Moscow City University

4 Vtoroy Selskohoziajstvenny proezd, Moscow 129226, Russia

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Overview

Moscow City University is a prestigious teacher training institution located in Moscow, Russia. Established in 1995, it has quickly risen to the top three ranks in its niche in the country. Over 18,000 students study at MCU, which offers over 300 education programs.

The campus of MCU occupies 44 buildings in the city of Moscow. The University also has a branch in the city of Samara. The two student hostels are both conveniently located in relation to the academic buildings, and the Institutes provide their students with internship opportunities in the...

University Highlight

Establishment year	1995
Total Students	18,181
International Students	600+
QS World University Rankings 2024	1400+
Campus Size	N/A
Total Number of Campuses	2 (Moscow and Samara)
University Website	https://en.mgpu.ru/
No. of Schools and Divisions	13 Institutes
Nobel Prize Winner Alumni	0
No. of Education Programs	300+ (Bachelor’s and Master’s)
Student to Faculty ratio	22.5:1

Course Highlight

Moscow City University offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses through 13 Institutes, which are further subdivided into Departments.

The Institute of Foreign Languages provides UG and PG taught and research programs through ten Departments: English Philology, English Studies and Cross-Cultural Communication, German Studies and Linguistic Didactics, Chinese Language, Methods of Teaching English and Business Communication, Romance Philology, French Language and Linguistic Didactics, Linguistics and Translation Studies, Japanese Language, and Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language.
The Institute of Culture and Arts conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs through five Departments: Decorative Art and Design, Painting and Composition, Music Art Study, Drawing and Graphic Arts, and Social and Cultural Practices.
The Institute of Natural Sciences and Sports Technologies teaches UG and PG courses, and carries out research via its four Departments: Adaptive Physical Education and Athletic Instruction, Biology and Human Physiology, Physical Education and Life Safety, Geography and Tourism, and the Laboratory of Human Capabilities.
The Institute of Digital Education provides UG and PG taught and research programs through three Departments: Mathematics and Physics, Education Informatization, and IT, Management and Technology.
The Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology of Education conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs through four Departments: Teaching Methods, Psychology, Pedagogy, and Teaching Process Support.
The Institute of Humanities provides UG and PG taught and research programs through seven Departments: Foreign Philology, Methods of Teaching History, Social Studies, and Law, Russian Language and Methods of Teaching Philological Subjects, Russian History, Russian Literature, Philosophy and Social Sciences, and History.
The Institute of Economics, Management and Law conducts undergraduate and postgraduate programs through eight Departments: Education and Information Law, State Legal Disciplines, State and Municipal Management and Legal Studies, Civil Law Disciplines, International Law and Human Rights, Theory and History of State and Law, Criminal Law Disciplines, and Economics and Management.
The Institute of Secondary Vocational Education consists of seven Colleges, and is one of the premier academic units of its kind in the country.
The Institute of Special Education and Psychology teaches UG and PG courses, and carries out research via its four Departments: Logopedics, General and Practical Psychology, Special Education and Comprehensive Rehabilitation, and Special Psychology and Psychosocial Technologies.
The Research Institute of Urban Studies and Global Education provides UG and PG taught and research programs through two Departments (Information and Analytics and Design and Development of Urban Initiatives), one Center (Analytical Research and Modeling in Education), and 10 Research Laboratories.
The Institute of Lifelong Learning creates and implements high level professional training and executive education programs.
The Directorate of Educational Programs provides programs that help train leaders of educational institutions.
The Institute of Education Content, Methods and Technology maintains a digital platform that brings together the management of Moscow’s schools, the students of those schools, and their parents.

The Samara Branch of Moscow City University consists of four Faculties: Law, Informatics and Management, Philology, and Psychology and Pedagogy.

Eligibility Criteria

Undergraduate applicants to MCU from outside Russia need to satisfy the following entry requirements:

International passport holder; this document must be valid for at least 18 months after the projected date of course commencement.
High school secondary Year 12 degree or equivalent; an interim certificate can be uploaded in case the applicant is still in the final year of such a program.
Strong academic performance in relevant subjects, as detailed in school academic transcripts.
In case the board or curriculum of study is not officially recognized in Russia, applicants must apply for a Certificate of Education Recognition through the State Center for Education Evaluation.
Good physical and mental health; an important part of this is to submit negative tests for common infectious diseases.

Applicants to postgraduate courses at MCU must submit Bachelor’s degree certificates and transcripts instead of high school grades.

