100 best universities in Russia 2024-2025, Forbes rating

The formation of a new elite of the country is impossible without receiving a quality education. And Forbes magazine decided to compile rating of 100 best universities in Russia 2019, in which those who will join the ranks of the establishment in the future are already studying or will only study.

To compile the selection, experts analyzed all universities according to 10 metrics, dividing them into three components:

  1. Quality of education with the best result of 50 points;
  2. Demand for graduates – up to 30 points maximum;
  3. How “elite” a particular educational institution is, and how many entrepreneurs have emerged from its walls – 20 points maximum.

At the same time, Forbes did not take into account those universities that are under the control of security forces, since they do not submit reports to the Ministry of Education.

So if you are thinking about which higher education institution is best to enroll in 2019, choose the university you like from this list.

# Name of the university Total Quality In demand. Eliteness
1 National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" 54.11 32.08 19.68 2.35
2 Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia 52.24 24.48 16.07 11.69
3 Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology 52.01 31.15 13.38 7.49
4 National Research Nuclear University MEPhI 51.46 32.86 15.7 2.9
5 Lomonosov Moscow State University 51.27 23.11 19.56 8.59
6 Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration 51.04 21.51 21.99 7.54
7 Saint Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics 50.89 32.91 16.4 1.58
8 National Research University Higher School of Economics 48.75 26.44 19.01 3.29
9 National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University 48.59 29.66 17.2 1.73
10 Russian School of Economics 48.14 32.77 13.63 1.74
11 Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation 47.81 20.33 22.31 5.17
12 Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas 46.79 22.91 19.93 3.96
13 Moscow State Law University named after O. E. Kutafin 46.41 20.66 17.55 8.2
14 Saint Petersburg Mining University 46.32 24.44 19.21 2.66
15 Bauman Moscow State Technical University 46.03 25.14 17.94 2.95
16 Peoples' Friendship University of Russia 45.94 24.45 17.71 3.78
17 National Research University "MPEI" 45.31 23.87 17.61 3.83
18 Saint Petersburg State University 45.22 23.53 17.63 4.06
19 Plekhanov Russian University of Economics 44.94 19.74 19.9 5.3
20 Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University 44.74 23.75 18.34 2.65
21 Academy of Russian Ballet named after A. Ya. Vaganova 44.66 24.5 13.87 6.29
22 Kursk State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 44.57 27.68 16.77 0.13
23 Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University 43.88 22.68 18.1 3.11
24 National Research University "Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology" 43.8 28.48 14.27 1.05
25 Saint Petersburg State University of Economics 43.24 19.6 19.99 3.64
26 National Research Tomsk State University 43.02 26.87 13.7 2.45
27 Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics 42.98 26.31 15.41 1.27
28 Russian State University of Physical Education, Sports, Youth and Tourism 42.88 17.87 18.66 6.35
29 All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography named after S. A. Gerasimov 42.78 19.93 12.12 10.73
30 Orenburg State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 42.42 26.32 15.41 0.69
31 Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University) 42.37 20.72 17.39 4.26
32 Altai State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 42.3 23.29 17.45 1.57
33 First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 42.26 24.5 16.66 1.1
34 Russian State University for the Humanities 42.07 18.72 20.25 3.1
35 National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering 41.98 20.16 18.78 3.04
36 Moscow State Academy of Physical Culture 41.95 15.8 21.59 4.55
37 Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University "LETI named after V. I. Ulyanov (Lenin)" 41.83 25.15 14.63 2.05
38 Belgorod State National Research University 41.27 22.85 16.11 2.31
39 Russian State Social University 41.27 19.12 20 2.15
40 Saint Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation 41.13 19.12 19.92 2.09
41 Russian State University of Tourism and Service 41.07 21.02 17.43 2.62
42 Russian State Institute of Performing Arts 40.74 21.76 15.03 3.95
43 Nizhny Novgorod State Conservatory named after M. I. Glinka 40.74 25.5 13.65 1.59
44 Moscow State Institute of Culture 40.71 19.19 18.57 2.95
45 Volga Region Research Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 40.71 24.22 15.71 0.77
46 Tver State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 40.71 25.74 14.37 0.59
47 Southern Federal University 40.6 21.34 16.9 2.36
48 Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute at the Yevgeny Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre 40.43 25.4 11.81 3.22
49 School-studio (institute) named after Vl. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko at the Moscow Art Academic Theatre named after A. P. Chekhov 40.26 21.69 12.22 6.34
50 Novosibirsk State Conservatory named after M. I. Glinka 40.26 24.05 13.14 3.08
51 Russian Institute of Theatre Arts - GITIS 40.23 20.29 14.18 5.77
52 Gnessin Russian Academy of Music 40.18 22.15 15.19 2.83
53 Moscow State Technological University "STANKIN" 40.09 23.53 14.9 1.67
54 Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin 40.03 20.73 16.57 2.73
55 Kazan State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 39.99 23.06 15.66 1.27
56 Perm National Research Polytechnic University 39.98 22.06 15.15 2.76
57 State University of Management 39.97 18.34 17.64 3.99
58 Moscow Technological University 39.69 19.97 17.18 2.53
59 Omsk State Technical University 39.57 21.85 16.08 1.64
60 State Institute of the Russian Language named after A.S. Pushkin 39.56 29.07 9.72 0.77
61 Novosibirsk National Research State University 39.54 22.02 13.42 4.1
62 Belgorod State Technological University named after V. G. Shukhov 39.54 18.59 17.39 3.56
63 Kazan National Research Technical University named after A. N. Tupolev - KAI 39.49 21.45 15.21 2.83
64 Russian University of Transport (MIIT) 39.47 17.26 20.23 1.98
65 Moscow Polytechnic University 39.28 21.15 14.33 3.8
66 North-West State Medical University named after I. I. Mechnikov of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 39.24 19.68 18.88 0.68
67 Ufa State Petroleum Technological University 39.23 19.48 17.11 2.64
68 Novosibirsk State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 39.22 20.22 17.32 1.68
69 Russian State Pedagogical University named after A. I. Herzen 39.14 19.35 18.19 1.6
70 Siberian State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 39.13 22.77 15.01 1.35
71 Novosibirsk State Technical University 39.08 21.61 15.43 2.05
72 Leningrad State University named after A.S. Pushkin 38.99 18.93 17.75 2.3
73 Siberian State University of Geosystems and Technologies 38.79 21.1 15.27 2.42
74 Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy 38.77 16.98 19.43 2.36
75 Kazan National Research Technological University 38.77 20.69 16.6 1.47
76 Tyumen Industrial University 38.64 17.14 18.79 2.71
77 Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation 38.62 19.82 16.41 2.39
78 Astrakhan State University 38.6 20.93 14.98 2.69
79 Saratov State Medical University named after V. I. Razumovsky of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 38.56 21.41 16.34 0.81
80 Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics 38.47 21.12 15.31 2.03
81 South Ural State University (National Research University) 38.44 19.17 16.17 3.1
82 Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University (MADI) 38.43 17.5 17.87 3.06
83 Samara State Technical University 38.43 17.61 18.47 2.35
84 Saint Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design 38.41 19.31 17 2.1
85 Saint Petersburg State Institute of Culture 38.35 19.56 16.2 2.59
86 Moscow State University of Technology and Management named after K. G. Razumovsky (First Cossack University) 38.35 19.06 16.71 2.58
87 Voronezh State Medical University named after N. N. Burdenko of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 38.26 22.92 14.78 0.56
88 Saint Petersburg State Marine Technical University 38.25 21.9 13.21 3.13
89 D. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia 38.23 21.46 14.87 1.9
90 Northern State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation 38.19 21.07 16.19 0.92
91 Moscow City Pedagogical University 38.1 20.64 16.26 1.2
92 National Research Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N. I. Lobachevsky 38.09 19.66 15.86 2.57
93 Literary Institute named after A. M. Gorky 38.05 20.28 10.55 7.22
94 Moscow State Linguistic University 38.02 19.91 15.39 2.72
95 Moscow University named after S. Yu. Witte 37.93 17.72 16.8 3.41
96 Russian New University 37.91 18.18 16.54 3.19
97 Samara National Research University named after Academician S. P. Korolev 37.9 21.68 14.21 2.01
98 Ivanovo State Power Engineering University named after V.I. Lenin 37.69 17.21 18.16 2.32
99 Emperor Alexander I St. Petersburg State University of Railway Engineering 37.59 18.84 16.31 2.44
100 Voronezh State University 37.35 17.68 17.27 2.39

