Politics · Russia · 1 hr ago
Russian senators propose tougher university admission rules
Russia’s Federation Council recommended raising minimum exam scores for entry to universities.
The proposal concerns the Unified State Exam, or EGE, used by students applying to Russian higher education.
Senators also proposed making admission through subject Olympiads harder and reviewing who qualifies for admission benefits.
They recommended ending part-time study for engineering and technology courses, and limiting paid places in fields where graduates exceed labour-market needs.
These proposals build on existing restrictions on paid university places, which the government says target fields with too many graduates.
The recommendations do not establish new rules by themselves; the Federation Council asked the education oversight agency to consider them.
The sources do not say when or whether the agency will act.
The Federation Council recommended raising the minimum Unified State Exam scores required for admission to Russian universities.
Its recommendations also propose restricting correspondence study in engineering and technology fields and limiting paid places in fields with more graduates than the labour market needs.
The council proposed reviewing admission benefits and making it harder to enter universities through subject olympiads.
It also recommended suspending licences for new universities until licensing rules are changed.
The proposals are recommendations to the federal education watchdog, Rosobrnadzor, rather than enacted rules.
- Who
- Russia’s Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, made the recommendations to Rosobrnadzor.
- What
- It proposed higher minimum Unified State Exam scores and other restrictions on university admissions.
- When
- The recommendations were approved on October 28, 2026.
- Where
- The proposals concern admissions to universities in Russia.
- Why
- The stated aim includes optimizing the categories of people granted special admission rights. The council also proposed limiting places in fields with more graduates than labour-market needs.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
President Vladimir Putin called for an end to excessive university admissions in fields he described as in low demand.
The State Duma passed a law restricting paid university places and a related programme of preferential loans.
Federation Council speaker Valentina Matvienko called for stricter university licensing during a plenary session.
The Federation Council approved recommendations to raise minimum exam scores and introduce other university admission restrictions.
- Recommendation date
- October 28, 2026
- Exam
- Unified State Exam (EGE)
- Proposed licensing measure
- Suspend licences for new universities until legislation changes
- Proposed study restriction
- No correspondence study in engineering and technology fields
- Paid admissions
- Limit places in fields where graduate numbers exceed labour-market needs
- Paid enrolment change
- Universities reported a 28% decrease in students admitted to paid study in October 2026
4 sources
What people are saying
anyone can do it, literally by pressing a couple of buttons
protection of citizens from poor-quality education
optimization of the number of categories of citizens who are granted special rights when admitted to study