Applying to Master’s Programmes at HSE

Our admission boards evaluate applications for Russian government scholarship places and partial scholarships places and fee-paying places.

You can familiarize yourself with all of HSE’s graduate programmes (both English- and Russian-taught) in the programme catalogue. There you can find all master’s programmes, which can be presented by HSE campus, fields of study, the language of instruction, etc. If you are interested in English-taught programmes, you can visit the main page programmes marked as "Instruction in English".

If you wish to learn more about a specific programme, please visit that programme’s website. There you can find information about the programme’s curriculum, professors, research and internship opportunities, and much more.
Once you have decided which two programmes you wish to apply to, you can move on to STEP 2.

Application dates: November 1, 2024 - August 3, 2025.

Application deadline for Russian government scholarship - March 1, 2025.

Set Up Your User ID and Password

International applicants may get access to their accounts after they apply for a User ID and a password using the link. Once you have submitted a form, an e-mail will be sent to the address you indicated during registration with your User ID and password. Please make sure уou have provided the correct e-mail address. If you received the User ID and the password for access to the foreign applicant’s personal account earlier, you can use it.

Fill in the Form

You can use your User ID and password to enter your account. Don’t forget to read through the form fields to be filled in (required fields are marked with an asterisk).

When you apply for HSE graduate programmes, you may choose one to two programmes. Once you have submitted your application, you will not be able to access it again. You can apply only once.

Graduate programmes have different requirements for candidates.

Applicants will be selected for the programmes according to the presented portfolio. Please read the minimum portfolio requirements carefully (they are different for each graduate programme).

Before submitting the application, note that you may need to consult the 'Portfolio Criteria'.

Almost all programmes request a Letter of Motivation. The Letter of motivation can be written in Russian or in English. You can use our guide How to Write a Motivation Letter. For most programmes, you may need a Letter of Recommendation too, thus you can use the HSE Letter of Recommendation form or use your own.

All of your supporting files must be in PDF or JPEG format. Their size should not exceed 15MB. Multi-page documents should be saved in PDF format.

After your application materials have been attached, please click ‘SUBMIT’. You will receive an email confirming the receipt of your application within 24 hours.

IMPORTANT! During weekends and holidays, it may take up to 72 hours. Applications submitted on Friday or on the eve of a holiday after 12:00 will be considered on the next business day.

Proceed to STEP 3.

Your application will be evaluated at the admissions commission meeting of your chosen degree programme. The review of your application should take a minimum of 2 weeks.

If any additional information or documents must be submitted, the application process may take longer, and, as such, the final decision will be made after the submission of all necessary documents.

IMPORTANT! You have to upload your portfolio to the personal online account before August 10.

Be prepared for an interview with one of HSE’s admission committees

Applicants to Master’s programmes at HSE may be asked to pass an individual online interview with representatives of the chosen Master’s programme. Programme coordinators will only contact those candidates who meet the established eligibility criteria on the basis of their portfolio evaluation. Please make sure that you provide correct contact details and your Skype ID in the application submitted for the competition. An interview will be set up and specified in your personal account.

Based on the results of your application evaluation, the decision of the degree programme’s admission committee shall be posted in your personal account (no later than 6 weeks after the application has been submitted).

If you see the recommendation for admission in your personal account, please proceed to STEP 4.

Once you have received an e-mail with a recommendation for admission to HSE, enter your Foreign Applicant’s Personal Account section “Offer of Admission“ and follow the instructions:

1. Select the chosen programme.
2. Upload there all necessary documents.

Before your Arrival in Moscow and other HSE University’s Campuses

1. Recognition of international qualifications

Fill in an application form in the section Recognition in your personal account following the instructions. Please note that you need to complete the procedure of recognition from March 1, 2025 till August 18, 2025.

Information on Recognizing International Qualifications

If your documents are issued not in Russian language, make translations (with a notarization to be obtained at the notary’s office). Translation can be done in the territory of the Russian Federation or in the country of your residence. The detailed information about correct translation is available here.

Legalization of your certificate of education/diploma and transcript

Depending on the country where your education document was issued, you should complete the legalization procedure. You can find a full list of countries with respective legalization requirements here (PDF, 400 Кб). Each country has its own criteria for legalization.

You can have both education documents and related copies legalized.

More details about recognition and legalization procedure are here.

If you have any questions about the procedure for recognizing international qualifications, please contact us by e-mail: recognition@hse.ru.

IMPORTANT!  The aforementioned procedure is mandatory for all foreign citizens who apply for admission to study at HSE University; it is provided on a free-of-charge basis. If you hold a Russian certificate of education /diploma from a Russian university, you should also fill in a respective application form in your personal account.

