In 2026, Higher Education Will Become Even More Unattainable for russians

In 2026, the russian higher education system will enter a phase of severe cutbacks, demonstrating a deep crisis in funding and strategic degradation. The ministry of science and higher education of the rf has announced the elimination of another 45,000 paid places in higher education institutions, which is about 13% of the total number. The blow will affect not only state-run institutions but also commercial ones, so the specialties that have traditionally formed the basis of the civilian labor market will suffer the most: law, economics, management, advertising, and public relations. Even dentistry and oil and gas engineering, previously considered profitable fields, have been cut.

In parallel, universities are sharply increasing tuition fees. At the moscow institute of physics and technology, the annual fee exceeds one million rubles regardless of the specialty, which effectively cuts off a significant portion of potential applicants. In addition, new barriers are being introduced – requirements for victories in academic competitions – which further narrows access to prestigious programs.

The kremlin is also depriving students of the opportunity to obtain preferential loans at 3 % for studying subjects that the state considers “not needed”.  As of today, this includes 28 bachelor’s degree programs and 12 specialist programs. As a result, tens of thousands of young people are left without the financial means to obtain an education.

These steps are being taken against the background of a demographic peak: the generation of the mid-2000s, when the birth rate in the rf  was rising, is graduating from schools. Demand for education is increasing, but the state is not ready to meet it. The reasons are obvious: a lack of funds in the budget, the regime’s need for soldiers and workers, and the desire to make universities as dependent on the central government as possible. As a result, higher education in the rf is becoming an instrument of control rather than development, which only deepens the country’s social and economic stagnation.