, Italian, and Chinese cultural performances.

A large number of events on campus are academic and research conferences organized by Departments of the University. The Faculties also organize regular events for school children in the neighborhood.

The main outdoor venue for events, performances, and workshops is the Botanical Garden. This has a large number of fruit trees, open spaces, and desert plants, providing an ideal backdrop for the most dynamic events at the University.

Sports clubs at MSU are monitored by the Department of Physical Education. There are more than 40 sports that are formally played at the University. There are more than 40 sections at Moscow State University in all major sports, including athletics, skiing, aerobics, and karate. Lomonosov University has world class sports facilities, including a large indoor sports building with basketball, volleyball, and universal halls. The main building contains an Olympic size swimming pool and cardio, fitness, and weight training areas. Outdoor sports are well represented as well, with track and field arenas and football fields in the MSU stadium. There are also smaller gymnasiums and indoor sports buildings on other campuses, as well as dormitories and academic buildings.

Scholarship

The Russian Government Scholarship is awarded based on academic excellence and is open to both domestic and foreign postgraduate students at MSU. Each program that is taught in Russian has a certain number of funded seats, and the award typically entails a full tuition fee waiver, along with a monthly stipend.

Every Department has its own Scholarships, primarily for Master’s students; details can be found on the relevant pages. For example, the Theoretical Physics and Mathematics Advancement Foundation awards tuition fee grants and monthly stipends of up to 50,000 rubles to exceptional Master’s candidates studying Quantum Geometry.