The Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation proposed changing the procedure for admission to universities from the 2027/28 academic year

The Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation proposed changing the procedure for admission to Russian universities from the next academic year; the innovations will affect, in particular, the list of required Unified State Examinations for admission, the list of individual achievements and the results of Olympiads, the department told RIA Novosti.

“The Russian Ministry of Education and Science has prepared draft changes to the Procedure for Admission to Russian Universities, as well as to the List of Entrance Tests,” the statement says.

It is clarified that the planned changes will take effect from the 2027/28 academic year.

It is noted that the number of areas where physics is a mandatory exam will increase to 37; it will become mandatory, in particular, for all areas and specialties of mechanical engineering.

“History will become a mandatory exam where previously the university could choose between history and social studies. Mathematics will become mandatory in all specialties in the field of information security,” the message follows.

The department added that the multidisciplinary competition will be cancelled. Now the competition will be held for a specific specialty or direction.

In addition, applicants will be able to receive points for an additional USE result that they passed but do not use in the main competition. So, if an applicant voluntarily passed mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science or biology with 60 points or more and does not use this exam in the competition, he will be able to receive from 15 to 25 points for it.

The list of individual achievements is also expanding. Applicants will be able to receive points for additional education under the federal project "Code of the Future", training in organizations of the "Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Air Force and Navy of Russia" and the Federation Council medal "For Courage".

Moreover, the rules for accepting winners and prize-winners of schoolchildren’s Olympiads from the list of the Russian Council of Schoolchildren’s Olympiads (RSOSH) are being clarified. Only winners will be able to enroll without entrance tests; the results of Olympiads only for grades 10-11 will be taken into account - this is the practice that has already developed in most universities. Each university will continue to approve the list of Olympiads that grant this right independently.

The Ministry of Education and Science also proposed changing the procedure for admission to master's programs - it will be possible to apply for a maximum of five directions at one university.

The department emphasized that the procedure for paid admission is supplemented by rules on the possibility of paying for education using maternity capital or an educational loan.