2. Enrolment

The enrolment process in Moscow is going on from June 23, 2025 based on the receipt of all necessary documents from international applicants electronically via their online personal accounts:

• a copy of their application for studies;
• a copy of their acceptance of the offer of admission;
• a copy of their consent to personal data processing;
• a copy of their consent to personal data placement.

IMPORTANT! Templates of the above-mentioned documents to be filled in and uploaded to your online personal account. Section will be available provided you submitted Recognition section in personal account and provided payment confirmation of the 1st semester (for fee-paying applicants).

IMPORTANT! For those recommended for a full-tuition scholarship "Directed" status in the personal account on https://russia-u.minobrnauki.gov.ru website is a condition to appear on the HSE list of the enroled students.

3. Visa application

Visa applications shall be submitted in the section Visa (Виза) in your personal account.

If you have been recommended for admission to a government-funded place, information about your visa invitation is expected to be available in Russia-edu.ru system in July - August.

If you have been recommended for admission to a fee-paying place, a copy of your visa invitation will be posted in the section Visa (Виза) in your personal account within 45 days since you submitted this section.

Please note that applicants who arrive to study in Russian universities from the following countries DO NOT NEED to apply for a student visa: the Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of South Ossetia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Tajikistan, Ukraine, Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as holders of diplomatic visas.

You can find detailed information by referring to  Visa and Registration Centre.

4. Housing for international students

For campus in Moscow

For students admitted to Russian government scholarship places in HSE University’s dormitories are distributed via their personal online accounts. The assignment of dormitory places will be via personal account starting from August 20, 2025. A referral to check in to your dormitory with the exact address and room number will be available in your online account three days before the date of your arrival to the Russian Federation, which you must mark in advance in your online account in accordance with the purchased ticket. Therefore, by the moment of your arrival to study, a place in one of HSE University’s dormitories will be reserved for you. Please download and print out an accommodation referral form to present at the dormitory. The validity period of the check-in referral is 10 days.

The average cost of a place in a dormitory in Moscow is about 2000 rubles per month.

IMPORTANT! Check-in at the dormitory will be possible no earlier than August 21, 2025.

In accordance with the "Internal Regulations of the HSE Student Dormitory", in order to move into a dormitory/residential complex a student must have:

• Passport.

• Certificate of preventive vaccinations, including measles (form №156/93) or a certificate of vaccination in any form (with a notarial translation into Russian).

• The reference in the form 086/у or the certificate in the form of Appendix № 8 to the "Rules of residence" with marks about fluorography, blood test on HIV, Hepatitis B and the conclusion of the therapist about absence of contraindications to accommodation in a hostel (valid for 6 months) or copies of medical certificates received after passing the medical examination (MODF), or a copy of dactocard received within the requirements of FZ-274.

Important! If a medical certificate 086/y or MODF or dactocard is not available, the above documents must be presented within 30 calendar days from the date of check-in at the dormitory. Prior to obtaining the above medical documents, a student must present a certificate of absence of tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis B with a therapist's note that there are no contraindications for living in the dormitory with notarial translation into Russian (the certificate is valid for 6 months).

• Medical policy covering the entire period of stay in Russia - VMI from a Russian insurance company or international / tourist policy (with a notarial translation into Russian).
• Your migration card received upon the crossing of the border of the Russian Federation (in the airport or any other border checkpoint in Russia) or a copy of your entry visa.

IMPORTANT! Please make sure to state the purpose of your visit as Study (Учеба) in your migration card. If in your migration card is indicated another purpose (for example, "Private"), then moving to the dormitory will be impossible.

Trainees are citizens of the Republic of Belarus; foreign citizens who have a residence permit, temporary residence permit or temporary residence permit on the territory of the Russian Federation:

• Passport.
• Certificate of preventive immunization, including certificate of measles vaccination (form №156/93) or a certificate of vaccination in any form (with notarial translation into Russian).
• The reference in the form 086/у or reference in the form of Appendix № 8 to the "Rules of residence" with the marks about fluorography, blood test on HIV, Hepatitis B and the conclusion of the therapist about the absence of contraindications to stay in the hostel - the term of validity of certificates is 6 months.
• Health insurance policy (for those who have a residence permit and/or work in Russia) or a health insurance policy issued by a Russian insurance company covering the entire period of stay in Russia or an international policy (with a notarized translation into Russian) / tourist policy.

Important! MHI policy is issued from the registration date until the end of the calendar year and requires annual renewal. 

• Your migration card received upon the crossing of the border of the Russian Federation (in the airport or any other border checkpoint in Russia) or a copy of your entry visa.

IMPORTANT! Please make sure to state the purpose of your visit as Study (Учеба) in your migration card. If in your migration card is indicated another purpose (for example, "Private"), then moving to the dormitory will be impossible.