10 Best Universities in Russia 2019 According to Forbes

10. NES, Moscow

The Russian Economic School is one of those places where the richest people of Russia have been taught and are taught. For example, economist, politician and head of FIDE Arkady Dvorkovich, as well as the first deputy chairman of the Central Bank Ksenia Yudaeva are among the graduates of the NES.

About 40% of the teaching staff are foreign professors of the highest level. The Russian Ministry of Education gave NES the highest rating for educational activities.

9. TPU, Tomsk region

This is the oldest technical university in the Trans-Urals. It is also the only one in the Asian part of Russia that has been honored to be included in the top 5 best technical universities in the country.

Tomsk Polytechnic University trains students in 54 specialties, and 92% of graduates find work within a year after graduation.

By the way, if you have read the works of science fiction writer Alexander Kazantsev ("Guest from Space", "Gift of Kaissa", "Oyla. The Twelfth Moon of the Earth", etc.), then know that he also studied at TPU. So the hearts of techies are also not alien to high prose.

8. National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow

This is one of the youngest universities in the world. The Higher School of Economics was founded in 1992 as a think tank for officials. According to Yevgeny Yasinya, the HSE was supposed to become a forge of personnel ready to work in new conditions for the new government.

And since the country at that time needed economists and managers, these areas were the first to open at the Higher School of Economics, as students affectionately call this institution.