Admission

International applicants to MCU must follow these steps:

Choice of program: Every course at the University has details of prerequisites and a curriculum outline on the website; applicants should go through this material to make sure that they satisfy the minimum requirements.
Filling the application form: Personal, academic, and professional details must be filled in the online application form.
During this phase, candidates should research funding options; in case they want to apply for the Russian Government Scholarship, an application must be sent to the Embassy. If they are financing their own degree, they may need to submit details of a financial sponsor.
Along with the online application form, applicants must also upload documents, including scans of an official government ID (ideally a passport), academic degrees, and detailed performance transcripts.
Depending on whether the candidate is applying for a State sponsored seat or a full fee-paying place, the entrance examination to be taken is different; the former seat type requires the applicant to take the competitive test on an equal basis to citizens of Russia, in the Russian language.
Candidates who pass the entrance examinations are sent an official contract by the University; this can be used to apply for a Russian Federation visa. At this time, students should also pay their fees for the first year to confirm joining.
Upon arrival in Moscow, new international students should submit the originals of their documents for verification and send in health checkup certificates. They should report to the International Relations Department for guidance and help in the registration process.

Deadlines for application vary for UG, Master’s, and PhD candidates according to the academic calendar.

Fees

Tuition fees for postgraduate courses at MCU vary according to Institute and course; the University maintains separate pages for each program. Tuition fee details can be found on these web pages.

Similarly, undergraduate students can find full details of part time and full time tuition fees on the course catalog page.

Most international students at MCU stay in one of the two student hotels. These have rooms for two people (which cost 10,500 rubles or 190 USD per month), and rooms with triple or quadruple occupancy (which cost 9,500 rubles or 172 USD per month). At this price, students are able to access recreation rooms, laundry facilities, and WiFi. Other living costs include food, travel, and shopping for personal items.

Campus facilities

The Moscow City University campus is spread over 44 buildings within the city of Moscow, with a branch campus in the city of Samara. With over 1,000 lecture halls and over 30 gyms, the campus allows students to balance academic commitments with leisure and fitness activities.

The MCU Student Council represents the student body in discussions and negotiations with management and gives every student a voice. It also helps with the organization of large student events and supports student-led initiatives. The Council is divided into Divisions within each Institute.

The MCU Volunteer School aims to give students at the University the soft skills needed to volunteer time and effort, and connect members of the MCU community with national and international organizations that need their support the most. It works with the leading nonprofits and agencies in Moscow. Students may engage in several kinds of volunteer activities, including social, event management, patriotic, cultural, donation generation, and eco-volunteering. Under the umbrella of this School, all students with a passion for making the world a better place can see their visions become reality.

In addition to the 30 gyms spread over the Moscow campus, MCU prioritizes sports and fitness at all levels, from novice players gaining basic skills to elite athletes. Several Institutes have their own Sports Centers: these host indoor sports rooms and courts as well as fitness areas, including cardio and crossfit arenas. There are even PhD degrees offered by the University in the field of Physical Education and Sports, ensuring that MCU trains the next generation of fitness professionals and sports managers to ensure that athletes continue to perform at a high level and fulfill their potential.

The MCU Career Service aims to provide the students of the University with the best possible internships and job opportunities. These are the main activities of the Service:

Raising awareness among the students of best practices while writing resumes, preparing for interviews, drafting cover letters, and shortlisting job options.
Setting up career days, workshops, seminars, networking events, and alumni mentorship sessions for current students.
Adding new jobs and internships to the online database and removing those that are out of date.
Guiding students on their career development journey through personalized sessions whenever required.
Providing internship and industrial training services within the network of partner organizations, to ensure that students are well prepared for any job opportunities that come their way when they graduate.

To increase the efficacy of its career services, Moscow City University partners with schools and universities worldwide, in addition to prominent nonprofit organizations, businesses, and cultural institutions. The tireless efforts of the Career Service ensure that there is a 97% success rate in finding jobs for recent graduates.

Scholarship

The main scholarship for international students at MCU is the Russian Government Scholarship. This covers the tuition fees in full, and many courses at the University have a certain number of places that fall under the State Scholarship Scheme. Students are selected on the basis of academic excellence, and applications must be made directly to the Russian embassy in the home country of the applicant. Not all programs are covered by this scholarship; for example, in the 2023-24 academic year, there are four undergraduate courses and three postgraduate programs under this scheme, including Pedagogy, Philology, and Linguistics.

Students of Moscow City University can also subsidize their education by applying to exchange programs abroad. These applications must be submitted after the first or second year of study at MCU, and scholarships may pay a stipend in addition to the tuition fee for the exchange semester(s) abroad. Several countries offer exchange program scholarships to MCU students, including Slovakia and Switzerland.