For students admitted to fee-paying places, a special accommodation service is launched. Using this service you will be able to choose one of the available variants for living outside the HSE University. More details about the service for choosing accommodation options are available on the website.

For campus in Saint-Petersburg

Dormitory places will be allocated via the applicant's personal accounts. You will get access to the Dormitory section in your personal account, once you’ve completed the Enrolment Consent and Recognition of Foreign Education and (or) Qualifications sections but no earlier than August 2025. Therefore, by the time you visit us to submit your documents, a place at the dormitory will have already been assigned to you. Please download and print out an accommodation referral form to present at the dormitory.

IMPORTANT! Check-in at the dormitory will be possible no earlier than August 25, 2025. At the dormitory, international students shall submit the following:

• the original copy of health certificates (general health certificate or form 086y);
• chest X-ray screening;
• copy of a certificate of vaccination;
• medical insurance policy;
• copies of passport, visa, and migration card;
• 2 (two) 3x4 photographs (matte or glossy)

For campus in Perm

At the time of arrival to study at HSE Perm, each applicant will be provided with a place in one of the dormitories of the university. Please email admissionsperm@hse.ru to find out the address of the dormitory where you will be assigned.

IMPORTANT: Admission to the dormitories will be possible from August 15, 2025.

The average cost of a place in the dormitory: 700 rubles per month.

At check-in in the university dormitory international students provide:

• a copy of a passport and a copy of a notarized translation of the passport into Russian;
• medical insurance valid on the territory of the Russian Federation, acquired before arrival in the Russian Federation or right after arrival;
• health certificate (086u form). When issuing a medical insurance, a medical examination can be included in the list of services, which the student will be able to undergo upon arrival in the Russian Federation. A health certificate can be given on the results of the medical examination;
• a certificate of HIV/AIDS status;
• fluorography result;
• a vaccination certificate (form No. 156/93).

For campus in Nizhny Novgorod

For all international students HSE University’s dormitories are available, places are distributed via their personal online accounts. Access to the section Dormitory (Общежитие) in your account will be available after completing the section Offer of Admission (Согласие), as well as the recognition procedure, but not earlier than August 2025. Therefore, by the moment of your arrival to study, a place in one of HSE University’s dormitories will be reserved for you. Please download and print out an accommodation referral form to present at the dormitory.

IMPORTANT! Check-in at the dormitory will be possible no earlier than August 28, 2025. At the dormitory, international students shall submit the following:

• a certificate of vaccinations carried out or a copy of a certificate of preventive vaccinations (form No. 156 / y-93);
• a voluntary health insurance policy (VHI) valid in Russia. The voluntary health insurance policy should include medical examination, which is to be done after the arrival to Russia. After the medical examination, a student will be provided with the certificate that should be handed to the dormitory.

Please see all the details about HSE Dormitories in Nizhny Novgorod here.

5. Submission of documents upon arrival in Moscow

After you arrive in Moscow, you should contact your Study Office.

Please be ready to present the following documents:

For students admitted to government-funded places:

• your passport and a copy of your passport with a notarized Russian translation (if necessary);
• original certificates of education (diploma + transcript) with respective copies of a notarized Russian translation (if necessary);
• a copy of your migration card received upon the crossing of the border of the Russian Federation (in the airport or any other border checkpoint in Russia) or a copy of your entry visa.
• 2 (two) 3x4 photographs (color or black and white);
• a voluntary health insurance policy (VHI) valid in Russia. You must have a valid VHI policy during the entire period of study. More information about Medical Aid & Insurance for international students is available here.

For students admitted to fee-paying places:

• your passport and a copy of your passport with a notarized Russian translation (if necessary);
• original certificates of education (diploma + transcript) with respective copies of a notarized Russian translation (if necessary);
• a copy of the education agreement signed by the “Client” side;
• a confirmation of payment for Semester 1 of the current academic year;

IMPORTANT! Upon arrival for studying, the contract will be signed personally by the “Client” and the “Contractor”. If the “Client” under the contract is a legal entity or one of the student's parents, it is necessary to provide 3 (three) copies of the contract with the personal signature of the “Client”.

• a copy of your migration card received upon the crossing of the border of the Russian Federation (in the airport or any other border checkpoint in Russia) or a copy of your entry visa.
• 2 (two) 3x4 photographs (color or black and white);
• a voluntary health insurance policy (VHI) valid in Russia. You must have a valid VHI policy during the entire period of study. More information about Medical Aid & Insurance for international students is available here.

For campus in Saint-Petersburg

For students admitted to fee-paying places:

In 2024 you can sign the study contract in Centre for International Education (123 Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboedova, office 216). Please, visit international admissions office to get your copy of the contract.