Currently, HSE is among the top 11 Russian universities whose graduates find work within a year. This is according to data from the British consulting agency Quacquarelli Symonds. According to a survey conducted at HSE itself, 93% graduates find work within the first year after receiving their diploma.

7. ITMO University, Saint Petersburg

The only representative of the Northern capital in the top 10 best universities in Russia in 2019 has the status of a National Research University (NRU).

Within the framework of this program, ITMO is implementing projects to modernize priority areas of the Russian economy:

  • IT;
  • photonics;
  • optoinformatics;
  • urban studies.

Recently, scientists from ITMO developed a special lining made of artificial materials that allows people with non-magnetic implants to safely perform MRI.

ITMO is the alma mater of many famous Russians, including: Efraim Kogan, the creator of the warhead of a self-guided torpedo for submarines, and Yuri Denisyuk, the discoverer of three-dimensional holography and the method of three-dimensional reflection holograms.

6. RANEPA, Moscow

The Presidential Academy sounds proud. And considering its numerous awards, it is also prestigious.

In 2016, RANEPA was among the top five Russian economic universities according to Expert RA, and in the same year, 100 of its graduates were included in the 17th rating of the Top 1000 Russian Managers.

In 2018, Forbes gave the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration the second place in the list of the best universities in the country. This year, as you can see, it has moved to 6th place.

The current stars of the political Olympus - Valentina Matviyenko, Anton Siluanov, Alexei Kudrin and Sergei Shoigu - are graduates of RANEPA.

5. Moscow State University, Moscow

The top five Russian universities for the elite are opened by one of the oldest and largest universities in Russia, named after M.V. Lomonosov.

It comprises 43 faculties, over 300 departments, 6 branches and 15 research institutes. So applicants have a wide range of options to choose their future specialty.

MSU regularly makes it into Russian and foreign rankings of the best universities in the world. Thus, in 2019, it was among the top fifty best universities in the world according to Quacquarelli Symonds, and not in one, but in five areas:

  1. Linguistics;
  2. Mathematics;
  3. Computer science;
  4. Modern languages;
  5. Physics and astronomy.

At one time, the granite of science at Moscow State University was gnawed by: the shark of Russian business Oleg Deripaska, the head of the Central Bank Elvira Nabiullina, the popular showman Andrei Malakhov, as well as the first and only president of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev.

4. MEPhI, Moscow

One of the most elite universities in Russia in 2019 has the status of a National Research University of the Russian Federation.

In 2016, the British company Quacquarelli Symonds included MEPhI in the top 50 best universities in the BRICS countries.

It is curious that in such a seemingly purely atheistic institution as MEPhI there is a department of theology.

Among the famous Russians who have ever studied at MEPhI, one can note Nikolai Rukavishnikov, the first civilian commander of a spacecraft, another cosmonaut Sergei Avdeev, and Alexander Rumyantsev, the former head of Rosatom.

3. MIPT, Moscow region

The famous Phystech, also known as the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, is focused on training scientists and engineers to work in the most relevant and modern areas of science. The most popular discipline at MIPT is "Applied Mathematics and Physics".

Last year, the British magazine Times Higher Education included MIPT in the top 100 most prestigious universities in the world.

Studied here:

  • Tatyana Ustinova is a famous Russian author of detective books;
  • Potashev Maxim is an erudite person and participant of the elite show "What? Where? When?";
  • Andre Geim, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 (together with Konstantin Novoselov, Geim discovered a new material – graphene);
  • Alexander Filippenko is a People's Artist of Russia.

2. MGIMO, Moscow

Many famous people have graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Among them:

  • Georgy Arbatov, who founded the Institute of the USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
  • TV presenter and TV journalist Alexander Lyubimov;
  • Sergey Lavrov is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (by the way, he wrote the institute’s anthem);
  • Vladimir Potanin is one of the richest billionaires in Russia.
  • Alisher Usmanov is another major Russian businessman and, according to the US Treasury Department's "Kremlin report," a person close to Vladimir Putin.

MGIMO trains students in 18 areas, including journalism, political science, international relations, and business informatics. The institute even made it into the Guinness Book of Records as the university that teaches the largest number of foreign languages (53).

An important factor in choosing MGIMO is the fact that in 2016 it topped the world ranking of graduate employment within a year of graduation.

1. MISiS, Moscow

MISiSThe best university of 2019 was the first in Russia to receive a proud and long name - National Research Technological University.

If you have long dreamed of making a quantum leap, or, for a start, thoroughly studying quantum physics, then there is no better university in Russia than MISiS. After all, it is one of the leading research centers in the field of quantum physics.

MISiS actively cooperates with leading global scientific organizations, and so far is the only one in Russia to have concluded an agreement with the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).

The strongest areas at MISiS are materials science, metallurgy and mining.

Some of the most prominent graduates of this university are: Vitaly Tatsiy, the founder of the famous Internet resource KinoPoisk, and Mikhail Fridman, a businessman and co-owner of the Alfa Group consortium.